Context-aware prompts and alerts in a note-sharing system

• US 20110153744A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,165,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/36 Creation of semantic tools, e.g. ontology or thesauri
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A semantic note taking system and method for collecting information, enriching the information, and binding the information to services is provided. User-created notes are enriched with labels, context traits, and relevant data to minimize friction in the note-taking process. Context aware prompts and alerts are generated and send to users associated with the note. Users associated with the note could respond to the alerts and prompt by adding or further enriching the note with contextual traits. The prompts, alerts and responses could be shared among the group of users associated with the note.

Claims

1. A method for providing context aware prompts and alerts in a note taking system, said method comprising:

(a) providing a note taking function to allow a user to create a note on a user device, wherein said note is stored;

(b) associating one or more contextual traits with said note;

(c) assigning one or more prompts or alerts to said note using a prompt and alert service;

(d) providing a registering function to allow one or more people to join said prompt and alert service, wherein said registering comprises defining on one or more of said contextual traits for receiving a prompt or alert; and

(e) said one or more people receiving one or more of said prompts or alerts based on one or more of said defined and registered contextual traits.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said note comprises text, audio media, visual media, audio-visual media, recorded data, a weblink, a pointer to an information source, or any combination thereof.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein one or more of said contextual traits associated with said note comprises a time, a location, physical data relating to said user device, or any combination thereof.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising said one or more other people further associating one or more contextual traits with said note.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising third party service providers associating one or more contextual traits with said note.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said user is a professional service provider.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a sharing function to share a response to said alert or prompt.

8. A system for providing context aware prompts and alerts, said system comprising:

an application server, wherein a plurality of users are communicatively connected to said application server to create one or more notes, and wherein a plurality of services are communicatively connected to said application server; and

a database for storing said notes created by said users,

wherein said application server operates a plurality of functions, said functions comprising;

(a) a note taking function for allowing each of said users to create one or more of said note, wherein each of said notes comprises text, audio media, visual media, audio-visual media, recorded data, a weblink, a pointer to an information source, or any combination thereof;

(b) a context function for associating one or more contextual traits with said note;

(c) a prompt or alert assigning function for assigning prompts or alerts to said note;

(d) a registering function for allowing users to register to prompts or alerts assigned to said note, wherein said registering comprises a defining function to define one or more of said contextual traits for receiving said prompt or alert; and

(e) a receiving function for receiving prompts or alerts based on said defined and registered contextual traits.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said functions operated by said to application server comprises a login function, wherein said login function provides login information for one of said users to one of said services, and wherein said login information is provided when one of said notes of the same of said users is bound to the same of said services.

10. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein at least one of said users is a professional service provider.

11. The system as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a sharing function for sharing responses to alerts or prompts.