PREDICTIVE CONTACT INFORMATION REPRESENTATION

• US 20110194682A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: HANS, Martin, SCHMIDT, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A probability that one or more contacts may be selected is determined. The probability that one or more contact may be selected may be determined based on one or more information types stored in a device and which may be used by a prediction engine module to determine the probability that one or more contacts may be selected by a user. Such information types may include location information of the user and location information associated with contacts in a contact list; distance to a particular location; time, both absolute and relative to times associated with calendar entries, and the like. High probability contacts may be assembled and displayed in a predictive contact list.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

compiling a contact list based on a probability that one or more contacts in the contact list may be selected; and

storing the contact list in a storage.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the probability, the determining act including:

determining a location of a computer device; and

determining a past event occurred within a predetermined distance of the determined location, and the compiling act includes;

adding a contact associated with the past event to the contact list.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the past event is a communication session between the computer device and another computer device associated with the contact.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the probability, the determining act including:

determining a location of a computer device, and the compiling act includes;

adding a contact to the contact list having location information associated therewith that falls within a predetermined distance of the location of the computer device.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the probability, the determining act including:

determining a present point in time;

determining a past event occurred at a point in time equal or about equal to the determined present point in time, and the compiling act includes;

adding a contact associated with the past event to the contact list.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the past event is a communication session between the computer device and another computer device associated with the contact.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the present point in time is calendar date.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the probability, the determining act including:

determining a present clock time or estimated clock time;

determining an event scheduled within a predetermined timeframe of the present clock time or estimated clock time, and the compiling act includes;

adding a contact associated with the event to the contact list.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the event is a scheduled appointment and the predetermined timeframe is at least greater than an intended duration of the scheduled appointment.

10. A method to generate a contact list associated with a computer device, comprising:

maintaining a database having history data stored therein, the history data including past location information of the computer device, the past location information having additional data linked thereto; and

determining a current location information of the computer device; and

generating a contact list having at least one contact therein based on the current location information of the computer device compared against the past location information of the history data.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the current location information of the computer device is obtained from satellite positioning information, and the at least one contact in the generated contact list is obtained from another contact list associated with the computer device.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the act of generating the contact list includes:

searching the database for history data having past location information that substantially matches the current location information of the computer device;

referencing the additional data linked to the past location information that substantially matches the current location information of the computer device;

comparing the additional data against contact entries of another contact list associated with the computer device; and

selecting a contact for inclusion in the generated contact list if at least a portion of the additional data matches data associated with a contact entry of the another contact list.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the additional data is a phone number.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein past and current location information is cell identification information obtained from wireless communication network infrastructure.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising determining a present point in time, wherein the additional data linked to the past location information includes point in time information, and the generating act includes generating the contact list having the at least one contact therein based on the current location information of the computer device and the present point in time compared against the past location information and the point in time information associated therewith.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the additional data linked to the past location information further includes a telephone number, and the act of generating the contact list includes:

searching the database for history data having past location information that substantially matches the current location information of the computer device;

referencing the point in time information linked to the past location information that substantially matches the current location information of the computer device;

determining that the point of time information linked to the past location information substantially matches the present point in time;

comparing the telephone number against telephone numbers associated with contact entries of another contact list associated with the computer device; and

selecting a contact for inclusion in the generated contact list if a telephone number associated with the contact substantially matches the telephone number associated with the additional data.

17. A method to generate a contact list associated with a computer device, comprising:

maintaining a database having history data stored therein, the history data including at least one history data entry having associated first and second data information; and

generating a contact list having at least one contact therein based on the at least one history data entry.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first data information is a past event and the second data information is at least one phone number.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising determining a present point in time, and wherein the past event is a past point in time, the act of generating the contact list including:

comparing the present point in time to the past point in time;

determining the present point in time and the past point in time are consistent; and

generating the contact list having the at least one contact therein with an associated telephone number that substantially matches the at least one phone number.

20. A method of displaying a contact list, comprising:

probabilistically predicting that at least one contact associated with a plurality of contacts may be selected; and

displaying the at least one contact distinctly from the plurality of contacts.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the act of displaying includes:

displaying the plurality of contacts in a first portion of a display device; and

displaying the at least one contact in a second portion of the display device.