METHODS FOR SUPPORTING USERS WITH TASK CONTINUITY AND COMPLETION ACROSS DEVICES AND TIME

• US 20120011511A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric, Iqbal, Shamsi Tamara, Karlson, Amy Kathleen
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/461 Saving or restoring of program or task context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4806 Task transfer initiation or dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are described herein for providing task continuity and supporting task completion across devices and time. A task management application is configured to monitor one or more interactions between a user and a device. The interactions can include the use of the device, the use of one or more applications, and/or other tasks, subtasks, or other operations. Predictive models constructed from data or logical models can be used to predict the attention resources available or allocated to a task or subtask as well as the attention and affordances available within a context for addressing the task and these inferences can be used to mark or route the task for later reminding and display. In some embodiments, the task management application is configured to remind or execute a follow-up action when a session is resumed. Embodiments include providing users with easy to use gestures and mechanisms for providing input about desired follow up on the same or other devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a task, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

initiating a session at a device, the session corresponding to a task occurring at the device;

identifying a subtask associated with the task;

recognizing that the session has been interrupted;

determining if the subtask has been completed;

saving the session state for future resumption; and

generating a follow-up action in response to determining that the subtask has not been completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the subtask comprises:

determining the class and subclass within which the task is categorized, wherein determining the class and subclass comprises matching the class and subclass to similar class and subclasses within pre-specified models of tasks; and

identifying the subtask associated with the task and the determined class and the subclass within which the task is categorized.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the follow-up action comprises selection of a user option to

postpone completion of the session until at least one of a later time or until the session is resumed at a different device, or

send information relating to the subtask to another device for resumption when the other device is used by the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein matching the class and subclass to similar

class and subclasses within pre-specified models of tasks comprises:

developing specifications of interaction events that combine to define the notion of a particular task; and

making the specifications of interaction available in a task database

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a session attribute, wherein determining the session attribute comprises:

identifying a type of device;

accessing a measurement obtained from a sensor associated with the device wherein the measurement obtained from the sensor indicates at least one of a location of the device or movement of the device;

monitoring an interaction at the device; and

determining if the interaction comprises completion of the subtask.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining or predicting, based upon at least one of a statistical model or a logical model, at least one of

an amount of attention allocated to a task,

an amount of attention required to complete the task,

an amount of attention available to complete the task,

an affordance required to complete the task, or

an affordance available to complete the task.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

monitoring an interaction at the device;

analyzing the measurement obtained from the sensor; and

determining if the interaction comprises completion of the subtask based, at least partially, upon the interaction and the measurement.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the session to a data storage location accessible to multiple devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing that the device is not the same device at which the session originated; and

recognizing that a similar session has been resumed, wherein recognizing that a similar session has been resumed comprises recognizing that class and subclasses in the current session are similar to those in a saved session

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based upon at least one of a statistical model or a logical model, taking an action comprising at least one of

marking the task as incomplete,

generating the follow-up action, the follow-up action comprising a reminder relating to at least one of the task or the subtask,

routing the reminder to a follow-up device at which necessary attentional and affordance resources are available to complete the task or the subtask, or

presenting the follow-up action at the follow-up device in accordance with the routing.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating an indication relating to the subtask based, at least partially, upon the interaction and the measurement, wherein the indication comprises at least one of an indication that the subtask was initiated at a mobile device while driving, that the subtask was initiated at the mobile device while driving, an indication that the subtask was initiated at a desktop computer, or an indication that the subtask required follow-up activity when the session is resumed.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying the subtask for which the generated follow-up action should be provided; and

providing the generated follow-up action.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the generated follow-up action comprises determining a type of device at which the session is being continued, determining an environmental context of use associated with the device at which the session is being continued, and providing a follow-up action that is tailored to the type of the device and the environmental context of use

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining if another subtask exists for which another follow-up action should be provided, and in response to so determining, identifying the other subtask for which the other follow-up action should be provided and providing the other follow-up action.

15. A computer-implemented method for managing a task, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

initiating a session at a device, the session corresponding to a task occurring at the device;

identifying a plurality of subtasks associated with the task;

recognizing that the session has been interrupted;

determining if each of the plurality of the subtasks has been completed; and

saving a plurality of the session state for future resumption; and

generating a follow-up action in response to determining that a one of the plurality of the subtasks has not been completed.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining session attributes associated with the session wherein determining the session attributes comprises obtaining a plurality of measurements from the device, wherein

at least one of the plurality of measurements comprises data collected using a sensor at the device, and wherein

at least one of the plurality of measurements comprises data indicating an interaction observed by the device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the follow-up action comprises selection of a user option to

postpone completion of the session until at least one of a later time or until the session is resumed at a different device, or

send information relating to the subtask to another device for resumption when the other device is used by the user.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

recognizing the device is the same at which the session was originated;

recognizing that the session has been resumed, wherein recognizing that the session has been resumed comprises recognizing that the session has been resumed at a remote device; and

determining if the generated follow-up action should be provided.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

identifying a one of the plurality of subtasks for which the generated follow-up action should be provided;

providing the generated follow-up action;

determining if another follow-up action should be provided for another one of the plurality of subtasks, and in response to so determining, identifying the other of the plurality of subtasks for which the other follow-up action should be provided, and providing the other follow-up action.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

initiate a session at a device, the session corresponding to a task occurring at the device;

determine session attributes associated with the session;

identify a class and subclass associated with the session, and defining plurality of subtasks associated with the task based, at least partially, upon the identified class and subclass;

recognize that the session has been interrupted;

determine if each of the plurality of the subtasks has been completed;

save data indicating an interrupted state of the session, the data comprising classes and subclasses associated with the session;

generate a follow-up action in response to determining that a one of the plurality of the subtasks has not been completed;

recognize that the session has been resumed;

load a previously interrupted session;

determine if the generated follow-up action should be provided;

identify one of the plurality of the subtasks for which the generated follow-up action should be provided; and

provide the generated follow-up action, wherein the generated follow-up action comprises postponing completion of the session until at least one of a later time or until the session is resumed at a different device.