PROXIMITY-DEPENDENT EVENTS

• US 20120302260A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: MARTIN, Daryl, Hassan, Ahmed E., O'Keefe, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A calendar application for use with a first portable electronic device includes time-dependent events having a start time and an end time and proximity-dependent events having a specified device ID that corresponds to a second portable electronic device. Both the time-dependent events and the proximity-dependent events are stored in the calendar application and the proximity-dependent event is convertible into a time-dependent event. A proximity reminder is generated when the second portable electronic device is in short range radio frequency communication range of the first portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for generating time-dependent events based on proximity-dependent events in a calendar application of a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

providing a proximity-dependent event generated using said calendar application, said proximity-dependent event including a user field and a subject field;

prompting a user to select a type of time-dependent event that said proximity-dependent event is to be converted into;

opening a new time-dependent event having said type; and

copying said name field and said subject field from said proximity-dependent event into corresponding fields in said new time-dependent event;

wherein said proximity-dependent event is deleted following population of said corresponding fields in said new time-dependent event.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said type of time-dependent event is a meeting request.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said type of time-dependent event is an appointment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the proximity-dependent event is generated when the portable electronic device is in proximity to a second portable electronic device, the second portable electronic device specified by the proximity-dependent event.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the portable electronic device uses a short-range radio frequency to detect when the portable electronic device is in proximity to the second portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the short-range radio frequency includes one of infrared wireless and ultra wideband.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the portable electronic device receiving a reminder from a server prior to the providing the proximity-dependent event.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the portable electronic device is in proximity to a second portable electronic device when the portable electronic device receives a unique signature of the second portable electronic device.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving an input, at the portable electronic device, to populate the meeting request.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising sending the meeting request, by the portable electronic device, to the second portable electronic device.

11. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor configured to provide a proximity-dependent event generated using an application, the proximity-dependent event including at least one field, the processor further configured to;

provide a prompt to select a type of time-dependent event that said proximity-dependent event is to be converted into;

open a new time-dependent event having the type; and

copy at least one of the at least one field from the proximity-dependent event into corresponding fields in the new time-dependent event;

wherein the proximity-dependent event is deleted following population of said corresponding fields in said new time-dependent event.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the proximity-dependent event is generated when the portable electronic device is in proximity to a second portable electronic device, the second portable electronic device specified by the proximity-dependent event.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12, the processor is configured to use a short-range radio frequency to detect when the portable electronic device is in proximity to the second portable electronic device.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the short-range radio frequency includes one of infrared wireless and ultra wideband.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to provide the proximity-dependent event after the portable electronic device receives a reminder from a server.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 12 wherein the portable electronic device is in proximity to a second portable electronic device when the portable electronic device receives a unique signature of the second portable electronic device.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein said type of time-dependent event is a meeting request.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein said type of time-dependent event is an appointment.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to receive input to populate the meeting request.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to send the meeting request to the second portable electronic device.