TRIGGERING NOTIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TASKS ITEMS THAT REPRESENT TASKS TO PERFORM

• US 20120309363A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sabatelli, Alessandro F., Anzures, Freddy A., Marcos, Paul D., Gruber, Thomas R., Aybes, Alexandre A., Pitschel, Donald W., Voas, Edward D.
• Application Number:
  US13/251,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20120309363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Techniques for processing task items are provided. A task item is electronic data that represents a task to be performed, whether manually or automatically. A task item includes one or more details about its corresponding task, such as a description of the task and a location of the task. Specifically, techniques for generating task items, organizing task items, triggering notifications of task items, and consuming task items are described. In one approach, a task item is generated based on input from a user and context of the input. In another approach, different attributes of task items are used to organize the task items intelligently into multiple lists. In another approach, one or more criteria, such as location, are used to determine when to notify a user of a task. In another approach, actions other than generating notifications are enabled or automatically performed, actions such as emailing, calling, and searching.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a device;

determining whether any of the one or more characteristics of the device satisfy one or more triggering criteria associated with a task item in a plurality of task items;

wherein each task item of the plurality of task items is associated with an action and one or more triggering criteria that must occur before the action is performed; and

in response to determining that the one or more characteristics of the device satisfy one or more triggering criteria of a particular task item in the plurality of task items, performing an action associated with the particular task item;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more characteristics of the device indicate a first location of the device and the one or more triggering criteria indicates a second location; and

determining that the one or more characteristics of the device satisfy the one or more triggering criteria comprises determining that the second location is the same as or near the first location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics of the device include at least one of a speed of the device, a set of movements of the device, or a lack of movement of the device for a period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics of the device indicate that device is in a car and the one or more triggering criteria indicates that the device must be in a car.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics of the device indicate that the device detects one or more wireless networks or MAC addresses.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action includes at least one of (a) causing, to be displayed on the device, a notification that includes information associated with the task item, (b) sending an email, (c) initiating a phone call, (d) sending a text message, or (e) initiating a search based on a search query associated with the particular task item.

13. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 1.

14. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 2.

15. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 3.

16. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 4.

17. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 5.

18. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 6.

7. A method comprising:

analyzing first data that indicates that an event that is remote relative to a handheld device has occurred;

determining, based on the first data, whether one or more particular triggering criteria associated with a particular task item in a plurality of task items are satisfied;

wherein each task item of the plurality of task items is associated with an action and one or more triggering criteria that indicate when the action is to be performed;

determining, based on the first data, that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied; and

in response to determining that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied, the handheld device causing an action associated with the particular task item to be performed;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first data does not indicate a time.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first data indicates that the handheld device is a first distance from a second device that is different than the handheld device;

the one or more particular triggering criteria indicates that the handheld device must be within a particular distance from the second device in order for the action associated with the particular task item; and

determining that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied comprises determining that the first distance is the same as or less than the particular distance.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first data indicates that a second device that is different than the handheld device is located at a particular location;

the one or more particular triggering criteria indicates that the second device must be within or near a particular geographical area; and

determining that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied comprises determining that the particular location is within or near the particular geographical area.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first data indicates particular results of a search that is performed on one or more devices that are remote relative to the handheld device;

the one or more particular triggering criteria specify particular data; and

determining that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied comprises determining that the particular results include the particular data.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first data indicates that a particular event occurred remotely relative to the handheld;

the one or more particular triggering criteria indicates that the particular event must occur; and

determining that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied comprises determining that the particular event occurred.

19. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 7.

20. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 8.

21. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 9.

22. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 10.

23. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 11.

24. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of the method recited in claim 12.