PERFORMING ACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TASK ITEMS THAT REPRESENT TASKS TO PERFORM

• US 20120311584A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gruber, Thomas R., Sabatelli, Alessandro F., Aybes, Alexandre A., Pitschel, Donald W., Voas, Edward D., Anzures, Freddy A., Marcos, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,706,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• 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:

storing a plurality of task items that includes a first task item and a second task item;

wherein the first task item of the plurality of task items is associated with a first action;

wherein the second task item of the plurality of task items is associated with a second action that is of a different type than the first action;

after storing the plurality of task items;

causing the first action associated with the first task item to be performed, and

causing the second action associated with the second task item to be performed;

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action is causing an email or a text message to be sent over a network to a recipient that is associated with the first task item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action is initiating a phone call to a device associated with a phone number that is associated with the first task item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action is initiating a search based on a search query or URL that is associated with the first task item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the first action to be performed comprises a first process causing a second process to perform the first action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first process causing the second process to perform the first action comprises the first process invoking an API call of the second process, wherein the API call comprises one or more attributes associated with the first task item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein data that identifies the first action associated with the first task item was specified in input that initiated the creation of the first task item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the input is based on voice input that was received at a handheld device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first task item is also associated with a first trigger event that indicates when the first action is to be performed;

the method further comprising determining that the first trigger event occurred; and

causing the first action to be performed is performed in response to determining that the first trigger event occurred.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the second task item is also associated with a second trigger event that indicates when the second action is to be performed;

the first trigger event is of a different type than the second trigger event.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first trigger event of the task item is a detection of a device at or near a particular location.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first trigger event of the first task item is a detection of one or more particular movements of a device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first action is performed by a first device and the first trigger event of the first task item is the presence of particular data on a second device that is different than the first device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein causing the first action to be performed comprises:

generating an indication that the first trigger event occurred;

after generating the indication, receiving input that indicates that a user of a device intends for the first action to be performed; and

causing the first action to be performed in response to receiving the input.

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 1.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. 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 13.

37. 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 14.

15. A method comprising:

storing, at a handheld device, a plurality of task items, wherein each task item of the plurality of task items is associated with an action; and

causing, by a task manager executing on the handheld device, an application that is separate from the task manager to perform the action associated with the particular task item;

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

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager invoking an API call of the application.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager causing an email application to set up the composition of an email message or to send an email over a network to a recipient associated with the particular task item.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager causing a text application to set up the composition of a text message or to send a text message over a network to a recipient associated with the particular task item.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager causing a phone application to call a device using a phone number that is associated with the particular task item.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager causing a web application to send an HTTP request based on a URL associated with the particular task item.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager causing a search application to submit a search query over a network to a search engine, wherein the search query is associated with the particular task item.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the task manager causing the application to perform the action comprises the task manager causing a map application to display a map of an area that includes a location associated with the particular task item.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein:

each task item of the plurality of task items is also associated with one or more triggering criteria that must be satisfied before the associated action is to be performed;

the method further comprising determining, by the task manager, whether one or more particular triggering criteria associated with a particular task item of the plurality of task items are satisfied; and

causing the application to perform the action is performing in response to determining that the one or more particular triggering criteria are satisfied.

38. 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 15.

39. 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 16.

40. 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 17.

41. 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 18.

42. 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 19.

43. 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 20.

44. 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 21.

45. 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 22.

46. 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 23.