Active Transport Based Notifications

• US 20130115927A1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gruber, Thomas Robert, Sabatelli, Alessandro F., Aybes, Alexandre A., Pitschel, Donald W., Voas, Edward D., Anzures, Freddy A., Marcos, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/00 Handling natural language data speech analysis or synthesis, speech recognition G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/20 Natural language analysis semantic analysis of natural language G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/12 Language recognition, selection or translation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Techniques for triggering an action associated with a task items are provided. A task item associated with a triggering criterion is provided. The triggering criterion requires an occurrence of any of a plurality of communication events. The plurality of communication events includes a telephone call. In some implementations, at least two of the plurality of communication events are of different communication types. In some implementations, the different types are telephone calls, emails, and text messages. The occurrence of a first communication event of the plurality of communication events is detected. It is determined the triggering criterion is satisfied. In response to the determining, a notification associated with the task item is caused to be presented to a user of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for triggering an action associated with a task, comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

receiving a task item associated with a triggering criterion, wherein the triggering criterion requires an occurrence of any of a plurality of communication events, wherein the plurality of communication events includes a telephone call;

detecting the occurrence of a first communication event of the plurality of communication events;

determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied; and

upon determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied, causing a notification associated with the task item to be presented to a user of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication event is a telephone call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least two of the plurality of communication events are of different communication types.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the different communication types include a telephone call and an email.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the different communication types include a telephone call and a text message.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the different communication types include a telephone call and a video chat.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication event includes content, and wherein the triggering criterion requires that the content relate to a predefined subject, the method further comprising:

determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied based at least in part on a determination that the content relates to the predefined subject.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content is text from an email or a text message.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first communication event is a telephone call, the method further comprising:

obtaining a text string corresponding to one or more utterances spoken during the telephone call by at least one participant in the telephone call;

wherein the determination that the content relates to the predefined subject includes determining that one or more words in the text string relate to the predefined subject.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering criterion further requires that the communication event be a communication with a specified person.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication event is a text message, and causing the notification to be presented comprises causing an affordance relating to the first task item to be displayed on the electronic device near a representation of the text message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the affordance is a button that, when selected by the user, causes an action associated with the task item to be performed.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication event is an email, and causing the notification to be presented comprises causing an affordance relating to the first task item to be displayed on the electronic device near a representation of the email.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the affordance is a button that, when selected by the user, causes an action associated with the task item to be performed.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication event is a telephone call, and causing the notification to be presented comprises causing an audio output relating to the first task item to be produced by the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a telephone, and the audio output is produced while the telephone is ringing.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the audio output is produced during a telephone conversation between a user of the electronic device and a participant of the telephone call.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the audio output is produced at a lower volume than a voice of the participant of the telephone call.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by an electronic device, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

receiving a task item associated with a triggering criterion, wherein the triggering criterion requires an occurrence of any of a plurality of communication events, wherein the plurality of communication events includes a telephone call;

detecting the occurrence of a first communication event of the plurality of communication events;

determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied; and

upon determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied, causing a notification associated with the task item to be presented to a user of the electronic device.

20. A method for triggering an action associated with a task, comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

providing a task item associated with a triggering criterion, wherein the triggering criterion requires an occurrence of any of a plurality of communication events, wherein at least two of the plurality of communication events are of different communication types;

detecting the occurrence of a first communication event of the plurality of communication events;

determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied; and

upon determining that the triggering criterion is satisfied, causing a notification associated with the task item to be presented to a user of the electronic device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the triggering criterion requires that the first communication event be associated with a specified person.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first communication event is associated with the specified person when the specified person initiates the first communication event or receives the first communication event from the user.

23. A method for triggering an action associated with a task, comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

providing a task item associated with a triggering criterion, wherein the triggering criterion requires an occurrence of a telephone call at an electronic device;

detecting the occurrence of the telephone call; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the telephone call, causing a notification associated with the task item to be presented to a user of the electronic device, wherein the notification is separate from a telephone call notification.