Method and Apparatus for Automatically Adjusting the Operation of Reminders Based on Device Event History

• US 20140206328A1
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Varoglu, Devrim, Ziemianska, Natalia, Parupudi, Ravisastry R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,167,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A processor-based personal electronic device (such as a smartphone) uses combinatorial logic to automatically adjust alarms, notifications reminders, and the like based on data from device event histories, on-board sensors, user-entered data, and similar information. One particular representative embodiment comprises a process for automatically deleting an unneeded reminder. For example, a user may have a personal electronic device that is set to issue a reminder for a meeting in a certain place, on a certain date at a certain time. If location sensors detect that the user is already at the certain place on the certain date at (or reasonably before) the certain time the now superfluous reminder is automatically cancelled.

Claims

1. A non-transitory program storage device comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processors to:

change the operational behavior of a notification function of a device comprising the one or more processors based at least in part on data from at least two data sources selected from the group consisting of event history, location history communication history, transaction history, device-stored electronic coupons, calendar entries, current location, current date and current time.

2. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein the communication history is selected from the group consisting of e-mail history, telephone call history, cellular phone system text message history, SMS message history, social media communication history, and wireless digital messaging service communication history.

3. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the location history and current location data is derived from a sensor that comprises an apparatus selected from the group consisting of global navigation satellite system receivers, Wi-Fi transceivers, cellular telephone transceivers, indoor positioning system receivers and Assisted GPS receivers.

4. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein data concerning current date and current time are obtained from a network in data communication with the device.

5. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein the operational behavior is activating a preselected notification.

6. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein the operational behavior is deactivating a previously established notification on the device.

7. A non-transitory program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein the instructions to cause one or more processors to change the operational behavior of a notification function of a device comprise instructions to:

suppress a notification to perform a certain activity if performance of the activity is detected within a preselected time period.

19. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 wherein the change in the operational behavior of a notification function of the device comprising the one or more processors is based at least in part on data from at least three data sources selected from the group consisting of event history, location history communication history, transaction history, device-stored electronic coupons, calendar entries, current location, current date and current time.

20. A program storage device as recited in claim 1 further comprising instructions to suppress a notification if a related notification has been issued within a preselected time interval.

8. A processor-based system comprising:

a processor;

at least one data storage device; and

,

a memory storing instructions for causing the processor to

change the operational behavior of a notification function of a device comprising the one or more processors based at least in part on data from at least two data sources selected from the group consisting of event history, location history communication history, transaction history, device-stored electronic coupons, calendar entries, current location, current date and current time.

9. A processor based system as recited in claim 8 wherein the communication history is selected from the group consisting of e-mail history, telephone call history, cellular phone system text message history, SMS message history, social media communication history, and wireless digital messaging service communication history.

10. A processor based system as recited in claim 8 further comprising a location sensor that comprises an apparatus selected from the group consisting of global navigation satellite system receivers, VVi-Fi transceivers, cellular telephone transceivers, indoor positioning system receivers and Assisted GPS receivers.

11. A processor based system as recited in claim 8 wherein data concerning current date and current time are obtained from a network in data communication with the device.

12. A processor based system as recited in claim 8 wherein the operational behavior is activating a certain, preselected reminder.

13. A processor based system as recited in claim 8 wherein the operational behavior is deactivating a previously established notification on the device.

14. A processor based system as recited in claim 8 wherein the operational behavior is suppressing a notification to perform a certain activity if performance of the activity is detected within a preselected time period.

15. A non-transitory program storage device comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processors to:

generate a notification on a device comprising the one or more processors based at least in part on data concerning the current location of the device and location-specific electronic coupons stored on the device.

16. A program storage device as recited in claim 15 further comprising instructions to:

generate a notification if and only if the current location of the device is within a preselected radius of the location specified on an electronic coupon stored on the device.

17. A program storage device as recited in claim 16 further comprising instructions to

suppress the notification if the current date exceeds the effective date of the electronic coupon having a specified location within the preselected radius of the current location of the device.

18. A program storage device as recited in claim 16 wherein the electronic coupon concerns at least one of goods, services, discounts, tickets for public transportation, boarding passes, consumer loyalty programs, gift cards and vouchers or tickets for admission to sporting, cultural and entertainment events.

21. A non-transitory program storage device comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processors to:

change the operational behavior of a notification function of a device comprising the one or more processors based at least in part on both the current time and the current location of the device.

22. A program storage device as recited in claim 21 wherein the change in operational behavior is triggering a notification on the device.

23. A program storage device as recited in claim 21 wherein the change in operational behavior is suppressing a previously established notification on the device.

24. A program storage device as recited in claim 21 wherein the current location of the device is derived from a location sensor that comprises an apparatus selected from the group consisting of global navigation satellite system receivers, Wi-Fi transceivers, cellular telephone transceivers, indoor positioning system receivers and Assisted GPS receivers.

25. A program storage device as recited in claim 21 wherein the change in the operational behavior of a notification function of the device comprising the one or more processors is based at least in part on a change of location of the device.

26. A program storage device as recited in claim 25 wherein the change of location comprises moving from a preselected location.

27. A program storage device as recited in claim 25 wherein the change of location comprises moving to a preselected location.

28. A program storage device as recited in claim 21 further comprising instructions to suppress the notification if a certain activity has been performed within a preselected interval of time.

29. A program storage device as recited in claim 28 wherein the determination of whether a certain activity has been performed within the preselected time interval comprises retrieving data from communication history stored on the device.

30. A program storage device as recited in claim 28 wherein the determination of whether a certain activity has been performed within the preselected time interval comprises retrieving data from transaction history stored on the device.