LOCATION AND DISTANCE BASED REMINDERS

• US 20140207373A1
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Lerenc, Vedran
• Granted Patent: US 9,068,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/465
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

Location information of each participant may be linked to a reminder system or application on the participant'"'"'s mobile computing device that reminds the participant of upcoming events, tasks, meetings, and so on. Instead of activating a reminder at a fixed reminder time, location information from location based services may be used to identify a current location of the mobile computing device. The identified current location may then be compared to a meeting, event, or other location and an estimated time to travel between the current location and the meeting location may be calculated. The estimated travel time may be used to identify a time to activate a reminder for the scheduled event so that the participant has sufficient time to travel and arrive on time and within a predetermined time window to the scheduled event.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic reminding a carpool participant about a carpool based on a location comprising:

ascertaining the location of a mobile computing device of the carpool participant at a first predetermined time before a scheduled carpool time;

calculating a shortest route from the ascertained location to a scheduled carpool meeting location;

selecting a travel speed depending on a length of the calculated shortest route;

calculating a travel time from the ascertained location to a scheduled carpool meeting location at the selected travel speed;

estimating an arrival time at the scheduled carpool meeting location based on the calculated travel time; and

activating a reminder on the mobile computing device reminding the carpool participant of the carpool when the estimated arrival time is within a second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the method with an updated first predetermined time when the estimated arrival time is not within a second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting the updated first predetermined time based on a time difference between the estimated arrival time and the second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a scheduled reminder time from a scheduling object in an application associated with the carpool;

selecting the first predetermined time based on the scheduled reminder time; and

delaying activation of a reminder at the scheduled reminder time on the mobile computing device until the estimated arrival time is within the second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delaying an activation of at least one of a plurality of reminders associated with the carpool on the mobile computing device scheduled for activation between the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time until the estimated arrival time is within the second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time; and

cancelling the activation of any remaining reminders associated with the carpool.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an estimated walking speed of a person as the travel speed when the length of the calculated shortest route is within a predetermined walking distance; and

selecting an estimated vehicle speed as the travel speed when the length of the calculated shortest route exceeds the predetermined walking distance.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising calculating the shortest route using a route planning application that identifies a traversable route from the ascertained location to the scheduled carpool meeting location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising obtaining the estimated vehicle speed from the route planning application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising ascertaining the location of a mobile computing device using a location based service.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising ascertaining the location of a mobile computing device using location data obtained from a global positioning system (GPS) sensor included in the mobile computing device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising ascertaining the location of a mobile computing device based on a known location of a wireless hotspot device or router communicating with the mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined time is selected by the carpool participant and includes a time buffer requested by the user before the scheduled carpool time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the carpool participant with the option to select from a plurality of modes of transportation; and

selecting the travel speed based on the user selected transportation mode.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising stored instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

ascertain the location of a mobile computing device of an event participant at a first predetermined time before a scheduled event;

calculate a shortest route from the ascertained location to a scheduled event location;

select a travel speed depending on a length of the calculated shortest route;

calculate a travel time from the ascertained location to a scheduled event location at the selected travel speed;

estimate an arrival time at the scheduled event location based on the calculated travel time; and

activate a reminder on the mobile computing device reminding the event participant of the scheduled event when the estimated arrival time is within a second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the stored instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to enter a learning mode in which the event participant selects a set location function when the user is at the scheduled event location with the mobile computing device prior to the first predetermined time before the scheduled event and the processing device uses a location based service to identify a current location of the mobile computing device and set the current location as the scheduled event location.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein in the learning mode the processing device associates a participant selected text recognition pattern with the current location and subsequently retrieves the current location when the text recognition pattern is present.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the current location of the mobile computing device is identified using location data obtained from a location based service sensor in the mobile computing device.

18. A mobile computing device comprising:

a receiver receiving location data from an external source to the mobile computing device;

a processing device configured to;

ascertain a location of the mobile computing device using the location data received at the receiver at a first predetermined time before a scheduled event;

calculate a shortest route from the ascertained location to a scheduled event location;

select a travel speed depending on a length of the calculated shortest route;

calculate a travel time from the ascertained location to a scheduled event location at the selected travel speed;

estimate an arrival time at the scheduled event location based on the calculated travel time; and

activate a reminder on the mobile computing device reminding an event participant of the scheduled event when the estimated arrival time is within a second predetermined time of the scheduled carpool time.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the receiver receives location data from a global positioning system (GPS) satellite.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the receiver receives location data representing a known location of a wireless router or hotspot in communication with the mobile computing device.