SMART LOCATION-BASED REMINDERS

• US 20160358451A1
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Miladinov, Viktor, Adler, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,235,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and device for providing a reminder to a user of a mobile device are provided. The method includes receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that other sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user. A location of the mobile device is monitored to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area. After the mobile device crosses the first boundary the first location-based reminder is identified and a state of the mobile device is determined. The first location-based reminder is provided to the user based on the state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

Claims

1. A method for providing a reminder to a user of a mobile device, the method comprising, at the mobile device:

receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user;

monitoring, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area;

after the mobile device crosses the first boundary of the first geographical area;

identifying the first location-based reminder; and

determining a first state of the mobile device using at least one of;

one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors;

providing the first location-based reminder to the user based on the first state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the mobile device:

providing a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and

receiving a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder to include the opportune mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, at the mobile device:

receiving, from the user, one or more states for the list of trigger states.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first state is a motion state determined using the one or more motion sensors, an input state determined using the one or more input sensors, or a combined motion and input state determined using the one or more motion sensors and the one or more input sensors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, the method further comprising, at the mobile device:

determining a second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of;

one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors, and

wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user when the first state of the mobile device is included in the list of trigger states includes;

determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in the list of trigger states.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sequence of states comprises a sedentary state as the first state and a consistent movement state as the second state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more user input sensors monitor user activity on the mobile device in order to determine the first state of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more user input sensors comprise a button that changes a state of the mobile device from a sleep state to an awake state.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more user input sensors monitor whether the mobile device is connected to or disconnected from a network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of trigger states comprises at least one of a moving state, a stationary state, a sleep state, an awake state, a connection state, and a disconnection state.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the mobile device:

removing the provided first location-based reminder through active selection of a reminder ignore button.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the mobile device:

maintaining the first location-based reminder on a screen of the mobile device until active selection of the first location-based reminder is performed by the user.

13. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a computer system to provide a reminder to a user of a mobile, the instructions comprising:

receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user;

monitoring, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area;

after the mobile device crosses the first boundary of the first geographical area;

identifying the first location-based reminder; and

determining a first state of the mobile device using at least one of;

one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors;

providing the first location-based reminder to the user based on the first state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

14. The computer product of claim 13, wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, wherein the instructions further comprise:

determining a second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of;

one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors, and

wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user when the first state of the mobile device is included in the list of trigger states includes;

determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in the list of trigger states.

15. The computer product of claim 14, wherein the sequence of states comprises a sedentary state as the first state and a consistent movement state as the second state.

16. The computer product of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise:

providing a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and

receiving a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder with the opportune mode.

17. A mobile device comprising:

one or more sensors;

one or more processors configured to;

request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that sensor information from the one or more sensors is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user;

monitor, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area; and

provide the first location-based reminder to the user based on the state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

18. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors comprise any one or more of:

a location sensor configured to determine a geographical location of the mobile device;

a motion sensor configured to monitor changes in movement of the mobile device;

a connection/disconnection sensor configured to monitor a connection or a disconnection of the mobile device from a network; and

an input sensor configured to monitor selection of a button on the mobile device.

19. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of;

one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors, and

wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user when the first state of the mobile device is included in the list of trigger states includes;

determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in the list of trigger states.

20. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

provide a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and

receive a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder with the opportune mode.