Interactive to-do list item notification system including GPS interface

• US 6,680,675 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/598,094
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/995, 340/996, 340/825.49, 340/425.5, 701/207, 701/208, 701/201, 701/211, 701/213, 701/214, 701/300, 455/456, 455/457, 342/357.01, 342/357.17, 342/450, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

A system and method for alerting a user of an item on a to-do list if the user is detected to be close to the item'"'"'s performance location. Each to-do list item is entered to a mobile user terminal such as one that might be supported in an automobile. The mobile terminal includes a GPS interface that allows an automatic detection of the mobile terminal when the automobile is in motion. Using the GPS interface, the mobile terminal periodically compares the position of the user with various to-do list item locations to determine whether the user will pass within a pre-defined proximity metric of the listed item. Whenever a particular criteria is satisfied, the system provides a notification to the user of a potential to-do list item. In response to the notification, the user indicates that the user has accepted the notification by transmitting a “confirmed” status, or has completed the item by transmitting a “completed” status. A to-do list may be shared by multiple terminals for family or business use. In this case, to-do list items are identified specific user identifiers. Notifications and status flags for a particular user'"'"'s to-do list item are shared among the multiple terminals to update the list once a particular item status has been “confirmed” or “completed.”

Claims

1. A method for providing electronic notifications of a to-do list item, the method comprising:

entering the to-do list to a mobile user terminal having a memory, each item on the to-do list being associated with a performance location;

storing the to-do list in the memory;

maintaining a status of each to-do list item;

automatically detecting a current position of the mobile user terminal;

comparing the current position of the mobile user terminal with the performance location of a to-do list item;

electronically notifying the user when a proximity criteria of the to-do list item has been satisfied;

updating the status of the to-do list item in response to a user command;

associating one or more user identifiers with a to-do list item, each user identifier corresponding to a user sharing the to-do list item;

receiving a confirmation message for a to-do list item from a user having a user identifier associated with the to-do list item;

retrieving other user identifiers associated with the confirmed to-do list item; and

transmitting an update status message of the to-do list item to other users associated with the other user identifiers, the update status message excluding the other users from further notification of the confirmed to-do list item.

2. A mobile user terminal comprising:

a user input for entering a to-do list, each item on the to-do list being associated with a performance location;

a memory coupled to the user input for storing the to-do list and the performance location of each of the items, the memory further storing a status indication for each to-do list item;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving GPS signals;

a processor coupled to the GPS receiver and the memory for determining a current location of the mobile user terminal based on the GPS signals, the processor further comparing the current position of the mobile user terminal with the performance location of a to-do list item and updating the status indication for the to-do list item in response to a user command; and

a display screen for displaying a notification when a proximity criteria of the to-do list item has been satisfied;

wherein the memory stores one or more user identifiers with a to-do list item, each user identifier corresponding to a user sharing the to-do list item, and wherein the processor, after receiving a confirmation message for a to-do list item from a particular user with a user identifier associated with the to-do list item, retrieves other user identifiers associated with the confirmed to-do list item from the memory and transmits an update status message of the to-do list item to the other users associated with the other user identifiers, the update status message excluding other users from further notification of the confirmed to-do list item.

3. In a computer network enabling communication between a host computer having a database and a plurality of user mobile terminals, a method for providing electronic notifications of a to-do list item, the method comprising:

downloading the to-do list to the mobile user terminal from the host computer, each item on the to-do list being associated with a performance location and one or more user identifiers, each user identifier corresponding to a user sharing the to-do list item;

automatically detecting a current position of the mobile user terminal;

comparing the current position of the mobile user terminal with the performance location of a to-do list item;

electronically notifying the user when a proximity criteria of the to-do list item has been satisfied;

transmitting a confirmation message for the to-do list item to the host computer upon receipt of the notification;

retrieving the user identifiers associated with the confirmed to-do list item; and

transmitting an update status message of the to-do list item to the users associated with the retrieved user identifiers, the update status message excluding the users who did not transmit the confirmation from further notification of the confirmed to-do list item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mobile user terminal includes a global Positioning system (GPS) interface and the automatically detecting comprises processing GPS signals received through the GPS interface.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the current position is a destination location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the proximity criteria is based on a route chosen to reach a destination location.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the proximity criteria is satisfied when the current position is within a pre-defined proximity metric to the performance location of the to-do list item.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

searching the database for the performance location, the database including a plurality of performance location entries, each entry mapping a performance location to a performance address; and

retrieving the performance address of the performance location.

9. A system for providing electronic notifications of a to-do list item, the system comprising:

a host computer comprising;

an input means for entering the to-do list, each item on the to-do list being associated with a performance location and one or more user identifiers, each user identifier corresponding to a user sharing the to-do list item;

a first database means coupled to the input means for storing the to-do list and the performance location and user identifiers associated with each of the items;

a second database means coupled to the input means for storing a location database having a plurality of performance location entries, each entry mapping a performance location to a performance address;

a first processor coupled to the first and second database means for converting the performance location of an item on the to-do list to a performance address; and

a first communication means coupled to the first processor for transmitting the to-do list and the performance addresses;

a plurality of mobile user terminals in communication with the host computer, each user mobile terminal comprising;

a second communication means for downloading the to-do list and the performance addresses from the host computer;

a memory coupled to the second communication means for downloading the to-do list and the performance addresses;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving GPS signals;

a second processor coupled to the GPS receiver and the memory for determining a current location of the mobile user terminal based on the GPS signals, the second processor further comparing the current position of the mobile user terminal with the performance address of a to-do list item; and

a display screen for displaying a notification when a proximity criteria of the to-do list item has been satisfied.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile user terminal includes a user input for entering a destination location and the second processor compares the destination location with the performance address of a to-do list item.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the proximity criteria is based on a route chosen to reach a destination location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the proximity criteria is satisfied when the current position is within a pre-defined proximity metric to the performance location of the to-do list item.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein a user with a user identifier associated with a to-do list item transmits a confirmation message for the item to the host computer via the second communication means, and the host computer retrieves other user identifiers associated with the confirmed to-do list item and transmits an update status message of the to-do list item to other users associated with the other user identifiers, the update status message excluding the other users from further notification of the confirmed to-do list item.