Web-based task assistants for wireless personal devices

• US 7,814,200 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: ACCESS Systems Americas Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Earl, Charles C., Schuyler, Carl, Metzger, Sandy, Lusher, Elaine P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim; Krisna
• Application Number:
  US12/177,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/217, 709/218, 709/224, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for enhancing the use of a computer network which is accessed by use of wireless device. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention pertains to a method of using server-resident software assistants, programs to assist the wireless device user, to perform a significant amount of the tedious input tasks required when wireless devices such as PDAs attempt to exploit the services available on the Internet. The method provides a mechanism by which software assistants can be programmed to a users'"'"' own specific information and ways of performing tasks that exploit Internet services such as purchasing, information searches, event planning and complex scheduling. The task can be organized in structural task lists that interface with a user'"'"'s stored preferences and PIM information on the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. One or more computing devices in a network of electronic devices, comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors having a plurality of stored instructions comprising;

a first set of instructions specifying one or more plans for performing one or more tasks within a network of electronic devices;

a second set of instructions specifying a request handler for creating and managing one or more agent objects, the agent objects, specified by a third set of instructions, for completing one or more tasks according to one or more plans,

wherein execution of the first, second and third sets of instructions on the one or more processors results in;

the request handler, upon receiving a request to initiate a task from the one or more computing devices, creates an agent object based, at least partly, on the received request to initiate the task, wherein

the agent object is configured to complete the initiated task based, at least partly, on a previously stored plan.

2. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein:

the initiated task is based, at least partly, on previously stored user preference data.

3. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the request handler is further configured to send a result of the initiated task to the one or more computing devices.

4. The computing devices of claim 1, further comprising a wireless network accessed by the one or more computing devices wherein wireless access is enhanced based on at least one of the following components, the components comprising:

means for receiving a selection of the task at the one or more computing devices;

means for receiving user input via a user interface on the one or more computing devices particular to the one or more tasks, the user interface comprising a software task assistant, the user input further defining the one or more tasks; and

,

a server within the wireless network having the request handler, wherein the server is configured to yield a result that is filtered according to a previously stored user-defined preference before the result is forwarded from the server to the one or more computing devices, the previously stored user-defined preference including a variable-name identifying a task specific parameter, a value associated with the variable-name, a predicate that defines a relationship between the variable-name and the value, and an importance value indicating how important it is that the user-defined preference is met.

5. The computing devices of claim 4, wherein the server receives the user input via a wireless connection.

6. The computing devices of claim 4, wherein the software task assistant resides in a part of the wireless network.

7. The computing devices of claim 4, wherein the wireless network is connected to an Internet.

8. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks is related to a personal information manager resident in the one or more computing devices.

9. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the agent object is configured to complete the initiated task automatically and autonomously.

10. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks is defined by a software task assistant.

11. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks is an online purchase.

12. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks is an online information search.

13. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks comprises multiple sub-tasks.

14. The computing devices of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks comprises a structured task list.

15. An electronic network, comprising:

an electronic device having;

a processor;

a storage device for storing instructions and data including an agent object; and

a request handler to receive a request to initiate a task from the electronic device and to create the agent object based, at least partly, on the received request to initiate the task, wherein the agent object is configured to invoke the task based, at least partly, on a previously stored plan and wherein the electronic device is further configured to receive a selection of a task from a user;

a display configured to present at least one particular display to the user, the at least one particular display being at least partly based on the task selected;

a user interface configured to receive input from the user via data entered by the user in response to presenting the at least one particular display; and

a server having a processor configured to receive the input to invoke the task based on the received input and provide a result of the invoked task from the server, the received result having been filtered based, at least partly, on previously stored user-defined preference data.

16. The electronic network of claim 15, wherein the user-defined preference data includes a variable-name identifying a task specific parameter, a value associated with the variable-name, a predicate that defines a relationship between the variable-name and the value, and an importance value indicating how important it is that the user-defined preference is met.

17. The electronic network of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is further configured to:

receive the user-defined preference data from a user, and

send the user-defined preference data to a device in the electronic network for storing on a storage medium.

18. The electronic network of claim 15, wherein the selected task includes one of shopping, searching, scheduling, communicating, monitoring, listening, planning, or acting.

19. The electronic network of claim 15, wherein the selected task includes making an online purchase.

20. The electronic network of claim 15, wherein the user-defined preference is associated with said task.

21. The electronic network of claim 15, wherein the user-defined preference data is associated with said task.

22. A computer-implemented method of performing tasks on a computing device in a network of electronic devices, comprising the steps of:

configuring an agent object; and

using a request handler to receive a request to initiate a task from the computing device and to create the agent object based, at least partly, on the received request to initiate the task, wherein the agent object is configured to invoke the task based, at least partly, on a previously stored plan.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

specializing the task based, at least partly, on previously stored user preference data.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the request handler is further configured to send a result of the task to the computing device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the task is selected by a user via a user interface.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the task includes at least one of shopping, searching, scheduling, communicating, monitoring, listening, planning, or acting.