Collection bin for data management and transformation

• US 7,895,246 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Grieb, Doreen Nelson, Bauman, Thomas Robert, Piper, Robert Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAO, PHUONG THAO
• Application Number:
  US11/756,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20080301137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/999.001, 707/755, 707/756, 707/705, 707/802, 707/809, 707/811
• US Class Current: 707/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An electronic collection bin is provided for assisting users in managing their personal information. The electronic collection bin provides a common location for collecting and organizing a user'"'"'s information. The electronic collection bin may receive information items of varying data types and from disparate sources. After receiving an information item, the electronic collection bin analyzes the item to determine a suggested treatment, which may include conversion of the item to a new data type located at another location. A user may access the electronic collection bin, sort through the information items, and select placement of the information items. The user may view the suggested treatments of information items in the electronic collection bin and choose whether to accept the suggested treatments.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media embodying computer-useable instructions for performing a method for organizing information, the method comprising:

receiving from a user at an electronic collection bin an electronic information item that comprises text embodied as a first item type;

determining that the text includes a combination of a subject, a date, a time, and a location;

matching the combination of the subject, the date, the time, and the location to a known combination of categories, wherein, based on past behavior of the user, which includes manual conversion to an appointment, the known combination is defined to comprise elements of an appointment item type;

responsive to the matching of the combination to the known combination, presenting to a user the text, which was included in the electronic information item, together with a suggestion that the text be transformed to an appointment item;

receiving a user selection of the suggestion; and

creating the appointment item, which includes the text embodied as the appointment item type, wherein the appointment item is organized in an electronic information management tool other than the collection bin.

2. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein receiving the electronic information item includes receiving a voice message that is converted to a textual item.

3. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1 comprising:

matching the combination of the subject, the date, the time, and the location to a second known combination that is defined to comprise elements of a to-do-list item type, and

responsive to matching the combination to the second known combination transforming the text into a to-do-list item.

4. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises removing the electronic information item from the collection bin.