Methods, systems, and computer program products for schedule management based on locations of wireless devices

• US 7,941,133 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2007
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruckart, John, Aaron, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US11/674,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/403, 455/456, 379/201.06
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method for managing appointments using a wireless device includes receiving scheduling data for a future appointment including a time associated with the future appointment. A current location of the wireless device is determined, and a reminder for the future appointment is provided at a time prior to the future appointment based on the current location of the wireless device. For example, the reminder may be provided at a time that varies based on the current location of the wireless device, a location associated with the future appointment, and an estimated travel time between the current location of the device and the location associated with the future appointment. Related methods, devices, and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method for managing appointments using a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving scheduling data for a future appointment including a time and a location associated with the future appointment, wherein the scheduling data further includes contact information for a person associated with the future appointment and a plurality of electronic devices associated with the person;

determining a current location of the wireless device;

providing a reminder for the future appointment at a time prior to the future appointment, wherein the time at which the reminder is provided varies based on the current location of the wireless device relative to the location associated with the future appointment and is sufficiently prior to the time of the future appointment to allow for attendance of the future appointment based on the current location;

receiving presence information indicating that the person is currently using one of the plurality of electronic devices associated with the person; and

automatically transmitting a message from the wireless device to the one of the plurality of electronic devices responsive to receiving the presence information, wherein the message indicates the current location of the wireless device,

wherein the receiving the scheduling data, the determining the current location, the providing the reminder, the receiving the presence information, and the automatically transmitting the message comprise operations performed on at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the reminder further comprises:

determining an initial time for the reminder,

calculating an estimated travel time between the current location of the device and the location associated with the future appointment;

altering the initial time for the reminder based on the estimated travel time and the time associated with the future appointment to generate an altered time; and

providing the reminder at the altered time in accordance with the estimated travel time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating the estimated travel time further comprises:

calculating the estimated travel time based on real-time travel conditions between the current location of the device and the location of the future appointment.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating the estimated travel time further comprises:

calculating the estimated travel time based on historical data associated with the location of the future appointment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a travel route to the location associated with the future appointment based on the current location of the wireless device; and

providing at least one of a map and directions to the location associated with the future appointment based on the selected travel route.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the following prior to providing the reminder:

repeatedly determining the current location of the wireless device to detect changes in the current location of the wireless device; and

dynamically updating the time for the reminder based on the changes in the current location of the wireless device to generate an updated time,

wherein providing the reminder for the future appointment comprises providing the reminder at the updated time, and wherein the updated time is sufficiently prior to the time of the future appointment to allow for travel to the location of the future appointment in advance of the time of the future appointment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving task data for a plurality of future tasks to be completed including a corresponding plurality of locations associated with the plurality of future tasks; and

automatically determining an order of completion for the plurality of future tasks based on the corresponding plurality of locations and the current location of the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a user of the wireless device will be late for the future appointment based on the current location of the wireless device, the location of the future appointment, and the time of the future appointment;

wherein automatically transmitting comprises automatically transmitting the message to the one of the plurality of electronic devices associated with the person based on the contact information responsive to determining that the user will be late.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting location information indicating the current location of the wireless device to a schedule management server prior to the future appointment.

10. A method for managing attendance of a future appointment, the method comprising:

receiving, at a schedule management server, scheduling data for the future appointment including a time and location associated with the future appointment and current attendance status information for a plurality of attendees who are scheduled to attend the future appointment;

receiving location information indicating a current location of a wireless device associated with one of the plurality of attendees in real-time;

predicting a likelihood of attendance of the future appointment for the one of the plurality of attendees based on the current location of the wireless device and at least one of the time and location associated with the future appointment;

determining, based on the predicted likelihood of attendance, that a change in the current attendance status information for the one of the plurality of attendees is required;

updating the current attendance status information for the one of the plurality of attendees of the future appointment at the schedule management server in real-time based on the determined change to provide updated attendance status information;

receiving presence information indicating that another one of the plurality of attendees is currently using one of a plurality of electronic devices; and

automatically transmitting a message from the schedule management server to the one of the plurality of electronic devices associated with the another one of the plurality of attendees responsive to receiving the presence information, the message indicating the updated attendance status information for the one of the plurality of attendees,

wherein the receiving the scheduling data, the receiving the location information, the predicting the likelihood of attendance, the determining that the change is required, the updating the current attendance status information, the receiving the presence information, and the automatically transmitting the message comprise operations performed on at least one processor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic device associated with the another one of the plurality of attendees includes a schedule management application that is different from a schedule management application associated with the wireless device, and wherein automatically transmitting the message indicating the updated attendance status information comprises:

providing the updated attendance status information in a format that is compatible with the schedule management application of the electronic device associated with the another one of the plurality of attendees.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining to cancel the future appointment based on the current location of the wireless device and the location associated with the future appointment; and

transmitting a cancellation notification for the future appointment to an electronic device associated with another one of the plurality of attendees responsive to determining to cancel the future appointment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

accessing additional scheduling data for at least one of the plurality of attendees; and

automatically determining a future time to reschedule the future appointment based on the additional scheduling data for the at least one of the plurality of attendees.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving location information from ones of a plurality of wireless devices associated with ones of the plurality of attendees, the location information indicating current locations of the ones of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein predicting the likelihood of attendance comprises predicting a plurality of likelihoods of attendance for the ones of the plurality of attendees based on the current locations of the ones of the plurality of wireless devices, and wherein updating the attendance status information comprises updating the attendance status information for the ones of the plurality of attendees based on the plurality of predicted likelihoods of attendance and automatically transmitting a message to the ones of the plurality of wireless devices indicating the updated attendance status information for the ones of the plurality of attendees.