Method and system for tracking objects associated with an activity

• US 7,970,771 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rasmussen, David, Pratley, Christopher H., Braun, Owen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Bao G
• Application Number:
  US11/019,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,381 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/201, 707/101, 707/2, 707/1, 707/999.107, 707/999.009, 707/736, 707/754, 715200-277, 370/352, 725/46, 725/14, 705/8
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An object tracking module establishes relationships between different types of data objects associated with application programs while a particular activity occurs. Contextual information associated with the data objects and the activity is collected to establish the relationship. The contextual information may include data objects that are accessed or created while the activity is in progress, or any other information associated with the activity. When an event related to the activity occurs, the object tracking module locates data relevant to the event based on the established relationships. The relevant data is presented in the same information space where the event occurs. A user may easily access the relevant information without manually searching for the data. The object tracking module may determine the degree of relevance between the data objects and the event such that only the most relevant objects are displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for utilizing tracking module contextual information on a client device, the method comprising:

providing an application independent tracking module on a client device, wherein the tracking module tracks different applications that are used on the client device;

wherein the tracked applications comprise at least a calendar application, a telephone application and a document editing application;

the application independent tracking module performing actions relating to an activity, wherein the activity is at least one of;

a meeting and a phone call, wherein the activity lasts for a period of time, wherein the actions performed by the application independent tracking module comprise;

tracking use of the calendar application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a calendar activity occurs, wherein the calendar activity comprises a meeting that is accessed by the calendar application;

tracking use of the telephone application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a phone activity occurs, wherein the phone activity comprises a phone call that occurs during the period of time of the activity;

tracking use of the document editing application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a document activity occurs, wherein the document activity comprises a document being accessed by the document editing application;

recording, in a metadata file of the tracking module, user access contextual information related to the activity and each of the calendar activity, the phone activity and the document activity that occurred during the period of time of the activity wherein a contextual link is created that associates the activity and each of the calendar activity, the phone activity, and the document activity that occurred during the period of time of the activity, wherein the contextual link includes a relevancy weight indicator at least based on a feedback indication received from a user selectively designating the contextual link as one of relevant and unrelated;

subsequent to the activity,

receiving an indication of subsequent access to at least one calendar activity, phone activity, and document activity that occurred during the activity;

automatically identifying the contextual link for the activity in the tracking module, and

presenting information about each activity tracked during the duration of the activity.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the relevancy weight indicator is based on a number of occurrences of each of the calendar activity;

phone activity; and

document activity.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the relevancy weight indicator is based on a display position of windows of the tracked applications.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein subsequent to the activity comprises determining a start time for a scheduled meeting.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the document being accessed by the document editing application comprises at least one member of a group comprising:

a note file, a word processing file, an internet file, an email file, a phone file, and an instant messaging file.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the phone activity further comprises accessing a phone log.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tracked applications further comprise a messaging program.

8. A system for utilizing tracking module contextual information on a client device, the method comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having computer executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured for;

providing an application independent tracking module on a client device, wherein the tracking module tracks different applications that are used on the client device;

wherein the tracked applications comprise a calendar application, an telephone application and a document editing application;

the application independent tracking module performing actions relating to an activity, wherein the activity is at least one of;

a meeting and a phone call, wherein the activity lasts for a period of time, wherein the actions performed by the application independent tracking module comprise;

tracking use of the calendar application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a calendar activity occurs, wherein the calendar activity comprises a meeting that is accessed by the calendar application;

tracking use of the telephone application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a phone activity occurs, wherein the phone activity comprises a phone call that occurs during the period of time of the activity;

tracking use of the document editing application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a document activity occurs, wherein the document activity comprises a document being accessed by the document editing application;

recording, in a metadata file of the tracking module, user access contextual information related to the activity and each of the calendar activity, the phone activity and the document activity that occurred during the period of time of the activity, wherein a contextual link is created that associates the activity and each of the calendar activity, the phone activity, and the document activity that occurred during the period of time of the activity, wherein the contextual link includes a relevancy weight indicator at least based on a feedback indication received from a user selectively designating the contextual link as one of relevant and unrelated;

subsequent to the activity,

receiving an indication of subsequent access to at least one calendar activity, phone activity, and document activity that occurred during the activity;

automatically identifying the contextual link for the activity in the tracking module, and

presenting information about each activity tracked during the duration of the activity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the relevancy weight indicator is based on a number of occurrences of each of the calendar activity;

phone activity; and

document activity.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the relevancy weight indicator is based on a display position of windows of the tracked applications.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein subsequent to the activity comprises determining a start time for a scheduled meeting.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the document being accessed by the document editing application comprises at least one member of a group comprising:

a note file, a word processing file, an internet file, an email file, a phone file, and an instant messaging file.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracked applications further comprise an email application and a web browser application.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for utilizing tracking module contextual information on a client device, the computer executable instructions performing actions when executed, comprising:

providing an application independent tracking module on a client device, wherein the tracking module tracks different applications that are used on the client device;

wherein the tracked applications comprise a calendar application, a telephone application and a document editing application;

the application independent tracking module performing relating to an activity, wherein the activity is at least one of;

a meeting and a phone call, wherein the activity lasts for a period of time, wherein the actions performed by the application independent tracking module comprise;

tracking use of the calendar application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a calendar activity occurs, wherein the calendar activity comprises a meeting that is accessed by the calendar application;

tracking use of the telephone application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a phone activity occurs, wherein the phone activity comprises a phone call that occurs during the period of time of the activity;

tracking use of the document editing application during the period of time of the activity to determine when a document activity occurs, wherein the document activity comprises a document being accessed by the document editing application;

recording, in a metadata file of the tracking module, user access contextual information related to the activity and each of the calendar activity, the phone activity and the document activity that occurred during the period of time of the activity, wherein a contextual link is created that associates the activity and each of the calendar activity, phone activity and the document activity that occurred during the period of time of the activity, wherein the contextual link includes a relevancy weight indicator at least based on a feedback indication received from a user selectively designating the contextual link as one of relevant and unrelated;

subsequent to the activity,

receiving an indication of subsequent access to at least one calendar activity, phone activity, and document activity that occurred during the activity;

automatically identifying the contextual link for the activity in the tracking module, and

presenting information about each activity tracked during the duration of the activity.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the relevancy weight indicator is based on a number of occurrences of each of the calendar activity, phone activity and document activity.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the relevancy weight indicator is based on a display position of windows of the tracked applications.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the tracked applications further comprise an email application and a web browser application.