Location aware reminders

• US 8,054,180 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scofield, Christopher L., Nguyen, Luan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl
• Application Number:
  US12/330,220
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.23
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments employed to generate location and proximity based reminders. To this end, a device is configured to generate its geographical location using a positioning system. The device detects when it impinges upon at least one geographical trigger based upon its geographical location. A predefined reminder is generated in the device when the device impinges upon the geographical trigger.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

defining at least one geographical area in a device by performing the steps of;

displaying a map on the device; and

identifying the at least one geographical area on the map, where the at least one geographical area further comprises a merchant site;

generating in the device a geographical location of the device using a positioning system;

maintaining in the device a list of items to be purchased;

determining whether at least one of the items is available at the merchant site;

detecting when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical area based upon the geographical location of the device by determining whether the device is located within the geographical area; and

generating a predefined reminder in the device to purchase at least one of the items when a position of the device impinges upon the at least one geographical area associated with the merchant site, and when the at least one of the items is determined to be available at the merchant site.

2. A method, comprising:

generating in a device a geographical location of the device using a positioning system;

maintaining a list of items to be purchased in the device;

detecting when the device impinges upon at least one geographical trigger based upon the geographical location of the device;

generating a predefined reminder in the device when the device impinges upon the geographical trigger by generating a reminder on the device to purchase at least one of the items when a position of the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger comprising a predefined site, wherein the predefined site is a merchant site; and

determining whether at least one of the items is available at the merchant site.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device further comprises a first device, the method further comprising the steps of:

detecting when the first device is located in a predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device; and

wherein the predefined reminder is generated when the first device impinges upon the geographical trigger and is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the geographical trigger further comprises a trip line, and the step of detecting when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger further comprises the step of determining whether the device has passed through the trip line.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the geographical trigger further comprises a geographical area, and the step of detecting when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger further comprises the step of determining whether the device is located within the geographical area.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the geographical trigger further comprises a geographical location, and the step of detecting when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger further comprises the step of determining whether the device is within a predefined distance of the geographical location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the geographical location further comprises a geographical area.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the geographical location further comprises a point.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined site is a merchant site, the method further comprising the step of identifying the merchant site on a map displayed by the device.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of defining the at least one geographical trigger in the device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of defining the at least one geographical trigger in the device further comprises the steps of:

displaying a map on the device; and

identifying the at least one geographical trigger on the map.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of defining the at least one geographical trigger in the device further comprises the step of recording a pathway traversed by the device.

13. A system, comprising:

a portable device having a processor circuit and a display screen, the processor circuit having a processor and a memory;

a positioning system in the portable device configured to generate a geographical location of the portable device; and

a location aware reminder application executable by the processor circuit, the location aware reminder application comprising;

logic that maintains in the device a list of items to be purchased;

logic that detects when the device impinges upon at least one geographical trigger based upon the geographical location of the device;

logic that generates a predefined reminder in the device displayed on the display screen when the device impinges upon the geographical trigger by generating a reminder on the device to purchase at least one of the items when a position of the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger comprising a predefined site, wherein the predefined site is a merchant site; and

logic that determines whether at least one of the items is available at the merchant site.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the geographical trigger further comprises a trip line, wherein the logic that detects when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger further comprises logic that determines whether the device has passed through the trip line.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the geographical trigger further comprises a geographical area, wherein the logic that detects when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger further comprises logic that determines whether the device is located within the geographical area.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the geographical trigger further comprises a geographical location, wherein the logic that detects when the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger further comprises logic that determines whether the device is within a predefined distance of the geographical location.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a list of items to be purchased maintained in the device; and

wherein the location aware reminder application further comprises logic that generates a reminder on the device to purchase at least one of the items when a position of the device impinges upon the at least one geographical trigger indicating at least a proximity to a merchant site.

18. A method, comprising:

generating in a first device a geographical location of the first device using a positioning system;

maintaining a position of a second device in the first device;

maintaining in the first device a list of items to be purchased;

detecting when the first device is located in a predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device;

rendering a reminder in the first device when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device by generating a reminder on the first device to purchase at least one of the items when a position of the device impinges upon at least one geographical trigger comprising a predefined site, wherein the predefined site is a merchant site; and

determining whether at least one of the items is available at the merchant site.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of detecting when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device further comprises the step of determining whether the first device is within a predefined distance from the second device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of detecting when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device further comprises the step of determining whether the first device and the second device are located within a same establishment.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the reminder indicates a task to be performed with respect to a user of the second device.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of performing a task in the first device when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device.

23. A system, comprising:

a first portable device having a processor circuit and a display screen, the processor circuit having a processor and a memory;

a positioning system in the first portable device configured to generate a geographical location of the first portable device; and

a location aware reminder application executable by the processor circuit, the location aware reminder application comprising;

logic that maintains a position of a second portable device in the first device;

logic that maintains in the first device a list of items to be purchased;

logic that detects when the first device is located in a predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device; and

logic that renders a reminder in the first device when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device by generating a reminder on the first device to purchase at least one of the items when a position of the first device impinges upon at least one geographical trigger comprising a predefined site, wherein the predefined site is a merchant site; and

logic that determines whether at least one of the items is available at the merchant site.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the logic that detects when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device further comprises logic that determines whether the first device is within a predefined distance from the second device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the logic that detects when the first device is located in the predefined geographical relationship relative to the second device further comprises logic that determines whether the first device and the second device are located within a same establishment.