Method and apparatus for one-click reminder creation

• US 8,190,213 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sierawski, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai M
• Application Number:
  US12/342,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs

Abstract

An electronic communication device (100) is configured to automatically create reminders in a reminder application (206) in response to received communications, interruption events, or other occurrences. For example, when an interruption event is detected, a soft key (103,104) is configured with a reminder creation function. Upon actuation of the soft key (103,104) the reminder application (206) automatically creates a reminder by associating a communication type and a device identifier with the reminder. A user is then able to select the reminder from a list. At selection, an actuation application (208) launches an application corresponding to the communication type and initiates a communication with the device identifier.

Claims

1. A method in a portable communication device, within an active application of the portable communication device, of creating a reminder for a follow-up activity in an alternate application of the portable communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming communication having a communication type associated therewith from a remote communication device having a device identifier associated therewith;

upon receiving the incoming communication, configuring a soft key of the portable communication device with a reminder function; and

upon a one-click actuation of the soft key, automatically creating the reminder to respond to the incoming communication in a reminder application by associating at least the communication type and the device identifier with the reminder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternate application comprises one of a telephony application, a messaging application, an e-mail application, a file transfer application, or a form completion application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically creating the reminder comprises adding the communication type and the device identifier to a pre-populated reminder form and storing the reminder in a list of the reminder application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of automatically creating the reminder occurs in a first-in-first-out basis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically creating the reminder occurs in without interrupting a user interface presentation of the active application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of the reminder in the reminder application;

launching the alternate application; and

initiating a communication corresponding to the communication type by addressing the communication with the device identifier.

7. A method in a portable communication device, within an application, of creating a reminder for a follow-up activity from a partially completed activity, the method comprising the steps of:

storing partial completion information from the partially completed activity within the application when an interruption event occurs;

configuring a soft key of the portable communication device with a reminder creation function in response to the interruption event; and

upon actuation of the soft key, automatically creating the reminder in a reminder application of the portable communication device by associating the partial completion information with the reminder.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of automatically creating the reminder comprises associating a communication type and a recipient identifier associated with the partially completed activity with the reminder.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the partially completed activity comprises one of a partially completed text message, a partially completed multimedia message, a partially completed form, a partially completed file transfer, or a partially completed e-mail intended for a remote communication device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the partial completion information comprises data received from a user interface of the portable communication device for the partially completed activity.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of the reminder in the reminder application;

launching the application; and

configuring the application in accordance with the partial completion information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of configuring the application in accordance with the partial completion information comprises presenting the partially completed activity within the application.

13. An electronic communication device having a reminder application configured to automatically generate reminders for follow-up activities, comprising:

a processor configured to execute one or more applications stored in a memory;

one or more communication applications, each communication application being configured to conduct communications with a remote device having a device identifier by transmission of information in accordance with a communication type;

an incoming communication detector configured to detect incoming communication and to determine the communication type and the device identifier associated therewith; and

a soft key configuration application configured to adapt a soft key to a reminder creation function in response to the incoming communication detector detecting the incoming communication;

wherein the reminder application is responsive to a single click of the reminder creation function and is configured to automatically create a reminder by associating the communication type and the device identifier with the reminder.

14. The electronic communication device of claim 13, further comprising an activity monitoring application configured to monitor a communication status of in the one or more of the one or more communication applications, and to record interrupt information from an incomplete communication of one communication type.

15. The electronic communication device of claim 14, wherein the interrupt information comprises a partially completed communication form addressed to a recipient having a recipient identifier, wherein the reminder application is configured to automatically create a completion reminder by associating the partially completed communication form and the recipient identifier with the completion reminder.

16. The electronic communication device of claim 15, wherein the reminder application is configured to deliver a reminder signal when the completion reminder is selected by a user, wherein the electronic communication device further comprises an actuation application, responsive to the reminder signal, and configured to launch a communication application corresponding to the one communication type and to present the partially completed communication form.

17. The electronic communication device of claim 14, wherein the one or more communication applications comprise at least a telephony application and a messaging application.

18. The electronic communication device of claim 14, wherein the reminder application is configured to deliver a reminder signal when the reminder is selected by a user, wherein the electronic communication device further comprises an actuation application, responsive to the reminder signal, and configured to launch a communication application corresponding to the communication type and to prepare a communication by addressing the communication with the device identifier.

19. The electronic communication device of claim 18, wherein the communication type comprises written communication, wherein the communication comprises a partially populated form.

20. The electronic communication device of claim 14, wherein the reminder application is configured to present the reminder with other reminders in a list on a user interface.