Scheduling tasks dynamically depending on the location of a mobile user

• US 8,254,962 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Carro, Fernando Incertis, Mebed, Amr
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US12/185,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20080311929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455418-420, 455423-425, 4554561-4566, 455457-459, 455/512, 455/514, 455517-518, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455560-561, 455/558, 455/565, 708111-112, 708130-132, 701200-204, 701/207, 701/211, 701/213, 705/7.13, 705 718- 719, 705/7.21, 705/7.26
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for automatically scheduling and rescheduling tasks based on predictable, observable, or measurable events, and on conditions occurring in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location. A plurality of tasks are defined by the user. Events or conditions depending on the user'"'"'s location and affecting the opportunity or the feasibility of the tasks are associated with these tasks. Task schedules are assigned, merged, or permuted to dynamically provide the user with a feasible and convenient agenda.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory unit for storing a computer program for automatically scheduling tasks to be executed by a mobile user when conditions related to the mobile user'"'"'s location are met; and

a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises;

circuitry for defining at least one mobile task;

circuitry for associating at least one task condition with each mobile task of said at least one mobile task, each task condition of said at least one task condition comprising at least one task parameter related to the location of the mobile user;

circuitry for determining a current location of the mobile user;

for said each task condition, circuitry for determining task parameters of said at least one task parameter related to the current location of the user, and circuitry for determining, according to the task parameters, whether the at least one associated task condition is met;

for said each mobile task, when associated task conditions of said at least one task condition are met, circuitry for computing a local time at which the at least one mobile task is to be executed; and

circuitry for scheduling the mobile task;

circuitry for detecting a change in the location of the mobile user; and

, responsive to detecting the change in the location of the mobile user;

circuitry for determining the current location of the mobile user; and

, for said each task condition;

circuitry for determining the task parameters related to the current location of the user;

circuitry for determining whether or not the at least one task condition is met, according to the task parameters; and

circuitry for updating the schedule of said each task by;

computing a local time at which the at least one mobile task must be executed;

scheduling the at least one mobile task when the associated task conditions are met; and

canceling the schedule of the at least one mobile task when at least one associated task condition is not met.

2. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium, wherein the medium does not include a propagating signal, for automatically scheduling tasks to be executed by a mobile user when conditions related to the mobile user'"'"'s location are met, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

defining at least one mobile task;

associating at least one task condition with each mobile task of said at least one mobile task, each task condition of said at least one task condition comprising at least one task parameter related to the location of the mobile user;

determining a current location of the mobile user;

determining, for each task condition of said at least one task condition, task parameters of said at least one task parameter related to the current location of the user, and determining, according to the task parameters, whether associated task conditions of said at least one task conditions are met;

computing, for said each mobile task, when the associated task conditions are met, a local time at which the at least one mobile task is to be executed; and

scheduling the at least one mobile task; and

detecting a change in the location of the mobile user; and

, responsive to detecting the change in the location of the mobile user;

determining the current location of the mobile user; and

, for said at least one task condition;

determining the task parameters related to the current location;

determining whether or not the at least one task condition is met, according to the task parameters; and

updating the schedule of said each task by;

computing a local time at which the at least one mobile task must be executed;

scheduling the at least one mobile task when the associated task conditions are met; and

canceling the schedule of the at least one mobile task when the at least one associated task condition is not met.

3. A method for automatically scheduling tasks to be executed by a mobile user when conditions related to the mobile user'"'"'s location are met, said method comprising:

defining at least one mobile task;

associating, by a processor, at least one task condition with each mobile task of said at least one mobile task, each task condition of said at least one task condition comprising at least one task parameter related to a location of the mobile user;

determining a current location of the mobile user;

for said each task condition, determining task parameters of said at least one task parameter related to the current location, and determining, according to the task parameters, whether associated task conditions of said at least one task condition are met; and

for said each mobile task, when the associated task conditions are met, computing a local time at which the at least one mobile task is to be executed; and

scheduling the at least one mobile task.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein defining the at least one mobile task comprises defining task priorities for mobile tasks, and scheduling the mobile tasks according to their priorities in case of a scheduling conflict.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining the current location of the mobile user comprises determining the current location of the mobile user from information transmitted via a wireless network to a wireless mobile device in possession of the mobile user.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining the current location of the mobile user from the information transmitted via the wireless network network further comprises identifying a cell of the wireless network corresponding to the location of the wireless mobile device in possession of the mobile user.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining the current location of the mobile user comprises determining the location name, longitude and latitude of the current location, and a time zone corresponding to the current location.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the tasks are scheduled on an electronic agenda or calendar.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein defining the at least one mobile task comprises:

defining, for said each mobile task;

means for identifying the task, the at least one task condition to be met to schedule the task, a task priority, and a task duration during which the task can be performed when the associated conditions are met; and

defining, for said each task condition associated with the mobile task, a condition duration during which the task condition is valid.

10. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium, wherein the medium does not include a propagating signal, for automatically scheduling tasks to be executed by a mobile user when conditions related to the mobile user'"'"'s location are met, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

defining at least one mobile task;

associating at least one task condition with each mobile task of said at least one mobile task, each task condition of said at least one task condition comprising at least one task parameter related to a location of the mobile user;

determining a current location of the mobile user;

determining, for said each task condition, task parameters of said at least one task parameter related to the current location, and determining according to the task parameters, whether the at least one associated task condition is met; and

computing, for said each mobile task, when associated task conditions of said at least one task condition are met, a local time at which the mobile task is to be executed; and

scheduling the mobile task.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the programming instructions for defining the at least one mobile task comprises the programming instructions for defining task priorities for mobile tasks of said at least one mobile task, and scheduling the mobile tasks according to their priorities in case of a scheduling conflict.

12. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the programming instructions for determining the current location of the mobile user comprises programming instructions for determining the current location of the mobile user from information transmitted via a wireless network to a wireless mobile device in possession of the mobile user.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the programming instructions for determining the current location of the mobile user from the information transmitted via the wireless network further comprises programming instructions for identifying a cell of the wireless network corresponding to the location of the wireless mobile device in possession of the mobile user.

14. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the programming instructions for determining the current location of the mobile user comprises programming instructions for determining a location name, longitude and latitude of the current location, and a time zone corresponding to the current location.

15. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the tasks are scheduled on an electronic agenda or calendar.

16. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the programming instructions for defining the at least one mobile task comprises the programming instructions for:

defining, for said each mobile task means for identifying the at least one task, the at least one task condition to be met to schedule the at least one task, a task priority, and a task duration during which the at least one task can be performed when the associated task conditions are met; and

defining, for said each task condition associated with the mobile task, a condition duration during which the task condition is valid.

17. A system, comprising:

a memory unit for storing a computer program for automatically scheduling tasks to be executed by a mobile user when conditions related to the mobile user'"'"'s location are met; and

a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises;

circuitry for defining at least one mobile task;

circuitry for associating at least one task condition with each mobile task of said at least one mobile task, each task condition of said at least one task condition comprising at least one task parameter related to a location of the mobile user;

circuitry for determining a current location of the mobile user;

for said each task condition, circuitry for determining task parameters of said at least one task parameter related to the current location, and circuitry for determining, according to the task parameters, whether associated task conditions of said at least one task condition are met; and

for said each mobile task, when the associated task conditions are met, circuitry for computing a local time at which the at least one mobile task is to be executed; and

circuitry for scheduling the at least one mobile task.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said circuitry for defining the at least one mobile task comprises circuitry for defining task priorities for mobile tasks, and scheduling the mobile tasks according to their priorities in case of a scheduling conflict.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said circuitry for determining the current location of the mobile user comprises circuitry for determining the current location of the mobile user from information transmitted via a wireless network to a wireless mobile device in possession of the mobile user.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said circuitry for determining the current location of the mobile user from the information transmitted via the wireless network further comprises circuitry for identifying a cell of the wireless network corresponding to the location of the wireless mobile device in possession of the mobile user.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said circuitry for determining the current location of the mobile user comprises circuitry for determining the location name, longitude and latitude of the current location, and a time zone corresponding to the current location.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein the tasks are scheduled on an electronic agenda or calendar.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said circuitry for defining the at least one mobile task comprises circuitry for:

defining, for said each mobile task;

means for identifying the task, the at least one task condition to be met to schedule the task, a task priority, and a task duration during which the task can be performed when the associated conditions are met; and

defining, for said each task condition associated with the mobile task, a condition duration during which the task condition is valid.