Collecting and analyzing user activities on mobile computing devices

• US 8,316,038 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Crawford, Jordan Kirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cam-Linh
• Application Number:
  US12/792,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 707/723, 707/732, 707/802, 707/758, 708/112
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A mechanism for collecting and analyzing user information available on a mobile computing device is described. Information is retrieved from different components of the mobile computing device and analyzed for relationships therein. Metrics and rules are applied to the information to generate results. The results are displayed or exported to one or more components of the mobile computing device or external devices.

Claims

1. A method for collecting and learning user information on a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

retrieving a calendar entry and location information for the mobile computing device from a calendar application and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver of the mobile computing device, respectively, the location information comprising a geographic location of the mobile computing device at a given time;

analyzing the retrieved calendar entry and location information to determine if the given time is within a time range of the calendar entry;

storing an association between an event location identifier included in the calendar entry and the geographic location of the mobile computing device at the given time, if the given time is within the time range of the calendar entry;

comparing a geographic location associated with another calendar entry for another time range with a geographic location of the mobile computing device during the another time range; and

determining that the user attended an event associated with the another calendar entry if the geographic location associated with the another calendar entry matches the geographic location of the mobile computing device during the another time range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event location identifier retrieved from the calendar application includes a name of a location associated with the calendar entry, and the geographic location retrieved from the GPS receiver includes a latitude and longitude of the mobile computing device at the given time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the geographic location associated with the another calendar entry to be the geographic location associated with the event location identifier, if the another calendar entry includes the event location identifier.

4. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

a data repository; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program code for collecting and learning user information, the computer program code comprising program code to;

retrieve a calendar entry from a calendar application of the mobile computing device, the calendar entry comprising an event time range and an event location identifier;

analyze location information retrieved from the GPS receiver to identify a geographic location of the mobile computing device during the event time range; and

store, in the data repository, an association between the event location identifier of the retrieved calendar entry and the geographic location of the mobile device during the event time range;

compare, for each of a first plurality of calendar entries, a scheduled geographic location, associated with the calendar entry, with a geographic location of the mobile computing device during a scheduled time range of the calendar entry, wherein the first plurality of calendar entries includes the retrieved calendar entry; and

determine, for each of the first plurality of calendar entries, that the user attended an event associated with the calendar entry if the scheduled geographic location matches the geographic location of the mobile computing device during the scheduled time range of the calendar entry.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 4, wherein the event location identifier retrieved from the calendar application includes a name of a location associated with the calendar entry, and the geographic location retrieved from the GPS receiver includes a latitude and longitude of the mobile computing device during the event time range.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 4, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

determine, for each of the first plurality of calendar entries, that the scheduled geographic location is the geographic location associated with the event location identifier if the calendar entry is associated with the event location identifier.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

compare, for each of a second plurality of calendar entries, a phone number, associated with the calendar entry, with phone activity of the mobile computing device during a scheduled time range of the calendar entry; and

determine, for each of the second plurality of calendar entries, that the user attended an event associated with the calendar entry if the phone activity of the mobile computing device during the scheduled time range of the calendar entry matches the phone number associated with the calendar entry.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

calculate an average daily time spent attending meetings, based on each of the events determined to have been attended by the user in accordance with the first and second pluralities of calendar entries, wherein each of the first and second pluralities of calendar entries is associated with a meeting.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 4, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

track a total amount of time spent at a location.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein the location is associated with the event location identifier.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable computer program code for collecting and learning user information on a mobile computing device, the computer program code comprising program code to:

retrieve a calendar entry and location information for the mobile computing device from a calendar application and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver of the mobile computing device, respectively;

analyze the retrieved calendar entry and location information to determine a geographic location of the mobile computing device during a time range of the calendar entry; and

store an association between an event location identifier included in the retrieved calendar entry and the geographic location of the mobile computing device during the time range of the calendar event;

compare, for each of a first plurality of calendar entries, a scheduled geographic location, associated with the calendar entry, with a geographic location of the mobile computing device during a scheduled time range of the calendar entry, wherein the first plurality of calendar entries includes the retrieved calendar entry; and

determine, for each of the first plurality of calendar entries, that the user attended an event associated with the calendar entry if the scheduled geographic location matches the geographic location of the mobile computing device during the scheduled time range of the calendar entry.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the event location identifier retrieved from the calendar application includes a name of a location associated with the calendar entry, and the geographic location retrieved from the GPS receiver includes a latitude and longitude of the mobile computing device during the time range of the calendar entry.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

determine, for each of the first plurality of calendar entries, that the scheduled geographic location is the geographic location associated with the event location identifier if the calendar entry is associated with the event location identifier.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

compare, for each of a second plurality of calendar entries, a phone number associated with the calendar entry with phone activity of the mobile computing device during a scheduled time range of the calendar entry; and

determine, for each of the second plurality of calendar entries, that the user attended an event associated with the calendar entry if the phone activity of the mobile computing device during the scheduled time range of the calendar entry matches the phone number associated with the calendar entry.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

calculate an average daily time spent attending meetings, based on each of the events determined to have been attended by the user in accordance with the first and second pluralities of calendar entries, wherein each of the first and second pluralities of calendar entries is associated with a meeting.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the program code further comprises program code to:

track an average amount of time spent at a location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the location is associated with the event location identifier.