Proximity-based task notification

• US 8,983,501 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Dishneau, Darin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prez-Guitirrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fang, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/105,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

This document describes proximity-based task notification. By notifying a user of an entity at which the user can perform a task when that entity is near to the user, the techniques enable the user to decide, at a time and location likely convenient to the user, whether or not to perform the task now at the entity or wait until a later occasion. If the user wishes to forgo performing the task, the techniques can notify the user again when the entity or some other entity is likely to be convenient to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving information associated with a task specified by a user, the information associated with the task including a priority of the task and a deadline for completion of the task;

determining, based on the priority of the task and the deadline for completion of the task, a geographical or temporal distance over which a search is performed to determine proximity with entities at which the task can be performed;

increasing, responsive to a decrease in an amount of time until the deadline for completion of the task is encountered, a size of the geographical or temporal distance over which the search is performed to determine proximity with the entities at which the tack can be performed;

determining, based on the increased geographical or temporal distance and a location of a mobile device associated with the user, that one of the entities at which the task can be performed is within the increased geographical or temporal distance; and

responsive to determining that the entity at which the task can be performed is within the increased geographical or temporal distance, causing the mobile device to notify the user of a location of the entity, a distance between the location of the entity and the location of the mobile device, and that the entity is proximate the user.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the information includes a selection of, or text entered by, the user.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 2, wherein the selection or the text indicates an item for purchase.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the mobile device associated with the user.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein receiving the information, determining that the entity is within the increased geographical or temporal distance, and causing the mobile device to notify are performed by a device remote from the mobile device associated with the user, and wherein causing the mobile device to notify the user includes transmitting a command to the mobile device over a mobile communications network.

6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising determining the entities at which the task can be performed.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein determining the entities at which the task can be performed determines one or more classes of entities at which an item associated with the task can be purchased, the entity being included within at least one of the one or more classes.

8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the information indicates a class of entities associated with the task and determining that an entity at which the task can be performed is within the increased geographical or temporal distance determines a specific entity included within the class of entities that are within the increased geographical or temporal distance.

9. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein determining the geographical or temporal distance is further based on an estimated amount of time to drive or walk from the location of the mobile device to the location of the entity.

10. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein determining that the entity is within the geographical or temporal distance is based on hours of operation of the entity or causing the mobile device to notify the user is based on the hours of operation of the entity.

11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein causing the mobile device to notify the user causes the mobile device to notify the user of an association of the task to the entity at which the task can be performed.

12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein causing the mobile device to notify the user causes the mobile device to notify the user of an estimated travel time to the entity or another estimated travel time for the user to go to and return from the entity.

13. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein determining the increased geographical or temporal distance is further based a location of an additional entity near the entity at which one or more additional tasks can be performed.

14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, further comprising determining the increased geographical or temporal distance based on a deadline for completion of the one or more additional tasks that can also be performed at the entity or at the additional entity near the entity.

15. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 14, wherein determining the increased geographical or temporal distance includes further increasing the geographical or temporal distance based on a number of additional tasks that can also be performed at the entity or at the additional entity near the entity.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15, wherein further increasing the increased geographical or temporal distance based on the one or more additional tasks is effective to group the task with the one or more additional tasks as a set of multiple tasks.

17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 16, further comprising notifying the user of the multiple tasks that are capable of being performed at the entity or at the additional entity near the entity.

18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein determining the geographical or temporal distance is further based on a drive distance from the location of the mobile device to the location of the entity.

19. A computing device comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, performs operations comprising;

receiving information associated with a task specified by a user, the information associated with the task including a priority of the task and a deadline for completion of the task;

determining, based on the priority of the task and the deadline for completion of the task, a geographical or temporal distance over which a search is performed to determine proximity with entities at which the task can be performed;

increasing, responsive to a decrease in an amount of time until the deadline for completion of the task is encountered, a size of the geographical or temporal distance over which the search is performed to determine proximity with the entities at which the tack can be performed;

determining, based on the increased geographical or temporal distance and a location of a mobile device associated with the user, that one of the entities at which the task can be performed is within the increased geographical or temporal distance; and

responsive to determining that the entity at which the task can be performed is within the increased geographical or temporal distance, causing the mobile device to notify the user of a location of the entity, a distance between the location of the entity and the location of the mobile device, and that the entity is proximate the user.

20. A computing device as recited in claim 19, wherein the geographical or temporal distance and the increased geographic or temporal distance are geographic.