Proactive user interface

• US 9,003,327 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Moshrefi, Afshin, Khushoo, Rahul, Gharachorloo, Nader, Xiao, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/247,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 715/808, 715/851, 715/853, 715/841, 715/840, 715765-765, 709/223, 709/229
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A system may include a computing device configured to provide a proactive user interface, the proactive user interface configured to selectively propose suggested actions when a user of the computing device is determined to be in a passive mode. The computing device may include a proactive user interface module configured to: wait for at least one event, determine whether trigger criteria are met based on the at least one event, and when the trigger criteria are met, propose a suggested action to the user based on the at least one event.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a computing device configured to provide a proactive user interface, the proactive user interface configured to selectively propose suggested actions when a user of the computing device is determined to be in a passive mode, the computing device including a proactive user interface module configured to;

wait for at least one event,

determine whether trigger criteria are met based on the at least one event,

when the trigger criteria are met, propose a suggested action to the user based on the at least one event; and

perform the suggested action if an affirmative response is received from the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

monitor activity of the computing device;

determine whether to provide the proactive user interface based on the monitored activity and mode criteria that specify conditions that, when satisfied, indicate that the user is in the passive mode;

provide an active user interface configured to receive user input when the user is determined not to be in the passive mode, and

provide the proactive user interface when the user is determined to be in the passive mode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

switch to the active user interface when the user is not in the passive mode and the active user interface is not being provided;

switch to the proactive user interface when the user is in the passive mode and the proactive user interface is not being provided.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein switching to the proactive user interface includes at least one of loading trigger criteria from a data store and activating trigger criteria associated with the proactive user interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

switch the user interface to the proactive user interface when the user is in the passive mode;

switch the user interface to a second proactive user interface when the user is in a second passive mode; and

switch the user interface to an active mode when the user is not in the passive mode or the second passive mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device and the at least one event includes at least one of:

timing information, calendaring information, global positioning system information, alert information, device pairing information, and user-initiated event information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger criteria include values for waited events that, when met, trigger a list of actions to be performed by the computing device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device and values for waited events include at least one of:

a day, a time of day, a location, a speed, an alert, a notification, a task schedule, a communication, a manual input.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the proactive user interface is provided when a user of the computing device is determined to be at least one of driving and exercising.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

maintain a user action history of events and resultant actions performed by the user; and

formulate additional trigger criteria based on the events and resultant actions.

11. A method, comprising:

providing an active user interface by a computing device, the active user interface configured to receive user input when a user of the computing device is not determined to be in a passive mode;

providing a proactive user interface by the computing device, the proactive user interface configured to selectively propose suggested actions when the user is determined to be in a passive mode; and

when providing the proactive user interface;

waiting for at least one event;

determining whether trigger criteria are met based on the at least one event;

when the trigger criteria are met, proposing a suggested action to the user based on the at least one event; and

performing the suggested action if an affirmative response is received from the user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring activity of the computing device;

determining whether to provide the proactive user interface based on the monitored activity and mode criteria that specify conditions that, when satisfied, indicate that the user is in the passive mode;

providing the active user interface when the user is determined not to be in the passive mode; and

providing the proactive user interface when the user is determined to be in the passive mode.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, when switching to the proactive user interface, at least one of loading trigger criteria from a data store and activating trigger criteria in the data store.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one event includes at least one of:

timing information, calendaring information, global positioning system information, alert information, device pairing information, and user-initiated event information.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the trigger criteria include values for waited events that, when met, trigger a list of actions to be performed by the computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the values for waited events include at least one of:

a day, a time of day, a location, a speed, an alert, a notification, a task schedule, a communication, a manual input.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the trigger criteria include at least one of:

whether the user of the computing device is determined to be driving, and whether the user of the computing device is determined to be exercising.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

maintaining a user action history of events and resultant actions performed by the user; and

formulating additional trigger criteria based on the events and resultant actions.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a software program, the software program being executable to provide operations comprising:

providing an active user interface by a computing device, the active user interface configured to receive user input when a user of the computing device is not determined to be in a passive mode;

providing a proactive user interface by the computing device, the proactive user interface configured to selectively propose suggested actions when the user is determined to be in a passive mode; and

when providing the proactive user interface;

waiting for at least one event;

determining whether trigger criteria are met based on the at least one event;

when the trigger criteria are met, proposing a suggested action to the user based on the at least one event; and

perform the suggested action if an affirmative response is received from the user.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring activity of the computing device;

determining whether to provide the proactive user interface based on the monitored activity and mode criteria that specify conditions that, when satisfied, indicate that the user is in the passive mode;

providing the active user interface when the user is determined not to be in the passive mode; and

providing the proactive user interface when the user is determined to be in the passive mode.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining a user action history of events and resultant actions performed by the user; and

formulating additional trigger criteria based on the events and resultant actions.