Managing task lists utilizing integrated information requests

• US 9,299,039 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jiong
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYIM, SAMUEL E
• Application Number:
  US11/509,434
• Time in Patent Office: 3,506 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

A method and system for assisting a user to generate a task list based on a task description is presented. The task description can be provided as user input or detected based on information about the user. The generated task list includes a series of actions (subtasks) which as a whole complete a task specified in the task description and relevant information. During the task list being generated, some actions are automatically executed without user intervention, or remembered for future execution.

Claims

1. A system including a processor for managing tasks, the system comprising:

at least one database for storing information relating to user profile information and information relating to one or more predefined words, wherein the one or more predefined words correspond to a natural language; and

at least one task management service in communication with the at least one database, the at least one task management service operative to;

receive user input that specifies a task description for a task, the task description including at least a string of characters;

parse the string of characters of the task description to identify an action word in the at least one database, the action word corresponding to at least one of the one or more predefined words stored in the at least one database;

identify, based in part on the identified action word, a plurality of templates, associated with the identified action word, stored in the at least one database, each template of the plurality of templates including a different plurality of actions;

receive, from the user, a selection of a first template from the plurality of templates;

generate a task list including the plurality of actions of the first template, two or more of the plurality of actions each including at least one sub-action that requires additional information from the user before the at least one sub-action is able to be executed;

obtain, from the user for each of the two or more actions, the additional information for the at least one sub-action;

execute the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions, wherein the at least one sub-action has been updated using the additional information obtained from the user; and

determine that each action of the task list has been completed based at least in part on execution of the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services store each of the plurality of actions of the plurality of templates as a subtask of the task in conjunction with the identified action word.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services execute at least one action of the task list at a predetermined time without intervention from the user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein after executing the at least one action, the at least one task management service logs and stores a result of the execution of the at least one action.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services determine a series of actions based on the identified action word.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the task management services schedule an execution order for the series of actions.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services present the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions to the user;

and wherein the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions requires user interaction to be executed.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services search an online database over a network connection to enable the user to complete the task.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services obtain information from a map service server over a network connection.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the task management services search a local database to enable the user to complete the task.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one action of the task list includes purchasing an item via a network based service provider.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one action includes a recurrent sub-action that has been previously executed.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional information is also received from a network based service provider.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional information is also received from an online database.

15. A computer-implemented method for scheduling tasks based on user input, the method comprising each of the following as executed on at least one computing device:

receiving the user input indicating a task description, the task description including at least a string of characters;

parsing the string of characters of the task description into action words, wherein the action words are stored in a natural language database;

upon identifying each action word, creating a detailed task plan by identifying a plurality of templates associated with the identified action word and, stored in a template database based on the action word, each template of the plurality of templates including a different plurality of actions;

receiving, from the user, a selection of a first template from the plurality of templates, the first template including a first plurality of actions;

generating a task list including the first plurality of actions, two or more of the first plurality of actions each including at least one sub-action requiring additional information from the user before the sub-action is able to be executed;

obtaining, from the user for each of the two or more actions, the additional information for the at least one sub-action;

executing the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions, wherein the at least one sub-action has been updated using the additional information; and

determining that each action of the task list has been completed based at least in part on executing the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

if at least one action of the task list needs an immediate execution, executing the at least one action with the obtained additional information.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

if at least one action of the task list does not need an immediate execution, determining time/date information about when the at least one action is to be executed; and

storing the at least one action with the time/date information and the obtained additional information.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

based on the time/date information, alerting the user about at least one action to be executed.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the user is alerted via an audible indicator.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the user is alerted via a visual indicator.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the user is alerted via an electronic message.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein obtaining additional information includes querying the additional information from a third-party service provider.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the third-party service provider is a search service provider.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the third-party service provider is a map service provider.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the third-party service provider is an e-commerce service provider.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the third-party service provider is a call center.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein obtaining additional information includes querying the additional information from personalized user data, which includes previously executed actions, sub-actions, and conditions.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions for assisting a user to plan a task, the instructions when executed by at least one processor causing the at least one processor to:

receive a task description from the user, the task description including at least a string of characters;

identify an action word from the string of characters of the task description and generate a task list based on the identified action word and a plurality of templates associated with the action word, each template of the plurality of templates including a different plurality of actions, the identified action word is stored in a natural language database, and the task list stored in a task list database, the task list specifying a plurality of actions;

receive, from the user, a selection of a first template from the plurality of templates, the first template including a first plurality of actions, two or more of the first plurality of actions including at least one sub-action that requires additional information before the at least one sub-action is able to be executed;

obtain, from the user for each of the two or more actions, the additional information for the at least one sub-action;

execute the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions, the at least one sub-action being modified in accordance with the additional information obtained from the user; and

determine that each action of the task list has been completed based at least in part on execution of the at least one sub-action for each of the two or more actions.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

store an action specified in the task list, the action being determined to be executed at a predetermined time.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

display the generated task list; and

enable the user to modify the generated task list.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

identify an action which needs to be re-executed according to a user modification;

obtain information relating to the identified action; and

execute the identified action with the obtained information relating to the identified action.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

identify an action which needs to be removed from the task list based on a user modification; and

remove the identified action and relevant information from the task list.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

identify a new action which needs to be added to the task list based on a user modification; and

add the new action into the task list.

34. A device for enabling a user to complete a task, comprising:

at least one processor;

memory including instructions executable by the at least one processor to provide;

an action component to identify one or more actions in a task database by utilizing action words that are stored in a natural language database which correspond to a task description input by a user, at least one action word being associated with a plurality of templates, each template of the plurality of templates including a different plurality of actions, the task description including at least a string of characters, the action component further configured for selecting a first template from the plurality of templates, the first template including a first action from the plurality of actions based at least in part on information stored in the task database, wherein the first action includes a first sub-action that requires additional information from the user before the first sub-action is able to be executed;

an additional information component to obtain additional information from the user relating to the first sub-action, the information being obtained from the user while and/or after the at least one sub-action is being determined;

an updating component to update the first sub-action using the additional information obtained from the user; and

a result information component to display a result which is produced from an execution of the first sub-action with the additional information obtained from the user, the result which is produced from an execution of the first sub-action.

35. The device of claim 34, further comprising a reminder component, to alert the user of the first action at a predetermined time, the reminder component being associated with the first action.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the action component schedules execution of the first action at a predetermined time.

37. The device of claim 34, wherein the additional information component obtains the information from a local database.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein the first action includes a plurality of sub-actions, each sub-action requiring a separate execution.

39. The device of claim 34, wherein the first action is stored for execution at a predetermined time.

40. The device of claim 34, further comprising an action suggesting component configured to propose a task to a group of users and to receive from the group of users a response with respect to the proposed task.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the action suggesting component provides an online voting to receive the response from the group of users.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the action suggesting component provides an electronic message to receive the response from the group of users.

43. The device of claim 40, wherein the action suggesting component identifies the proposed task when a sociable event is detected among the group of users.

44. The device of claim 34, wherein the action suggesting component enables the user to propose a task to other users.