Associating a task with a user based on user selection of a query suggestion

• US 9,483,565 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tomkins, Andrew, Harris, Tristan, Sar, Can, DiNardi, Angelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Amresh
• Application Number:
  US14/065,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/769, 707/708, 707/765, 707/721, 707/759, 707/760
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to associating a task with a user based on the user selecting a task suggestion that is provided to the user in response to a user query. In some implementations, the task may be identified based on similarities between the words and/or phrases of the user query and a task suggestion that is associated with a task. In some implementations, the task may be identified based on user data associated with the user. In some implementations, the task may be associated with additional information related to completing the task.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a suggestion as a task suggestion based on similarity between text of the suggestion and one or more properties of at least one task, the at least one task being a future event performable by a human and the identifying including defining an association between the task suggestion and the at least one task;

identifying a query of a user;

identifying a plurality of suggestions for the query, the suggestions including at least the task suggestion associated with the at least one task, the at least one task suggestion being selected based on the query;

providing one or more of the suggestions to the user before the user has indicated completion of the query, the provided suggestions including the task suggestion associated with the at least one task, and the provided suggestions being provided for presentation to the user in a drop down menu of a search field that includes the query of the user,

wherein providing the task suggestion comprises providing the text of the task suggestion and providing, in conjunction with the text of the task suggestion, an indicia that, when selected by the user, causes the at least one task to be associated with the user, wherein the task suggestion is provided visually separate from any other provided of the suggestions;

monitoring for a user selection of either the text or the indicia;

when the user selection is of the text, submitting the text as a search query without associating the at least one task with the user; and

when the user selection is of the indicia, associating the at least one task with the user, the associating the at least one task with the user including creating a reminder for the at least one task, the reminder to be provided to the user at a future time via an application of a computing device of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a task type, wherein the indicia is based on the task type.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indicia is a graphical indication of the task type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the at least one task associated with the task suggestion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the task is determined based on one or more terms of the task suggestion.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the task is determined based on user data associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the task suggestion based on user data associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the task is based on user data associated with the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining additional information related to completion of the task; and

associating the additional information with the task.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising identifying a task type for the task, wherein determining the additional information related to completion of the task is based on the identified task type.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional information includes at least one of user contacts, user webpage navigation history, and one or more user e-mails.

12. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in memory to:

identify a suggestion as a task suggestion based on similarity between text of the suggestion and one or more properties of at least one task, the at least one task being a future event performable by a human and the identifying including defining an association between the task suggestion and the at least one task;

identify a query of a user;

identify a plurality of suggestions for the query, the suggestions including at least the task suggestion associated with the at least one task, the at least one task suggestion being selected based on the query;

provide one or more of the suggestions to the user before the user has indicated completion of the query, the provided suggestions including the task suggestion associated with the at least one task, and the provided suggestions being provided for presentation to the user in a drop down menu of a search field that includes the query of the user,

wherein providing the task suggestion comprises providing the text of the task suggestion and providing, in conjunction with the text of the task suggestion, an indicia that, when selected by the user, causes the at least one task to be associated with the user, wherein the task suggestion is provided visually separate from any other provided of the suggestions;

monitor for a user selection of either the text or the indicia;

when the user selection is of the text, submit the text as a search query without associating the at least one task with the user; and

when the user selection is of the indicia, associate the at least one task with the user, the associating the at least one task with the user including creating a reminder for the at least one task, the reminder to be provided to the user at a future time via an application of a computing device of the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify a task type, wherein the indicia is based on the task type.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the indicia is a graphical indication of the task type.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine the at least one task associated with the task suggestion.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the task is determined based on one or more terms of the task suggestion.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the task is determined based on user data associated with the user.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further include instructions to generate the task suggestion based on user data associated with the user.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the task is based on user data associated with the user.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further include instructions to:

determine additional information related to completion of the task; and

associate the additional information with the task.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify a task type for the task, wherein determining the additional information related to completion of the task is based on the identified task type.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the additional information includes at least one of user contacts, user webpage navigation history, and user e-mails.

23. A method, comprising:

identifying a suggestion as a task suggestion based on similarity between text of the suggestion and one or more properties of at least one task, the at least one task being a future event performable by a human and the identifying including defining an association between the task suggestion and the at least one task;

identifying a query of a user;

identifying a plurality of suggestions for the query, the suggestions including at least one non-task suggestion and including the task suggestion associated with the at least one task, wherein the at least one task is non-associated with the user;

providing, for presentation to the user in a drop down menu of a search field that includes the query of the user, the suggestions to the user before the user has indicated completion of the query, wherein providing the suggestions comprises providing the task suggestion associated with the at least one task and providing the non-task suggestion;

monitoring for a user selection of either the task suggestion or the non-task suggestion;

when the user selection is of the task suggestion;

associating the at least one task with the user,

providing a task information prompt for obtaining additional information from the user that is related to the at least one task, the additional information including one or more of a date, a start time, an end time, and a geographic location for the at least one task, and

associating the additional information with the at least one task,

wherein no search results are provided in response to receiving the user selection of the task suggestion; and

when the user selection is of the non-task suggestion, submitting the non-task suggestion as a search query to obtain search results responsive to the non-task suggestion.