Tracking text messages with reminders

• US 9,787,822 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holland, Jamie Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/293,953
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 455466, 455566, 4554122, 709204, 709206
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods and devices for associating reminders with text messages of a text messaging application are disclosed. A text message is displayed via a display of a device. A user-selectable interface such as the user interface of a text message application for mobile devices is provided for a user to associate a reminder with the displayed text message. For example, a user may tap on a touch sensitive display of the mobile device that is displaying the message to instruct an association between a reminder and the text message. The input may be received by the device and an association between the text message and a reminder generated. The reminder associated with the text message may be activated at a scheduled time. The reminder functionality may be integrated with other applications, programmatically or via user-selectable prompts integrated into the text message application user interface. Messages may be flagged or tagged.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors; and

a scheduler of a text messaging application implemented by program instructions when executed by the one or more processors, wherein the text messaging application is distinct from an e-mail-based application, the scheduler of the text messaging application configured to;

instruct display of one or more received short message service text messages on the display, wherein the one or more received short message service text messages are received by the portable device according to a short message service text messaging protocol;

provide a reminder user interface for associating a reminder with a selected one of the one or more displayed short message service text messages;

receive, via the reminder user interface, input to associate the reminder with the selected text message;

in response to receipt of the input, associate the reminder with the selected text message, wherein the reminder is also associated with a scheduled time;

instruct activation of the reminder at the scheduled time, wherein the instructed activation causes display of the reminder and the displayed reminder includes at least some of the content from the selected text message that was received by the portable device;

display a plurality of user interface elements that correspond to the one or more text messages, wherein each of the plurality of user interface elements are associated with one selected from associate a title with the reminder, associate a label with the reminder, or associate a tag with the reminder;

receive user input that indicates a selected one of the plurality of user interface elements; and

perform a function that corresponds to the selected one of the user interface elements, wherein the function corresponds to said one selected from associate the title with the reminder, associate the label with the reminder or associate the tag with the reminder.

2. The portable device as recited in claim 1, wherein the text messaging application is further configured to create a reminder entry for the reminder associated with the selected text message.

3. The portable device as recited in claim 2, wherein the reminder entry comprises at least a portion of the selected text message, and wherein the text messaging application is further configured to display the at least a portion of the selected text message at the scheduled time for the reminder.

4. The portable device as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises a touch-sensitive display, and wherein the input to associate the reminder with the selected one of the one or more displayed text messages is received via the touch-sensitive display while the touch-sensitive display is displaying the reminder user interface of the text messaging application.

5. The portable device as recited in claim 4, wherein the messaging application is further configured to:

receive an indication of the scheduled time for the reminder via the touch-sensitive display while the touch-sensitive display is displaying the reminder user interface of the text messaging application; and

wherein to instruct activation of the reminder at the scheduled time, the text messaging application is configured to instruct display of the reminder associated with the selected text message in accordance with said received scheduled time.

6. A method, comprising:

performing, by one or more processors;

instructing, by a text messaging application that is distinct from an e-mail-based application, display of one or more short message service text messages via a user interface of the text message application, wherein the one or more text messages were received by the text message application;

receiving, by the text messaging application a request to associate a reminder with a selected one of the one or more displayed text messages;

in response to receipt of the request,

associating the reminder with the selected text message, wherein the reminder is also associated with a scheduled time;

in response to the one or more processors instructing activation of the reminder associated with the selected text message at the scheduled time,

instructing display of the reminder, wherein the displayed reminder includes at least some of the content from the selected text message that was received by the text message application;

displaying a plurality of user interface elements corresponding to the one or more text messages;

receiving user input indicating a selected one of the plurality of user interface elements; and

performing a function corresponding to the selected one of the user interface elements, wherein the function is one selected from associating a title, associating a label or associating a tag with the reminder.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving the request to associate the reminder with the selected text message comprises receiving the request from a touch-sensitive display while the touch-sensitive display is displaying the user interface of the text message application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said receiving the request to associate the reminder comprises recognizing one of a tap gesture, a multi-tap gesture, a press and hold gesture, an icon selection, a user interface element selection, a menu selection, or motion gesture associated with the selected text message.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing an interface for generating the reminder in another application subsequent to receiving the request.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining the scheduled time for activation of the reminder based on a default time, a configuration setting configured prior to said receiving the request to associate the reminder with the selected one of the displayed text messages, or input received after or as part of receiving the request.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein associating the reminder with the selected text message comprises creating a link between the reminder and the selected text message, and wherein the method further comprises in response to said instructing activation, displaying the reminder and an interface element, the interface element associated with the link between the reminder and the selected text message and wherein said instructing display of at least some of the content from the selected text message that was received by the text message application is performed in response to receiving input indicating selection of the interface element.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of text messages;

receiving input setting a tag for one or more of the plurality of text messages; and

performing one selected from searching, filtering or ordering at least some of the plurality of text messages based at least in part on the tag.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that when executed by one or more processors implement a text message application that is distinct from an e-mail-based application, the text message application configured to perform:

instructing display of one or more short message service text messages via a user interface of a text message application, wherein the one or more text messages were received by the text message application;

receiving a request to associate a reminder with a selected one of the one or more displayed text messages;

in response to receipt of the request,

associating the reminder with the selected text message, wherein the reminder is also associated with a scheduled time;

in response to the text message application instructing activation of the reminder associated with the selected text message at the scheduled time,

instructing display of the reminder, wherein the displayed reminder includes at least some of the content from the selected text message that was received by the text message application;

displaying a plurality of user interface elements corresponding to the one or more text messages;

receiving user input indicating a selected one of the plurality of user interface elements; and

performing a function corresponding to the selected one of the user interface elements, wherein the function is one selected from associating a title, associating a label or associating a tag with the reminder.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13,

wherein the program instructions further implement an application programming interface of the text message application for programmatically accessing a reminder creation module of one or more other applications;

and

wherein the text message application is further configured to perform launching, via the application programming interface and in response to said receiving the request, the reminder creation module of the one or more other applications.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the text message application is further configured to perform:

in response to receiving the request,

displaying a plurality of user interface elements;

receiving user input indicating a selected one of the user interface elements; and

performing a function corresponding to the selected one of the user interface elements, wherein the function is one selected from sending an indication of the reminder to another device or sending an indication of the reminder to another user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the text message application is further configured to perform:

displaying a plurality of user interface elements corresponding to the one or more text messages;

receiving user input indicating a selected one of the plurality of user interface elements; and

performing a function corresponding to the selected one of the user interface elements, wherein the function is one selected from associating a title, associating a label or associating a tag with the reminder.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the program instructions are further configured to perform:

analyzing a content of the one or more text messages;

recognizing, based on the analysis of the content, an opportunity to provide one or more additional user interface options corresponding to functionality in one or more other applications;

displaying one or more user interface elements corresponding to the one or more additional user interface options; and

instructing, based upon selection of the one or more user interface elements, the one or more other applications to launch.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13 wherein the text message application is further configured to perform:

analyzing a content of the selected text message to determine a reminder opportunity; and

instructing display of a prompt indicating the reminder opportunity, wherein said request to associate the reminder with the selected text message is based upon user-selection of the prompt indicating the reminder opportunity.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13 wherein the instructing activation of the reminder at the scheduled time comprises:

re-displaying the selected text message via the display;

rendering content of the selected text message audibly;

generating an e-mail message comprising content from the selected text message;

displaying a pop-up message comprising content from the selected text message;

or

instructing rendering of the reminder or content based on the selected text message via another application.