Smart location-based reminders

• US 10,235,863 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Adler, Scott, Miladinov, Viktor
• Primary Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US14/863,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20160358451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and device for providing a reminder to a user of a mobile device are provided. The method includes receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that other sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user. A location of the mobile device is monitored to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area. After the mobile device crosses the first boundary the first location-based reminder is identified and a state of the mobile device is determined. The first location-based reminder is provided to the user based on the state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

Claims

1. A method for providing a reminder to a user of a mobile device, the method comprising, at the mobile device:

receiving a first request, by a user, to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder;

receiving a second request, by the user, to activate an opportune mode when a first geographical boundary of the first geographical area is crossed, the second request indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder based on the user selecting the sensor information to be used to determine an opportune event occurrence;

monitoring, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the mobile device crosses the first geographical boundary of the first geographical area;

after identifying that the mobile device crosses the first geographical boundary of the first geographical area and while the opportune mode is active;

identifying the first location-based reminder;

determining whether an opportune event occurs, wherein the opportune event is determined to occur based on the sensor information being a setting to detect a motion, by one or more motion sensors, indicating a change of the mobile device from a first state to a second state, wherein the opportune event indicates that the detected motion indicates that the mobile device is in a position that the user is able to review the first location-based reminder;

and

providing the first location-based reminder to the user in response to determining that the opportune event occurred.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the mobile device:

providing a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and

receiving a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder to include the opportune mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, at the mobile device:

receiving, from the user, one or more states indicating that the mobile device is in the opportune mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, the method further comprising, at the mobile device:

determining the second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of;

the one or more motion sensors and one or more input sensors, and

wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user in response to determining that the opportune event occurred comprises;

determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in the one or more states indicating that the mobile device is in the opportune mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sequence of states comprises a sedentary state as the first state and a consistent movement state as the second state.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more states comprises at least one of a moving state, a stationary state, a sleep state, an awake state, a connection state, and a disconnection state.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more states indicating that the mobile device is in the opportune mode list of trigger states comprises states which are opportune for the user to receive the reminder.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first state is a motion state determined using the one or more motion sensors, an input state determined using the one or more input sensors, or a combined motion and input state determined using the one or more motion sensors and the one or more input sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more input sensors monitor user activity on the mobile device in order to determine the first state of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more input sensors comprise a button that changes a state of the mobile device from a sleep state to an awake state.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more input sensors monitor whether the mobile device is connected to or disconnected from a network.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the mobile device:

removing the provided first location-based reminder through active selection of a reminder ignore button.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the mobile device:

maintaining the first location-based reminder on a screen of the mobile device until active selection of the first location-based reminder is performed by the user.

14. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a computer system to provide a reminder to a user of a mobile device, the instructions comprising:

receiving a first request, by a user, to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the first request including a flag indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user;

receiving a second request, by the user, to activate an opportune mode when a first geographical boundary of the first geographical area is crossed, the second request indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine an opportune event occurrence;

monitoring, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the mobile device crosses the first geographical boundary of the first geographical area;

after identifying that the mobile device crosses the first geographical boundary of the first geographical area and while the opportune mode is active;

identifying the first location-based reminder;

determining whether an opportune event occurs, wherein the opportune event is determined to occur based on the sensor information being a setting to detect

a motion, by one or more motion sensors, indicating a change of the mobile device from a first state to a second state, wherein the opportune event indicates that the detected motion indicates that the mobile device is in a position that the user is able to review the first location-based reminder;

and

providing the first location-based reminder to the user in response to determining that the opportune event occurred.

15. The computer product of claim 14, wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, wherein the instructions further comprise:

determining the second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of;

the one or more motion sensors and one or more input sensors, and

wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user in response to determining that the opportune event occurred comprises;

determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in one or more states indicating that the mobile device is in the opportune mode.

16. The computer product of claim 15, wherein the sequence of states comprises a sedentary state as the first state and a consistent movement state as the second state.

17. The computer product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise:

providing a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and

receiving a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder with the opportune mode.

18. A mobile device comprising:

one or more sensors;

one or more processors configured to;

receive a first request, by a user, to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the first request including a flag indicating that sensor information from the one or more sensors is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to a user;

receive a second request, by the user, to activate an opportune mode when a first geographical boundary of the first geographical area is crossed, the second request indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder based on the user selecting the sensor information to be used to determine an opportune event occurrence;

monitor, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the mobile device crosses the first geographical boundary of the first geographical area;

after identifying that the mobile device crosses the first geographical boundary of the first geographical area and while the opportune mode is active;

identify the first location-based reminder;

determine whether an opportune event occurs, wherein the opportune event is determined to occur based on the sensor information being a setting to detect a motion, by one or more motion sensors, indicating a change of the mobile device from a first state to a second state, wherein the opportune event indicates that the detected motion indicates that the mobile device is in a position that the user is able to review the first location-based reminder;

and

provide the first location-based reminder to the user in response to determining that the opportune event occurred.

19. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors comprise any one or more of:

a location sensor configured to determine a geographical location of the mobile device;

a motion sensor configured to monitor changes in movement of the mobile device;

a connection/disconnection sensor configured to monitor a connection or a disconnection of the mobile device from a network; and

an input sensor configured to monitor selection of a button on the mobile device.

20. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein a first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine the second state of the mobile device at a second time using at least one of;

the one or more motion sensors and one or more input sensors, and

wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user in response to determining that the opportune event occurred comprises;

determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in one or more states indicating that the mobile device is in the opportune mode.

21. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

provide a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and

receive a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder with the opportune mode.