Intelligent organization of tasks items

• US 10,795,541 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gruber, Thomas R., Sabatelli, Alessandro, Aybes, Alexandre, Pitschel, Donald W., Voas, Edward D., Anzures, Freddy Allen, Marcos, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rines, Robert D
• Application Number:
  US15/193,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20170083179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742, 705 726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Techniques for processing task items are provided. A task item is electronic data that represents a task to be performed, whether manually or automatically. A task item includes one or more details about its corresponding task, such as a description of the task and a location of the task. Specifically, techniques for generating task items, organizing task items, triggering notifications of task items, and consuming task items are described. In one approach, a task item is generated based on input from a user and context of the input. In another approach, different attributes of task items are used to organize the task items intelligently into multiple lists. In another approach, actions other than the generation of notification are enabled or automatically performed, actions such as emailing, calling, texting, and searching.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by an electronic device having one or more processors, memory, and a display;

storing, in the memory, a plurality of task items that are organized in a plurality of lists, each of the plurality of lists having a respective list identifier;

receiving user input that indicates information about a new task, wherein the user input includes a first portion that does not explicitly specify a particular location associated with the new task;

in response to receiving the user input, generating a task item for the new task;

determining which list of the plurality of lists to add the task item including;

disambiguating, by performing natural language processing on the user input, and based on context information, the first portion of the user input to refer to the particular location, wherein the context information includes data displayed or processed by the electronic device within a threshold duration of receiving the user input;

in response to determining to add the task item to a particular list of the plurality of lists;

adding the task item to the particular list based on the disambiguated particular location; and

storing, in the memory, data that associates the task item with the particular list;

storing, in the memory, location data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein a first subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with the particular location and a second subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second location that is different from the particular location;

storing, in the memory, list association data that associates the first subset of task items with the particular list and that associates the second subset of task items with a second list, of the plurality of lists, that is different from the particular list;

determining, by the one or more processors, a current context associated with the electronic device, including determining a current location of the electronic device;

determining, by the one or more processors, an order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of at least some of the plurality of lists based on the current context, including determining the order based on the current location of the electronic device relative to the particular location and the current location of the electronic device relative to the second location; and

concurrently displaying, on the display, the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the determined order, wherein the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list are displayed without displaying information about any task item associated with the particular list or the second list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing action data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein a third subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a first action and a fourth subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second action that is different from the first action; and

storing list association data that associates the third subset of task items with a third list of the plurality of lists and that associates the fourth subset of task items with a fourth list of the plurality of lists, that is different from the third list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first action is one of calling, purchasing, performing a search, emailing, or texting.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing trigger data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein the trigger data indicates one or more criteria that indicate when an action associated with said each task item is to be performed, wherein a third subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a first type of trigger data and a fourth subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second type of trigger data that is different from the first type of trigger data; and

storing list association data that associates the third subset of task items with a third list of the plurality of lists and that associates the fourth subset of task items with a fourth list of the plurality of lists, that is different from the third list.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein first type of trigger data is one of a particular location of the electronic device or a particular activity in which a user of the electronic device is engaged using the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a third list, of the plurality of lists, that is different than the particular list to which to add the task item; and

storing second data that associates the task item with the third list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of at least some of the plurality of lists includes:

determining, by the one or more processors, a first distance between the current location and the particular location;

determining, by the one or more processors, a second distance between the current location and the second location; and

comparing, by the one or more processors, the first distance to the second distance.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after concurrently displaying, on the display, the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the determined order;

determining, by the one or more processors, a changed location of the electronic device;

determining, by the one or more processors, based on the changed location, a second order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list; and

reordering, on the display, the display of the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the second order.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the task item to the particular list based on the disambiguated particular location includes:

removing, from the user input, the first portion to generate a description of the task item, wherein the description of the task item, when displayed in the particular list, does not include the first portion.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input;

determining, by performing natural language processing on the second user input, that a first portion of the second user input identifies a second new task and a second portion of the second user input identifies a new list for the second new task;

generating a second task item for the second new task;

determining that the new list is not a list of the plurality of lists; and

in accordance with determining that the new list is not a list of the plurality of lists;

generating the new list, including generating a list identifier for the new list based on the second portion of the second user input; and

adding the second task item to the new list.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a third user input indicating information about a third new task and a list identifier for the third new task;

generating a third task item for the third new task;

determining that the list identifier for the third new task matches the list identifier of the new list; and

in accordance with determining that the list identifier for the third new task matches the list identifier of the new list;

adding the third task item to the new list.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a display; and

memory having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

storing, in the memory, a plurality of task items that are organized in a plurality of lists, each of the plurality of lists having a respective list identifier;

receiving user input that indicates information about a new task, wherein the user input includes a first portion that does not explicitly specify a particular location associated with the new task;

in response to receiving the user input, generating a task item for the new task;

determining which list of the plurality of lists to add the task item, including;

disambiguating, by performing natural language processing on the user input, and based on context information, the first portion of the user input to refer to the particular location, wherein the context information includes data displayed or processed by the electronic device within a threshold duration of receiving the user input;

in response to determining to add the task item to a particular list of the plurality of lists;

adding the task item to the particular list based on the disambiguated particular location; and

storing, in the memory, data that associates the task item with the particular list;

storing, in the memory, location data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein a first subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with the particular location and a second subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second location that is different from the particular location;

storing, in the memory, list association data that associates the first subset of task items with the particular list and that associates the second subset of task items with a second list, of the plurality of lists, that is different from the particular list;

determining, by the one or more processors, a current context associated with the electronic device, including determining a current location of the electronic device;

determining, by the one or more processors, an order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of at least some of the plurality of lists based on the current context, including determining the order based on the current location of the electronic device relative to the particular location and the current location of the electronic device relative to the second location; and

concurrently displaying, on the display, the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the determined order, wherein the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list are displayed without displaying information about any task item associated with the particular list or the second list.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing action data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein a third subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a first action and a fourth subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second action that is different from the first action; and

storing list association data that associates the third subset of task items with a third list of the plurality of lists and that associates the fourth subset of task items with a fourth list of the plurality of lists, that is different from the third list.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first action is one of calling, purchasing, performing a search, emailing, or texting.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing trigger data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein the trigger data indicates one or more criteria that indicate when an action associated with said each task item is to be performed, wherein a third subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a first type of trigger data and a fourth subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second type of trigger data that is different from the first type of trigger data; and

storing list association data that associates the third subset of task items with a third list of the plurality of lists and that associates the fourth subset of task items with a fourth list of the plurality of lists, that is different from the third list.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein first type of trigger data is one of a particular location of the electronic device or a particular activity in which a user of the electronic device is engaged using the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a third list, of the plurality of lists, that is different than the particular list to which to add the task item; and

storing second data that associates the task item with the third list.

18. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein determining the order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of at least some of the plurality of lists includes:

determining, by the one or more processors, a first distance between the current location and the particular location;

determining, by the one or more processors, a second distance between the current location and the second location; and

comparing, by the one or more processors, the first distance to the second distance.

19. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

after concurrently displaying, on the display, the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the determined order;

determining, by the one or more processors, a changed location of the electronic device;

determining, by the one or more processors, based on the changed location, a second order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list; and

reordering, on the display, the display of the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the second order.

20. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein adding the task item to the particular list based on the disambiguated particular location includes:

removing, from the user input, the first portion to generate a description of the task item, wherein the description of the task item, when displayed in the particular list, does not include the first portion.

21. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second user input;

determining, by performing natural language processing on the second user input, that a first portion of the second user input identifies a second new task and a second portion of the second user input identifies a new list for the second new task;

generating a second task item for the second new task;

determining that the new list is not a list of the plurality of lists; and

in accordance with determining that the new list is not a list of the plurality of lists;

generating the new list, including generating a list identifier for the new list based on the second portion of the second user input; and

adding the second task item to the new list.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third user input indicating information about a third new task and a list identifier for the third new task;

generating a third task item for the third new task;

determining that the list identifier for the third new task matches the list identifier of the new list; and

in accordance with determining that the list identifier for the third new task matches the list identifier of the new list;

adding the third task item to the new list.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display and memory, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

storing, in the memory, a plurality of task items that are organized in a plurality of lists, each of the plurality of lists having a respective list identifier;

receiving user input that indicates information about a new task, wherein the user input includes a first portion that does not explicitly specify a particular location associated with the new task;

in response to receiving the user input, generating a task item for the new task;

determining which list of the plurality of lists to add the task item, including;

disambiguating, by performing natural language processing on the user input, and based on context information, the first portion of the user input to refer to the particular location, wherein the context information includes data displayed or processed by the electronic device within a threshold duration of receiving the user input;

in response to determining to add the task item to a particular list of the plurality of lists;

adding the task item to the particular list based on the disambiguated particular location; and

storing, in the memory, data that associates the task item with the particular list;

storing, in the memory, location data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein a first subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with the particular location and a second subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second location that is different from the particular location;

storing, in the memory, list association data that associates the first subset of task items with the particular list and that associates the second subset of task items with a second list, of the plurality of lists, that is different from the particular list;

determining, by the one or more processors, a current context associated with the electronic device, including determining a current location of the electronic device; and

determining, by the one or more processors, an order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of at least some of the plurality of lists based on the current context, including determining the order based on the current location of the electronic device relative to the particular location and the current location of the electronic device relative to the second location; and

concurrently displaying, on the display, the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the determined order, wherein the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list are displayed without displaying information about any task item associated with the particular list or the second list.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing action data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein a third subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a first action and a fourth subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second action that is different from the first action; and

storing list association data that associates the third subset of task items with a third list of the plurality of lists and that associates the fourth subset of task items with a fourth list of the plurality of lists, that is different from the third list.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the first action is one of calling, purchasing, performing a search, emailing, or texting.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing trigger data associated with each task item of the plurality of task items, wherein the trigger data indicates one or more criteria that indicate when an action associated with said each task item is to be performed, wherein a third subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a first type of trigger data and a fourth subset of task items from the plurality of task items are associated with a second type of trigger data that is different from the first type of trigger data; and

storing list association data that associates the third subset of task items with a third list of the plurality of lists and that associates the fourth subset of task items with a fourth list of the plurality of lists, that is different from the third list.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein first type of trigger data is one of a particular location of the electronic device or a particular activity in which a user of the electronic device is engaged using the electronic device.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a third list, of the plurality of lists, that is different than the particular list to which to add the task item; and

storing second data that associates the task item with the third list.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein determining the order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of at least some of the plurality of lists includes:

determining, by the one or more processors, a first distance between the current location and the particular location;

determining, by the one or more processors, a second distance between the current location and the second location; and

comparing, by the one or more processors, the first distance to the second distance.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

after concurrently displaying, on the display, the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the determined order;

determining, by the one or more processors, a changed location of the electronic device;

determining, by the one or more processors, based on the changed location, a second order in which to concurrently display the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list; and

reordering, on the display, the display of the respective list identifiers of the particular list and the second list based on the second order.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein adding the task item to the particular list based on the disambiguated particular location includes:

removing, from the user input, the first portion to generate a description of the task item, wherein the description of the task item, when displayed in the particular list, does not include the first portion.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second user input;

determining, by performing natural language processing on the second user input, that a first portion of the second user input identifies a second new task and a second portion of the second user input identifies a new list for the second new task;

generating a second task item for the second new task;

determining that the new list is not a list of the plurality of lists; and

in accordance with determining that the new list is not a list of the plurality of lists;

generating the new list, including generating a list identifier for the new list based on the second portion of the second user input; and

adding the second task item to the new list.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third user input indicating information about a third new task and a list identifier for the third new task;

generating a third task item for the third new task;

determining that the list identifier for the third new task matches the list identifier of the new list; and

in accordance with determining that the list identifier for the third new task matches the list identifier of the new list;

adding the third task item to the new list.