METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A LOCATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM VIA A CALENDAR DATABASE

• US 20110106278A1
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Martin-Cocher, Gaelle Christine, Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a location automation system via computing device having access to a calendar database is provided. Calendar data, from the calendar database, is processed to determine that at least one location automation event controlled by the location automation system is affected by the calendar data. The location automation setting data is updated, based on the calendar data, such that the at least one location automation event occurs according to the calendar data.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a location automation system via a computing device having access to a calendar database, the method comprising:

processing calendar data, from said calendar database, to determine that at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system is affected by said calendar data; and

causing location automation setting data, at said location automation system, to be updated, based on said calendar data such that said at least one location automation event occurs according to said calendar data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing said calendar data comprises:

determining if changes have occurred to said calendar data; and

determining if said changes affect said at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing said calendar data occurs in response to a change to said calendar data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing said calendar data comprises comparing at least a subset of said calendar data to at least one of said location automation setting data and location automation rule data to determine if said at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system, is affected by said calendar data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said location automation rule data comprises at least one rule for changing a setting in said location automation system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein causing location automation setting data to be updated comprises at least one of synchronizing said calendar database and said location automation system;

notifying said location automation system of changes to said location automation system data;

receiving a request from said location automation system for said changes to said location automation system data; and

processing said location automation setting data to store said changes to said location automation system data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing said calendar database with a plurality of calendar databases such that said calendar data comprises calendar data from said plurality of calendar databases.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said causing said location automation setting data location to be updated is based on at least one of:

calendar data associated with a respective one of said plurality of calendar databases; and

a priority of each of said plurality of calendar databases.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining proximity of a device to a location controlled by said location automation system and causing said location automation setting data, at said location automation system, to be updated based on said proximity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of devices are associated with said location automation system, such that said location automation setting data is updated based on at least one respective calendar database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said computing device comprises a shared device associated with a plurality of calendar databases, such that said location automation setting data is updated based on said plurality of calendar databases.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said calendar data comprises at least one of a date of a meeting, a start time of a meeting, an end time of a meeting, a subject of a meeting, a location of a meeting, a category of a meeting, a recurrence indication, and invitees to a meeting.

11. The method of claim 11, wherein one of said plurality of devices is designated as a master device having priority over others of said plurality of devices, such that said location automation setting data is updated first based on at least one of calendar data associated with and proximity of said master device to said location.

14. A computing device for controlling a location automation system via a calendar database, the computing device comprising:

a processing unit interconnected with a memory and a communications interface, said processing unit having access to said calendar database location, said processing unit is enabled to;

process calendar data, from said calendar database, to determine that at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system, is affected by said calendar data; and

cause said location automation setting data, at said location automation system, to be updated, based on said calendar data such that said at least one location automation event occurs according to said calendar data.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein to process said calendar data, said processing unit is enabled to:

determine if changes have occurred to said calendar data; and

determine if said changes affect said at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system.

16. The computing device of claim 14, wherein said processing unit is further enabled to process said calendar data in response to a change to said calendar data.

17. The computing device of claim 14, wherein to process said calendar data, said processing unit is further enabled to compare at least a subset of said calendar data to at least one of said location automation setting data and location automation rule data to determine if said at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system, is affected by said calendar data.

18. The computing device of claim 14, wherein said location automation rule data comprises at least one rule for changing a setting in said location automation system.

19. The computing device of claim 14, wherein to cause location automation setting data to be updated, said processing unit is further enabled to at least one of:

synchronize said calendar database and said location automation system;

notify said location automation system of changes to said location automation system data;

receive a request from said location automation system for said changes to said location automation system data; and

process said location automation setting data to store said changes to said location automation system data.

20. The computing device of claim 14, wherein said processing unit is further enabled to synchronize said calendar database with a plurality of calendar databases such that said calendar data comprises calendar data from said plurality of calendar databases.

21. The computing device of claim 20, wherein said processing unit is further enabled to cause said location automation setting data, at said location automation system, to be updated based on at least one of:

calendar data associated with a respective one of said plurality of calendar databases; and

a priority of each of said plurality of calendar databases.

22. The computing device of claim 14, wherein said processing unit is further enabled to determine proximity of a device to a location controlled by said location automation system and cause said location automation setting data, at said location automation system, to be updated based on said proximity.

23. The computing device of claim 14, wherein a plurality of devices are associated with said location automation system, such that said location automation setting data is updated based on at least one respective calendar database.

24. The computing device of claim 23, wherein one of said plurality of devices is designated as a master device having priority over others of said plurality of devices, such that said location automation setting data is updated first based on at least one of calendar data associated with and proximity of said master device to said location.

25. The computing device of claim 14, wherein said computing device further comprises a shared device associated with a plurality of calendar databases, such that said location automation setting data is updated based on said plurality of calendar databases.

26. The computing device of claim 14, wherein said calendar data comprises at least one of a date of a meeting, a start time of a meeting, an end time of a meeting, a subject of a meeting, a location of a meeting, a category of a meeting, a recurrence indication, and invitees to a meeting.

27. The computing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said computing apparatus is located at one of said location automation system and a location remote from said location automation system.

28. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for controlling a location automation system via computing device having access to a calendar database, said method comprising:

processing calendar data, from said calendar database, to determine that at least one location automation event controlled by said location automation system, is affected by said calendar data; and

causing location automation setting data, at said location automation system, to be updated, based on said calendar data such that said at least one location automation event occurs according to said calendar data.