METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SOFT REMINDERS

• US 20110239158A1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pierik, Anke, Barraclough, Keith, Irvine, David, Dame, Christopher, Simsarian, Kristian, Domingo, Erich, Gerlach, James, Nyffeler, Christopher, Hartford, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An approach is provided for presenting soft reminders (e.g., reminders for notes with no triggering criteria). A reminder manager receives an input, from a user, for specifying a note. The note is not associated with triggering criteria. In response to the request, the reminder manager retrieves contextual information from a device associated with the user, and causes, at least in part, presentation of a reminder of the note based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving a note, wherein the note is associated with no specific triggering criteria;

retrieving contextual information from a device associated with the user; and

generating a reminder of the note based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

parsing the note to determine a subject associated with the note; and

determining whether the contextual information relates to the subject,

wherein the presentation of the reminder is further based on the determination.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the contextual information is a device activity, the method further comprising:

selecting a random time during the device activity,

wherein the presentation of the reminder occurs at the random time.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information indicates a substantially dormant period of the device, the method further comprising:

selecting a random time within the dormant period,

wherein the presentation of the reminder occurs at the random time.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

parsing the note to determine a subject associated with the note;

generating a recommendation of one or more activities based, at least in part, on the subject; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the recommendation at the device.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the note is associated with a group of users, and wherein the reminder is presented to one or more of the users in the group based on the users'"'"' respective contextual information, coordination among the group, or a combination thereof.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the reminder is presented as a media file associated with the note.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving another input, from the user, in response to the reminder, the input specifying the triggering criteria; and

scheduling the note based, at least in part, on the triggering criteria.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

retrieve a note, wherein the note is associated with no specific triggering criteria;

retrieve contextual information from a device associated with the user; and

generate a reminder of the note based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

parse the note to determine a subject associated with the note; and

determine whether the contextual information relates to the subject,

wherein the presentation of the reminder is further based on the determination.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the contextual information is a device activity, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

select a random time during the device activity,

wherein the presentation of the reminder occurs at the random time.

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the contextual information indicates a substantially dormant period of the device, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

select a random time within the dormant period,

wherein the presentation of the reminder occurs at the random time.

13. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

parse the note to determine a subject associated with the note;

generate a recommendation of one or more activities based, at least in part, on the subject; and

cause, at least in part, presentation of the recommendation at the device.

14. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the note is associated with a group of users, and wherein the reminder is presented to one or more of the users in the group based on the users'"'"' respective contextual information.

15. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reminder is presented as a media file associated with the note.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive another input, from the user, in response to the reminder, the input specifying the triggering criteria; and

schedule the note based, at least in part, on the triggering criteria.

17. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

retrieve a note, wherein the note is associated with no specific triggering criteria;

retrieving contextual information from a device associated with the user; and

generate a reminder of the note based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

18. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

parsing the note to determine a subject associated with the note; and

determining whether the contextual information relates to the subject,

wherein the presentation of the reminder is further based on the determination.

19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the contextual information is a device activity, and wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

selecting a random time during the device activity,

wherein the presentation of the reminder occurs at the random time.

20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the contextual information indicates a substantially dormant period of the device, and wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

selecting a random time within the dormant period,

wherein the presentation of the reminder occurs at the random time.

21-52. -52. (canceled)