CREATION OF REMINDERS USING ACTIVITY STATE OF AN APPLICATION

• US 20160349953A1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Nell, Garett, Castillo Snchez, Jose' Angel, Linn, Christopher, Adler, Scott, Miladinov, Viktor
• Granted Patent: US 10,453,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/86 Mapping to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for creating and providing reminders that involve an activity states of an application on a device. An activity state can correspond to a particular view within an application, e.g., a view that was reached after several inputs from a user. A user can provide a specification of an activity state in a variety of ways, e.g., providing a reminder command while the application is executing in the foreground with the desired activity state or by voice commands that specify the activity state. A user can provide one or more trigger criteria. Once the reminder is triggered, the specified activity state can be provided to the user.

Claims

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

receiving request commands from the user to create a first reminder entry, the request commands including;

a reminder command for invoking a reminder application to execute on the computing device;

one or more trigger criteria for providing the reminder to the user; and

a specification of a first activity state of a first application to execute on the computing device as part of the reminder;

using the specification to obtain a first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state;

creating a first activity definition corresponding to the first activity state using the first set of one or more properties, the first activity definition operable to allow the first application to provide the first activity state to the user;

generating the first reminder entry, including the first activity definition and the one or more trigger criteria;

detecting that the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied; and

responsive to detecting that the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied;

launching the first application; and

using the first activity definition in the first reminder entry to provide the first activity state of the first application to the user.

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

providing a notification of whether the uses wishes to launch the first application, where the first application is launched further responsive to an affirmative user response.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the computing device:

receiving text from the user for including in the first reminder entry; and

providing the text in a notification in combination with the first activity state being provided to the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile device, wherein the one or more trigger criteria include a geographical location, and wherein the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied when the computing device is within a specified distance of the geographical location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first activity definition includes a URL.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the computing device:

providing the first activity state of the first application to the user as part of the user using the first application on the computing device;

while the user is in the first activity state, receiving the reminder command to create the first reminder entry for the first activity state,

wherein the specification of the first activity state is received from the user by the user providing the reminder command when the first application is in the first activity state, and wherein the one or more trigger criteria are received after the receiving the reminder command, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes querying the first application to obtain the first set of one or more properties.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, at the computing device:

providing a user interface element for receiving the reminder command, the user interface element displayed on a screen corresponding to the first activity state of the first application.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising, at the computing device:

creating a second reminder entry that includes a second activity definition corresponding to a second activity state of a second application, in response to receiving a second request from the user while the user is in the second activity state of the second application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, the specification including the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes using the specification to query the first application to obtain the first set of one or more properties.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes using the specification to query a mapping index to obtain the first set of one or more properties, wherein the mapping index stores mappings for a plurality of applications.

12. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed control a computing device to create and providing a reminder to a user of the computing device, the instructions comprising:

receiving request commands from the user to create a first reminder entry, the request commands including;

a reminder command for invoking a reminder application to execute on the computing device;

one or more trigger criteria for providing the reminder to the user; and

a specification of a first activity state of a first application to execute on the computing device as part of the reminder;

using the specification to obtain a first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state;

creating a first activity definition corresponding to the first activity state using the first set of one or more properties, the first activity definition operable to allow the first application to provide the first activity state to the user;

generating the first reminder entry, including the first activity definition and the one or more trigger criteria;

detecting that the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied; and

responsive to detecting that the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied, using the first activity definition in the first reminder entry to provide the first activity state of the first application to the user.

13. The computer product of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise:

providing a notification of whether the uses wishes to launch the first application, where the first application is launched further responsive to an affirmative user response.

14. The computer product of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise:

providing the first activity state of the first application to the user as part of the user using the first application on the computing device;

while the user is in the first activity state, receiving the reminder command to create the first reminder entry for the first activity state,

wherein the specification of the first activity state is received from the user by the user providing the reminder command when the first application is in the first activity state, and wherein the one or more trigger criteria are received after the receiving the reminder command, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes querying the first application to obtain the first set of one or more properties.

15. The computer product of claim 12, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, the specification including the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state.

16. The computer product of claim 12, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes using the specification to query the first application to obtain the first set of one or more properties.

17. The computer product of claim 12, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes using the specification to query a mapping index to obtain the first set of one or more properties, wherein the mapping index stores mappings for a plurality of applications.

18. A device comprising:

a memory for storing reminders;

one or more sensors;

one or more processors configured to;

receive request commands from a user to create a first reminder entry, the request commands including;

a reminder command for invoking a reminder application to execute on the device;

one or more trigger criteria for providing the first reminder entry to the user; and

a specification of a first activity state of a first application to execute on the device as part of the first reminder entry;

use the specification to obtain a first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state;

create a first activity definition corresponding to the first activity state using the first set of one or more properties, the first activity definition operable to allow the first application to provide the first activity state to the user;

generate the first reminder entry, including the first activity definition and the one or more trigger criteria;

storing the first reminder entry in the memory;

detect that the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied using the one or more sensors; and

responsive to detecting that the one or more trigger criteria are satisfied, use the first activity definition in the first reminder entry to provide the first activity state of the first application to the user.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

provide the first activity state of the first application to the user as part of the user using the first application on the device;

while the user is in the first activity state, receive the reminder command to create the first reminder entry for the first activity state,

wherein the specification of the first activity state is received from the user by the user providing the reminder command when the first application is in the first activity state, and wherein the one or more trigger criteria are received after the receiving the reminder command, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes querying the first application to obtain the first set of one or more properties.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the request commands include voice commands, and wherein the specification of the first activity state is received by the voice commands, and

wherein using the specification to obtain the first set of one or more properties corresponding to the first activity state includes using the specification to query a mapping index to obtain the first set of one or more properties, wherein the mapping index stores mappings for a plurality of applications.