CONTEXTUALLY-AWARE INSIGHTS FOR CALENDAR EVENTS

• US 20170316385A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Joshi, Neel, Holmes, William Hart, Tischhauser, Paul David, Jain, Chandresh K., Mehtani, Mohit, Persett, Tor-Helge, Burlin, Eva Britta Karolina, Lee, Dana Anne, Li, Joan Ching
• Application Number:
  US15/142,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20170316385A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

Techniques described herein provide contextually-aware insights into calendar events. Generally described, the techniques disclosed herein can analyze a wide variety of contextual data including, but not limited to, weather data, traffic data, location data, performance data, preference data, and scheduling data, to generate salient insights that can be automatically displayed and/or communicated to a user. Insights related to one or more calendar events may be generated in response to a discovery of a predetermined condition. A predetermined condition may be detected at the time an appointment is made or at a later time when contextual data indicates a change in one or more conditions. An insight can include a text description, an image, a graphical indicator, a generated voice, and any other suitable form of communication describing useful information regarding one or more calendar events. An insight can include ranked list of recommendations can also be displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, scheduling data defining a first calendar event;

obtaining contextual data, at the computing device, from a plurality of resources;

determining, at the computing device, if the first calendar event presents a conflict with a second calendar event, wherein the presence of the conflict is based, at least in part, on aspects of the contextual data meeting one or more criteria;

generating data defining an insight describing aspects of the conflict; and

causing a display of one or more graphical elements indicating the insight on a user interface of the computing device or one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises generating a text description summarizing the conflict, wherein the one or more graphical elements are configured to display the text description on the user interface of the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises generating a value indicating a severity of the conflict, wherein the one or more graphical elements indicate the value indicating the severity of the conflict.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the severity of the conflict is based on a degree of overlap between the first calendar event and the second calendar event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises:

analyzing a first start time or a first end time of the first calendar event in relation to a second start time or a second end time of the second calendar event; and

determining a probability of a commute associated with the first calendar event and the second calendar event based at least, on the first start time, first end time, second start time, or the second end time, wherein the insight comprises data indicating the probability of the commute.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the insight includes a text description indicating the probability of the commute.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises, obtaining map data, and wherein the insight includes a graphical element including a map illustrating aspects of the commute.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining weather data;

determining if aspects of the weather data impact the commute; and

generating the insight based, at least in part, on the weather data if aspects of the weather data impact the commute.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining traffic data;

determining if aspects of the traffic data impact the commute; and

generating the insight based, at least in part, on the weather data if aspects of the traffic data impact the commute.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wherein the insight includes data configured to display a projection of one or more traffic conditions or one or more traffic patterns at or near the first start time, first end time, second start time, or the second end time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving work history data defining one or more performance indicators associated with a first provider associated with the first calendar event or the second calendar event; and

generating the insight based, at least in part, on the work history data.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving workflow data defining a multistep process;

determining if the first calendar event or the second calendar event present a conflict with respect to the multistep process;

generating the insight based, at least in part, on the workflow data if the first calendar event or the second calendar event present a conflict with respect to the multistep process.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual data comprises at least one of scheduling data, workload data, work history data, payment data, weather data, map data, traffic data, or location data.

14. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform a method comprising

receiving scheduling data defining a calendar event;

obtaining contextual data from a plurality of resources, the contextual data including at least one of scheduling data, workload data, work history data, payment data, weather data, map data, traffic data, or location data;

identifying a pattern of the contextual data indicating a presence of a condition that affects the calendar event;

generating data defining an insight describing aspects of the condition; and

causing a display of one or more graphical elements indicating the insight on a user interface rendered on a display device in communication with the system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises generating a ranked list of items, wherein individual items of the ranked list of items comprise resolutions configure to cause a generation or a modification of a data object to provide notice of the condition.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises generating a ranked list of items, wherein individual items of the ranked list of items comprise resolutions configure to cause a generation or a modification of a data object to resolve a scheduling conflict.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises causing a generation of one or more graphical elements comprising a text description summarizing the condition, wherein the one or more graphical elements are configured to display the text description on the user interface of the computing device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises causing a generation of one or more graphical elements comprising an image of a map illustrating the condition, wherein the one or more graphical elements are configured to display the map on the user interface of the computing device.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein identifying the pattern of the contextual data indicating the presence of the condition that affects the calendar event comprises:

generating a value indicating a severity of the condition; and

identifying the pattern of the contextual data indicating the presence of the condition that affects the calendar event when the value meets or exceeds one or more criteria.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the value of the severity of the condition is based, at least in part, on a degree of overlap or a threshold amount of time between the calendar event and another calendar event.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the value of the severity of the condition is based, at least in part, on a time between the calendar event and another calendar event and a commute time associated with the calendar event.

22. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, perform operations comprising:

receiving scheduling data defining a calendar event;

obtaining contextual data from a plurality of resources, the contextual data including at least one of scheduling data, workload data, work history data, payment data, weather data, map data, traffic data, or location data;

identifying a pattern of the contextual data indicating a presence of a condition that affects the calendar event;

generating data defining an insight describing aspects of the condition; and

causing a display of one or more graphical elements indicating the insight on a user interface of the computing device or on a user interface rendered on a display device in communication with the computing device.

23. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises generating a ranked list of items, wherein individual items of the ranked list of items comprise resolutions configure to cause a generation or a modification of a data object to provide notice of the condition.

24. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises generating a ranked list of items, wherein individual items of the ranked list of items comprise resolutions configure to cause a generation or a modification of a data object to resolve a scheduling conflict.

25. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises causing a generation of one or more graphical elements comprising a text description summarizing the condition, wherein the one or more graphical elements are configured to display the text description on the user interface of the computing device.

26. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein generating data defining the insight comprises causing a generation of one or more graphical elements comprising an image of a map illustrating the condition, wherein the one or more graphical elements are configured to display the map on the user interface of the computing device.

27. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein identifying the pattern of the contextual data indicating the presence of the condition that affects the calendar event comprises:

generating a value indicating a severity of the condition; and

identifying the pattern of the contextual data indicating the presence of the condition that affects the calendar event when the value meets or exceeds one or more criteria.

28. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 27, wherein the value of the severity of the condition is based, at least in part, on a degree of overlap or a threshold amount of time between the calendar event and another calendar event.

29. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 27, wherein the value of the severity of the condition is based, at least in part, on a time between the calendar event and another calendar event and a commute time associated with the calendar event.