Time-triggered portable data objects

• US 6,356,956 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1996
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Seidensticker, Robert B. Jr., Deo, Vinay, OʼLeary, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/710,354
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 395/680, 395/683, 395/200.53, 345/326, 455/343, 707/104, 709/310-332, 709/200-219
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

The invention includes a time-triggered data object that is formulated at a host computer and transmitted to a PDA such as a personal electronic information manager that has data reception capabilities. The data object includes a specification of an action to be performed as well as a specification of an initiation time for initiating the specified action. The action can consist of a simple reminder or alarm, or can specify the execution of an application program on the PDA. When a data object is received by the PDA, its action and initiation time are stored in a local database. The PDA monitors the time and the database, and initiates the specified action at the specified time.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a PDA;

a computer that is programmed to create a data object as an independent data structure specifying an event in terms of a PDA action and a time for initiating the PDA action, wherein a PDA action is performed by logic within the PDA, the logic being independent of the data object;

a transmission medium to convey the data object to the PDA;

the PDA being configured to receive the data object and to initiate the specified PDA action at the specified time.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an application program that is a PDA action;

wherein a particular data object can specify its PDA action to be the execution of the application program;

wherein the PDA executes the application program at the time specified by the particular data object.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a program that is a PDA action, the PDA being further configured to receive the program from the computer through the transmission medium;

wherein a particular data object can specify its action to be the execution of the program;

wherein the PDA executes the program at the time specified by the particular data object.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is a paging channel, the PDA receiving the data object via the paging channel.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is a paging channel, the PDA automatically receiving the data object as part of a page over the paging channel without intervention by a user of the PDA.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is a paging channel, the PDA automatically receiving the data object as part of a page over the paging channel without intervention by a user of the PDA, wherein the PDA notifies the user upon receiving the data object.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises an infrared communications signal.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer comprises another PDA.

9. A method implemented by an operating program in a PDA, comprising:

receiving a plurality of independent data objects, at least some of the data objects specifying events in terms of PDA actions and corresponding times for initiating the PDA actions, wherein a PDA action is performed by logic within the PDA, the logic being independent of the data object;

initiating the specified PDA actions at the corresponding specified times in response to receiving the data objects.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the receiving step comprises automatically receiving pages from a paging system without intervention by a user of the PDA, the data objects being contained in the pages.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the receiving step comprises automatically receiving pages from a paging system without intervention by a user of the PDA, the data objects being contained in the pages, and further comprising an additional step of notifying the user upon receiving a data object.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the objects using an infrared communications signal.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein each data object is received as an independent data structure.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of alerting a user prior to the times specified in the data objects.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of maintaining a database of events specified by received data objects.

16. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of executing a PDA action that is an application program in response to an event specified in a particular data object.

17. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the following additional steps:

receiving a PDA action from an external source, wherein the PDA action is an application program;

executing the application-program PDA action in response to an event specified in a particular data object.

18. A system comprising:

an operating program for execution on a PDA;

PDA actions for execution by the operating program;

the operating program being configured to receive data objects of different types from a remote source;

each data object being associated with an identifier indicating its type;

the different types of data objects including a time-triggered type of data object that specifies an event in terms of a PDA action and a corresponding time for initiating the PDA action;

the operating program being further configured to initiate the specified PDA actions at the corresponding times.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein an application program is a PDA action.

20. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein an application program is a PDA action, wherein the operating program executes said application program in response to an event specified in a particular time-triggered type of data object.

21. A method of instructing a PDA to perform a PDA action at a specified time, the method comprising:

formulating a data object that specifies an event in terms of a PDA action and a corresponding initiation time for initiating the action;

providing the data object to the PDA as an independent data structure, wherein a PDA action is performed by logic within the PDA, the logic being independent of the data object.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising a step of initiating the specified PDA action in the PDA at the initiation time.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the providing step comprises sending the data object to the PDA in a page.

24. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the providing step comprises using a wireless communications signal to transmit the data object to the PDA.

25. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the providing step comprises using an infrared communications signal to transmit the data object to the PDA.

26. A method of instructing a PDA to perform a PDA action at a specified time, the method comprising:

using a scheduling program on a computer to specify a plurality of events;

selecting an event from the plurality of events to send to a PDA;

formulating a data object for the selected event, said data object specifying the event in terms of a PDA action and a corresponding initiation time for the PDA action;

transferring the data object to the PDA as an independent data, wherein a PDA action is performed by logic within the PDA, the logic being independent of the data object.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising the following additional steps:

receiving the data object at the PDA;

initiating the specified PDA action in the PDA at the initiation time.

28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the transferring step comprises sending the data object to the PDA in a page.

29. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the transferring step comprises using a wireless communications signal to transmit the data object to the PDA.

30. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the transferring step comprises using an infrared communications signal to transmit the data object to the PDA.

31. A system comprising:

a PDA;

a computer that is programmed to create a data object as an independent data structure specifying an event in terms of a PDA action and a time for initiating the PDA action;

a transmission medium to convey the data object to the PDA;

the PDA being configured to receive the data object and to initiate the specified PDA action at the specified time;

the PDA being configured to notify a user of the PDA upon reception of the data object.

32. A system as recited in claim 31, the PDA being configured to prompt the user to choose whether to accept the data object.

33. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein the transmission medium is a paging channel, the PDA receiving the data object via the paging channel.

34. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein the transmission medium is a paging channel, the PDA automatically receiving the data object as part of a page over the paging channel without intervention by a user of the PDA.

35. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein the transmission medium is a paging channel, the PDA automatically receiving the data object as part of a page over the paging channel without intervention by a user of the PDA, wherein the PDA notifies the user upon receiving the data object.

36. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein the transmission medium comprises an infrared communications signal.

37. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein the computer comprises another PDA.

38. A method implemented by an operating program in a PDA, comprising:

receiving a plurality of independent data objects, at least some of the data objects specifying events in terms of PDA actions and corresponding times for initiating the PDA actions;

notifying a user of the PDA upon receiving of the data objects specifying events;

initiating the specified PDA actions at the corresponding specified times in response to receiving the data objects.

39. A method as recited in claim 38, wherein the notifying step comprises prompting the user to choose whether to accept the data object specifying events.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein before the initiating step, proceeding to the initiating step only for the specified PDA actions of the data objects that were accepted by the user.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein before the initiating step, skipping the initiating step only for the specified PDA actions of the data objects that were not accepted by the user.

42. A method of instructing a PDA to perform a PDA action at a specified time, the method comprising:

using a scheduling program on a computer to specify a plurality of events;

selecting an event from the plurality of events to send to a PDA;

formulating a data object for the selected event, said data object specifying the event in terms of a PDA action and a corresponding initiation time for the PDA action;

transferring the data object to the PDA as an independent data structure;

receiving the data object at the PDA;

notifying a user of the PDA about the receiving the data object at the PDA;

initiating the specified PDA action in the PDA at the initiation time.

43. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein the notifying step comprises prompting the user to accept the data object.

44. A method as recited in claim 43, wherein before the initiating step, proceeding to the initiating step only for the specified PDA actions of the data objects that were accepted by the user.

45. A method as recited in claim 43, wherein before the initiating step, skipping the initiating step only for the specified PDA actions of the data objects which were not accepted by the user.