Method and apparatus for organizing notes on a limited resource computing device

• US 6,487,569 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lui, Charlton E., Altman, Dan W., Goldberg, Jossef
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US09/226,034
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 707/500.1, 707/501.1, 707/511, 707/514, 707/515, 707/530, 707/541, 345/781, 345/582
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A notes organizer program is provided that allows a user to organize notes on a limited resource computing device. The notes are organized by associating a note, if desired, with a project. The user can name or rename a note or a project. If the user does not specify a note name, the notes organizer program determines the note name based on the associated project. If there is no associated project, the note name is based on the type of note (e.g., voice, handwritten, etc.). A template project is provided for creating notes from templates.

Claims

1. A method for organizing notes on a limited resource computing device comprising:

(a) providing an interface for a user to create a note;

(b) in response to a user requesting saving the note, storing the note;

(c) automatically determining if there is an active project, wherein there is not more than one active project at the same time; and

(d) if there is an active project, automatically associating the note with the active project.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the user specifying a project name, creating the specified project.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to a user specifying a project location, creating the project at the specified location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user designating a project as active, setting the active project to the project designated by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the note comprises determining a note name.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the note name is specified by the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the note name is determined based on a first line of text in the note.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the note name from the first line of text comprises:

(a) searching the note for the first line of text; and

(b) if the first line of text is found in the note;

(i) removing any invalid characters from the first line of text;

(ii) truncating the first line of text if it exceeds a maximum note name length; and

(iii) verifying that the first line of text is a valid note name.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing recognition to determine the first line of text.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the note name is a default note name.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the default note name comprises:

(a) determining if there is an active project;

(b) if there is an active project, setting the note name to the next project default note name; and

(c) if there is not an active project, setting the note name to the next non-project default note name.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein setting the note name to the next non-project default note name further comprises:

(a) determining a note type; and

(b) setting the note name to the next default for the note type.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a user requesting saving the note comprises the user specifying a note location, and storing the note comprises storing the note at the specified location.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an interface for a user to create a note comprises providing an interface for a user to create a note from a template.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) in response to a user requesting a notes index window display, determining if there is an active project;

(b) if there is an active project, displaying a note name and associated summary information for each of the notes associated with the active project; and

(c) if there is not an active project, displaying a note name and associated summary information for each of the notes for all projects.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to a user requesting sorting, displaying the note name and associated note data for each of the notes in sorted order.

17. An apparatus for organizing notes on a limited resource computing device, comprising:

(a) a processing unit; and

(b) a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium storing program code implemented by the processing unit for;

(i) providing an interface for a user to create a note;

(ii) in response to a user requesting saving the note, storing the note;

(iii) automatically determining if there is an active project, wherein there is not more than one active project at the same time; and

(iv) if there is an active project, automatically associating the note with the active project.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit further creates a specified project, in response to the user specifying a project name.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the project created is created at a location specified by the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit further sets a project as active in response to a user designating the project as active.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein storing the note comprises determining a note name.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the note name is specified by the user.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the note name is determined based on a first line of text in the note.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit determines the note name from the first line of text by:

(a) searching the note for the first line of text; and

(b) if the first line of text is found in the note;

(i) removing any invalid characters from the first line of text;

(ii) truncating the first line of text if it exceeds a maximum note name length; and

(iii) verifying that the first line of text is a valid note name.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit, further performs recognition to determine the first line of text.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the note name is a default note name.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit, determines the default note name by:

(a) determining if there is an active project;

(b) if there is an active project, setting the note name to the next project default note name; and

(c) if there is not an active project, setting the note name to the next non-project default note name.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit sets the note name to the next non-project default note name by:

(a) determining a note type; and

(b) setting the note name to the next default for the note type.

29. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein providing an interface for a user to create a note comprises providing an interface for a user to create a note from a template.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

(i) in response to a user requesting a notes index window display, determining if there is an active project;

(ii) if there is an active project, displaying a note name and associated summary information for each of the notes associated with the active project; and

(iii) if there is not an active project, displaying a note name and associated summary information for each of the notes for all projects.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the program code implemented by the processing unit displays the note name and associated note data for each of the notes in sorted order, in response to a user requesting sorting.