Mapping an event location via a calendar application

• US 8,983,500 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yach, David
• Primary Examiner(s): CASCA, FRED A
• Application Number:
  US11/832,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20090036148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,785 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/414.1, 455/418, 705/7.19, 705/7.18, 705/7.13, 705/14.25, 705/7.24, 709/203, 709/242
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method of mapping a location of an event that is scheduled in a calendar application includes steps of identifying a contact associated with the event, determining address information associated with the contact, obtaining map data for the address information, and generating a map of the location associated with the contact based on the map data. Meeting or event locations can thus be mapped even if there is no event location or address information specified directly in the meeting request or appointment.

Claims

1. A method of suggesting a location of an event that is scheduled in a calendar application, where no location information is initially associated with the event in the calendar application, the method for execution by a processor of a wireless communications device, the method comprising steps of:

displaying a list of all contacts associated with the event;

providing an option to identify and select a contact from the list of all contacts for determining a map using contact location information, wherein the contact is associated with the event and is a person invited to the event or a person who is an inviter for the event;

determining, from an address book, the contact location information associated with the contact, wherein the contact location information comprises address information for a work address and a home address associated with the contact, the address information being accessible by the calendar application for presenting as a suggested location of the event;

automatically selecting, as the suggested location of the event, the work address associated with the contact when an event time of the event lies within specified work hours, and automatically selecting, as the suggested location of the event, the home address associated with the contact when the event time of the event lies outside the specified work hours;

determining the map using the suggested location of the event; and

presenting, on a display, the suggested location of the event.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising steps of:

obtaining map data for the address information; and

generating a map using the contact location information, based on the map data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising steps of:

determining a current location of a wireless communications device; and

providing route directions from the current location of the device to the suggested location of the event.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a step of automatically identifying the contact who is the inviter for the event.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of providing an option to select one of the contacts comprises steps of:

displaying a plurality of addresses associated with the selected contact; and

providing an option to select one of the plurality of addresses associated with the contact.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a step of automatically identifying the contact whose location was previously used for a recurring event.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a step of automatically identifying the contact whose location was previously used for a previous event attended by the same set or subset of contacts.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising steps of:

determining a current location of a wireless communications device on which the calendar application is executing, the current location being determined at a time corresponding to the event, and the current location of the device being determined to be a current location of the event; and

associating the current location of the event with any future event having related attributes in order to enable prediction of a probable location of any future event having related attributes.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the address information is stored in an address book accessible by the calendar application.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the address information is accessed remotely.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including code which, when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a wireless communications device, is adapted to cause the device to perform the steps of:

displaying a list of all contacts associated with the event;

providing an option to identify and select a contact from the list of all contacts for determining a map using contact location information, wherein the contact is associated with the event and is a person invited to the event or a person who is an inviter for the event;

determining, from an address book, the contact location information associated with the contact, wherein the contact location information comprises address information for a work address and a home address associated with the contact, the address information being accessible by the calendar application for presenting as a suggested location of the event;

automatically selecting, as the suggested location of the event, the work address associated with the contact when an event time of the event lies within specified work hours, and automatically selecting, as the suggested location of the event, the home address associated with the contact when the event time of the event lies outside the specified work hours;

determining the map using the suggested location of the event; and

presenting, on a display, the suggested location of the event.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11 wherein the step of providing the option to select one of the contacts comprises steps of:

displaying a plurality of addresses associated with the selected contact; and

providing an option to select one of the plurality of addresses associated with the contact.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11 wherein the code is adapted to further cause the device to perform a step of:

determining a current location of a wireless communications device; and

generating route directions from the current location of the device to the location associated with the contact.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the address information is stored in an address book accessible by the calendar application.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the address information is accessed remotely.

16. A wireless communications device for obtaining and presenting location information about a suggested location of a calendar event, where no location information is initially associated with the calendar event, the wireless communications device comprising:

a memory and a processor for storing and executing a calendar application that stores an event, the processor being configured to;

display a list of all contacts associated with the event;

provide an option to identify and select a contact from the list of all contacts for determining a map using contact location information, wherein the contact is associated with the event and is a person invited to the event or a person who is an inviter for the event;

determine, from an address book, the contact location information associated with the contact, wherein the contact location information comprises address information for a work address and a home address associated with the contact, the address information being accessible by the calendar application for presenting as a suggested location of the event;

automatically select, as the suggested location of the event, the work address associated with the contact when an event time of the event lies within specified work hours, and automatically select, as the suggested location of the event, the home address associated with the contact when the event time of the event lies outside the specified work hours; and

determine the map using the suggested location of the event; and

a display for displaying the suggested location of the event.

17. The wireless communications device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the processor instructs a radio-frequency transceiver to wirelessly download map data from a map server for displaying a map of the suggested location of the event.

18. The wireless communications device as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a GPS receiver for determining a current location of the device to enable the processor to selectively provide route directions from the current location of the device to the suggested location of the event.

19. The wireless communications device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the processor provides an option to select one of the contacts by enabling display of a plurality of addresses associated with the selected contact and providing an option to select one of the plurality of addresses associated with the contact.

20. The wireless communications device as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a GPS receiver for determining a current location of the device at a time corresponding to the event, the current location of the device being determined to be a current location of the event, the memory and processor associating the current location of the event with any future event having related attributes in order to enable the processor to predict a probable location of any future event having related attributes.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 16 wherein the address information is stored in an address book accessible by the calendar application.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 16 wherein the address information is accessed remotely.