Quick capture of to-do items

• US 9,460,095 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ayers, Justin, Howard, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Nan
• Application Number:
  US13/305,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20130138622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 707/755, 707/621
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating the quick capture and management of task list (i.e., “to-do”) items are disclosed. Such systems, methods and computer program products allow a user of a computing device to access a persistently and ubiquitously executing stand-alone application that facilitates a capture solution that supports multiple input modalities—voice, image, video, handwriting and text. This allows the quick capture and creation of to-do'"'"'s anytime and anywhere. Once captured, the device may use a combination of natural language processing with the power of an internet search engine to identify, organize, and surface relevant content and context for a user as a reminder of such captured to-do'"'"'s.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the quick capture and management of to-do items by an application persistent on a computing device, the method executing on at least one processor of the computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a first input from a user of the computing device to flag an item outside of the application, said first input indicative of a desire by said user to capture a to-do item for the flagged item;

(b) receiving a second input from said user, said second input indicative of a desired input modality by said user to capture an additional input corresponding to said to-do item, the second input being distinct and separate from the first input and the additional input, wherein said desired input modality is one of;

text, voice, photo image, video, and flagging preexisting content stored on the computing device;

(c) capturing the additional input corresponding to said to-do item, via said desired input modality in response to said second input, and storing said to-do item in a memory accessible to the computing device, the additional input being distinct and separate from the first input and the second input;

(d) associating said captured to-do item with a second application installed on the computing device for utilization by the user to complete the to-do item; and

(e) presenting a reminder to said user, utilizing at least said second application installed on the computing device, wherein said reminder is presented to said user in a context-relevant manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of:

a desktop;

a laptop;

a server;

a tablet computer;

a PDA;

a mobile computer;

a smart telephone;

a mobile telephone; and

an intelligent communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second application installed on the computing device is one of:

a calendar application;

a map application;

a shopping application;

a contact application; and

an operating system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said memory is one of:

a memory located on the computing device; and

a cloud storage memory.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(f) receiving a third input from said user, said third input indicative of metadata to be associated with said captured to-do item and comprises at least one of;

a due date;

a location; and

a time;

wherein said reminder includes at least a portion of said associated metadata.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(g) utilizing an internet search engine, using information contained in said captured to-do item as a search term, to augment said associated metadata; and

(h) storing said to-do item and said augmented associated metadata in said memory accessible to the computing device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(g) accessing said memory accessible to the computing device to retrieve a plurality of previously-captured to-do items; and

(h) utilizing at least a portion of the information contained in said plurality of previously-captured to-do items to augment said associated metadata.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium device encoded in a computer having control logic stored therein for causing an application persistent on the computer to facilitate the quick capture and management of to-do items, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a first input from a user to flag an item outside of the application, said first input indicative of a desire by said user to capture a to-do item for the flagged item;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a second input from said user, said second input indicative of a desired input modality by said user to capture an additional input corresponding to said to-do item, the second input being distinct and separate from the first input and the additional input, wherein said desired input modality is one of;

text, voice, photo image, video, and flagging preexisting content stored on the computing device;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to capture the additional input corresponding to said to-do item, via said desired input modality in response to said second input, and storing said to-do item in a memory accessible to the computer, the additional input being distinct and separate from the first input and the second input;

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to associate said captured to-do item with a second application installed on the computer for utilization by the user to complete the to-do item; and

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to present a reminder to said user, utilizing at least said second application installed on the computer, wherein said reminder is presented to said user in a context-relevant manner.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer is one of:

a desktop;

a laptop;

a server;

a tablet computer;

a PDA;

a mobile computer;

a smart telephone;

a mobile telephone; and

an intelligent communications device.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said second application installed on the computer is one of:

a calendar application;

a map application;

a shopping application;

a contact application; and

an operating system.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said memory is one of:

a memory located on the computer; and

a cloud storage memory.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a third input from said user, said third input indicative of metadata to be associated with said captured to-do item and comprises at least one of;

a due date;

a location; and

a time;

wherein said reminder includes at least a portion of said associated metadata.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to utilize an internet search engine, using information contained in said captured to-do item as a search term, to augment said associated metadata; and

eighth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store said to-do item and said augmented associated metadata in said memory accessible to the computer.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to access said memory accessible to the computer to retrieve a plurality of previously-captured to-do items; and

eighth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to utilize at least a portion of the information contained in said plurality of previously-captured to-do items to augment said associated metadata.

15. A computer system for facilitating the quick capture and management of to-do items by an application persistent on the computer system, comprising:

(a) means for receiving a first input from a user of the computer system to flag an item outside of the application, said first input indicative of a desire by said user to capture a to-do item for the flagged item;

(b) means for receiving a second input from said user, said second input indicative of a desired input modality by said user to capture an additional input corresponding to said to-do item, the second input being distinct and separate from the first input and the additional input, wherein said desired input modality is one of;

text, voice, photo image, video, and flagging preexisting content stored on the computing device;

(c) means for capturing the additional input corresponding to said to-do item, via said desired input modality in response to said second input, and storing said to-do item in a memory accessible to the computer system, the additional input being distinct and separate from the first input and the second input;

(d) means for associating said captured to-do item with a second application installed on the computer system for utilization by the user to complete the to-do item; and

(e) means for presenting a reminder to said user, utilizing at least said second application installed on the computer system, wherein said reminder is presented to said user in a context-relevant manner.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the computer system is one of:

a desktop;

a laptop;

a server;

a tablet computer;

a PDA;

a mobile computer;

a smart telephone;

a mobile telephone; and

an intelligent communications device.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said second application installed on the computer system is one of:

a calendar application;

a map application;

a shopping application;

a contact application; and

an operating system.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said memory is one of:

a memory located on the computer system; and

a cloud storage memory.

19. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

(f) means for receiving a third input from said user, said third input indicative of metadata to be associated with said captured to-do item and comprises at least one of;

a due date;

a location; and

a time;

wherein said reminder includes at least a portion of said associated metadata.

20. The computer system of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

(g) means for utilizing an internet search engine, using information contained in said captured to-do item, to augment said associated metadata; and

(h) means for storing said to-do item and said augmented associated metadata in said memory accessible to the computer system.