Smart location-based reminders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358451-A1
Application number	US-201514863315-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2015
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and device for providing a reminder to a user of a mobile device are provided. The method includes receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that other sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user. A location of the mobile device is monitored to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area. After the mobile device crosses the first boundary the first location-based reminder is identified and a state of the mobile device is determined. The first location-based reminder is provided to the user based on the state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for providing a reminder to a user of a mobile device, the method comprising, at the mobile device:
receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; monitoring, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area; after the mobile device crosses the first boundary of the first geographical area:
identifying the first location-based reminder; and
determining a first state of the mobile device using at least one of: one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors;
providing the first location-based reminder to the user based on the first state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the mobile device:
providing a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and receiving a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder to include the opportune mode.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, at the mobile device:
receiving, from the user, one or more states for the list of trigger states.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state is a motion state determined using the one or more motion sensors, an input state determined using the one or more input sensors, or a combined motion and input state determined using the one or more motion sensors and the one or more input sensors.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, the method further comprising, at the mobile device:
determining a second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of: one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors, and wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user when the first state of the mobile device is included in the list of trigger states includes:
determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in the list of trigger states.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the sequence of states comprises a sedentary state as the first state and a consistent movement state as the second state.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user input sensors monitor user activity on the mobile device in order to determine the first state of the mobile device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user input sensors comprise a button that changes a state of the mobile device from a sleep state to an awake state.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user input sensors monitor whether the mobile device is connected to or disconnected from a network.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of trigger states comprises at least one of a moving state, a stationary state, a sleep state, an awake state, a connection state, and a disconnection state.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the mobile device:
removing the provided first location-based reminder through active selection of a reminder ignore button.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the mobile device:
maintaining the first location-based reminder on a screen of the mobile device until active selection of the first location-based reminder is performed by the user.

13 . A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a computer system to provide a reminder to a user of a mobile, the instructions comprising:
receiving a request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; monitoring, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area; after the mobile device crosses the first boundary of the first geographical area:
identifying the first location-based reminder; and
determining a first state of the mobile device using at least one of: one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors;
providing the first location-based reminder to the user based on the first state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

14 . The computer product of claim 13 , wherein the first state of the mobile device is determined at a first time, wherein the instructions further comprise:
determining a second state of the mobile device at a second time using the at least one of: one or more motion sensors and one or more user input sensors, and wherein providing the first location-based reminder to the user when the first state of the mobile device is included in the list of trigger states includes: determining that the first state and the second state are included as a sequence of states in the list of trigger states.

15 . The computer product of claim 14 , wherein the sequence of states comprises a sedentary state as the first state and a consistent movement state as the second state.

16 . The computer product of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
providing a user interface to the user, the user interface including an option for the user to specify that the first location-based reminder is to be created with an opportune mode such that the sensor information is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user; and receiving a selection of the option to create the first location-based reminder with the opportune mode.

17 . A mobile device comprising:
one or more sensors; one or more processors configured to:
request to establish a first geographical area for the mobile device for triggering a first location-based reminder, the request including a flag indicating that sensor information from the one or more sensors is to be used to determine when to provide the first location-based reminder to the user;
monitor, using location circuitry, a location of the mobile device to identify whether the first geographical area is triggered by the mobile device crossing a first boundary of the first geographical area; and
provide the first location-based reminder to the user based on the state of the mobile device being included in a list of trigger states.

18 . The mobile device according to claim 17 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise any one or more of:
a location sensor configured to determine a geographical location of the mobile device; a motion sensor configured to monitor changes in movement of the mobile device; a connection/disconnection sensor configured to monitor a connection or a disconnection of the mobile device from a network; and an input sensor configured to monitor selection of a button on the mobile device.

19 . The mob

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Adler Scott
• Miladinov Viktor

Classifications

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• G06Q10/10 Primary

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G08B21/24 Primary

  Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms · CPC title