Patent Application
20060288347
The present invention relates to information processing systems, and in particular, to user information management systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to exploiting entity relationships in proximity-based scheduling applications.
Computing devices take many different forms. Computing devices may be, for example, a workstation, a laptop, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a digital or mobile phone. Larger devices, such as workstations and personal computers provide large amounts of storage and computing power. Smaller computing devices, such as a PDA or mobile phone, do not have as much processing power or storage. These types of devices, however, provide portability and convenience for the user.
With portable computing devices, a user is able to carry information, such as addresses and appointments on these devices to allow for easy access to this type of information. Some of these small, mobile, electronic devices incorporate so-called personal information manager (PIM) software, such as a calendar for scheduling events or a to-do list application. A user may create events that are stored for later review. Further, with an event, a reminder option may be created for this event. This reminder option may cause the calendar program to present a pop-up dialog in the user device at a predetermined time prior to the event to remind the user of the upcoming event. Examples of personal information management software include IBM® Lotus® Notes® software and Microsoft® Outlook® software (IBM, Lotus and Notes are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both while Microsoft and Office are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both).
To understand the different ways to-do lists are processed, consider the following examples:
In the first example, scheduling is done by time, and fits with the calendar model of existing personal information management applications. The second example is based on convenience. The third and fourth examples are based on location and convenience, with no specific time required. The last example is a flexible combination of time, location, and convenience. Thus, as shown by the examples above, many of the tasks users create for themselves do not fit nicely into the time/date restrictions of today's personal information management applications.
The present invention provides for exploiting entity relationships in proximity-based scheduling applications. When a signal is received from an entity in proximity to a user of a data processing system, the signal is compared against a plurality of previously recorded signals. If a signal match is found, the entity definition associated with the previously recorded signal is used to identify the entity that generated the incoming signal. In addition, entities associated with the entity generating the signal are also identified. A reminder may then be provided to the user to perform tasks associated with the entity and tasks associated with the other entities while the user is in proximity to the entity.
FIGS. 7A-C illustrates example entity relationships in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects all generally referred to herein as a “circuit” or “module.” Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.
Any suitable computer useable or readable medium may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java7, Smalltalk or C++. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
The present invention is described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The different aspects of the present invention provide a method and system for bridging the gap between the capabilities of existing scheduling applications, such as Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook programs, and user's mental To-Do lists. A user's mental to-do list may comprise various tasks to be performed based on proximity and convenience to entities that provide services the user seeks. For example, consider the following scenarios. If a user checks out a Christmas sale on TVs at a local store, the user probably would want to look at TVs when the user is at a related department store as well, since both entities are owned by the same company and have similar prices/sales. It would be beneficial if a task scheduler could associate the two entities. Likewise, a user who makes a note in a scheduler to pick up milk at a convenience store on the way home may not care whether the convenience store is Gas Station A on Main Street or Gas Station B on State Hwy. 1—the user just knows that the user has to stop at a convenience store. Furthermore, users who set out to buy cleaning supplies at Store A and end up buying them at Store B should expect their calendar to suggest Store B as a place to pick up cleaning supplies the next time the task is created in the scheduler.
The examples above demonstrate how dynamic a user's mental calendar can be. The present invention addresses this issue by providing a mechanism, built on a basic entity-to-task mapping system, which allows for the creation, discovery, and application of entity relationships in a proximity-based task scheduler. These entity relationships are used to create calendaring applications that accurately portray the fluidity of the user's mental task scheduling. The entity relationships provide a proximity-based task scheduler with the ability to model the “convenience” aspect of scheduling. In this manner, the task scheduler allows a user to create direct entity relationships (such as between related stores), reminds a user to perform a task when the user device is in proximity to an entity associated with the task (such as purchasing milk at Gas station A), and executes the task for all related entities (such as Gas station B), and provides suggestions and creates entity relationships when a task associated with a particular entity is completed without the presence of the entity (such as creating a relationship between stores that sell the same or similar products when the user purchases cleaning supplies at Store A instead of Store B).
According to one aspect of the present invention, enhanced personal information management software and sense-and-respond technology are provided within a user's mobile computing device. The enhanced personal information management software allows users to create tasks (to-do items) and associate each task with one or more entities. An entity may be a person, place, or an object. The collection of known entities may be created on the fly (as the user device encounters new entities) by user input or from a global database. The user may refine the relationships between entities so that the entities fit the user's mental model. The personal information management software may also use the refined relationships to make suggestions to the user. For example, if a user sets a reminder to change the address on the user driver's license at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the user computing device may suggest the task be executed when the user walks by one of the small DMV Driver's License bureaus in a local shopping plaza. The ability to create relationships/hierarchies between places and things in this manner means that a task is not restricted to being “time-based”, “location-based”, etc. Rather, the present invention allows for using a combination of factors that more closely resembles the fluidity of human memory.
Sense-and-respond technology may be used by the user's mobile computing device to discover entities. Sense-and-respond technology may comprise any technology where a signal is transmitted by a client, received by another component, and used to identify the client and/or take action based on the reception. Examples of sense-and-respond technology include, but are not limited to, radio frequency identification (RFID) and Bluetooth® Wireless Technology. RFID is a generic term for wireless technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify people or objects. In particular, RFID employs tags, or transponders, which store information to be transmitted wirelessly in an automated fashion to specialized RFID readers, or interrogators. There are several methods of identification, but the most common is to store a “serial-number” that identifies a person or object, and perhaps other information, within a tag comprising a microchip that is attached to an antenna. The “serial number” may be used to specify the unique, numerical identifier of the entity, thereby allowing a user device to distinguish one entity from another. For example, when an entity transmits a signal comprising its unique identifier and other information, an RFID-enabled mobile computing device may receive the signal and identify the entity.
The mobile computing device constantly polls the area surrounding the device to locate entities using the sense and respond technology. When a signal is detected, the personal information management software compares the incoming signal to previously recorded signals and their associated entity definitions. When an entity definition matching the incoming signal is found, the personal information management software executes the tasks associated with that definition. For example, a task execution may be represented by the computing device reminding the user, upon walking into a particular store, that the user needs to buy an economy-sized tub of pretzels, or reminding the user that the oil needs to be changed when the user gets into the user's car.
If the incoming signal does not match a previously recorded signal, a determination is made as to whether the user has performed a task with an unassociated entity. If so, according to another aspect of the present invention it may be suggested to the user that an entity relationship be created between the entity associated with the performed task and the unassociated entity. Alternatively, a relationship may be automatically created between the entity associated with the performed task and the unassociated entity. This learned relationship may subsequently be used in the future to provide scheduling reminders to the user.
As a user may make changes to the list of entities stored on the user's portable computing device, the user may synchronize the device with entity information stored in a centralized database. This synchronization also allows entity updates present in the centralized database to be provided to the mobile computing device. In this manner, a user may have an up-to-date database of entity information on the user's portable device.
In addition, relationships created by different users may also provide feedback from the users to the centralized database. For example, many users may determine that over time, tasks that they perform at Store A may be performed at Store B as well. As the users individually create a relationship between Stores A and B for one or more tasks, the centralized database may be updated to reflect these relationships. These relationships may be synchronized back to the centralized database based on a threshold. For instance, inclusion in the centralized database may be based on both the number of users who have created the same relationship and the number of tasks for which the users discovered this relationship.
The user mobile computing device may act as a client in a networked data processing system in a manner similar to client 108 depicted in
In the depicted example, server 104 connects to network 102 along with database 106. In addition, clients 108, 110, and 112 connect to network 102. These clients 108, 110, and 112 may be, for example, personal computers or network computers. In the depicted example, server 104 provides data, such as boot files, operating system images, and applications to clients 108-112. Clients 108, 110, and 112 are clients to server 104. Network data processing system 100 may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown.
In accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present invention, server 104 provides application integration tools to application developers for applications that are used on clients 108, 110, and 112. More particularly, server 104 may provide access to application integration tools that will allow two different front-end applications in two different formats to disseminate messages sent from each other.
In accordance with one illustrative aspect of the present invention, a dynamic framework is provided for using a graphical user interface (GUI) for creating and editing message formats. This framework involves the development of user interface (UI) components for message data elements in the visualization and building of message formats, which may exist in database 106. This framework may be provided through an editor mechanism on server 104 in the depicted example. The UI components and message data elements may be accessed, for example, using a browser client application on one of clients 108, 110, 112.
In the depicted example, network data processing system 100 is the Internet with network 102 representing a worldwide collection of networks and gateways that use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite of protocols to communicate with one another. At the heart of the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communication lines between major nodes or host computers, consisting of thousands of commercial, government, educational and other computer systems that route data and messages. Of course, network data processing system 100 also may be implemented as a number of different types of networks, such as, for example, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).
Referring to
Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge 214 connects to I/O bus 212 provides an interface to PCI local bus 216. A number of modems may be connected to PCI local bus 216. Typical PCI bus implementations will support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communications links to clients 108-112 in
Additional PCI bus bridges 222 and 224 provide interfaces for additional PCI local buses 226 and 228, from which additional modems or network adapters may be supported. In this manner, data processing system 200 allows connections to multiple network computers. A memory-mapped graphics adapter 230 and hard disk 232 may also be connected to I/O bus 212 as depicted, either directly or indirectly.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in
The data processing system depicted in
With reference now to
In the depicted example, local area network (LAN) adapter 312, audio adapter 316, keyboard and mouse adapter 320, modem 322, read only memory (ROM) 324, hard disk drive (HDD) 326, CD-ROM driver 330, universal serial bus (USB) ports and other communications ports 332, and PCI/PCIe devices 334 connect to ICH 310. PCI/PCIe devices may include, for example, Ethernet adapters, add-in cards, PC cards for notebook computers, etc. PCI uses a card bus controller, while PCIe does not. ROM 324 may be, for example, a flash binary input/output system (BIOS). Hard disk drive 326 and CD-ROM drive 330 may use, for example, an integrated drive electronics (IDE) or serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) interface. A super I/O (SIO) device 336 may be connected to ICH 310.
An operating system runs on processor 302 and coordinates and provides control of various components within data processing system 300 in
Instructions for the operating system, the object-oriented programming system, and applications or programs are located on storage devices, such as hard disk drive 326, and may be loaded into main memory 304 for execution by processor 302. The processes of the present invention are performed by processor 302 using computer implemented instructions, which may be located in a memory such as, for example, main memory 304, memory 324, or in one or more peripheral devices 326 and 330.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in
In some illustrative examples, data processing system 300 may be a personal digital assistant (PDA), which is configured with flash memory to provide non-volatile memory for storing operating system files and/or user-generated data. A bus system may be comprised of one or more buses, such as system bus 206, I/O bus 212 and PCI buses 216, 226 and 228 as shown in
Personal information management client 412 is the software component in mobile computing device 402 which implements a task scheduler. Antenna unit 418 on entity 404 provides a communications link 416 to mobile computing device 402. Communications link 416 may be a radio frequency communications link generated between antenna unit 418 and receiver unit 414 located on mobile computing device 402. A transmission unit in entity 404 connected to antenna unit 418 transmits a signal comprising a unique identifier to mobile computing device 402. Receiver unit 414, such as an RFID sensor, polls the surrounding area for transmitted entity signals. When a signal is detected, personal information management client 412 compares the incoming signal with signals in entity database 406. When a match is found and the entity identified, personal information management client 412 queries entity-task database 410 to obtain all of the tasks associated with the identified entity. Personal information management client 412 then executes the tasks associated with the entity. For instance, personal information management client 412 may provide a reminder to the user of the tasks to be performed while in proximity to the detected entity. This reminder may be provided to the user in a visual or audible manner.
If the user performs a scheduled task, but the task was performed in the presence of an entity not associated with the task, personal information management client 412 may suggest to the user that a relationship between the task and the unrelated entity be created. In addition, personal information management client 412 may suggest that a relationship between the new entity and entities already associated with the task be created. Alternatively, personal information management client 412 may automatically update entity-relationship database 408 and entity-task database 410 without prompting the user.
PDA 500 includes a display 502 for presenting textual and graphical information. Display 502 may be a known display device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The display may be used to present a map or directions, calendar information, a telephone directory, or an electronic mail message. In these examples, screen 502 may receive user input using an input device such as, for example, stylus 510.
PDA 500 may also include keypad 504, speaker 506, and antenna 508. Keypad 504 may be used to receive user input in addition to using screen 502. Speaker 506 provides a mechanism for audio output, such as presentation of an audio file. Antenna 508 provides a mechanism used in establishing a wireless communications link between PDA 500 and an entity, such as communication link 416 in
PDA 500 may also include a graphical user interface that may be implemented by means of systems software residing in computer readable media in operation within PDA 500.
Turning now to
An operating system runs on processor 604 and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within PDA 600 in
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in
FIGS. 7A-C illustrates example entity relationships in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. These known entity relationships may be stored in a mobile computing device, such as PDA 500 in
In
In
In
The process begins with defining an entity database as the union of a private entity collection and a global database of public entities (step 802). The entity database comprises a list of entities, each entity having a unique identifier. Next, the process defines an entity-relationship database as a set of equality and inclusion relationships between known entities (step 804). The process also defines an entity-task database, wherein the entity-task database comprises a list of tasks and associated entities, in the proximity of which the user is reminded to perform the tasks (step 806). Each entity in the entity-task database may map to N tasks, and each task may be associated with one or more entities. The entity database, entity-relationship database, and entity-task database may be located in the user's mobile computing device. For each entity that is created or discovered, the process receives user input to create a direct relationship with other entities (step 808). This step is similar to creating groups/folders.
Once the entities and relationships have been created, the user's mobile computing device may poll the surrounding area for RFID transmitter signals (step 810). When the mobile computing device receives a signal, such as one indicating that an entity is located, the personal information management software in the mobile computing device compares the incoming signal to previously recorded signals and the entity definitions associated with them (step 812). A determination is made as to whether an entity definition is found (step 814). If the entity definition is found, the personal information management software executes all of the tasks associated with that entity definition (step 816). The personal information management application may also query the entity-relationship database to locate other entities associated with the found entity, and execute their tasks as well (step 818).
Turning back to step 814, if the entity definition is not found, but the user still completes a task (not in the presence of the task's associated entity), the personal information management application may suggest and/or create a relationship between the last known entity and the one that was associated with the task (step 820). This learned relationship may be modeled as a suggestion to the user, or alternatively, the personal information management application may assume the relationship is correct and create the relationship. Once a relationship is learned in this manner, the personal information management software may use the relationship in the future to provide scheduling reminders to the user.
Thus, the present invention provides a calendaring application that accurately portrays the fluidity of a user's mental task scheduling by using entity relationships in a proximity-based task scheduler to model the “convenience” aspect of scheduling.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
