WO2019139603A1

WO2019139603A1 - Location based reminders

Info

Publication number: WO2019139603A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/013448
Authority: WO
Inventors: David H. Hanes
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
Current assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
Priority date: 2018-01-12
Filing date: 2018-01-12
Publication date: 2019-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 2020-07-12

Abstract

In example implementations, a method is provided. The method receives by a processor of a device that is executing a digital assistant, a reminder associated with a via location and a destination. The processor detects that a device is leaving a current location to the destination. The processor then provides the reminder in response to the device leaving the current location to the destination being detected.

Description

LOCATION BASED REMINDERS

BACKGROUND

[0001] Voice controlled devices are becoming more ubiquitous. The voice controlled devices can be personal assistants in the home or on a mobile device. The voice controlled devices may allow a user to interact with the voice controlled device with voice commands.

[0002] The voice controlled devices can be connected to other devices within the home to allow a user to control the other devices such as light fixtures, thermostats, appliances, garage doors, and the like, with his or her voice. The voice controlled devices can also be used to read messages, provide calendar information, and the like to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of an apparatus of the present disclosure;

[0004] FIG. 2 is another block diagram of an example of the apparatus of the present disclosure;

[0005] FIG. 3 illustrates an example map application with an altered route based on the reminder of the present disclosure;

[0006] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an example method for providing a reminder; and

[0007] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executed by a processor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Examples described herein provide a method and apparatus for providing reminders. As discussed above, voice controlled devices can be used as digital personal assistants. The digital personal assistants can be used to provide reminders. Some reminders can be location based reminders.

[0009] In some instances, the location based reminder may provide the reminder when the user is at or near the location. Thus, the user would have to remember to go to the location to be properly reminded. However, many times users may mindlessly drive home or to work. As such, previous location based reminders would fail to provide the reminder to the user.

[0010] Examples herein provide location based reminders when a user is leaving a current location towards a destination. For example, a user may set a reminder via a voice input to a device that executes a digital assistant. The reminder may be“remember to buy bread at ABC grocery on my way home.” Thus, when a user leaves a current location and heads“home” the digital assistant may remind the user to stop by ABC grocery to buy bread on his way home.

[0011] In some examples, the reminder may also cause a map application to generate an altered route to include a stop at the ABC grocery. The alteration of the route may be based on a mode of transportation that is detected by the device. For example, based on a speed and a route traveled by the device, the device may determine that the user is driving, walking, riding a bicycle, or taking public transportation (e.g., a bus or a train). If the user is taking public transportation, the altering the route may include changing a schedule (e.g., taking a different combination of trains or buses to stop by ABC grocery on the way home).

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus 100 of the present disclosure. In one example, the apparatus may include a processor 102, a computer readable memory 104, a global positioning satellite (GPS) radio 1 10, a speaker 1 12, a microphone 1 14, and a display 1 16. The processor 102 may be

communicatively coupled to the computer readable memory 104, the GPS radio 1 10, the speaker 1 12, the microphone 1 14, and the display 1 16. The apparatus 100 may be a mobile computing device, a device that is part of a console of an automobile or a wearable augmented reality headset or device.

[0013] In one example, the computer readable memory 104 may be a non- transitory computer readable storage medium. For example, the computer readable memory 104 may be hard disk drive, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and the like. The computer readable memory 104 may store instructions that are executed by the processor 102 or other types of data.

[0014] In one example, the instructions may include instructions associated with a digital assistant 106. The digital assistant 106 may be a voice activated digital assistant that may interact with a user via voice commands. For example, the user may provide a wake up signal that is received via the microphone 1 14 to activate the digital assistant 106 and then provide a voice command such as“read me my text message,”“send an email to mom,”“what is the phone number for Sal’s Pizzeria,” and the like. The digital assistant 106 may respond to the voice command via the speaker 1 12 and/or a visual response via the display 1 16.

[0015] In one example, the digital assistant may provide reminders for a voice initiated reminder 108 that is stored in the computer readable memory 104. For example, a user may wake the digital assistant 106 and provide a reminder. The voice initiated reminder 108 of the present disclosure may be related to a reminder to stop at a via location on the way to a destination from a current location. The current location may be detected via a GPS radio 1 10. Based on movement of the apparatus 100, the processor 102 may determine that the user is on the way to the destination and remind the user to stop at the via location when leaving the current location.

[0016] For example, the user may set the voice initiated reminder 108 as “remind me to stop by ABC grocery on the way home to pick up eggs.” The via location may be ABC grocery store and the destination may be home. In another example, the user may set the voice initiated reminder 108 as“remind me to stop by the donut store on the way to the office.” The via location may be the donut store and the destination may be the office.

[0017] In one example, the voice initiated reminder 108 may be set by a smart device. For example, the apparatus 100 may be connected to a smart refrigerator that can set the voice initiated reminder 108. The smart refrigerator may detect that the milk has been consumed and set the voice initiated reminder 108 to pick up milk at ABC grocery on the way home. In another example, the apparatus 100 may be connected to a smart closet that can track an inventory of clothing. The smart closet can detect that the user is out of clean dress shirts and set the voice initiated reminder to pick up dry cleaning at XYZ dry cleaners on the way to work.

[0018] The processor 102 may collect information via the GPS radio 1 10 to detect movement from the current location towards the destination and provide the voice initiated reminder 108 to the user in response to the movement. The voice initiated reminder 108 may be provided via the speaker 1 12 and/or the display 1 16.

[0019] As discussed in further detail below, the voice initiated reminder 108 may provide a reminder to stop by the via location on the way to a destination. For example, when the user leaves outside of a predefined radial distance from a current location, the processor 102 may determine that the user is leaving the current location towards a destination. The processor 102 may detect the destination in the voice initiated reminder 108 and provide the user the voice initiated reminder 108 to stop by the via location on the way to the destination.

[0020] In contrast, other location based reminders may provide reminders when the user is actually at the via location or within a predefined distance to the via location. However, if the user is going home after work and does not go by the via location, the user may not be reminded to stop by the via location. Thus, location based reminders based on a predefined distance may not be practical. The present disclosure may detect when the user is on the way to his or her destination and provide the voice initiated reminder 108 that includes the via location for the user to stop at before going to the destination.

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates another illustration of an example of the apparatus 100. In one example, the apparatus 100 may also include an accelerometer 202. The accelerometer 202 may be communicatively coupled to the processor 102. In one example, the accelerometer 202 may be able to detect how fast the apparatus 100 is moving. In some examples, the speed may also be calculated using the GPS radio 1 10. For example, the amount of distance traveled by the apparatus 100 may be detected by the GPS radio 1 10 and divided by the amount of time to travel the distance to calculate the speed of the apparatus 100.

[0022] In one example, the computer readable memory 104 may also store instructions to execute a map application 204 and a monitored location history 206. The map application 204 may be used by the processor 102 to detect where the apparatus 100 is moving. Using the speed information collected by the accelerometer 202, the location of the apparatus 100 determined by the GPS radio 1 10, and where the apparatus 100 is moving via the map application 204, the processor 102 may detect a mode of transportation of the user.

[0023] For example, if the apparatus 100 is following streets on the map application 204 at a relatively slow speed (e.g., 2 miles per hour), the processor 100 may determine the user is walking. If the apparatus 100 is following streets on the map application 204 at a relatively fast speed (e.g., 50 miles per hour), the processor 102 may determine that the user is driving. If the apparatus 100 is crossing over streets at a relatively fast speed (e.g., 40 miles per hour), the processor 102 may determine that user is on a commuter train. Based on the mode of transportation of the user that is detected, the processor 102 may customize the voice initiated reminder 108.

[0024] For example, if the apparatus 100 is heading towards a destination by driving a car, the digital assistant 106 may provide an alternate route on the map application 204 to stop by the via location on a map shown on the display 1 16. In another example, if the apparatus 100 is heading towards a destination on a commuter train, the digital assistant 106 may provide an alternate train schedule to stop by the via location on a map shown on the display 1 16. For example instead of taking a direct train, the digital assistant 106 may provide a set of different trains to stop by the via location. The digital assistant 106 may offer to purchase the tickets in advance for the new train schedule. [0025] In one example, the digital assistant 106 may also determine when to provide the voice initiated reminder 108 based on the mode of transportation of the user that is detected. For example, if the user is traveling fast while driving a car, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 as soon as the digital assistant 106 knows that the user is travelling towards the destination associated with the voice initiated reminder 108. In another example, if the user is walking, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 later. The time at which the voice initiated reminder 108 is provided to the user may be based on a mode of transportation, an estimated time of arrival to the via location, or a combination thereof.

[0026] In one example, the digital assistant 106 may determine when to provide the voice initiated reminder 108 based on arriving at a location just before a path where the destination and the via location diverge. For example, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 when a train is coming into the station and a different train is taken at the station to go to the via location rather than taking the usual train home. In another example, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 a few hundred yards or meters before a turn at which the path to the destination and the via location diverge.

[0027] In one example, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 at a predetermined time (e.g., two minutes, five minutes, and the like) before the user arrives at the divergence point and then again when the user arrives at the divergence point. The first instance may explain the voice initiated reminder 108 (e.g., remember to stop at the grocery store to pick up eggs and milk), the second instance may be abbreviated (e.g., turn left in 200 yards for the grocery store).

[0028] In one example, the monitored location history 206 may store data based on historical routes that are travelled by the apparatus 100 and user profiles for different locations. For example, user profiles for different locations may know where“home” is located, where“work” is located, where“mom’s house” is located and so forth. Thus, when the user creates a voice initiated reminder 108 of“remind me to stop by ABC grocery on the way home”, the digital assistant 106 may know where“home” is.

[0029] In another example, the user may store various locations. For example, the user may assign an address as“work,” assign a different address as“doctor’s office,” assign a different address as“vacation home,” and so forth. Thus, when the user initiates a voice initiated reminder 108 with one of the pre- defined locations the digital assistant 106 may recognize the destinations and know where the locations are located.

[0030] The monitored location history 206 may also track locations that the user has stopped and a frequency of the stops. As a result, the monitored location history 206 may know which restaurant, which grocery store, which dry cleaner, which home improvement store, and the like, that the user most frequently stops at. This information may be used by the digital assistant 106 to determine which via location to recommend stopping at on the way to the destination for a particular user.

[0031] For example, the user may create the voice initiated reminder 108 by stating“remind me to get burritos at ABC burrito on the way home.” ABC burrito may be a chain with many locations. The digital assistant 106 may access the monitored location history 206 to see that there is a particular ABC burrito that the user visits frequently even though there may be another ABC burrito that is more on the way“home.” The digital assistant 106 may modify the directions on the map displayed by the map application 204 to stop by the particular ABC burrito rather than the closer ABC burrito on the way home when providing the voice initiated reminder 108 to the user. In another example, the digital assistant 106 may modify the directions on the map displayed by the map application 204 to stop at the ABC burrito that is closest to a route on the way “home.” Similarly, the digital assistant 106 may determine the correct restaurant for burritos even if no restaurant name is mentioned by the user.

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a map 300 that is generated by the map application 204. The map 300 may be shown on the display 1 16. The map may include a current location 302, a via location 306, and a destination 308. The map 300 may be modified by the digital assistant 106 to include an altered route 310 to the destination 308. The dashed lines 312 illustrate an example route that would be shown to arrive at the destination 308 without the voice initiated reminder 108 altering the route as shown by the altered route 310.

[0033] A location 304 may be a previous location such as a workplace. The voice initiated reminder 108 that is stored in the computer readable memory 104 may be“remind me to stop by ABC grocery to get some milk on the way home.” The via location 306 may be the ABC grocery store and the destination 308 may be home.

[0034] At an earlier time, when the GPS radio 1 10 collects location information, the processor 102 may determine that the user is not at“home”. As a result, the processor 102 may monitor the location information from the GPS radio 1 10, the speed information from the accelerometer 202, and the path traveling information from the map application 204. The processor 102 may monitor to see if the apparatus 100 travels more than a predefined distance away from the location 304. This may ensure that the processor 102 accurately detects that the user is leaving the location 304 and avoid false positives.

[0035] For example, the predefined distance may be 0.25 miles. Thus, if the user goes outside of the building with the apparatus 100 to smoke, or takes a walk at lunch around the building with the apparatus 100, the processor 102 will determine that the user is not leaving the location 304.

[0036] At a later time, the processor 102 may determine that the apparatus 100 has traveled past the predefined radial distance away from the location 304 based on location information gathered by the GPS radio 1 10. The processor 102 may detect that the apparatus 100 is moving at an average of 35 miles per hour based on speed information collected by the accelerometer 202. The processor 102 may detect that the apparatus 100 is following known streets in the map application 204. Based on the above information, the processor 102 may detect that the user is driving a car.

[0037] Based on the roads that the apparatus 100 is following and a comparison to previous routes that were traveled stored in the monitored location history 206, the processor 102 may determine that the user is travelling towards the destination 308 (e.g., the user is heading“home”). The processor 102 may send a signal to activate the digital assistant 106 and have the digital assistant provide the voice initiated reminder 108 to the user (e.g., via the speaker 1 12 or the display 1 16).

[0038] In one example, the digital assistant 106 may ask the user whether the user is in fact on the way home. The user may provide voice feedback (e.g., saying“yes” or“no”). If the user confirms that the user is on the way home, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 to the user.

For example, the digital assistant 106 may provide audio via the speaker 1 12 or a visual notification via the display 1 16 to“buy milk at ABC grocery on the way home.”

[0039] In one example, the digital assistant 106 may ask the user whether the user would like to have turn-by-turn directions. In another example, the digital assistant 106 may simply display the map 300. The user may then see the route 310 stop by the via location 306 (e.g., ABC grocery) to buy milk on the way to the destination 308 (e.g., home). In an example, the digital assistant 106 may ask the user whether the user would like to stop at the via location 306.

The digital assistant 106 may provide calendar information when asking whether the user would like to stop. For example, the digital assistant 106 may notify the user that the user has a meeting in 15 minutes and ask whether the user would still like to stop at the via location 306. If the user chooses not to stop, the reminder may be snoozed until the user’s next trip (e.g., on the way home rather than on the way to work).

[0040] As noted above, in other examples, the processor 102 may determine that the user is traveling via a commuter train. As a result, the map 300 may illustrate a route of train lines that the user should take that would take the user within walking distance of the via location 306 on the way home 308. The digital assistant 106 may display the train schedule and times for the suggested train lines and a map with a walking route to the via location 306 and back onto the commuter train to arrive at the destination 308.

[0041] Thus, the present disclosure provides location based reminders when the apparatus 100 detects that the user is on the way to a destination contained in the voice initiated reminder 108. In other words, unlike other location based reminders that provide the reminder at the location, the present disclosure provides the voice initiated reminder 108 that contains the via location 306 well before the user arrives at the via location 306. Thus, the digital assistant 106 may provide the voice initiated reminder 108 to the user to remind the user to stop by the via location 306 on the way to the destination 308. In addition, the digital assistant 106 may provide the map 300 with a route 310 to the via location 306 on the way to the destination 308 based on a mode of

transportation that the user is taking.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 400 for providing a reminder. In one example, the method 400 may be performed by the apparatus 100 or the apparatus 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 and described below.

[0043] At block 402, the method 400 begins. At block 404, the method 400 receives a reminder associated with a via location and a destination. For example, the user may record the reminder via a voice command. The reminder may be recorded as“remind me to pick up my clothes at XYZ dry cleaners on my way to work.” The reminder may be stored in memory.

[0044] The via location may be where the user wants to stop by on the way to a destination. Using the example above, the via location would be XYZ dry cleaners. The destination may be the location that the user is traveling towards. Using the example above, the destination may be“work”.

[0045] In one example, the via locations and the destination may be predefined by the user, learned by the digital assistant based on a monitored location history, or looked up online by the digital assistant. The digital assistant may be programmed with a natural language processing capability to detect the command“remind,” to identify the via location“XYZ dry cleaners,” and the destination“work” based on the context and analysis of the surrounding text or words.

[0046] At block 406, the method 400 detects that a device is leaving a current location to the destination. At a later time, the device may detect the user is leaving the current location towards the destination. For example, a predefined radial distance may be used to determine that the user is leaving the current location. The current location may be determined based on GPS location information.

[0047] In one example, the device may compare movement to monitored location history information that is stored to determine that the user is travelling towards the destination. For example, when the user goes from home to work, the user may travel the same route everyday. Thus, when the user begins travelling on the route to work, the device may detect that the user is travelling towards work, as described above. The device may use context, such as the time of day, calendar appointments, etc., and previous user travel to determine the destination. Thus, on a Thursday morning, the device may determine the user is traveling to work based on previous Thursday morning travel, and on a Sunday morning, the device may determine the user is traveling to church based on previous Sunday morning travel.

[0048] In addition, the device may detect a mode of transportation that the user is taking. For example, based on the speed of the device, a path that is traversed on a map by tracking the location of the device (e.g., crossing over streets at a speed or along a path that follows train tracks, following streets along a known bus route, travelling at high speeds, travelling at low speeds across unpaved roads, travelling at low speeds along roads, and the like), the device may determine the mode of transportation. For example, the device may determine whether the user is walking, riding a bike, driving a car, riding on a train, riding on a bus, and so forth. The mode of transportation may help to determine how to alter a route on a map for the user, as discussed below.

[0049] At block 408, the method 400 provides the reminder in response to the detecting. In one example, the reminder may be an audible notification or an audio playback by a speaker on the device. For example, the digital assistant may provide an audio reminder as the user is traveling towards the destination. For example, the digital assistant may speak“remember to pick up your clothes at XYZ cleaners on the way to work.”

[0050] In another example, the reminder may be a visual notification. For example, the reminder may be a map that includes an altered route or a text notification in a heads up display of an augmented reality display. In one example, the reminder may be a combination of the audible notification and the visual notification.

[0051] In one example, when the reminder includes the map as a visual notification, the digital assistant may access a map application on the device. The digital assistant may alter the route to the destination to include the via location in an altered route. The altered route may then be provided on the map. For example, rather than displaying the fastest route to work, the map may display an altered route that goes to XYZ dry cleaners on the way to work.

[0052] In one example, how the route is altered may be based on a mode of transportation. As noted above, the mode of transportation may be detected based on a speed of the device and the route that is traveled by the device. When the device detects that user is traveling by public transportation, the altered route may include a different train schedule or train lines, or a different bus schedule and different bus numbers to ride.

[0053] At block 410, the method 400 ends.

[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an apparatus 500. In one example, the apparatus 500 may be the apparatus 100. In one example, the apparatus 500 may include a processor 502 and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium 504. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium 504 may include instructions 506, 508, 510, and 512 that, when executed by the processor 502, cause the processor 502 to perform various functions.

[0055] In one example, the instructions 506 may include instructions to detect when the device is traveling towards a destination. The instructions 508 may include instructions to identify a reminder associated with the destination, wherein the reminder includes a via location. The instructions 510 may include instructions to calculate a route to the via location and the destination. The instructions 512 may include instructions to provide the reminder in response to when the device is detected traveling towards the destination.

[0056] It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a device that is executing a digital assistant, a reminder associated with a via location and a destination;

detecting, by the processor, that a device is leaving a current location to the destination; and

providing, by the processor, the reminder in response to the detecting.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing, by the processor, a map application on the device;

altering, by the processor, a route to the destination to include the via location in an altered route; and

providing, by the processor, the altered route.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the altering is based on a mode of transportation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mode of transportation is detected based on a speed of the device and the route that is traveled by the device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the altering further comprises:

altering, by the processor, a travel schedule when the mode of transportation that is detected is a public transportation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting that the device is leaving the current location is based on the device moving outside of a predefined distance around the current location.

7. The display of claim 1 , wherein the detecting that the device is leaving the current location to the destination is based on a comparison of a current route to previous routes traveled by the device that are monitored and stored.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor of a device executing a digital assistant, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions to detect when the device is traveling towards a destination; instructions to identify a reminder associated with the destination, wherein the reminder includes a via location;

instructions to calculate a route to the via location and the destination; and

instructions to provide the reminder in response to when the device is detected traveling towards the destination.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the destination is one of a plurality of pre-defined destinations.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the via location is based on a monitored location history of the device at the via location.

1 1. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein route is calculated based on a mode of transportation that is detected.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

a display;

a global positioning satellite (GPS) radio to detect a current location; a computer readable memory to store instructions to execute a digital assistant, wherein the computer readable memory is to store a voice initiated reminder via the microphone, wherein the voice initiated reminder is associated with a via location and a destination; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the microphone, the speaker, the display, the computer readable memory, and the GPS radio, wherein the processor is to detect movement from the current location to the destination and provide the voice initiated reminder in response to the movement.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an accelerometer to measure a speed of the movement; and

a map application stored in the computer readable memory to track a route of the movement, wherein the processor is to determine a mode of transportation based on the speed of the movement and the route of the movement.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor alters a route to the destination to include the via location in an altered route and the display provides the altered route.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the voice initiate reminder is provided via an audio playback by the speaker.