Time-Based Computer Control

Abstract

A computer system includes a calendar containing appointments. The system also includes one or more logic modules. Each logic module specifies a condition and a corresponding action. The profile may be applied to context data, such as data representing the current time, to perform the actions specified by the logic modules in response to detecting that the context data satisfies the conditions specified by the logic modules. In particular, the actions specified by the logic modules may be performed in response to detecting that the current time falls within the time period of an appointment on the calendar.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method performed by a communication device, the communication device comprising at least one computer processor executing computer program instructions tangibly stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 (A) receiving a first incoming message;   (B) storing a notification of the first incoming message;   (C) determining that a first current time falls within a first time period of a first appointment, wherein the first appointment is represented by a first appointment record;   (D) in response to the determination of (C), not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message;   (E) receiving a second incoming message;   (F) storing a notification of the second incoming message;   (G) determining that a second current time falls outside the first time period of the first appointment; and   (H) in response to the determination of (G), manifesting the notification of the second incoming message.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first incoming message is transmissible via a first communication mode, and wherein (D) further comprises, in response to the determination of (C):
 not manifesting a notification of a third incoming message, wherein the third incoming message is transmissible via a second communication mode;   wherein the first communication mode differs from the second communication mode.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 :
 wherein the first communication mode is one of an email communication mode, a text message communication mode, and a voice call communication mode; and   wherein the second communication mode is one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first communication mode is the email communication mode. 
     
     
         5 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program instructions tangibly stored on the computer-readable medium, wherein the instructions are executable by at least one computer processor in a communication device to perform a method comprising:
 (A) receiving a first incoming message;   (B) storing a notification of the first incoming message;   (C) determining that a first current time falls within a first time period of a first appointment, wherein the first appointment is represented by a first appointment record;   (D) in response to the determination of (C), not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message;   (E) receiving a second incoming message;   (F) storing a notification of the second incoming message;   (G) determining that a second current time falls outside the second time period of the first appointment; and   (H) in response to the determination of (G), manifesting the notification of the second incoming message.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the first incoming message is transmissible via a first communication mode, and wherein (D) further comprises, in response to the determination of (C):
 not manifesting a notification of a third incoming message is transmissible via a second communication mode;   wherein the first communication mode differs from the second communication mode.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 6 :
 wherein the first communication mode is one of an email communication mode, a text message communication mode, and a voice call communication mode; and   wherein the second communication mode is one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the first communication mode is the email communication mode. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message comprises not providing visual output representing the notification of the first incoming message to a user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (I) after not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message, manifesting the notification of the first incoming message in response to determining that a third current time falls outside the first time period of the first appointment.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the notification of the first incoming message before not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 deriving the notification of the first incoming message from the first incoming message.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 (I) after not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message, manifesting the notification of the first incoming message in response to determining that a third current time falls outside the first time period of the first appointment.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 :
 wherein manifesting the notification of the third incoming message comprises providing visual output representing the notification of the third incoming message to a user.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message comprises not providing visual output representing the notification of the first incoming message to a user. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (I) after not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message, manifesting the notification of the first incoming message in response to determining that a third current time falls outside the first time period of the first appointment.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving the notification of the first incoming message before not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:
 deriving the notification of the first incoming message from the first incoming message.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (I) after not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message, manifesting the notification of the first incoming message in response to determining that a third current time falls outside the first time period of the first appointment.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 :
 wherein manifesting the notification of the third incoming message comprises providing visual output representing the notification of the third incoming message to a user.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (I) after not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message, manifesting the notification of the first incoming message.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (I) after not manifesting the notification of the first incoming message, manifesting the notification of the first incoming message.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the notification of the first incoming message. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises generating the notification of the first incoming message. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the first incoming message. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises receiving the first incoming message. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (I) before (D), determining that a priority of the first appointment satisfies a first condition; and   wherein (D) comprises not manifest the notification of the first incoming message in response to the determination of (C) and the determination of (I).   
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (I) before (D), determining that a priority of the first appointment satisfies a first condition; and   wherein (D) comprises not manifest the notification of the first incoming message in response to the determination of (C) and the determination of (I).