Providing task assistance to a user

Abstract

An intelligent task assistant program can identify tasks associated with a user over a reporting period based on an analysis of, and inferences drawn from, data associated with one or more personal information programs, such as an electronic calendar application, an electronic reminder application, an electronic collaborative application, and/or an electronic communication application. The task assistant may also prioritize the identified tasks based on content associated with the tasks. Some or all of the prioritized tasks can be provided to an output device for perception by the user.

1 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by a computing device, tasks associated with a user in a reporting period based on personal information program (PIP) data associated with an electronic calendar application, an electronic reminder application, an electronic contacts application, a collaborative application, or an electronic communication application;   determining, by the computing device, a priority of each task based on the reporting period and content associated with the task to produce prioritized tasks; and   causing at least a portion of the prioritized tasks to be provided to an output device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the computing device, a delegate for a task based on a request to delegate the task. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the computing device, a reschedule date for a task based on a request to reschedule the task. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the task comprises a meeting and the reschedule date is determined based on events in an electronic calendar associated with the user and events in an electronic calendar associated with one or more other attendees to the meeting. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reporting period comprises a time period when the user will be unavailable; and   the method further comprises prior to determining the tasks associated with the user, determining, by the computing device, the user will be unavailable during the reporting based on the PIP data associated with the electronic calendar application, the electronic reminder application, the electronic contacts application, the electronic collaborative application, or the electronic communication application.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises determining, by the computing device, the reporting period has ended and the user is available based on location data associated with the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining, by the computing device, the reporting period has ended and the user is available based on the PIP data associated with at least one of the electronic calendar application, the electronic reminder application, the electronic contacts application, the electronic collaborative application, or the electronic communication application. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the tasks associated with the user in the reporting period further comprises determining the tasks associated with the user in the reporting period based on tasks associated with a time period prior to the reporting period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein causing the at least the portion of the prioritized tasks to be provided to the output device comprises causing the at least the portion of the prioritized tasks to be displayed in a single user interface on a display screen. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content associated with each task comprises one or more of:
 data associated with a structure of an organization associated with the user;   other users associated with the task;   one or more documents associated with the task;   a deadline associated with the task; or   a subject of the task.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a processing device; and   a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processing device, cause the system to:
 determine tasks associated with a user in a reporting period based on personal information program (PIP) data associated with at least one of an electronic calendar application, an electronic reminder application, an electronic contacts application, an electronic collaborative application, or an electronic communication application; 
 determine a priority of the tasks based on the reporting period and content associated with each task to produce prioritized tasks; and 
 cause the prioritized tasks to be provided to an output device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory stores further instructions for causing the system to:
 determine a delegatee for a task based on a request to delegate the task; and   determine a reschedule date for a task based on a request to reschedule the task.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the reporting period comprises a time period when the user will be unavailable; and   the memory stores further instructions for causing the system to determine, prior to determining the tasks, the user will be unavailable during the reporting period based on the PIP data associated with at least one of the electronic calendar application, the electronic reminder application, the electronic contacts application, the collaborative application, or the electronic communication application.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the memory stores further instructions for causing the system to determine the user is available based on location data associated with the user. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory stores further instructions for causing the system to determine the reporting period has ended and the user is available based on the PIP data associated with at least one of the electronic calendar application, the electronic reminder application, the electronic contacts application, the collaborative application, or the electronic communication application. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining the tasks associated with the user in the reporting period comprises determining the tasks associated with the user in the reporting period based on tasks associated with a time period prior to the reporting period. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the content associated with each task comprises:
 data associated with a structure of an organization associated with the user;   other users associated with the task;   one or more documents associated with the task;   a deadline associated with the task; or   a subject of the task.   
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by a processing device, a plurality of tasks associated with a user in a reporting period by analyzing personal information program (PIP) data associated with an electronic calendar application, an electronic reminder application, an electronic contacts application, or an electronic communication application;   determining, by the processing device, a priority of each task in the plurality of tasks based on the reporting period and content associated with the task to produce a plurality of prioritized tasks; and   causing, by the processing device, a portion of the plurality of prioritized tasks to be displayed in a user interface, wherein one of the plurality of prioritized tasks comprises an interactive notification comprising one or more control elements that each enable the user to perform an operation on the task.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the operation comprises delegating the task or rescheduling the task. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the operation comprises canceling the task, deferring the task, or indicating the task is completed.