Method for reminding users about future appointments while taking into account traveling time to the appointment location

1. A method of notifying a user of an appointment at a remote location, the method comprising:

receiving an appointment time and an appointment location inputted into a personal navigation device operated by the user;

determining a current location of the personal navigation device;

determining a user's routing preferences when traveling to the appointment location, wherein the user's routing preferences are selected from public highways, toll roads, and scenic routes;

estimating, via a processor of the personal navigation device, a travel time for the user to travel from the current location to the appointment location when traveling according to the user's routing preferences;

determining, via the processor, a notification time based on the estimated travel time and the appointment time;

notifying the user of the appointment at the notification time;

determining, via the processor, that the current location matches the appointment location; and

outputting a reminder about names of people the user will meet during the appointment after determining that the current location matches the appointment location.

2. The method of claim 1 , determining the user's routing preferences comprises determining a user's preferred mode of transportation over segments of a route.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a preparation buffer time inputted into the personal navigation device indicative of an amount of extra time the user would like to prepare for the appointment; and

determining the notification time based on the estimated travel time, the preparation buffer time, and the appointment time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the travel time is estimated according to known speed limits.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the travel time is estimated according to historical statistics of travel times.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying the user that the user is ahead of schedule or behind schedule for the appointment before the user arrives at the appointment location.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a default travel time that is used as the estimated travel time when the personal navigation device is not able to determine the travel time to the appointment location.

8. A method of notifying a user of an appointment at a remote location, the method comprising:

receiving an appointment time and an appointment location inputted into a personal navigation device operated by the user, wherein the appointment location is not a fixed location;

determining a current location of the personal navigation device;

determining a current appointment location;

estimating, via a processor of the personal navigation device, a travel time for the user to travel from the current location of the personal navigation device to the current appointment location;

determining, via the processor, a notification time based on the estimated travel time and the appointment time;

notifying the user of the appointment at the notification time;

receiving via a short message an updated appointment location or an updated appointment time for the appointment;

updating the appointment time or the appointment location of the appointment according to the short message;

notifying the user about the updated appointment location or the updated appointment time;

determining, via the processor, that the current location of the personal navigation device matches the updated appointment location; and

outputting a reminder about names of people the user will meet during the appointment after determining that the current location of the personal navigation device matches the updated appointment location.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a preparation buffer time inputted into the personal navigation device indicative of an amount of extra time the user would like to prepare for the appointment; and

determining the notification time based on the estimated travel time, the preparation buffer time, and the appointment time.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the travel time is estimated according to known speed limits.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the travel time is estimated according to historical statistics of travel times.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising notifying the user that the user is ahead of schedule or behind schedule for the appointment before the user arrives at the appointment location.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing a default travel time that is used as the estimated travel time when the personal navigation device is not able to determine the travel time to the appointment location.