IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,153,956
Granted Patent B2
US 12,153,956 · App. 17/867,368 · Granted Nov 26, 2024

Semi-autonomous intelligent task hub

Inventors: Robert Alexander Sim (Bellevue, WA); Ryen William White (Woodinville, WA); Omar Shaya (London, GB); Bernd Ingo Plontsch (Berlin, DE); Elnaz Nouri (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G06F9/4881G06F9/485G06F9/542G06N3/045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,153,956
App. No.
17/867,368
Granted
Nov 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for an interactive, intelligent hub built around the completion of a task. This hub brings together resources, information, suggested steps, and other automated assistance to facilitate the completion of the task. AI-based assistance may indicate which steps can be completed by automated processes, and dispatch those processes, or suggest resources to assist in the completion of other steps. The hub displays the current status of the task, and lives until the completion of the task, or abandonment by the user.

Claims (80)

1. A method of managing tasks, via a task hub user-interface, the method comprising:

receiving an indication corresponding to a selected task from the task hub user-interface;

generating a current task pane for the selected task, wherein the current task pane comprises:

a subtask list of one or more subtasks corresponding to the selected task;

an owner for each of the one of more subtasks in the subtask list; and

a status of each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

displaying the current task pane within the task hub user-interface;

determining that the task hub should be the owner for a first subtask of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

completing, automatically via the task hub, the first subtask; and

updating the displayed status for the first task in the current task pane, based on the first subtask being completed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to receiving an indication corresponding to the selected task:

receiving an indication corresponding to a selected active task list;

generating an active task pane for the selected active task list, the active task pane comprising the selected task; and

displaying the active task pane.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more subtasks are a plurality of subtasks.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication corresponding to scrolling the list of one or more subtasks; and

in response to receiving the indication corresponding to scrolling, adapting the display to allow a user to see all of the subtask list.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication corresponding to a selected first subtask from the list of one or more subtasks; and

generating a subtask definition corresponding to the selected first subtask.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving a user-input corresponding to updating the subtask definition;

updating the subtask definition in memory; and

generating the updated subtask definition corresponding to the selected first subtask.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more owners further comprise one or more of a user or a delegate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of one or more subtasks comprises whether information is needed for a respective one of each of the one or more subtasks, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating an indication requesting the information that is needed;

displaying the indication requesting the information that is needed; and

receiving a user-input corresponding to the requested information.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication corresponding to a selected task archive;

generating a list of one or more completed or abandoned tasks corresponding to the selected task archive; and

displaying the list of one or more completed or abandoned tasks corresponding to the selected task archive.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication corresponding to adding a new subtask;

adding the new subtask to the subtask list; and

updating the displayed current task pane, based on the updated subtask list.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication corresponding to limiting permissions for a user; and

limiting one or more functionalities of the current task pane, based on the received indication corresponding to limiting permissions for the user.

12. A system for managing tasks, via a task hub user-interface, the system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a first indication corresponding to a selected task from the task hub user-interface;

generate a current task pane for the selected task, the current task pane comprising a subtask list of one or more subtasks corresponding to the selected task, and one or more from the group of:

a status of each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

a due date for each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

an owner for each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list; and

whether information is needed for each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

display the current task pane within the task hub user-interface;

receive a second indication corresponding to a selected first subtask from the subtask list; and

generate a subtask definition corresponding to the selected first subtask.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more subtasks are a plurality of subtasks.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a user-input corresponding to updating the subtask definition; and

update the subtask definition corresponding to the first subtask, based on the received user-input.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the owner is one of a task hub, a user, or a delegate.

16. A method of managing tasks, via a task hub user-interface, the method comprising:

receiving a first indication corresponding to a selected task;

generate a current task pane for the selected task, the current task pane comprising a subtask list of one or more subtasks corresponding to the selected task, and whether information is needed for each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

display the current task pane within the task hub user-interface;

generating a second indication corresponding to what information is needed;

displaying the second indication corresponding to what information is needed within the task hub user-interface; and

receiving, in response to the displayed second indication, a user-input corresponding to what information is needed.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the current task pane further comprises one or more from the group of:

a status of each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list;

a due date for each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list; and

an owner for each of the one or more subtasks in the subtask list.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a third indication corresponding to a selected task archive;

generating an archive task pane, the archive task pane comprising a list of one or more completed or abandoned tasks; and

displaying the archive task pane within the task hub user-interface.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a third indication corresponding to adding a new subtask;

adding the new subtask to the subtask list of one or more subtasks; and

updating the displayed current task pane, based on the updated subtask list.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication corresponding to limiting permissions for a user; and

limiting one or more functionalities of the current task pane, based on the received indication corresponding to limiting permissions for the user.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2022
From: SIM, ROBERT ALEXANDER; WHITE, RYEN WILLIAM; SHAYA, OMAR; PLONTSCH, BERND INGO; NOURI, ELNAZ
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 060547/0284 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16886764 · May 28, 2020
Related Publication 20220350654A1 · Nov 3, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,645,722