Intelligent data retrieval system

Abstract

An electronic assistant which dispatches tasks on the user's behalf and according to the user's preferences may include a scheduler, an information locator, a communicator, a form filler, a trainer, a legal expert, a medical expert and other experts. The assistant learns about the user's interests in particular types of information and guides the user through the process of on-line information source selection, utilization, and interaction management via an information locator.

1 . An electronic assistant system for managing and scheduling user calendar events, comprising:
 means for scheduling incoming user calendar event requests, wherein said means for scheduling includes means for gathering information of interest to the user without explicit user request;   means for displaying to the user an incoming event request and a summary of related events previously scheduled;   means for determining whether the incoming event request conflicts with a previously scheduled user calendar event;   means for retrieving a history of events similar to the previously scheduled user calendar event to derive an expected event duration of the previously scheduled user calendar event;   means for replacing time allocated for the previously scheduled user calendar event with the expected event duration;   means for using a current location of a user's handheld device to determine a travel time from a location of the previously scheduled user calendar event to a location of the incoming event request, as an estimated transit time;   means for adding the estimated transit time from the previously scheduled user calendar event to the incoming requested event request;   means for subtracting the estimated transit time from a start time of a next scheduled event; and   means for checking if the subtracted time overlaps into the time requested for the incoming event request and if so, indicating an error, and if not, assisting the user in scheduling the incoming event request based on the location and the estimated transit time.