Time zone sensitive calendar

• US 10,096,002 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Barraci, Nima, Sindlinger, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US14/252,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20150294273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0076 in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable storage mediums and systems provide for displaying a time zone sensitive calendar. According to aspects of the disclosure, information is accessed that is associated with the time zone sensitive calendar. The information is used in determining the different time zones to include in a calendar view. Each of the different time periods in the calendar view are associated with one of the time zones. The calendar view for the time zone sensitive calendar is then displayed.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a time zone sensitive calendar, comprising:

accessing user schedule information;

determining multiple time zones to include in a calendar view of the user schedule information for different time periods in the time zone sensitive calendar based on the user schedule information;

associating each time period in the calendar view with one of the multiple time zones;

displaying a travel duration indicator on the time zone sensitive calendar that indicates a compression of time or an expansion of time and indicates a duration of time that is associated with a travel event;

adding a virtual travel event to the time zone sensitive calendar when a location of an event appearing in the time zone sensitive calendar is in a different time zone than the preceding time zone in the time zone sensitive calendar but no user travel between time zones is scheduled;

determining a current time zone of a user that is associated with the time zone sensitive calendar by one or more of;

a smart phone or computing device associated with the user determines that the time zone has changed;

location information is derived from GPS (Global Positioning System) or other sensor information; and

current time zone information is entered manually;

automatically associating a current time period in the time zone sensitive calendar with the current time zone;

updating the display of the time zone sensitive calendar to reflect the current time zone; and

displaying the calendar view for the time zone sensitive calendar such that time periods associated with different time zones are visually distinct.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the calendar view for the time zone sensitive calendar such that time periods associated with different time zones are visually distinct comprises formatting each of the different time periods using at least one of a different color or a different fill pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the multiple time zones to include in the calendar view comprises determining a travel event from the information that starts in a first time zone and ends in a second time zone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the time periods in the calendar view with the time zones comprises determining a first time period in the calendar view to associate with one of the time zones and determining a second time period in the calendar view to associate with one of the time zones.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising for each event that has a time within the calendar view determining a time zone to associate with the event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining when a user is indicated to be within a first time zone and determining when the user is indicated to be within a second time zone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adjusting a time of an occurrence of a recurring event to a first time zone when a user is indicated to be in the first time zone and adjusting the time of the occurrence of the recurring event to a second time zone when the user is indicated to be in the second time zone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a same period of time is displayed in the time zone sensitive calendar using both a first formatting and a second formatting.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel duration indicator is divided into a number of segments equal to number of hours of actual travel time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel duration indicator includes a numeral equal to number of hours of actual travel time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a diagonal line is displayed on the time zone sensitive calendar in association with the virtual travel event to indicate a division between said different time zones.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

access user schedule information;

determine multiple time zones to include in a calendar view of the user schedule information for different time periods in the time zone sensitive calendar based on the user schedule information;

associate each time period in the calendar view with one of the multiple time zones;

associate each event during the time periods that ate displayed in the calendar view with the associated time zone;

add a travel duration indicator to the time zone sensitive calendar that indicates a compression of time or an expansion of time and indicates a duration of time that is associated with a travel event;

add a virtual travel event to the time zone sensitive calendar whe11 a location of an event appearing in the time zone sensitive calendar is in a different time zone than the preceding time zone in the time zone sensitive calendar but no user travel between time zones is scheduled;

determine a current time zone of a user that is associated with the time zone sensitive calendar by one or more of;

a smart phone or computing device associated with the user determines that the time zone has changed;

location information is derived from GPS (Global Positioning System) or other sensor information; and

current time zone information is entered manually;

automatically associate a current time period in the time zone sensitive calendar with the current time zone;

update the display of the time zone sensitive calendar to reflect the current time zone; and

display the calendar view for the time zone sensitive calendar such that time periods associated with different time zones ate visually distinct.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the calendar view for the time zone sensitive calendar such that time periods associated with different time zones are visually distinct comprises formatting each of the different time periods using at least one of a different color or a different fill pattern.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining the multiple time zones to include in the calendar view comprises determining a travel event from the information that starts in a first time zone and ends in a second time zone.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising for each event that has a time within the calendar view determining a time zone to associate with each event.

16. A system for displaying a time zone sensitive calendar, comprising:

a display; and

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

the processor configured to;

access user schedule information;

determine multiple time zones to include in a calendar view of the user schedule information for different time periods in the time zone sensitive calendar based on the user schedule information;

associate each time period in the calendar view with one of the multiple time zones;

associate each event during the time periods that are displayed in the calendar view with the associated time zone;

add a travel duration indicator to the time zone sensitive calendar that indicates a compression of time or an expansion of time and indicates a duration of time that is associated with a travel event;

add a virtual travel event to the time zone sensitive calendar when a location of an event appearing in the time zone sensitive calendar is in a different time zone than the preceding time zone in the time zone sensitive calendar but no user travel between time zones is scheduled;

determine a current time zone of a user that is associated with the time zone sensitive calendar by one or more of;

a smart phone or computing device associated with the user determines that the time zone has changed;

location information is derived from GPS (Global Positioning System) or other sensor information; and

current time zone information is entered manually;

automatically associate a current time period in the time zone sensitive calendar with the current time zone;

update the display of the time zone sensitive calendar to reflect the current time zone; and

display the calendar view for the time zone sensitive calendar such that time periods associated with different time zones are visually distinct.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein determining the multiple time zones to include in the calendar view comprises determining a travel event from the information that starts in a first time zone and ends in a second time zone.