Displaying calendar information in a horizontal bar

• US 10,127,188 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bastide, Paul R., Davis, Andrew E., Ezekiel, Margo L., Lawrence, Leah A., Parsons, Katherine M., Rajaniemi, Jodi
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Gurkanwaljit
• Application Number:
  US14/731,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20160358125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0266 for time management, e.g. calendars, diaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for improving the usability of a calendar application. A calendar client agent receives calendar information, such as meetings, appointments, vacations, tasks, etc. from various systems, such as an electronic mail system, a social networking system, an instant messaging system and a wiki. The calendar client agent evaluates the retrieved calendar information with respect to a set of presentation rules. The calendar client agent then presents the retrieved calendar information in a horizontal bar (also referred to as a “calendar bar”) in the calendar application over a duration of time (e.g., twelve hours of the current day) in relation to the set of presentation rules. In this manner, the user will be able to more easily ascertain which events or activities are scheduled.

Claims

1. A method for improving the usability of a calendar application, the method comprising:

retrieving, by a processor, calendar information from three or more of the following systems;

electronic mail, social networking, instant messaging, a wiki, a project management system and a customer relationship management system, wherein said calendar information comprises meetings, appointments, vacations and tasks;

evaluating said retrieved calendar information with respect to a set of presentation rules, wherein said set of presentation rules determines how said calendar information is to be displayed on a user interface of a client device;

presenting, by said processor, said retrieved calendar information in a horizontal bar in said calendar application over a duration of time in relation to said set of presentation rules, wherein said horizontal bar is limited to two rows on said user interface of said client device, wherein said presented calendar information comprises calendar information for a plurality of different users, wherein said horizontal bar displays a total availability of users to attend a meeting in response to a user selecting said meeting displayed in said horizontal bar;

presenting a zoom icon on said user interface of said client device allowing said user to zoom into a period of time of day depicted in said horizontal bar;

detecting a current time;

automatically scrolling to said current time in said horizontal bar such that items in said horizontal bar that occur prior to said current time are less visible than items in said horizontal bar that occur after said current time;

displaying an indication on said user interface of said client device when a meeting is to occur within a designated amount of time from said detected current time thereby drawing a user'"'"'s attention to said meeting, wherein said indication comprises a countdown to a start of said meeting;

tracking a pattern of activity from said user completing items of said retrieved calendar information, wherein said items comprise scheduled meetings, appointments, tasks and vacations; and

generating a reward based on said tracked pattern of activity, wherein said reward comprises badges.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

prioritizing a view of said horizontal bar by assigning a highest priority to meetings that a user is required to attend followed by assigning a next highest priority to meetings that said user is optionally required to attend followed by assigning a lowest priority to meetings that were only sent to said user for the user'"'"'s information in response to a first meeting and a second meeting having a conflict in their scheduled times and displaying said first meeting and said second meeting in said horizontal bar according to said prioritization, wherein a higher prioritized meeting is shown above a lower prioritized meeting in said horizontal bar, wherein said first and second meetings are displayed in said two rows on said user'"'"'s interface of said client device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying three or more scheduled meetings as a merged block in said horizontal bar in response to said three or more meetings having a conflict in their scheduled times.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a time a meeting is scheduled to occur from said retrieved calendar information that occurs earlier or later than a user'"'"'s workday or a period of time designated by said user; and

presenting an object in said calendar application representing a time of day said meeting is scheduled to occur, wherein said object comprises a sun indicating an early meeting a following day or a moon indicating a meeting that is to occur late in a day outside normal working hours of said user, wherein said object assists said user in comprehending when a future meeting is to occur.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

prioritizing a view of said horizontal bar by assigning a highest priority to meetings where said user is a chair of a meeting followed by assigning a second highest priority to meetings where said user is required to attend followed by assigning a third highest priority to meetings where said chair of said meeting is an individual whose meetings said user wants to attend followed by assigning a lowest priority to meetings when there are fewer than a threshold number of people attending; and

determining which meetings chaired by specific individuals said user desires to attend based on analyzing a social media homepage of said user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

rescheduling a meeting in response to said user moving an edge of said horizontal bar over a border of another meeting.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

providing information in said horizontal bar to said user to join a meeting, wherein said information comprises a time of said meeting, a telephone number, a passcode and a link to launch a start of said meeting.

8. A computer program product for improving the usability of a calendar application, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code comprising the programming instructions for:

retrieving calendar information from three or more of the following systems;

electronic mail, social networking, instant messaging, a wiki, a project management system and a customer relationship management system, wherein said calendar information comprises meetings, appointments, vacations and tasks;

evaluating said retrieved calendar information with respect to a set of presentation rules, wherein said set of presentation rules determines how said calendar information is to be displayed on a user interface of a client device;

presenting said retrieved calendar information in a horizontal bar in said calendar application over a duration of time in relation to said set of presentation rules, wherein said horizontal bar is limited to two rows on said user interface of said client device, wherein said presented calendar information comprises calendar information for a plurality of different users, wherein said horizontal bar displays a total availability of users to attend a meeting in response to a user selecting said meeting displayed in said horizontal bar;

presenting a zoom icon on said user interface of said client device allowing said user to zoom into a period of time of day depicted in said horizontal bar;

detecting a current time;

automatically scrolling to said current time in said horizontal bar such that items in said horizontal bar that occur prior to said current time are less visible than items in said horizontal bar that occur after said current time;

displaying an indication on said user interface of said client device when a meeting is to occur within a designated amount of time from said detected current time thereby drawing a user'"'"'s attention to said meeting, wherein said indication comprises a countdown to a start of said meeting;

tracking a pattern of activity from said user completing items of said retrieved calendar information, wherein said items comprise scheduled meetings, appointments, tasks and vacations; and

generating a reward based on said tracked pattern of activity, wherein said reward comprises badges.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

prioritizing a view of said horizontal bar by assigning a highest priority to meetings that a user is required to attend followed by assigning a next highest priority to meetings that said user is optionally required to attend followed by assigning a lowest priority to meetings that were only sent to said user for the user'"'"'s information in response to a first meeting and a second meeting having a conflict in their scheduled times and displaying said first meeting and said second meeting in said horizontal bar according to said prioritization, wherein a higher prioritized meeting is shown above a lower prioritized meeting in said horizontal bar, wherein said first and second meetings are displayed in said two rows on said user'"'"'s interface of said client device.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

displaying three or more scheduled meetings as a merged block in said horizontal bar in response to said three or more meetings having a conflict in their scheduled times.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

detecting a time a meeting is scheduled to occur from said retrieved calendar information that occurs earlier or later than a user'"'"'s workday or a period of time designated by said user; and

presenting an object in said calendar application representing a time of day said meeting is scheduled to occur, wherein said object comprises a sun indicating an early meeting a following day or a moon indicating a meeting that is to occur late in a day outside normal working hours of said user, wherein said object assists said user in comprehending when a future meeting is to occur.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

prioritizing a view of said horizontal bar by assigning a highest priority to meetings where said user is a chair of a meeting followed by assigning a second highest priority to meetings where said user is required to attend followed by assigning a third highest priority to meetings where said chair of said meeting is an individual whose meetings said user wants to attend followed by assigning a lowest priority to meetings when there are fewer than a threshold number of people attending; and

determining which meetings chaired by specific individuals said user desires to attend based on analyzing a social media homepage of said user.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

rescheduling a meeting in response to said user moving an edge of said horizontal bar over a border of another meeting.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

providing information in said horizontal bar to said user to join a meeting, wherein said information comprises a time of said meeting, a telephone number, a passcode and a link to launch a start of said meeting.

15. A system, comprising:

a memory unit for storing a computer program for improving the usability of a calendar application; and

a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured to execute the program instructions of the computer program comprising;

retrieving calendar information from three or more of the following systems;

electronic mail, social networking, instant messaging, a wiki, a project management system and a customer relationship management system, wherein said calendar information comprises meetings, appointments, vacations and tasks;

evaluating said retrieved calendar information with respect to a set of presentation rules, wherein said set of presentation rules determines how said calendar information is to be displayed on a user interface of a client device;

presenting said retrieved calendar information in a horizontal bar in said calendar application over a duration of time in relation to said set of presentation rules, wherein said horizontal bar is limited to two rows on said user interface of said client device, wherein said presented calendar information comprises calendar information for a plurality of different users, wherein said horizontal bar displays a total availability of users to attend a meeting in response to a user selecting said meeting displayed in said horizontal bar;

presenting a zoom icon on said user interface of said client device allowing said user to zoom into a period of time of day depicted in said horizontal bar;

detecting a current time;

automatically scrolling to said current time in said horizontal bar such that items in said horizontal bar that occur prior to said current time are less visible than items in said horizontal bar that occur after said current time;

displaying an indication on said user interface of said client device when a meeting is to occur within a designated amount of time from said detected current time thereby drawing a user'"'"'s attention to said meeting, wherein said indication comprises a countdown to a start of said meeting;

tracking a pattern of activity from said user completing items of said retrieved calendar information, wherein said items comprise scheduled meetings, appointments, tasks and vacations; and

generating a reward based on said tracked pattern of activity, wherein said reward comprises badges.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

prioritizing a view of said horizontal bar by assigning a highest priority to meetings that a user is required to attend followed by assigning a next highest priority to meetings that said user is optionally required to attend followed by assigning a lowest priority to meetings that were only sent to said user for the user'"'"'s information in response to a first meeting and a second meeting having a conflict in their scheduled times and displaying said first meeting and said second meeting in said horizontal bar according to said prioritization, wherein a higher prioritized meeting is shown above a lower prioritized meeting in said horizontal bar, wherein said first and second meetings are displayed in said two rows on said user'"'"'s interface of said client device.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

displaying three or more scheduled meetings as a merged block in said horizontal bar in response to said three or more meetings having a conflict in their scheduled times.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

detecting a time a meeting is scheduled to occur from said retrieved calendar information that occurs earlier or later than a user'"'"'s workday or a period of time designated by said user; and

presenting an object in said calendar application representing a time of day said meeting is scheduled to occur, wherein said object comprises a sun indicating an early meeting a following day or a moon indicating a meeting that is to occur late in a day outside normal working hours of said user, wherein said object assists said user in comprehending when a future meeting is to occur.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

rescheduling a meeting in response to said user moving an edge of said horizontal bar over a border of another meeting.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

providing information in said horizontal bar to said user to join a meeting, wherein said information comprises a time of said meeting, a telephone number, a passcode and a link to launch a start of said meeting.