Interactive calendar interface for defining and displaying date ranges

• US 20030171965A1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GetThere, Inc. (Sabre Corp.)
• Original Assignee: GetThere, Inc. (Sabre Corp.)
• Inventors: Pettinati, Lucas V., Ratzlaff, Cordell R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• 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

A method for designating dates in an interactive travel calendar including the steps of providing an interface for users to specify event ranges, each event range having a start date that chronologically precedes an end date, receiving a signal designating a first date associated with an event, receiving a signal designating a second date associated with an event, setting the first date or the second date as a start date for an event range based upon a chronological relationship between the first date and the second date, with the start date being the date earlier chronologically among the first and second date and the end date being the date chronologically later among the first and second date, and presenting information reflecting the event range.

Claims

1. A method for designating dates in an interactive travel calendar comprising:

providing an interface for users to specify event ranges, each event range having a start date that chronologically precedes an end date;

receiving a signal designating a first date associated with an event;

receiving a signal designating a second date associated with an event;

setting the first date or the second date as a start date for an event range based upon a chronological relationship between the first date and the second date, with the start date being the date earlier chronologically among the first and second date and the end date being the date chronologically later among the first and second date; and

presenting information reflecting the event range.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event; and

setting the new date as a new end date based on a determination that the new date chronologically succeeds the end date for the event range to form a new event range.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event; and

setting the new date as a new start date if the new date chronologically precedes the start date for the event range to form a new event range.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event; and

setting the new date as a new end date if the new date falls chronologically within the event range, and the start date was selected before the end date, to form a new event range.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event; and

setting the new date as a new start date based on a determination that the new date falls chronologically within the event range, and the end date was selected before the start date, to form a new event range.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 2, wherein:

the new view further includes a range of selectable dates and upon receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event, the new date is set as a new start date based on a determination that the new date falls chronologically within the event range, and the end date was selected before the start date, to form a new event range; and

a third view including an interface presenting information reflecting the new event range.

6. A method for specifying an event range comprising:

providing an interface for users to specify event ranges, each event range comprising a start date that chronologically precedes an end date;

receiving a series of dates associated with an event;

setting two dates of the dates in the series of dates as a start date and an end date for an event range based on a chronological relationship between the two dates, with the date from the series set as the start date being chronologically earlier than the date from the series that is set as the end date; and

presenting information reflecting the event range.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

setting a third date in the series as a new start date for the event range when it is determined that the third date precedes the start date of the event range.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

setting a third date in the series as a new end date for the event range when it is determined that the third date succeeds the end date of the event range.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

setting the third date in the series as a new start date for the event range when the third date falls within the event range, and the current start date was received before current end date.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

setting the third date in the series as a new end date for the event range when the third date falls within the event range, and the current end date was received before current start date.

11. A method for specifying an event range, comprising:

setting a first date and a second date as a start date and an end date for an event range based on a chronologically relationship between the first date and second date;

presenting information reflecting the event range; and

enabling a user to modify the presented information by selecting a third date, wherein the third date is set as a new start date for the event range when the third date either precedes the set start date of the event range or when the third date falls within the event range, and the set start date was received before the set end date, and wherein the third date is set as a new end date for the event range when the third date succeeds the set end date of the event range or when the third date falls within the event range and the set end date was received before set start date.

12. A graphical user interface for selecting dates in an interactive calendar in a data processing system, the interface comprising:

an initial view including an interface for users to specify event ranges, each event range having a start date that chronologically precedes an end date, wherein upon receiving a signal designating a first date and a second date associated with an event, and wherein the first date or the second date is designated as a start date for an event range based upon a chronological relationship between the first date and the second date, with the one of the first and second date that is chronologically before the other set as the start date, and the other date set as the end date; and

a new view including an interface presenting information reflecting the event range.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 12, wherein

the new view further includes a range of selectable dates, and wherein upon receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event, the new date is set as a new end date based on a determination that the new date chronologically succeeds the end date for the event range, to form a new event range;

and

a third view including an interface presenting information reflecting the new event range.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 12, wherein:

the new view further includes a range of selectable dates, and wherein upon receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event, the new date is set as a new start date based on a determination that the new date chronologically precedes the start date for the event range, to form a new event range; and

a third view including an interface presenting information reflecting the new event range.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 12, wherein:

the new view further includes a range of selectable dates, and wherein upon receiving a signal designating a new date associated with the event, the new date is set as a new end date based on a determination that the new date falls chronologically within the event range, and the start date was selected before the end date, to form a new event range; and

a third view including an interface presenting information reflecting the new event range.