Increasing the level of automation when scheduling and managing meetings
First Claim
1. In a network environment that includes at least a scheduling computer system, a method for scheduling meetings for a user so as to relieve an individual meeting organizer from having to manually record and interpret availability data for meeting attendants, the method comprising the following:
- an act of determining that a meeting is to be scheduled among a plurality of meeting attendants;
an act of accessing supplemental information relevant to at least some of the plurality of meeting attendants; and
an act of automatically determining at least one potential meeting based on the supplemental information.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A managing computer system increases the level of automation when scheduling and managing meetings. A meeting scheduler determines that a meeting is to be scheduled and accesses information relevant to the availability of potential meeting attendants. Relevant information may include time availability of attendants and locations, priority levels associated with attendants, and whether or not specific attendants are required. Based on the relevant information, the meeting scheduler automatically determines at least one potential meeting that satisfies predetermined criteria. If the circumstances surrounding a currently-scheduled meeting change, information relevant to the currently-scheduled meeting is identified. Identified information may include changes in the status of meeting attendants, meeting locations, and documents associated with a meeting. The identified information may be automatically accessed and made available to at least one meeting attendant. Information may be made available by transferring electronic messages to computer systems associated with meeting attendants.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. In a network environment that includes at least a scheduling computer system, a method for scheduling meetings for a user so as to relieve an individual meeting organizer from having to manually record and interpret availability data for meeting attendants, the method comprising the following:
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an act of determining that a meeting is to be scheduled among a plurality of meeting attendants;
an act of accessing supplemental information relevant to at least some of the plurality of meeting attendants; and
an act of automatically determining at least one potential meeting based on the supplemental information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a network environment that includes at least a scheduling computer system, a method for scheduling meetings for a user so as to relieve an individual meeting organizer from having to manually record and interpret availability data for meeting attendants, the method comprising the following:
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a step for receiving availability information for one or more meeting attendants; and
an act of automatically determining at least one potential meeting time based on the information.
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17. In a network environment that includes at least a managing computer system, a method for managing currently-scheduled meetings for a user so as to notify meeting attendants of relevant information associated with a currently-scheduled meeting, the method comprising the following:
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an act of identifying a currently-scheduled meeting that has a plurality of meeting attendants;
an act of identifying relevant information for the currently-scheduled meeting;
an act of automatically accessing the information; and
an act of automatically providing the information so as to be available to at least one of the meeting attendants. - View Dependent Claims (3, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. In a network environment that includes at least a managing computer system, a method for managing currently-scheduled meetings for a user so as to notify meeting attendants of relevant information associated with a currently-scheduled meeting, the method comprising the following:
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a step for retrieving relevant information associated with a currently-scheduled meeting so as to relieve the user from having to manually interact with the information; and
an act of automatically providing the relevant information to at least one of the meeting attendants.
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30. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes at least a scheduling computer system, the computer program product for implementing a method for scheduling meetings for a user so as to relive an individual meeting organizer from having to manually record and interpret free/busy times for meeting attendants, the computer program product comprising the following:
one or more computer-readable media carrying computer-executable instructions, that when executed at the scheduling computer system, cause the scheduling computer system to perform the method, including;
determining that a meeting is to be scheduled among a plurality of meeting attendants;
accessing information relevant to the availability of at least some of the plurality of meeting attendants; and
determining at least one potential meeting time based on the information. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes at least a managing computer system, the computer program product for implementing a method for managing currently-scheduled meetings for a user so as to notify meeting attendants of relevant information associated with a currently-scheduled meeting, the computer program product comprising the following:
one or more computer-readable media carrying computer-executable instructions, that when executed at the managing computer system, cause the managing computer system to perform the method, including;
identifying a currently-scheduled meeting that has a plurality of meeting attendants;
identifying relevant information for the currently-scheduled meeting;
accessing the relevant information for the currently-scheduled meeting; and
providing the relevant information so as to be available to at least one of the meeting attendants. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A network system for managing relevant information associated with a meeting, comprising:
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a managing computer system that is configured to identify a currently-scheduled meeting and relevant information associated with the currently-scheduled meeting and automatically provide the relevant information to at least one providing computer system; and
a providing computer system that is network connectable to the managing computer system, that includes an output device, and is configured to receive relevant information for the currently-scheduled meeting from the managing computer system and output the relevant information at the output device.
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37. In a network environment that includes at least a managing computer system, a method for managing currently-scheduled meetings for meeting attendants so as to notify the meeting attendants of a change in a currently-scheduled meeting, the method comprising the following:
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an act of identifying a currently-scheduled meeting that has a plurality of meeting attendants;
an act of detecting a change in relevant information associated with the currently-scheduled meeting; and
an act of automatically providing at least an option to reschedule the currently-scheduled meeting so as to be available to at least one of the meeting attendants. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. In a network environment that includes at least a managing computer system, a method for managing currently-scheduled meetings for meeting attendants so as to notify the meeting attendants of a change in a currently-scheduled meeting, the method comprising the following:
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an act of identifying a currently-scheduled meeting that has a plurality of meeting attendants; and
a step for rescheduling the currently-scheduled meeting.
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43. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes at least a managing computer system, the computer program product for implementing a method for managing currently-scheduled meetings for meeting attendants so as to notify the meeting attendants of a change in a currently-scheduled meeting, the computer program product comprising the following:
one or more computer-readable media carrying computer-executable instructions, that when executed at the managing computer system, cause the managing computer system to perform the method, including;
identifying a currently-scheduled meeting that has a plurality of meeting attendants;
detecting a change in relevant information associated with the currently-scheduled meeting; and
providing at least an option to reschedule the currently-scheduled meeting so as to be available to at least one of the meeting attendants. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
Specification