Determining graduated availability for meetings by individuals and groups

• US 20040139431A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Muller, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/331,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20040139431A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for scheduling a task based upon a measure of graduated availability for a specified time frame. The method can include identifying tasks which previously had been scheduled about a specified time frame. Each of the identified tasks can be weighted according to a likelihood that a newly scheduled task when combined with the weighted identified tasks would interfere with completing the weighted identified tasks. An average of the weights can be computed, the average producing a graduated availability for the specified time frame. Finally, the graduated availability can be stored for use in scheduling a new task about the specified time frame. For example, a new task can be scheduled about the specified time frame only if the graduated availability indicates that the new task would not interfere with completing the weighted identified tasks.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling a task based upon a measure of graduated availability for a specified time frame, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying tasks which previously had been scheduled about a specified time frame;

weighting each of said identified tasks according to a likelihood that a newly scheduled task when combined with said weighted identified tasks would interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks;

computing an average of said weights, said average producing a graduated availability for said specified time frame; and

,

storing said graduated availability for use in scheduling a new task about said specified time frame.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of scheduling a new task about said specified time frame only if said stored graduated availability indicates that said new task would not interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of scheduling a new task about said specified time frame only if said stored graduated availability indicates that said new task would interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said tasks comprise tasks selected from the group consisting of events, to-dos, and reminders.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a buffer zone about said specified time frame; and

,

performing said weighting step only for tasks identified as being scheduled within said buffer zone, while ignoring all other tasks scheduled outside both said specified time frame and said buffer zone when performing said computing step.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

further identifying tasks scheduled during said specified time frame;

determining whether said further identified tasks directly conflict with said new task; and

,

if it is determined that said new task would directly conflict with said further identified tasks, denying any request to schedule said new task during said specified time frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

performing said identifying, weighting and computing steps for each of a set of specified time frames; and

,

scheduling said new task about a selected one of said specified time frames which has a computed graduated availability indicating that said new task would least interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks when compared to computed graduated availabilities associated with others of said specified time frames.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

performing said identifying, weighting and computing steps, for each of a set of invited participants in said new task, for each of a set of specified time frames; and

,

computing an average of computed graduated availabilities for said invited participants for each one of said specified time frames; and

,

scheduling said new task about a selected one of said specified time frames which has a computed average of computed graduated availabilities indicating that said new task would least likely interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks among said invited participants when compared to computed averages of other computed graduated availabilities associated with others of said specified time frames.

9. A groupware system comprising:

group calendering logic configured to schedule tasks for individual groupware users during specified time periods;

a data store coupled to said group calendaring logic for storing calendars managed by said group calendaring logic for each of said users; and

,

a graduated availability processor coupled to said group calendaring logic and said data store, and programmed to determine whether scheduling a new task in at least one of said stored calendars involving selected ones of said users during a specified time frame would overload any one of said selected ones of said users by virtue of other tasks which had previously been scheduled in proximity to, but not in direct conflict with, said specified time frame.

10. The groupware system of claim 9, further comprising a store of pre-configured weights accessible by said graduated availability processor for each different type of task which can be scheduled by said group calendaring logic, said graduated availability processor applying said pre-configured weights when determining whether scheduling said new task would overload any one of said selected ones of said users.

11. The groupware system of claim 9, wherein said tasks comprise tasks selected from the group consisting of events, to-dos, and reminders.

12. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for scheduling a task based upon a measure of graduated availability for a specified time frame, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed by the machine cause the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying tasks which previously had been scheduled about a specified time frame;

weighting each of said identified tasks according to a likelihood that a newly scheduled task when combined with said weighted identified tasks would interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks;

computing an average of said weights, said average producing a graduated availability for said specified time frame; and

,

storing said graduated availability for use in scheduling a new task about said specified time frame.

13. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising the step of scheduling a new task about said specified time frame only if said stored graduated availability indicates that said new task would not interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising the step of scheduling a new task about said specified time frame only if said stored graduated availability indicates that said new task would interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said tasks comprise tasks selected from the group consisting of events, to-dos, and reminders.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a buffer zone about said specified time frame; and

,

performing said weighting step only for tasks identified as being scheduled within said buffer zone, while ignoring all other tasks scheduled outside both said specified time frame and said buffer zone when performing said computing step.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

further identifying tasks scheduled during said specified time frame;

determining whether said further identified tasks directly conflict with said new task; and

,

if it is determined that said new task would directly conflict with said further identified tasks, denying any request to schedule said new task during said specified time frame.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

performing said identifying, weighting and computing steps for each of a set of specified time frames; and

,

scheduling said new task about a selected one of said specified time frames which has a computed graduated availability indicating that said new task would least interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks when compared to computed graduated availabilities associated with others of said specified time frames.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

performing said identifying, weighting and computing steps, for each of a set of invited participants in said new task, for each of a set of specified time frames; and

,

computing an average of computed graduated availabilities for said invited participants for each one of said specified time frames; and

,

scheduling said new task about a selected one of said specified time frames which has a computed average of computed graduated availabilities indicating that said new task would least likely interfere with completing said weighted identified tasks among said invited participants when compared to computed averages of other computed graduated availabilities associated with others of said specified time frames.