Methods, systems, and products for calendaring applications

• US 20060224988A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James C. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/774
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for acknowledging a reminder in a calendaring application. One such method stores a calendar entry corresponding to an event and a rule. The rule comprises a reminder of the event. The reminder is presented according to the rule, and an acknowledgement of the reminder is received. A message is then communicated in real-time to similarly acknowledge a pending reminder that corresponds to the same event in another instance of the calendaring application.

Claims

1. A method of acknowledging a reminder in a calendaring application, comprising:

storing a calendar entry corresponding to an event and a rule, the rule comprising the reminder of the event;

presenting the reminder according to the rule;

receiving an acknowledgement of the reminder; and

communicating in real-time a message to similarly acknowledge a pending reminder that corresponds to the same event in another instance of the calendaring application.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the message comprises communicating a request for synchronization in response to the acknowledgement, wherein each acknowledgment requests a corresponding synchronization.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving a second message, the second message indicating at least one of i) the request for synchronization was successful and ii) the request for synchronization was unsuccessful.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the message comprises communicating the message to a destination, the message comprising an instruction to similarly acknowledge the pending reminder in the another instance of the calendaring application.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising receiving a second message, the second message indicating at least one of i) the instruction was received at the destination, ii) the instruction was not received at the destination, iii) the pending reminder was similarly acknowledged at the destination, iv) the instruction was denied by the destination.

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising retrieving the destination from memory, the memory storing a list of destinations at which other instances of the calendaring application reside.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the message comprises wirelessly communicating the message.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing the calendar entry comprises storing an element of the rule that permits remotely acknowledging the reminder.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing the calendar entry comprises storing an element of the rule that prevents remotely acknowledging the reminder.

10. A system, comprising:

a calendaring application stored in memory; and

a processor communicating with the memory,

the processor storing a calendar entry corresponding to an event and a rule,

the rule comprising a reminder of the event;

the processor presenting the reminder according to the rule;

the processor receiving an acknowledgement of the reminder; and

the processor communicating in real-time a message to similarly acknowledge a pending reminder that corresponds to the same event in another instance of the calendaring application.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the system communicates a request for synchronization in response to the acknowledgement, wherein each acknowledgment requests a corresponding synchronization.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the system receives a second message, the second message indicating at least one of i) the request for synchronization was successful and ii) the request for synchronization was unsuccessful.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein the system communicates the message to a destination, the message comprising an instruction to similarly acknowledge the pending reminder in the another instance of the calendaring application.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the system receives a second message, the second message indicating at least one of i) the instruction was received at the destination, ii) the instruction was not received at the destination, iii) the pending reminder was similarly acknowledged at the destination, iv) the pending reminder was not acknowledged at the destination.

15. A system according to claim 13, further comprising retrieving the destination from the memory, the memory storing a list of destinations at which other instances of the calendaring application reside.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein the system wirelessly communicates the message.

17. A system according to claim 10, wherein the system stores an element of the rule that permits remotely acknowledging the reminder.

18. A system according to claim 10, wherein the system stores an element of the rule that prevents remotely acknowledging the reminder.

19. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a calendaring application stored on the computer-readable medium, the calendaring application comprising computer code for

storing a calendar entry corresponding to an event and a rule, the rule comprising a reminder of the event;

presenting the reminder according to the rule;

receiving an acknowledgement of the reminder; and

communicating in real-time a message to similarly acknowledge a pending reminder that corresponds to the same event in another instance of the calendaring application.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the calendaring application further comprises computer code for at least one of:

communicating a request for synchronization in response to the acknowledgement, wherein each acknowledgment requests a corresponding synchronization; and

communicating the message to a destination, the message comprising an instruction to similarly acknowledge the pending reminder in the another instance of the calendaring application.