Calendar Synchronization using Syndicated Data

• US 20080046471A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Newsilike Media Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Newsilike Media Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Charles, Moore, James
• Application Number:
  US11/828,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046471A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A calendar synchronization system uses syndicated data to transfer calendar items among calendars in disparate calendaring systems.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a first calendar, the first calendar supported by a first calendaring system and the first calendar containing one or more calendar items;

converting the one or more calendar items into a syndicated format to provide a calendar feed;

processing the calendar feed; and

providing the calendar feed to a second calendar supported by a second calendaring system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the calendar feed to the second calendaring system includes passing the calendar feed to a syndication-to-calendar application connector.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the calendar feed includes adding a calendar item.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the calendar feed includes filtering the calendar feed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the calendar feed includes aggregating at least two calendars into a single feed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the calendar feed includes converting additional calendar items from the second calendar system into a second calendar feed and resolving one or more conflicts between the calendar feed and the second calendar feed.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first calendaring system includes a system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft Outlook, Google calendar, iCalendar, and a SalesForce calendar.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second calendaring system includes a system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft Outlook, Google calendar, iCalendar, and a SalesForce calendar.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first calendaring system is different from the second calendaring system.

10. A computer program product comprising computer executable code that when executing on one or more computer devices performs the steps of:

accessing a first calendar, the first calendar supported by a first calendaring system and the first calendar containing one or more calendar items;

converting the one or more calendar items into a syndicated format to provide a calendar feed;

processing the calendar feed; and

providing the calendar feed to a second calendar supported by a second calendaring system.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein providing the calendar feed to the second calendaring system includes passing the calendar feed to a syndication-to-calendar application connector.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein processing the calendar feed includes adding a calendar item.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein processing the calendar feed includes filtering the calendar feed.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein processing the calendar feed includes aggregating at least two calendars into a single feed.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein processing the calendar feed includes converting additional calendar items from the second calendar system into a second calendar feed and resolving one or more conflicts between the calendar feed and the second calendar feed.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the first calendaring system includes a system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft Outlook, Google calendar, iCalendar, and a SalesForce calendar.

17. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the second calendaring system includes a system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft Outlook, Google calendar, iCalendar, and a SalesForce calendar.

18. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the first calendaring system is different from the second calendaring system.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a syndicated feed;

processing the syndicated feed to generate an alert;

converting the alert into a calendar item; and

delivering the calendar item to a calendar system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the calendar item is a scheduled event having a time that is the current time.