Automated Event Modification in Electronic Calendar Systems

• US 20090083112A1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Peterson, Robert Ross, Seacat, Lisa Anne, Bhogal, Kulvir Singh
• Application Number:
  US11/859,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for modifying an event in an electronic calendar system. An event invitation is created in the electronic calendar system. A first timeout value is associated with the event invitation. The first timeout value specifies a time for replying to the event invitation. The event invitation is sent to one or more invitees and the first timeout value is applied to at least a subset of the one or more invitees. If a response to the event invitation is not received from an invitee with an applied timeout value within the time specified by the first timeout value, a first action relating to the event is performed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for modifying an event entry in an electronic calendar system, the method comprising:

creating an event invitation in the electronic calendar system;

associating a first timeout value with the event invitation, the first timeout value specifying a time for replying to the event invitation;

sending the event invitation to one or more invitees and applying the first timeout value to at least a subset of the one or more invitees; and

in response to not receiving a response to the event invitation from an invitee with an applied timeout value within the time specified by the first timeout value, performing a first action relating to the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action relating to the event is one of:

sending a reminder to each invitee who has not responded to the invitation, canceling the event from the electronic calendar system, and returning the event invitation to a scheduler of the event for revision.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more invitees include required invitees and optional invitees, and applying the timeout value to at least a subset of the one or more invitees includes applying the first timeout value to the required invitees.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to a required invitee declining the event invitation, canceling the event from the electronic calendar system

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a status for each invitee that has received an event invitation, the status specifying one of;

the invitee has accepted the event invitation, the invitee has declined the event invitation, the invitee has not responded to the event invitation, how long it took for the invitee to respond to the event invitation, and how much time the invitee has left to respond to the event invitation before the timeout value is reached.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a second timeout value with the reminder; and

canceling the event from the electronic calendar system when no response is received from the invitee before the expiration of the second timeout.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reserving at least one resource to be used during the event; and

wherein the first action includes canceling the reservation of the at least one resource.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying different timeout values to different subsets of invitees

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a meeting status to one or more of the invitees.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a resource status to one or more of the invitees.

23. The electronic calendar system of claim 1, wherein the one or more invitees include required invitees and optional invitees, and applying the timeout value to at least a subset of the one or more invitees includes applying the first timeout value to the required invitees.

24. The electronic calendar system of claim 23, further comprising:

in response to a required invitee declining the event invitation, means for canceling the event from the electronic calendar system

11. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

create an event invitation in an electronic calendar system;

associate a first timeout value with the event invitation, the first timeout value specifying a time for replying to the event invitation;

send the event invitation to one or more invitees and applying the first timeout value to at least a subset of the one or more invitees; and

in response to not receiving a response to the event invitation from an invitee with an applied timeout value within the time specified by the first timeout value, perform a first action relating to the event.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first action relating to the event is one of:

sending a reminder to each invitee who has not responded to the invitation, canceling the event from the electronic calendar system, and returning the event invitation to a scheduler of the event for revision.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the one or more invitees include required invitees and optional invitees, and applying the timeout value to at least a subset of the one or more invitees includes applying the first timeout value to the required invitees.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further causing the computer to:

in response to a required invitee declining the event invitation, cancel the event from the electronic calendar system

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further causing the computer to:

display a status for each invitee that has received an event invitation, the status specifying one of;

the invitee has accepted the event invitation, the invitee has declined the event invitation, the invitee has not responded to the event invitation, how long it took for the invitee to respond to the event invitation, and how much time the invitee has left to respond to the event invitation before the timeout value is reached.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further causing the computer to:

associate a second timeout value with the reminder; and

cancel the event from the electronic calendar system when no response is received from the invitee before the expiration of the second timeout.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, further causing the computer to:

reserve at least one resource to be used during the event; and

wherein the first action includes canceling the reservation of the at least one resource.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, further causing the computer to:

apply different timeout values to different subsets of invitees

19. The computer program product of claim 11, further causing the computer to:

display a meeting status to one or more of the invitees.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further causing the computer to:

display a resource status to one or more of the invitees.

21. An electronic calendar system comprising:

means for creating an event invitation in the electronic calendar system;

means for associating a first timeout value with the event invitation, the first timeout value specifying a time for replying to the event invitation;

means for sending the event invitation to one or more invitees and applying the first timeout value to at least a subset of the one or more invitees; and

in response to not receiving a response to the event invitation from an invitee with an applied timeout value within the time specified by the first timeout value, means for performing a first action relating to the event.

22. The electronic calendar system of claim 21, wherein the first action relating to the event is one of:

sending a reminder to each invitee who has not responded to the invitation, canceling the event from the electronic calendar system, and returning the event invitation to a scheduler of the event for revision.

25. The electronic calendar system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for reserving at least one resource to be used during the event; and

wherein the first action includes canceling the reservation of the at least one resource.