GENERATING, AND UPDATING CALENDAR EVENTS FROM NON-CALENDAR SOURCES

• US 20090198728A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Davia, Christopher J., Westberg, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Calendar events are pulled from an information source, such as a website, having listed events. A user subscribes to an information source where information containing time-stamped events appears. Alternatively, a user specifies a keyword for searching on the information source. If there are any changes on the information source in regard to a user-specified keyword, the event is automatically linked to the user'"'"'s calendar. In yet another aspect, a publisher of the information source uses a tag set to tag running text on their information source, e.g. website, such that there is no need for the publisher of an information source to maintain a calendar of the events described in the information source. In yet another aspect, the publisher of the information source is not informed of who subscribes to the information source or what keywords the users specify in regard to the information source to provide user anonymity.

Claims

1. The method for utilizing web-based information for generating and updating calendar events from non-calendar sources, comprising

creating a list of criteria relating to calendar events;

generating a set of HTML tags to be embedded in an internet or intranet information source relating to said criteria;

providing a link-up between a user and said information source; and

applying a keyword filter to search for information on said source.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the information in the source contains time-stamped events.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the filtered information is added to the user'"'"'s calendar.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein any changes in the filtered information regarding a user-specified keyword is linked to the calendar of the user.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the information source includes an HTML tag set to tag running text on the source that is accessible by the user when searching for calendar information.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the keywords and the identity of the user are maintained in confidentiality.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the HTML tags are generated by the list creator and the user defines and subscribes to tags selected by the user.

24. The method according to claim 1 wherein the generation and updating of calendar events is performed within the framework of a computer infrastructure.

8. A system for utilizing web-based information for generating and updating calendar events from non-calendar sources, comprising:

a list of criteria relating to calendar events;

a set of HTML tags to be embedded in an internet or intranet information source relating to said criteria;

a link-up between a user and said information source; and

a keyword filter to search for information on said source.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the information in the source contains time-stamped events.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the filtered information is added to the user'"'"'s calendar.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein any changes in the filtered information regarding user-specified keywords is linked to the calendar of the user.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the information source includes an HTML tag set to tag running text on the source that is accessible by the user when searching for calendar information.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein the keywords and the identity of the user are maintained in confidentiality.

14. The system according to claim 8 wherein the HTML tags are generated by the list creator and the user defines and subscribes to tags selected by the user.

15. A user-based calendar system comprising:

a. a non calendar information source containing calendar events available as an HTML stream;

b. classification system employing information filtering terms generated by the user; and

c. a calendar containing information obtained from the source wherein said information meets the criteria of the filter terms contained in the classification system.

16. The calendar system according to claim 15 further including a set of HTML tags embedded in the information source.

17. The calendar system according to claim 15 wherein changes in the filtered information are linked to the user'"'"'s calendar.

18. The calendar system according to claim 16 wherein the HTML tags provide running text on changes in the source information that is accessible by the user.

19. A computer-readable medium containing instructions, when implemented on a computer for at least one computer processing system by a method comprising:

utilizing web-based information from non-calendar sources to generate and update calendar events using a list of criteria relating to calendar events;

creating a set of HTML tags to be embedded in an internet or intranet information source relating to said criteria;

providing a link-up between a user and said information source; and

applying a keyword filter to enable the user to search for information on said source.

20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19 wherein changes in the information filtered by the keyword are linked to the calendar of the user.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19 wherein the HTML tags are generated by the list creator and the user defines and subscribes to tags selected by the user.

22. A program product including a medium on which a computer program is recorded, said computer program including:

a first set of instructions for establishing a list of criteria relating to calendar events of interest to a user;

a second set of instructions for collecting web-based information relating to said calendar events from non-calendar information sources based on the list of criteria;

a third set of instructions for providing a link-up between said user and said information sources;

a fourth set of instructions for applying a keyword filter to search for calendar events on the information sources; and

program logic for initiating said sets of instructions to provide the user with a list of events based upon the user provided criteria.

23. The program product according to claim 22 wherein the information sources employ metal tags that enable the collection of the web-based information pursuant to the second set of instructions.