CALENDAR EVENT SCHEDULING

• US 20100088143A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hellerstein, Joseph L., Williams, Brian D., Platt, John C., Cadiz, Jonathan J., Basu, Sumit
• Application Number:
  US12/246,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088143A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

The described implementations relate to calendar event scheduling. One system includes a storage component configured to store scheduling constraints relating to at least one user. The system also includes a declarative calendar component configured to automatically schedule declarative calendar events for the at least one user based upon the scheduling constraints.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a storage component configured to store scheduling constraints relating to at least one user; and

,

a declarative calendar component configured to automatically schedule declarative calendar events for the at least one user based upon the scheduling constraints.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user comprises multiple users and wherein the storage component comprises a centralized database that is configured to store the scheduling constraints of individual users.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the declarative calendar component is configured to cause declarative calendar events to be presented on a user interface in a different form than manually-created calendar events.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the declarative scheduled calendar events can cover a time span and include multiple portions with the time span.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the declarative calendar component is configured to cause declarative calendar events to be presented on a user interface in a different form than manually-created calendar events and is further configured to reschedule an individual declarative calendar event in an instance where a user manually schedules a calendar event that conflicts with the individual declarative calendar event.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface allows a first user to view a second user'"'"'s calendar.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the declarative calendar component is configured to cause declarative calendar events to be presented on a user interface in a different form than other calendar events and is configured to reschedule the declarative calendar events in an instance where the user schedules an individual other calendar event in conflict with an individual declarative calendar event.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage component is configured to store the scheduling constraints and associated user assigned priorities for individual scheduling constraints.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the declarative calendar component comprises a constraint satisfaction component.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the declarative scheduling component is also configured to allow the at least one user an option of manually scheduling calendar events and wherein manually scheduled calendar events are displayed in a different color from declarative calendar events.

11. A method, comprising:

presenting a declaratively scheduled calendar event to a proposed attendee; and

,

allowing the proposed attendee to either accept the declaratively scheduled calendar event or specify constraints that cause rescheduling of the declaratively scheduled calendar event.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the allowing comprises allowing the proposed attendee to pre-configure settings so that the declaratively scheduled calendar event is automatically accepted unless there is a conflict on the proposed attendee'"'"'s calendar.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the presenting comprises presenting a cumulative view of all calendar changes made on behalf of the proposed attendee through declarative scheduling for a given period.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the presenting and the allowing are accomplished via a single graphical window of a user interface.

15. A computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform acts, comprising:

enabling a user to request declarative scheduling of a calendar event; and

,

allowing the user to define constraints associated with the calendar event.

16. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the enabling comprises generating a calendar user-interface that allows the user to select from one of:

manually scheduling the calendar event and requesting declarative scheduling of the calendar event.

17. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the allowing comprises one or more of:

providing a list of potential constraints and allowing the user to select constraints from the list for the calendar event, and allowing the user to manually enter the defined constraints.

18. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the allowing comprises allowing the user to assign a relative priority rank to the defined constraints.

19. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a change to another declaratively scheduled calendar event produced by the declarative scheduling;

recognizing an impact on a different declarative constraint associated with the another declaratively scheduled calendar event; and

,

initiating user-notification relating to the impact.

20. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15, further comprising:

facilitating the user sending the constraints to a different user that can redefine the constraints; and

,

declaratively scheduling a calendar event based at least in part on the defined constraints.