APPLICATION OF COST CONSTRAINTS IN EVENT SCHEDULING

• US 20100106627A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chakra, Al, Zimmet, Carol Sue, O'Sullivan, Patrick Joseph, Harpur, Liam, Farrell, Colm
• Granted Patent: US 8,788,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A cost metric is associated with each of a plurality of calendar event parameters of a proposed calendar event. A calendar event cost projection is determined based upon, at least in part, the cost metric associated with each of the plurality of the calendar event parameters. The calendar event cost projection is compared to a calendar event budget. At least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters is selected based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a cost metric associated with each of a plurality of calendar event parameters of a proposed calendar event;

determining a calendar event cost projection based upon, at least in part, the cost metric associated with each of the plurality of the calendar event parameters;

comparing the calendar event cost projection to a calendar event budget; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cost metric comprises at least one of an attendance cost per invitee, a travel cost per invitee, an event time cost, an event location cost and an event type cost.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters includes a meeting invitee.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters comprises providing a recommendation for at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing a calendar event schedule for an event invitee;

determining whether the event invitee has an existing calendar event scheduled proximate to the proposed calendar event;

if the event invitee has an existing calendar event scheduled proximate to the proposed calendar event;

determining an add-on cost projection associated with scheduling the proposed calendar event adjacent to the existing calendar event;

comparing the add-on cost projection to at least one of the calendar event cost projection and the calendar event budget; and

scheduling the proposed calendar event based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the add-on cost projection to the calendar event cost projection and the calendar event budget.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a warning if selecting at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters exceeds the calendar event budget.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing scheduling the proposed calendar event if the calendar event budget is exceeded.

8. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

analyzing a cost metric for one or more calendar event parameters, wherein the one or more calendar event parameters include one or more of a number of event invitees, an event type, an event time and an event location;

determining a cost metric associated with each of a plurality of calendar event parameters of a proposed calendar event;

determining a calendar event cost projection based upon, at least in part, the cost metric associated with each of the plurality of the calendar event parameters;

comparing the calendar event cost projection to a calendar event budget; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the cost metric comprises at least one of an attendance cost per invitee, a travel cost per invitee, an event time cost, an event location cost and an event type cost.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters includes a meeting invitee.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions for selecting at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters comprise instructions for providing a recommendation for at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising instructions for:

analyzing a calendar event schedule for an event invitee;

determining whether the event invitee has an existing calendar event scheduled proximate to the proposed calendar event;

if the event invitee has an existing calendar event scheduled proximate to the proposed calendar event;

determining an add-on cost projection associated with scheduling the proposed calendar event adjacent to the existing calendar event;

comparing the add-on cost projection to at least one of the calendar event cost projection and the calendar event budget; and

scheduling the proposed calendar event based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the add-on cost projection to the calendar event cost projection and the calendar event budget.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising instructions for providing a warning if selecting at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters exceeds the calendar event budget.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising instructions for preventing scheduling the proposed calendar event if the calendar event budget is exceeded.

15. A computing system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory architecture coupled with the at least one processor;

a first software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the first software module is configured to determine a cost metric associated with each of a plurality of calendar event parameters of a proposed calendar event;

a second software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the second software module is configured to determine a calendar event cost projection based upon, at least in part, the cost metric associated with each of the plurality of the calendar event parameters;

a third software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the third software module is configured to compare the calendar event cost projection to a calendar event budget; and

a fourth software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the fourth software module is configured to select at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the cost metric comprises at least one of an attendance cost per invitee, a travel cost per invitee, an event time cost, an event location cost and an event type cost.

17. The computing system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters includes a meeting invitee.

18. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the fourth software module, configured to select at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters, is further configured to provide a recommendation for at least one of the plurality of calendar event parameters based upon, at least in part, the comparison of the calendar event cost projection to the calendar event budget.