CALENDAR AVAILABILITY ASSESSMENT

• US 20100121665A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boyer, John M.
• Application Number:
  US12/267,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121665A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment 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 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

A method for an electronic calendar and scheduling application to associate levels of availability (bookability) with time slots on individual calendars for minimizing the level of intrusiveness during the scheduling of a meeting includes: determining a set of feasible time slots bounded by a time range; determining a time slot with the lowest level of intrusiveness for one or more potential participants by: determining a level of intrusiveness in a time slot by: assigning a first weight based on a participant'"'"'s attendance level to the meeting; assigning a second weight based on a participant'"'"'s booking availability priority; performing a mathematical calculation with the first weight and second weight to obtain a calculated value; storing the calculated value; obtaining additional calculated values for additional participants; and wherein in the event there are no more additional participants: performing a mathematical combination of the stored calculated values to obtain an intrusiveness value.

Claims

1. A method for an electronic calendar and scheduling application to associate levels of availability with time slots on individual calendars for minimizing the level of intrusiveness during the scheduling of a new meeting in a time slot, wherein the method comprises:

determining a set of feasible time slots bounded by a time range;

determining a time slot, from the set of feasible time slots, with the lowest level of intrusiveness for one or more potential participants by;

determining a level of intrusiveness in a time slot by;

assigning a first weight based on a participant'"'"'s attendance level to the meeting;

assigning a second weight based on a participant'"'"'s booking availability priority;

performing a mathematical calculation with the assigned first weight on the participant'"'"'s attendance level and the assigned second weight on the booking availability priority to obtain a calculated value;

storing the calculated value;

determining whether there are additional participants;

wherein in the event there are additional participants;

obtaining an additional calculated value for each additional participant using the process steps outlined above; and

wherein in the event there are no more additional participants;

performing a mathematical combination of the stored calculated values to obtain an intrusiveness value that indicates a level of scheduling conflict in the time slot; and

wherein from the set of feasible time slots, the time slot with the lowest intrusiveness value is used for scheduling the new meeting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the time range that bounds the set of feasible time slots is determined by an inversely proportional relationship to a level of urgency associated with the new meeting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mathematical calculation is multiplication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mathematical calculation is a subtraction;

and

wherein the assigned first weight on the participant'"'"'s attendance priority is subtracted from the assigned second weight on the booking availability priority.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mathematical combination is a summation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigned first weight on a participant'"'"'s attendance level is determined using ascending numeric values associated with one of the following sequences of qualifiers:

optional, required, and essential; and

spectator, decision-maker, and presenter/moderator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigned second weight value differs for a participant that is available and not scheduled for a conflicting meeting in the time slot, an optional participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a low priority booking in the time slot, a required participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a normal priority booking in the time slot, and an essential participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a high priority booking in the time slot.

8. An article comprising one or more computer-readable storage media containing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method for implementing an electronic calendar and scheduling application to associate levels of availability with time slots on individual calendars for minimizing the level of intrusiveness during the scheduling of a new meeting in a time slot, wherein the method comprises:

determining a set of feasible time slots bounded by a time range;

determining a time slot, from the set of feasible time slots, with the lowest level of intrusiveness for one or more potential participants by;

determining a level of intrusiveness in a time slot by;

assigning a first weight based on a participant'"'"'s attendance level to the meeting;

assigning a second weight based on a participant'"'"'s booking availability priority;

performing a mathematical calculation with the assigned first weight on the participant'"'"'s attendance level and the assigned second weight on the booking availability priority to obtain a calculated value;

storing the calculated value;

determining whether there are additional participants;

wherein in the event there are additional participants;

obtaining an additional calculated value for each additional participant using the process steps outlined above; and

wherein in the event there are no more additional participants;

performing a mathematical combination of the stored calculated values to obtain an intrusiveness value that indicates a level of scheduling conflict in the time slot; and

wherein from the set of feasible time slots, the time slot with the lowest intrusiveness value is used for scheduling the new meeting.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the time range that bounds the set of feasible time slots is determined by an inversely proportional relationship to a level of urgency associated with the new meeting.

10. The article of claim 8, wherein the mathematical calculation is at least one of a multiplication and a subtraction;

and

wherein in the event the mathematical calculation is a subtraction, the assigned first weight on the participant'"'"'s attendance level is subtracted from the assigned second weight on the booking availability priority.

11. The article of claim 8, wherein the mathematical combination is a summation.

12. The article of claim 8, wherein the assigned first weight on a participant'"'"'s attendance level is determined using ascending numeric values associated with one of the following sequences of qualifiers:

optional, required, and essential; and

spectator, decision-maker, and presenter/moderator.

13. The article of claim 8, wherein the assigned second weight value differs for a participant that is available and not scheduled for a conflicting meeting in the time slot, an optional participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a low priority booking in the time slot, a required participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a normal priority booking in the time slot, and an essential participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a high priority booking in the time slot.

14. A system for an electronic calendar and scheduling application, the system comprising:

one or more computing and communication devices in communication through a network;

wherein the one or more computing and communication devices are configured to;

determine a set of feasible time slots bounded by a time range;

determine a time slot, from the set of feasible time slots, with the lowest level of intrusiveness for one or more potential participants by the following;

determine a level of intrusiveness in a time slot by the following;

assign a first weight based on a participant'"'"'s attendance level to the meeting;

assign a second weight based on a participant'"'"'s booking availability priority;

perform a mathematical calculation with the assigned first weight on the participant'"'"'s attendance level and the assigned second weight on the booking availability priority to obtain a calculated value;

store the calculated value;

determine whether there are additional participants;

wherein in the event there are additional participants;

obtain an additional calculated value for each additional participant using the process steps outlined above; and

wherein in the event there are no more additional participants;

perform a mathematical combination of the stored calculated values to obtain an intrusiveness value that indicates a level of scheduling conflict in the time slot; and

wherein from the set of feasible time slots, the time slot with the lowest intrusiveness value is used for scheduling the new meeting.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the time range that bounds the set of feasible time slots is determined by an inversely proportional relationship to a level of urgency associated with the new meeting.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the mathematical calculation is at least one of a multiplication and a subtraction;

and

wherein in the event the mathematical calculation is a subtraction, the assigned first weight on the participant'"'"'s attendance level is subtracted from the assigned second weight on the booking availability priority.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the mathematical combination is a summation.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the assigned first weight on a participant'"'"'s attendance level is determined using ascending numeric values associated with one of the following sequences of qualifiers:

optional, required, and essential; and

spectator, decision-maker, and presenter/moderator.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the assigned second weight value differs for a participant that is available and not scheduled for a conflicting meeting in the time slot, an optional participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a low priority booking in the time slot, a required participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a normal priority booking in the time slot, and an essential participant in a conflicting meeting in the time slot or has a high priority booking in the time slot.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein a graphical user interface is configured to provide a user and the one or more participants with an ability to redefine default values of meeting bookings and task bookings, and to provide visual indicators of time slot booking priorities.