System and Method for Scheduling an Event Over a Network

• US 20100138450A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ACCESS Systems Americas Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Connelly, Charles, Sanchez de Lozada, Jorges, Borges, Jorge, Fishman, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• 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 scheduling an event over a network in a calendar of an invitee includes creating a schedule request that includes at least a set of details of the event and an identifier if the event creator. The schedule request is sent to a server in communication with the network. The server has access to the calendar of the invitee and a calendar for the event creator. Upon receipt of the schedule request, an event record is created at the server that includes at least the set of details for the event and a link to the invitee'"'"'s calendar. The event is also added to the calendar of the invitee. The schedule request may be created using a link associated with the event.

Claims

1. A system for scheduling an event over a network in a calendar of an invitee stored on a computing device, the event having a set of details provided by an event creator, the system comprising:

a link, inserted in a web page published by the event creator on a web server and including the event, that when selected by the invitee creates a schedule request including at least the set of details for the event, the schedule request directing the event to the invitee'"'"'s calendar, wherein the selection by the invitee of the link is not preceded by the sending to the invitee of an invitation for the event;

a scheduling server, in communication with the network and capable of communicating with the computing device, to receive the schedule request; and

a computing device, containing calendar data of the invitee, in communication with the scheduling server, to synchronize with the schedule request.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the schedule request further includes an identifier for the event creator.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the scheduling server stores a calendar of the invitee.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the scheduling server stores the set of details for the event in the calendar of the invitee.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the scheduling server stores the set of details for the event in an event record.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the event record further contains a link to the calendar of the invitee.

7. A system according to claim 5, further comprising at least one database, in communication with the scheduling server, to store the event record.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device synchronizes with the schedule request using wired communication.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device synchronizes with the schedule request through wireless communications.

10. A method for scheduling an event over a network in a calendar of an invitee stored on a computing device, the event having a set of details provided by an event creator, the method comprising:

as the result of an action by the invitee on a web page published by the event creator, receiving a first schedule request at a scheduling server, such schedule request including at least the set of details, and the scheduling server being capable of communication with the computing device;

creating an event record at the scheduling server, the event record including at least the set of details; and

synchronizing the computing device with the set of details from the scheduling server;

wherein the action by the invitee on the web page is not preceded by the sending to the invitee of an invitation for the event.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the schedule request further includes an identifier for the event creator.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the scheduling server has access to a calendar of the event creator.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

using the identifier for the event creator to locate the calendar of the event creator; and

adding the event to the calendar of the event creator.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the scheduling server stores a calendar of the invitee.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising adding the event to the calendar of the invitee stored by the scheduling server.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the event record further includes a link to the calendar of the invitee stored by the scheduling server.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the computing device synchronizes with the set of details using a wired connection.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the computing device synchronizes with the set of details through wireless communication.

19. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

as the result of an action by a second invitee on the web page, receiving a second schedule request at the scheduling server, such second schedule request including an updated set of details for the event;

locating an event record at the scheduling server that corresponds to the first schedule request;

updating the event record to include the updated set of details; and

sending to the computing device a message for synchronizing the event record, causing the computing device to retrieve the updated set of details from the scheduling server.

20. A computer program product for use with a computer system for scheduling an event over a network in a calendar of an invitee stored on a computing device, the event having a set of details provided by an event creator, the computer program product comprising a tangible computer useable medium having computer readable code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for receiving a schedule request including at least the set of details at a scheduling server in communication with the network as the result of action by the invitee on a web page published by the event creator, wherein the action by the invitee on the web page is not preceded by the sending to the invitee of an invitation for the event;

program code for creating an event record at the scheduling server, the event record including at least the set of details; and

program code for synchronizing the calendar of the invitee stored on the computing device with the event record.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the schedule request includes an identifier for the event creator.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21, the computer readable program code further comprising program code for including the identifier for the event creator in the event record.

23. A computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the scheduling server has access to a calendar for the event creator, the computer readable program code further comprising program code for using the identifier for the event creator to locate the calendar for the event creator, and adding the event to the calendar for the event creator.

24. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the scheduling server stores a calendar of the invitee.

25. A computer program product according to claim 24, the computer readable program code further comprising program code for adding the event to the calendar of the invitee stored by the scheduling server.

26. A computer program product according to claim 24, the computer readable program code further comprising program code for including in the event record a link to the calendar of the invitee stored by the scheduling server.

27. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the program code for synchronizing accesses a wired connection.

28. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the program code for synchronizing accesses a wireless connection.