Semi-automated reciprocal scheduling

• US 20110093858A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3c Capital, LLC
• Original Assignee: 3c Capital, LLC
• Inventors: Friedfertig, Marc, Kane, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Schedules which include reciprocal events, such as schedules for youth hockey leagues, can be created using a system in which users can invite one another to schedule games based on information selected through an interface and reciprocal dates which are automatically identified by a suitably programmed computer. Information related to games and schedules can be stored in a database which can be accessed and modified by different users depending on their roles and the permissions associated with those roles.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer executable instructions operable to configure a computer to:

a) receive an input from a user, said input comprising an indication of a first event to schedule a match for a first travel sport team;

b) identify a set of possible opponents for the first travel sport team for the first event;

c) if the cardinality of the set of possible opponents is greater than zero;

i) generate and send the user a set of data comprising;

a listing of the set of possible opponents; and

a set of reciprocal dates for each opponent from the set of possible opponents;

ii) receive a first response from the user, the first response comprising;

a selected opponent from the set of possible opponents;

a selected reciprocal date from the set of reciprocal dates for the selected opponent;

iii) after receiving the first response, generate a reciprocal invitation for the selected opponent, the reciprocal invitation comprising data identifying the first event and the selected reciprocal date.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of computer executable instructions is further operable to configure the computer to:

a) receive a second response from the user, wherein the second response comprises the selected opponent, an indication of no reciprocation, and does not comprise the selected reciprocal date; and

,

b) after receiving the second response, generate a non-reciprocal invitation for the selected opponent, the non-reciprocal invitation comprising data identifying the first event.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the set of computer executable instructions is further operable to configure the computer to receive the second response without receiving the first response.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the set of computer executable instructions is further operable to configure the computer to:

a) receive an acceptance from the selected opponent; and

b) after receiving the acceptance, scheduling the match between the first travel sport team and the selected opponent for the first event.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the set of computer executable instructions is further operable to configure the computer to:

a) prior to receiving the acceptance from the selected opponent, receive a withdrawal request from the user; and

b) if the acceptance is received after the withdrawal request, generate a message for the selected opponent indicating the withdrawal request without scheduling the match between the first travel sport team and the selected opponent for the first event.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first travel sport team is a team selected from the list of teams consisting of:

a) a youth hockey team;

b) a baseball team;

c) a lacrosse team;

d) a football team; and

e) a soccer team.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first travel sport team is a youth hockey team.

8. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer executable instructions operable to configure a computer to:

a) via a display, present a first user an interface comprising a calendar, the calendar configured to allow a selection of an available game date;

b) based on the selection of the available game date, present an automatically generated set of possible opponents for the available game date via the display;

c) based on receiving a request to view reciprocal dates for a selected opponent from the set of possible opponents, present an automatically generated set of reciprocal dates for the selected opponent via the display;

d) generate a signal indicating selection of a reciprocal date from the set of reciprocal dates; and

e) based on receiving a signal indicating acceptance of the reciprocal date by a second user associated with the selected opponent, presenting an updated interface comprising the calendar, wherein the calendar displays a scheduled game with the selected opponent on the reciprocal date.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the set of computer executable instructions is further operable to configure the computer to receive the automatically generated set of possible opponents, the automatically generated set of reciprocal dates, and the signal indicating acceptance of the reciprocal date by the second user from a remote computer.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the set of computer executable instructions is further operable to configure the computer to, prior to receiving the signal indicating acceptance of the reciprocal date, receive a request from the first user to withdraw the selection of the reciprocal date.

11. A system comprising:

a) a database;

b) a server computer comprising a server memory storing a first set of computer executable instructions operable to configure the server computer to perform a set of server functions comprising;

i) reading information from the database, and

ii) writing information to, the database; and

c) a first user computer comprising;

i) a network connection; and

ii) a first user computer memory storing a second set of computer executable instructions operable to configure the first user computer to communicate with the server computer via the network connection;

wherein the set of server functions comprises, using information from the database and based on receiving an input from the first user computer indicating selection of an available game date for a first travel sport team;

a) identifying a set of possible opponents for the first travel sport team for the selected available game date;

b) for each opponent from the set of possible opponents, identifying a set of reciprocal dates;

c) sending a set of possible opponent display information to the first user computer, the set of possible opponent display information comprising the set of possible opponents, and the set of reciprocal dates for each possible opponent from the set of possible opponents;

d) based on a response received from the first user computer, generating an invitation for a selected opponent from the set of possible opponents, the invitation comprising an indication of the selected available game date; and

e) storing the invitation in the database.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of server functions further comprises:

a) receiving a request for a set of interface information associated with the selected opponent from a second user computer;

b) based on receiving the request for the set of interface information, retrieving the invitation from the database;

c) sending the second user computer a response to the request for the set of interface information, the response comprising the invitation;

d) receiving an acceptance of the invitation from the second user computer;

e) based on receiving the acceptance of the invitation, modifying the information in the database by;

i) replacing a data object representing the available game date with a data object representing a first game between the first travel sport team and the selected opponent; and

ii) replacing a data object representing the selected reciprocal date with a data object representing a second game between the first travel sport team and the selected opponent.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of server functions further comprises:

a) receiving a request to withdraw the invitation; and

b) based on receiving the request to withdraw the invitation, removing the invitation from the database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the set of server functions further comprises:

a) after removing the invitation from the database, receiving a request for a set of interface information associated with the selected opponent from a second user computer; and

b) sending the second user computer a response to the request for the set of interface information;

and wherein the set of interface information configures the second user computer to display an interface which does not indicate the invitation and which does not indicate the withdrawal of the invitation.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first travel sport team is a team selected from the list of teams consisting of:

a) a youth hockey team;

b) a baseball team;

c) a lacrosse team;

d) a football team; and

e) a soccer team.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first travel sport team is a youth hockey team.