SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCORPORATING CALENDAR FUNCTIONALITY INTO ELECTRONIC MESSAGES

• US 20140288990A1
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baydin, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baydin, Inc.
• Inventors: MOORE, Alexander, CHIN, Michael, MOAH, Aye, KOMISSAROUK, Alexey
• Granted Patent: US 9,990,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

A system is provided which that allows users of electronic communication systems and/or calendar systems the ability to suggest meetings to users of different electronic communication systems and/or calendar systems via electronic messages. The system may provide users with the ability to share calendar availability with users of other electronic communication systems and/or calendar systems via electronic message. One aspect of the disclosed system is the fact that users can share interactive calendar information, and propose and confirm tentative meetings and events, with users of different electronic communications and/or calendar systems. Additionally, calendar information that is shared with others may be dynamically updated even after the electronic messages have been sent.

Claims

1. In a computer system comprising at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions and at least one processing unit communicatively coupled to the memory, a method for incorporating calendar functionality into an electronic message, the method comprising:

receiving, from an organizer, a selection of a plurality of tentative time periods for a new calendar entry in the organizer'"'"'s electronic calendar system;

including, in an electronic message, a graphical representation of the tentative time periods selected by the organizer, wherein the graphical representation relies on remotely stored content reflecting the tentative time periods selected by the organizer that is not stored in the electronic message itself;

sending the electronic message to at least one recipient;

updating the remotely stored content to reflect changes to the tentative time periods.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the organizer and at least one recipient use different electronic communication systems.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the organizer and at least one recipient use different electronic calendar systems.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message contains a unique identifier that assures that only the desired one or more recipients access the remotely stored content reflecting the tentative time periods selected by the organizer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation includes a graphical representation of the organizer'"'"'s availability for a certain time period that relies on remotely stored content reflecting the organizer'"'"'s availability that is not stored in the electronic message itself.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the content reflecting the organizer'"'"'s availability is updated to reflect changes to the organizer'"'"'s availability.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remotely stored content comprises one or more images.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation provides a recipient with the ability to click on a tentative time period to confirm the recipient'"'"'s availability for said tentative time period.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving a confirmation from a recipient for one of the plurality of tentative time periods.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of creating a new calendar entry for the tentative time period confirmed by the recipient.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting that changes that affect the tentative time periods selected by the organizer have occurred.

12. An apparatus for incorporating calendar functionality into an electronic message, the apparatus comprising:

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

at least one processing unit communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processing unit;

receives, from an organizer, a selection of a plurality of tentative time periods for a new calendar entry in the organizer'"'"'s electronic calendar system;

includes, in an electronic message, a graphical representation of the tentative time periods selected by the organizer, wherein the graphical representation relies on remotely stored content reflecting the tentative time periods selected by the organizer that is not stored in the electronic message itself;

sends the electronic message to at least one recipient;

updates the remotely stored content to reflect changes to the tentative time periods.

13. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium encoded with computer-readable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computing device, control the computing device to perform a method for managing electronic messages, the method comprising:

receiving, from an organizer, a selection of a plurality of tentative time periods for a new calendar entry in the organizer'"'"'s electronic calendar system;

including, in an electronic message, a graphical representation of the tentative time periods selected by the organizer, wherein the graphical representation relies on remotely stored content reflecting the tentative time periods selected by the organizer that is not stored in the electronic message itself;

sending the electronic message to at least one recipient;

updating the remotely stored content to reflect changes to the tentative time periods.

14. In a computer system comprising at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions and at least one processing unit communicatively coupled to the memory, a method for incorporating calendar functionality into an electronic message, the method comprising:

receiving, from a sender, a request to share information about the sender'"'"'s calendar availability with others, wherein said information about the sender'"'"'s calendar availability reflects information from one or more calendar entries in the sender'"'"'s electronic calendar system;

including, in an electronic message, a graphical representation of the sender'"'"'s calendar availability wherein the graphical representation relies on remotely stored content reflecting the sender'"'"'s calendar availability that is not stored in the electronic message itself;

sending the electronic message to one or more recipients;

updating the remotely stored content to reflect changes to the sender'"'"'s calendar availability based, at least in part, on changes made to calendar entries in the sender'"'"'s electronic calendar system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the remotely stored content comprises one or more images.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic message contains a unique identifier that assures that only the desired one or more recipients access the remotely stored content reflecting the sender'"'"'s calendar availability.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of detecting that changes that affect the sender'"'"'s calendar availability have occurred.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the graphical representation of the sender'"'"'s calendar availability additionally reflects the availability of one or more other users.

19. An apparatus for incorporating calendar functionality into an electronic message, the apparatus comprising:

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

at least one processing unit communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processing unit;

receives, from a sender, a request to share information about the sender'"'"'s calendar availability with others, wherein said information about the sender'"'"'s calendar availability reflects information from one or more calendar entries in the sender'"'"'s electronic calendar system;

includes, in an electronic message, a graphical representation of the sender'"'"'s calendar availability wherein the graphical representation relies on remotely stored content reflecting the sender'"'"'s calendar availability that is not stored in the electronic message itself;

sends the electronic message to one or more recipients;

updates the remotely stored content to reflect changes to the sender'"'"'s calendar availability based, at least in part, on changes made to calendar entries in the sender'"'"'s electronic calendar system.

20. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium encoded with computer-readable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computing device, control the computing device to perform a method for managing electronic messages, the method comprising:

receiving, from a sender, a request to share information about the sender'"'"'s calendar availability with others, wherein said information about the sender'"'"'s calendar availability reflects information from one or more calendar entries in the sender'"'"'s electronic calendar system;

including, in an electronic message, a graphical representation of the sender'"'"'s calendar availability wherein the graphical representation relies on remotely stored content reflecting the sender'"'"'s calendar availability that is not stored in the electronic message itself;

sending the electronic message to one or more recipients;

updating the remotely stored content to reflect changes to the sender'"'"'s calendar availability based, at least in part, on changes made to calendar entries in the sender'"'"'s electronic calendar system.