TEMPLATE BASED CALENDAR EVENTS WITH GRAPHIC ENRICHMENT

• US 20180121881A1
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kumar, Michael J., Tsukahara, Hiroshi, Carver, Brian T., Clinton, Margaret R., Tuomi, Elona, Wan, Jiang
• Granted Patent: US 10,838,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

Template based calendar events with graphic enrichment are provided. In some examples, upon receiving a request to create a calendar event, an event creation prompt may be presented. The prompt may include an event template selection element comprising visual aids, such as icons or emojis, that each represent different event templates for selection. Upon receiving a visual aid selection, information associated with the user requesting the calendar event may be retrieved based on the selected visual aid to infer one or more aspects of the requested event such as title, timing, and location. A suggested event with the inferred aspects may be presented to the user and upon receiving confirmation and/or modification, the suggested or modified event may be added to the user'"'"'s calendar. Some events may be presented with a visual background such as an image or graphics on the calendar for prompt recognition.

Claims

1. A method to provide template based calendar events with graphic enrichment, the method comprising:

receiving a request to create an event on a calendar;

presenting one or more visual aids for selection;

receiving a selection of a visual aid from the one or more visual aids;

retrieving information associated with a user requesting the event based on the visual aid selection to infer one or more aspects of the event;

presenting a suggested event with the one or more inferred aspects;

receiving one of a confirmation and a modification to the suggested event; and

presenting one of the suggested event on the calendar if the confirmation is received and a modified event on the calendar if the modification is received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the suggested event or the modified event with one of a graphic and an image as background on the calendar, wherein the one of the graphic and the image is associated with the suggested event or modified event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more visual aids represent one or more event templates for selection and include icons or emojis.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selecting the icons or the emojis such that corresponding event templates are promptly identifiable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the suggested event with the one or more inferred aspects comprises:

pre-filling one or more of a title field, a timing field, a location field, free/busy state field, an attendee field, a reminder time field, a description field, and a private/public state field.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inferring the one or more aspects of the event from one or more of a usage history of the user, a usage history of one or more other users, a local event template source, and an external event template source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the external event template source includes a third party service that provides one or more event templates as a promotion.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the local event template source includes an organizational data store of organizational activities and meetings.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is one of a meeting, an appointment, and a scheduled task.

10. A computing device to provide template based calendar events with graphic enrichment, the computing device comprising:

a communication interface configured to facilitate communication between the computing device and one or more servers associated with a productivity service;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors, in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, are configured to execute components of a calendar service, the components of the calendar service comprising;

a calendar application configured to facilitate scheduling of events and meetings in conjunction with the productivity service; and

a visual event template module configured to;

receive a request to create an event on a calendar;

present one or more visual aids for selection;

receive a selection of a visual aid from the one or more visual aids;

retrieve information associated with a user requesting the event based on the visual aid selection to infer one or more aspects of the event;

present a suggested event with the one or more inferred aspects;

receive one of a confirmation and a modification to the suggested event; and

present one of the suggested event on the calendar if the confirmation is received and a modified event on the calendar if the modification is received, wherein the suggested event or the modified event is presented with one of a graphic and an image that is associated with the suggested event or the modified event as background on the calendar.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the visual event template module is further configured to:

receive a plurality of event templates, each event template represented by a visual aid, as a default template set; and

enable the user to one of modify the event templates in the default template set and add new event templates to the default template set.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the visual event template module is further configured to:

analyze the user'"'"'s behavior in scheduling events; and

create a new event template based on the analysis.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the visual event template module is configured to create the new event template based on:

determination of repetitive events and one or more aspects of the repetitive events.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the visual event template module is further configured to:

enable the user to select or modify the one of the graphic and the image used as the background.

15. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the visual event template module is further configured to:

employ one or more of a shading scheme, a highlighting scheme, a color scheme, and a textual scheme to present additional information associated with the event.

16. A system to provide template based calendar events with graphic enrichment, the system comprising:

a first server configured to execute a productivity service;

a second server configured to execute a calendar service; and

a third server configured to execute a visual event template service, wherein the visual event template service is configured to;

receive a request to create an event on a calendar from the calendar service;

provide one or more visual aids to be displayed by the calendar service for selection, wherein each of the one or more visual aids represents an event template;

receive a selection of a visual aid from the one or more visual aids;

retrieve information associated with a user requesting the event based on the visual aid selection to infer one or more aspects of the event;

provide a suggested event with the one or more inferred aspects to be displayed by the calendar service;

receive one of a confirmation and a modification to the suggested event; and

provide one of the suggested event on the calendar if the confirmation is received and a modified event on the calendar if the modification is received to be displayed by the calendar service, wherein the suggested event or the modified event is provided with one of a graphic and an image that is associated with the suggested event or the modified event as background on the calendar.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual event template service is further configured to learn from the user'"'"'s behavior and create new event templates based on the learning.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the event template is integrated with a location service.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the event template is stored in one of a separate data store and in a calendar data store associated with the calendar service.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more visual aids that represent one or more event templates are based on Unicode characters such that different platforms and devices interpret and render the one or more visual aids consistently.