MANAGING FLEXIBLE EVENTS IN AN ELECTRONIC CALENDAR

• US 20180260785A1
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BENDER, Michael, GREENLEE, Gordan G., SHUTE, Michael P., SOOD, Siddhartha
• Granted Patent: US 10,565,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing flexible events in an electronic calendar are disclosed. In embodiments, a computer-implemented method comprises: determining, by a computing device, that an electronic calendar event is a flexible event based on recording data of the electronic calendar event indicating that a recording of the electronic calendar event may be available; determining, by the computing device, an end date by which the electronic calendar event must be completed based on the scheduling data; and displaying, by the computing device, an electronic calendar with the electronic calendar event to a user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, by a computing device, that an electronic calendar event is a flexible event based on recording data of the electronic calendar event indicating that a recording of the electronic calendar event may be available;

determining, by the computing device, an end date by which the electronic calendar event must be completed based on the recording data; and

displaying, by the computing device, an electronic calendar with the electronic calendar event to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer device, scheduling data for the electronic calendar event, the scheduling data including the recording data;

recording, by the computing device, the electronic calendar event at a first location on the electronic calendar;

receiving, by the computing device, a request to schedule a new event from a remote computer device, wherein the new event overlaps with the electronic calendar event on the electronic calendar; and

automatically rescheduling, by the computing device, the electronic calendar event based on the electronic calendar event being a flexible event and based on the end date, wherein the electronic calendar event is automatically moved from the first location on the electronic calendar to an open second location on the electronic calendar prior to the end date.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that the electronic calendar event at the second location is no longer a flexible event based on the end date; and

updating, by the computing device, the electronic calendar as a non-flexible event in the electronic calendar.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining that the electronic calendar event at the second location is no longer a flexible event comprises determining that no open locations are available on the electronic calendar prior to the end date.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying, by the computing device, an indication that the new event overlaps with the electronic calendar event; and

receiving, by the computing device, a user acceptance of the request to schedule the new event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, by the computing device, a user with an option to confirm that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event; and

receiving, by the computing device, a user confirmation that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic calendar event includes indicia indicating that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event, wherein displaying the electronic calendar event comprises displaying the indicia.

8. A computer program product for managing flexible events in an electronic calendar, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

receive scheduling data for an electronic calendar event, the scheduling data including recording data indicating that a recording of the electronic calendar event may be available;

determine that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event based on the recording data;

determine an end date by which the electronic calendar event must be completed based on the scheduling data; and

displaying the electronic calendar with the electronic calendar event and indicia indicating that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions further cause the computing device to:

record the electronic calendar event at a first location on the electronic calendar;

receive a request to schedule a new event from a remote computer device, wherein the new event overlaps with the electronic calendar event on the electronic calendar; and

automatically reschedule the electronic calendar event based on the electronic calendar event being a flexible event and based on the end date, wherein the electronic calendar event is automatically moved from the first location on the electronic calendar to an open second location on the electronic calendar prior to the end date.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine that the electronic calendar event at the second location is no longer a flexible event based on the end date; and

updating the electronic calendar as a non-flexible event.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the determining that the electronic calendar event at the second location is no longer a flexible event comprises determining that no open locations are available on the electronic calendar prior to the end date.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions further cause the computing device to:

display an indication that the new event overlaps with the electronic calendar event; and

receive a user acceptance of the request to schedule the new event.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions further cause the computing device to:

present a user with an option to confirm that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event; and

receive user confirmation that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the indicia indicating that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event is selected from the group consisting of:

a color designation;

an icon;

a symbol;

a border;

or other visual representation of the flexible event designation.

15. A system for managing flexible events in an electronic calendar, comprising:

a CPU, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium associated with a computing device;

program instructions to receive scheduling data for an electronic calendar event from a remote computer device, the scheduling data including recording data indicating that a recording of the electronic calendar event may be available;

program instructions to determine that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event based on the recording data;

program instructions to determine an end date by which the electronic calendar event must be completed based on the scheduling data;

program instructions to updating the electronic calendar with the electronic calendar event, wherein the electronic calendar event includes indicia indicating that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event; and

program instructions to display the electronic calendar event to a user as a flexible event,

wherein the program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to record the electronic calendar event at a first location on the electronic calendar;

program instructions to receive a request to schedule a new event, wherein the new event overlaps with the electronic calendar event on the electronic calendar; and

program instructions to automatically reschedule the electronic calendar event based on the electronic calendar event being a flexible event and based on the end date, wherein the electronic calendar event is moved from the first location on the electronic calendar to an open second location on the electronic calendar prior to the end date.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions to determine that the electronic calendar event at the second location is no longer a flexible event based on the end date; and

program instructions to display the electronic calendar as a non-flexible event.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the determining that the electronic calendar event at the second location is no longer a flexible event comprises determining that no open locations are available on the electronic calendar prior to the end date.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions to display an indication that the new event overlaps with the electronic calendar event; and

program instructions to receive a user acceptance of the request to schedule the new event.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to present a user with an option to confirm that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event; and

program instructions to receive a user confirmation that the electronic calendar event is a flexible event.