ATTENTION-BASED SCHEDULING

• US 20180341926A1
• Filed: 05/25/2017
• Published: 11/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Gentzkow, Hauke Antony, Lu, David, Goodman, Schuyler Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 10,565,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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

Attention-based scheduling is provided. Most people'"'"'s energy levels and cognitive functioning fluctuate throughout the day. Typically, the time of day when a person feels more energetic or has a higher attention span is the time in the person'"'"'s day when the individual has the highest productivity potential. While at off-peak times, a person may have less attention, which can make it harder for the individual to be effective. An attention-based schedule system identifies a user'"'"'s high and off-peak times based on one or more attention-based factors. When a meeting or appointment is scheduled and an attention-based scheduling conflict is determined, the user or another scheduler of the calendar item is notified, and in some examples, alternate time suggestions are provided. In some examples, off-peak times are blocked off from the user'"'"'s calendar.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing attention-based scheduling, comprising:

identifying one or more attention-based conditions associated with a user'"'"'s level of attention;

in response to receiving calendar item input associated with scheduling a new calendar item at a selected timeslot, making a determination as to whether the new calendar item generates an attention-based scheduling conflict based on the one or more attention-based conditions; and

when an attention-based scheduling conflict is generated, notifying the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more attention-based conditions comprises receiving user-specified information indicating the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more attention-based conditions comprises:

providing various attention-based exercises to the user to complete at various times over a time period; and

scoring the user'"'"'s performance of the attention-based exercises for determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more attention-based conditions comprises determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times based on general or group-sourced attention data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more attention-based conditions comprises:

receiving user interaction data, the user interaction data comprising data associated with scheduling calendar items and responding to meeting requests; and

analyzing the user interaction data for determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more attention-based conditions comprises:

collecting user interaction data associated with one or more applications during meetings scheduled at different times of a day; and

analyzing the collected user interaction data for determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the new calendar item generates an attention-based scheduling conflict comprises at least one of:

determining that the new calendar item occurs during an off-peak productivity time for the user; and

determining that the new calendar item occurs during a time period where a predetermined or user-specified threshold is exceeded.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the new calendar item occurs during a time period where a predetermined or user-specified threshold is exceeded comprises at least one of:

determining that the new calendar item occurring at the selected timeslot exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum number of calendar items for the time period; and

determining that the new calendar item occurring at the selected timeslot exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for the time period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the new calendar item occurring at the selected timeslot exceeds the predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for the time period comprises:

analyzing the new calendar item for determining an attention cost of the new calendar item; and

determining whether the attention cost of the new calendar item in view of previously-scheduled calendar items in the time period exceeds the predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for the time period.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the new calendar item comprises:

identifying a user-selected calendar item category or type, wherein the calendar item category or type is associated with a particular attention cost;

or

parsing calendar item input associated with the new calendar item; and

determining a calendar item category or type based on the parsed input, wherein the calendar item category or type is associated with a particular attention cost.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict comprises at least one of:

providing a notification alerting the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict;

blocking out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar that occur during off-peak productivity times;

blocking out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar where the new calendar item exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum number of calendar items for a time period; and

blocking out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar where the new calendar item exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for a time period.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict comprises at least one of:

notifying a scheduler of the calendar item where the user is an invitee; and

notifying the user in a meeting request for the calendar item.

13. A system for providing attention-based scheduling, the system comprising a computing device, the computing device comprising:

at least one processing device; and

at least one computer readable data storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device are operative to;

identify one or more attention-based conditions associated with a user'"'"'s level of attention;

in response to receiving calendar item input associated with scheduling a new calendar item, make a determination as to whether the new calendar item generates an attention-based scheduling conflict at one or more timeslots based on the one or more attention-based conditions; and

present one or more timeslots that do not generate an attention-based scheduling conflict as suggested meeting times.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein in determining that the new calendar item generates an attention-based scheduling conflict, the device is operative to determine at least one of:

that the new calendar item occurs during an off-peak productivity time for the user; and

that the new calendar item occurs during a time period where a predetermined or user-specified threshold is exceeded, wherein the predetermined or user-specified threshold is a maximum number of calendar items for the time period or a maximum attention cost for the time period.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein in determining that the new calendar item occurring at the selected timeslot exceeds the predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for the time period, the device is operative to:

analyze the new calendar item for determining an attention cost of the new calendar item; and

determine whether the attention cost of the new calendar item in view of previously-scheduled calendar items in the time period exceeds the predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for the time period.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein in analyzing the new calendar item, the device is operative to:

identify a user-selected calendar item category or type, wherein the calendar item category or type is associated with a particular attention cost;

or

parse calendar item input associated with the new calendar item; and

determine a calendar item category or type based on the parsed input, wherein the calendar item category or type is associated with a particular attention cost.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein in identifying the one or more attention-based conditions, the device is operative to:

receive user-specified information indicating the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times;

provide various attention-based exercises to the user to complete at various times over a time period; and

score the user'"'"'s performance of the attention-based exercises for determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times;

determine the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times based on general or group-sourced attention data;

receive user interaction data, the user interaction data comprising data associated with scheduling calendar items and responding to meeting requests; and

analyze the user interaction data for determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times;

or

collect user interaction data associated with one or more applications during meetings scheduled at different times of a day; and

analyze the collected user interaction data for determining the user'"'"'s high and off-peak productivity times.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein in notifying the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict, the device is operative to:

provide a notification alerting the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict;

block out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar that occur during off-peak productivity times;

block out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar where the new calendar item exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum number of calendar items for a time period;

or

block out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar where the new calendar item exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for a time period.

19. A computer readable storage device including computer readable instructions, which when executed by a processing unit is operative to:

identify one or more attention-based conditions associated with a user'"'"'s level of attention;

in response to receiving calendar item input associated with scheduling a new calendar item at a selected timeslot, make a determination as to whether the new calendar item generates an attention-based scheduling conflict based on the one or more attention-based conditions; and

when an attention-based scheduling conflict is generated, notify the user or a scheduler of the calendar item of the attention-based scheduling conflict, wherein notifying the user or the scheduler comprises at least one of;

providing a notification alerting the user of the attention-based scheduling conflict;

blocking out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar that occur during off-peak productivity times;

blocking out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar where the new calendar item exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum number of calendar items for a time period; and

blocking out timeslots in the user'"'"'s calendar where the new calendar item exceeds a predetermined or user-specified maximum attention cost for a time period.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 19, wherein in determining that the new calendar item generates an attention-based scheduling conflict, the device is operative to determine at least one of:

that the new calendar item occurs during an off-peak productivity time for the user; and

that the new calendar item occurs during a time period where a predetermined or user-specified threshold is exceeded, wherein the predetermined or user-specified threshold is a maximum number of calendar items for the time period or a maximum attention cost for the time period.