System for exchanging electronic calendars based on entries and classification among users of the system

• US 5,093,901 A
• Filed: 09/30/1988
• Issued: 03/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PhoneTel Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Singh, Harinder, Cree, Charles M. N., Landry, Grady J., Scully, Keith J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOHAMED, AYNI Y
• Application Number:
  US07/252,282
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/419
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method of exchanging entries on calendars being maintained by a first and a second calendar users. An event is automatically scheduled on a second calendar if a classification which is associated with the event is higher than any previous scheduled event for the same time slot. A reply is prepared and transmitted to the first calendar user which requested the scheduling of the vent regarding the status of the second user in regards to the scheduled event. Subsequently, if the status of the second user changes in regards to the event, a subsequent reply is prepared and transmitted to the first user setting forth the changed status.

Claims

1. In an information processing system, a computer implemented method of entering an event, which is present on a first electronic calendar being maintained in the system, on a second electronic calendar being maintained in the system, said computer implemented method comprises the steps of:

requesting in said system the scheduling of said event on said second electronic calendar being maintained by s second user by defining a time period of said event and a classificaton indicating the importance of the second user;

determining by said system whether there are multiple entries on said second electronic calendar for the time period specified in said request;

if there are not multiple entries on said second electronic calendar, automatically entering in said system said event on said second electronic calendar;

if there are multiple entries on said second electronic calendar for the time of said event, entering on said second electronic calendar the events in priority based upon the classified importance of the second user; and

transmitting in said system a reply to a first user indicating the status of said second electronic calendar user n regards to said request.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said automatically entering step includes the step of replacing said multiple entries with said event if the classificaton of said request is higher than the classifications of respective multiple entries.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further includes the step of transmitting a reply to a third user defined by said multiple entries which sets forth the changed status of said second user if said multiple entries is replaced.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said reply transmitted to said first user is a first reply and further includes the step of transmitting a second reply to said first user indicating that the status of said second user has changed subsequent to the transmittal of said first reply.

5. In an information processing system, a computer implemented method of entering an event, which is present on a first electronic calendar being maintained in the system, on a plurality of electronic calendars being maintained in the system, said computer implemented method comprises the steps of:

requesting in said system the scheduling of said event on said plurality of electronic calendars being maintained by respective users by defining a time period of said event and a classification indicating the importance of the respective user;

determining by said system whether there are multiple entries on each of said plurality of electronic calendars for the time period specified in said request;

for each of said plurality of electronic calendars, if there are not multiple entries automatically entering in said system said event on said electronic calendar;

for each of said plurality of electronic calendars, if there are multiple entries for the time of said event entering on said electronic calendar the events in priority based upon the classified importance of the respective user; and

transmitting in said system a reply to a first user indicating the status of said plurality of electronic calendar users in regards to said request.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said automtically entering step includes the step of replacing said multiple entries found for said time period with said event if the classification of said request is higher than the classifications of respective multiple entries.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 further includes the step of transmitting in said system a reply to an end user defined by said multiple entries found on each electronic calendar of said plurality of calendars setting forth the changed status of each of said respective users if said multiple entries are replaced.

8. The method as recited in claim 5 further includes the step of maintaining in said system a log of all calendar activity on said first and said plurality of calendars.

9. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said reply transmitted to said first user is first reply and further includes the step of transmitting a second reply to said first user if the respective status of said respective users has changed subsequent to the transmittal of said first reply.