Method of scheduling meetings
First Claim
1. A data processing system for scheduling a meeting using attendee calendars stored in said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:
- means for presenting a scheduler with a prompting screen for keying in a plurality of desired meeting parameters including at least;
a list of desired attendees, a desired data range, and a desired time span;
means for establishing an initial time period equal to all available time within said desired date range;
means for comparing in said data processing system said initial period of time with each desired attendee'"'"'s calendar;
means for subdividing said initial period of time into a plurality of shorter periods of time in response to said comparing, each of said shorter periods of time having a specified beginning time, a specified ending time and a designation of any desired attendee who is unavailable during that shorter period of time; and
means for presenting an option screen to said scheduler displaying available times for selection of a meeting time within one of said plurality of shorter periods of time which complies with said desired meeting parameters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method of scheduling a meeting among terminal users who are provided with calendaring applications for storing and retrieving timed and dated events. A prompting screen is presented to a meeting scheduler with blanks for keying in desired times, dates, and prospective attendees for a meeting. In response to the schedulers keying to this screen, a comparison is made with the calendar of events for each prospective attendee. As a result of the nonavailability of a meeting time which complies with the desired times, dates and attendees, these factors are automatically altered or "relaxed" in order to achieve an acceptable meeting time. An option list of meeting times is then presented to the scheduler for selection of a meeting time. Based upon the selection of the scheduler, a meeting notification screen is then constructed for transmittal to each attendee.
110 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A data processing system for scheduling a meeting using attendee calendars stored in said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:
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means for presenting a scheduler with a prompting screen for keying in a plurality of desired meeting parameters including at least;
a list of desired attendees, a desired data range, and a desired time span;means for establishing an initial time period equal to all available time within said desired date range; means for comparing in said data processing system said initial period of time with each desired attendee'"'"'s calendar; means for subdividing said initial period of time into a plurality of shorter periods of time in response to said comparing, each of said shorter periods of time having a specified beginning time, a specified ending time and a designation of any desired attendee who is unavailable during that shorter period of time; and means for presenting an option screen to said scheduler displaying available times for selection of a meeting time within one of said plurality of shorter periods of time which complies with said desired meeting parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification