Method and system for graphic representation of meeting parameters in a data processing system
First Claim
1. A method in a data processing system having a display, a graphical pointing device and a calendar database listing scheduled calendar events for a plurality of prospective meeting attendees, of providing an intuitive graphic representation of the availability of desired attendees within a selected time span, said method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a listing of desired meeting attendees;
associating a different graphically distinctive object with each listed desired meeting attendees;
utilizing said calendar database to determine an existence of scheduled calendar events for each listed desired meeting attendee within said selected time span;
displaying at least a portion of said selected time span as a plurality of time points along a first axis;
displaying, perpendicular to said first axis at selected time points thereon, a tier of graphically distinctive objects associated with selected ones of said listed desired meeting attendees at each point along said first axis corresponding to an existence of a scheduled calendar event for each of said selected ones of said list of desired meeting attendees; and
displaying a textual description of selected calendar events at a selected time point in response to a graphic selection of said selected time point utilizing said graphical pointing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for graphic representation of the availability of desired meeting attendees, meeting sites and elements of equipment for use in a data processing system having a display and a calendar database listing scheduled calendar events. A graphically distinctive object is associated with each desired meeting attendee, meeting site and/or element of equipment for use in a data processing system having a display and a calendar database listing scheduled calendar events. A graphically distinctive object is associated with each desired meeting attendee, meeting site and element of equipment. Thereafter scheduled calendar events for all desired meeting attendees, meeting sites and elements of equipment are examined within a selected time span and tiers of graphically distinctive objects are displayed, perpendicular to a time axis, at selected time points along that axis in response to the existence of each scheduled calendar event for a desired meeting attendee, meeting site and/or element of equipment. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, a graphically distinctive object is displayed at a selected time point along the time axis in response to either the presence or the absence of a scheduled calendar event at that time point. Additionally, a graphic depiction of an element of equipment may be utilized within a graphically distinctive object associated with that element of equipment, enabling a user to intuitively determine the availability of selected elements of equipment or desired meeting attendees.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method in a data processing system having a display, a graphical pointing device and a calendar database listing scheduled calendar events for a plurality of prospective meeting attendees, of providing an intuitive graphic representation of the availability of desired attendees within a selected time span, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a listing of desired meeting attendees; associating a different graphically distinctive object with each listed desired meeting attendees; utilizing said calendar database to determine an existence of scheduled calendar events for each listed desired meeting attendee within said selected time span; displaying at least a portion of said selected time span as a plurality of time points along a first axis; displaying, perpendicular to said first axis at selected time points thereon, a tier of graphically distinctive objects associated with selected ones of said listed desired meeting attendees at each point along said first axis corresponding to an existence of a scheduled calendar event for each of said selected ones of said list of desired meeting attendees; and displaying a textual description of selected calendar events at a selected time point in response to a graphic selection of said selected time point utilizing said graphical pointing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A data processing system having a display, a graphical pointing device and a calendar database listing scheduled calendar events for a plurality of prospective meeting attendees for providing an intuitive graphic representation of the availability of desired meeting attendees within a selected time span, said data processing system comprising:
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means for establishing a listing of desired meeting attendees; means for associating a different graphically distinctive object with each of said listed desired meeting attendees; means for utilizing said calendar database to determine an existence of scheduled calendar events for each listed desired meeting attendees within said selected time span; means for displaying at least a portion of said selected time span as a plurality of time points along a first axis; means for displaying, perpendicular to said first axis at selected time points thereon, a tier of graphically distinctive objects associated with selected ones of said listed desired meeting attendees in response to an existence of a selected calendar event within said portion of said selected time span for each of said selected ones of said listed desired meeting attendees; and means for displaying a textural description of selected calendar events at a selected time point in response to a graphic selection of said selected time point utilizing said graphical pointing device. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification