Method and system for automatically integrating scheduled work items onto an electronic calendar

• US 5,899,979 A
• Filed: 07/22/1996
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schell, David John, Miller, David Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US08/681,340
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/9, 705/14, 705/7, 705/8, 395/186, 345/329, 345/326
• US Class Current: 705/7.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

An electronic scheduling calendar is made more useful to a user by merging to-do list items onto an event list schedule. A user can assign priorities to the to-do list items and estimates of how much time is required to complete each item. Then, upon request by the user, the to-do list items will be placed onto the event list in an available time slot on an available day.

Claims

1. A method of integrating to-do items into an event list on an electronic calendering program, comprising the steps of:

assigning a user defined priority to a to-do list item;

assigning an amount of time needed to complete said to-do list item; and

automatically integrating said to-do list item onto the event list, wherein said to-do list item is merged with the event list of the calendaring program for completion of said to-do list item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of automatically integrating comprises:

automatically integrating said to-do list item into the event list based upon said user defined priority and said amount of time needed to complete.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of assigning a user defined priority comprises:

assigning an alphabetic priority indicator to said to-do list item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of assigning an amount of time comprises:

a user designating an estimated amount of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of assigning an amount of time comprises:

automatically designating a default amount of time if no user designation occurs.

6. A system for integrating to-do items into an event list on an electronic calendaring program, comprising:

means for assigning a user defined priority to a to-do list item;

means for assigning an amount of time needed to complete said to-do list item; and

means for automatically integrating said to-do list item onto the event list, wherein said to-do list item is merged with the event list of the calendaring program for completion of said to-do list item.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically integrating comprises:

means for automatically integrating said to-do list item into the event list based upon said user defined priority and said amount of time needed to complete.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for assigning a user defined priority comprises:

means for assigning an alphabetic priority indicator to said to-do list item.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for assigning an amount of time comprises:

means for a user designating an estimated amount of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for assigning an amount of time comprises:

means for automatically designating a default amount of time if no user designation occurs.

11. A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for integrating to-do list items into an event list on an electronic calendaring application, said program product comprising:

computer readable means for assigning a user defined priority to a to-do list item;

computer readable means for assigning an amount of time needed to complete said to-do list item; and

computer readable means for automatically integrating said to-do list item onto the event list, wherein said to-do list item is merged with the event list of the calendaring program for completion of said to-do list item.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein said computer readable means for automatically integrating comprises:

computer readable means for automatically integrating said to-do list item into the event list based upon said user defined priority and said amount of time needed to complete.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said computer readable means for assigning a user defined priority comprises:

computer readable means for assigning an alphabetic priority indicator to said to-do list item.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said computer readable means for assigning an amount of time comprises:

computer readable means for a user designating an estimated amount of time.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said computer readable means for assigning an amount of time comprises:

computer readable means for automatically designating a default amount of time if no user designation occurs.