Apparatus and method for highlighting holidays of a specified location in a calendar software application

• US 6,064,975 A
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Moon, Billy G., Wooldridge, Tammy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morgan, George D.
• Application Number:
  US08/955,911
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 705/9, 705/8, 705/1, 345/334, 345/431, 364/705.08
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0266 for time management, e.g. calendars, diaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• 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: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

An apparatus and method for highlighting holidays in a calendar software application of a portable intelligent communications device or in a separate computer, including the steps of specifying a geographical location, determining holidays for the geographical location, depicting a calendar on a display screen of such portable intelligent communications device or computer, and depicting holidays in a fashion different from other days on the calendar. The geographical location information is specified by the current location of the portable intelligent communications device or via a graphical user interface. The holiday information is obtained from a database housed in the portable intelligent communications device or via an Internet address connected through communications circuitry of the portable intelligent communications device. The holidays for the geographical location may be depicted in a color different from the other dates on the calendar and each holiday name may be depicted on the appropriate date of the calendar.

Claims

1. A method of highlighting holidays in a calendar software application of a portable intelligent communications device, comprising the following steps:

(a) specifying a geographical location, wherein said geographical location is specified as one of a location for a party with whom said portable intelligent communications device is currently conducting a conversation and a location for a party with whom said portable intelligent communications device most recently had a conversation;

(b) determining holidays for said specified geographical location;

(c) depicting a calendar graphic on a display screen of said portable intelligent communications device;

(d) integrating said holidays for said specified geographical location into said calendar graphic; and

(e) depicting the dates of said holidays in a predetermined manner so as to differ from other dates on said calendar graphic.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting how said holidays are to be depicted on said calendar graphic.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said holidays are obtained from a database housed in said portable intelligent communications device.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of updating holidays for said specified geographical locations.

3. A method of highlighting holidays in a calendar software application operated by a computer, comprising:

(a) specifying a first geographical location;

(b) specifying a second geographical location;

(c) determining holidays for said first and second specified geographical locations;

(d) depicting a calendar graphic on a display screen of said computer;

(e) integrating said holidays for said first and second specified geographical locations into said calendar graphic; and

(f) depicting said holidays in a predetermined manner so as to differ from other dates on said calendar graphic.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said holidays are obtained from a database housed in said computer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said first and second geographical locations are specified by a user of said computer via a graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein numerals signifying each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for said first and second specified geographical locations are depicted in a color different than other dates on said calendar graphic.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein each holiday name for said first and second specified geographical locations is depicted on said calendar graphic for a respective date thereon.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein each of said dates on said calendar graphic corresponding to said holidays of said first and second specified geographical locations includes a symbol indicating it as one of said holidays.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein said calendar graphic has a year format.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein said calendar graphic has a month format.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein said calendar graphic has a week format.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein said calendar graphic has a day format.

13. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of selecting how said holidays for said first and second specified geographical locations are to be depicted on said calendar graphic.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein an area designated for each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays of said first and second specified geographical locations thereon is shaded a color different from a background color for said calendar graphic.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an area designated for each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for said first specified geographical location thereon is shaded a color different from a background color for each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for said second specified geographical location.

16. A portable intelligent communications device, comprising:

(a) circuitry for performing telephony operations;

(b) a processing circuit;

(c) a calendar software application stored in memory of said portable intelligent communications device; and

(d) a display screen coupled to said processing circuit, said processing circuit depicting a calendar graphic on said display screen;

wherein said processing circuit is operable to integrate holiday information of a first specified geographical location and a second specified geographical location into said calendar graphic so as to depict said holiday information of said first and second specified geographical locations on said calendar graphic in a predetermined manner so as to differ from other dates thereon.

17. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein one of said first and second geographical locations is specified as a current location of said portable intelligent communications device.

18. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein one of said first and second geographical locations is specified as a home location for said portable intelligent communications device.

19. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein one of said first and second geographical locations is specified as a location for a party with whom said portable intelligent communications device is currently conducting a conversation.

20. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein one of said first and second geographical locations is specified as a location for a party with whom said portable intelligent communications device most recently had a conversation.

21. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein said first and second geographical locations are specified via a graphical user interface depicted on said display screen of said portable intelligent communications device.

22. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein said processing circuit obtains said holiday information from a database housed in said portable intelligent communications device.

23. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 16, wherein said processing circuit obtains said holiday information from a connection to an Internet address.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein numerals signifying each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for said first and second specified geographical locations are depicted in a color different than other dates on said calendar graphic.

25. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 24, wherein said processing circuit updates holiday information for said first and second specified geographical locations.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein each holiday name for said first and second specified geographical locations is depicted on said calendar graphic for a respective date thereon.

27. The portable intelligent communications device of claim 26, wherein said processing circuit creates a holiday highlighting filter in said calendar software application, passes said filter to a web software application in said portable intelligent communications device, retrieves holiday information from a uniform resource location (URL), and passes said holiday information to said calendar software application.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein each of said dates on said calendar graphic corresponding to said holidays of said first and second specified geographical locations includes a symbol indicating it as one of said holidays.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein an area designated for each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays of said first and second specified geographical locations thereon is shaded a color different from a background color for said calendar graphic.

30. A method of highlighting holidays in a calendar software application of a portable intelligent communications device, comprising the following steps:

(a) specifying at least two geographical locations;

(b) determining holidays for each said specified geographical location;

(c) depicting a calendar graphic on a display screen of said portable intelligent communications device;

(d) integrating said holidays for each said specified geographical location into said calendar graphic; and

(e) depicting dates of said holidays for each said selected geographical location in a predetermined manner so as to differ from other dates on said calendar graphic.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein one of said geographical locations is specified as a current location of said portable intelligent communications device.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein one of said geographical locations is specified as a home location of said portable intelligent communications device.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein one of said geographical locations is specified as a location with whom said portable intelligent communications device is currently conducting a conversation.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein one of said geographical locations is specified as a location for a party which whom said portable intelligent communications device most recently had a conversation.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said geographical locations are specified by a user of said portable intelligent communications device via a graphical user interface.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein said holidays are obtained via an Internet connection with said portable intelligent communications device.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the following steps:

(a) creating a holiday highlighting update filter in said calendar software application;

(b) passing said filter to a web software application in said portable intelligent communications device;

(c) retrieving location and holiday date information from a uniform resource location (URL); and

(d) passing said location and holiday date information to said calendar software application.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein numerals signifying each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for said specified geographical locations are depicted in a color different than other dates on said calendar graphic.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein each holiday name for said specified geographical locations is depicted on said calendar graphic for a respective date thereon.

42. The method of claim 30, wherein each of said dates on said calendar graphic corresponding to said holidays of said specified geographical locations includes a symbol indicating it as one of said holidays.

43. The method of claim 30, wherein said calendar graphic has a year format.

44. The method of claim 30, wherein said calendar graphic has a month format.

45. The method of claim 30, wherein said calendar graphic has a week format.

46. The method of claim 30, wherein said calendar graphic has a day format.

47. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of selecting how said holidays of each said specified geographical location are to be depicted on said calendar graphic.

48. The method of claim 30, wherein an area designated for each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays of said specified geographical locations thereon is shaded a color different from a background color for said calendar graphic.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein numerals signifying each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for one of said specified geographical locations thereon is depicted in a color different from numerals signifying each date on said calendar graphic having one of said holidays for any other specified geographical location.

50. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of specifying a third geographical location prior to said holiday determination step.