Method for notifying an individual of a previously scheduled event

• US 6,144,942 A
• Filed: 04/28/1998
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruckdashel, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/067,344
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/9, 705/7, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/7.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A method for notifying an individual of a previously scheduled event. The individual'"'"'s scheduling information is accessed, and analyzed. When a scheduled event arrives, the user is notified in the manner that the user specifies. Methods of notification include wireless pager, email, and wireless telephone.

Claims

1. A method for communicating scheduling information about a future event to a user, the method comprising the acts of:

performing scheduling tasks at a client computer, including configuring the manner in which the user is to be notified of the future event and the time at which the user is to be notified of the future event;

storing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

analyzing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

queuing to a storage area scheduling information about the future event if the future event is within a specified time frame;

accessing the storage area to retrieve the scheduling information; and

initiating communication with the user to inform the user of the future event in the manner configured and at the time configured when the user is not at the client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of storing the user'"'"'s scheduling information includes the act of storing scheduling information at the client computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of storing the user'"'"'s scheduling information includes the act of storing scheduling information at a server computer.

4. A method for communicating scheduling information to a user, the method comprising the acts of:

performing scheduling tasks at a client computer;

storing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

analyzing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

queuing to a storage area events in the scheduling information that are within a specified time frame;

accessing the storage area to retrieve the queued events; and

initiating communication with the user at or about the time that the queued event is to occur to inform the user of a scheduled event when the user is not at the client computer,

wherein the act of accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information includes the act of accessing information about how the user is to be notified when an event approaches,

wherein the information about how the user is to be notified when an event approaches applies to a subset of all events in the user'"'"'s scheduling information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the act of queuing to a storage area events in the scheduling information that are within a specified time frame includes the act of queuing to a storage area events that are scheduled for a time within twenty-four hours of the act of accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of placing a wireless telephone call to the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending a message to the user through a wireless communication procedure.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending an email message to the user.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising the act of:

activating a second notification server if the user has not been successfully informed of the scheduled event, wherein the second notification server initiates communication with the user to inform the user of the scheduled event.

10. A method for communicating scheduling information about a future event to a user that operates scheduling software at a client computer on a network, wherein scheduling information for the user is stored at the client computer, the method comprising the acts of:

entering scheduling information at the client computer including the manner in which the user is to be notified of the future event and the time at which the user is to be notified of the future event;

initiating a request over the network to retrieve scheduling information for the user;

accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information through programming interface calls to the scheduling software on the client computer;

retrieving at least some of the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

analyzing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

queuing to a storage area at least some of the user'"'"'s scheduling information that has been analyzed;

accessing the storage area to retrieve the queued scheduling information; and

initiating communication with the user to inform the user of the future event in the manner configured and at the time configured when the user is not at the client computer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information through programming interface calls includes the act of accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information through calls to a COM interface.

12. A method for communicating scheduling information to a user that operates scheduling software at a client computer on a network, wherein scheduling information for the user is stored at the client computer, the method comprising the acts of:

initiating a request over the network to retrieve scheduling information for the user;

accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information through programming interface calls to the scheduling software on the client computer;

retrieving at least some of the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

analyzing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

queuing to a storage area information relating to events in the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

accessing the storage area to retrieve the queued events; and

initiating communication with the user at or about the time that the queued event is to occur so as to inform the user of a scheduled event when the user is not at the client computer,

wherein the information about how the user is to be notified when an event approaches applies to a subset of all events in the user'"'"'s scheduling information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of queuing to a storage area includes the act of queuing to a storage area events that are scheduled for a time within one hour of the act of accessing the user'"'"'s scheduling information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of placing a wireless telephone call to the user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending a message to the user through a wireless communication procedure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending a message to a wireless pager.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending an email message to the user.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of:

activating a second notification server if the user has not been successfully informed of the scheduled event, wherein the second notification server initiates communication with the user to inform the user of the scheduled event.

19. In a computer that is connected to at least one notification server corresponding to a means of communication, wherein the computer has access to scheduling information about a future event for a user, the method comprising the acts of:

entering scheduling information including the manner in which the user is to be notified of the future event and the time at which the user is to be notified of the future event;

retrieving the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

analyzing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

queuing the scheduling information if it corresponds to a specified time frame;

accessing the queue to retrieve at least some of the queued scheduling information; and

activating the notification server at or about the time at which the user is to be notified of the future event to thereby initiate communication with the user and inform the user of the future event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of retrieving the user'"'"'s scheduling information includes the act of retrieving scheduling information from a remote location.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of retrieving the user'"'"'s scheduling information includes the act of retrieving scheduling information from a local resource.

22. In a computer that is connected to at least one notification server that is capable of initiating communication with a user, wherein the computer has access to scheduling information for the user, the method comprising the acts of:

retrieving the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

analyzing the user'"'"'s scheduling information;

queuing events in the scheduling information that are within a specified time frame by storing them on a queue;

accessing the queue to retrieve one or more queued events; and

activating the notification server at or about the time that the queued event is to occur to thereby initiate communication with the user and inform the user of a scheduled event,

wherein the act of retrieving the user'"'"'s scheduling information includes the act of retrieving information about how the user is to be notified when an event approaches, and

wherein the information about how the user is to be notified when an event approaches applies to all events in the user'"'"'s scheduling information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of placing a wireless telephone call to the user.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending a message to the user through a wireless communication procedure.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending a message to the user through a pager.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of initiating communication with the user includes the act of sending an email message to the user.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising the act of:

activating a second notification server if the user has not been successfully informed of the scheduled event, wherein the second notification server initiates communication with the user to inform the user of the scheduled event.