Calendar-induced program execution

• US 6,769,120 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Syed J
• Application Number:
  US09/343,628
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 709/100, 709/102, 709/103, 709/104, 709/105, 455/414, 455/418
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A user'"'"'s calendar program is configured to “induce” execution of scheduled programs or system activities. Utilizing a scheduler program, the user can configure the system to run certain recurring tasks but control system operation with varying results based on the controlling inducement factors received from the calendar program. When creating an event or activity entry in the calendar program, the user associates an inducement value with that entry. On the date of the entry, the scheduler program, before initiating execution of any scheduled tasks, obtains the inducement value(s) for that date. The inducement value(s) are logically combined with execution values to control execution of scheduled tasks. For instance, is a user is attending a remote conference, a recurring task for system backup and virus scanning will run on a different schedule that if the user is actively using the machine on a daily basis between backups, while if the user is on vacation, system pop-ups and dialogs for an application may not be executed.

Claims

1. In a data processing system having a calendar function and program applications that may be pre-scheduled for operation, a method of establishing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

receiving user input of a calendar entry from among a plurality of different types of entries that may be calendared, said input indicating at least a scheduled date at which a calendar event occurs, wherein said entry is placed on a date during which a program configured for automatic execution of a recurring feature is scheduled for execution;

setting an inducement value for said calendar entry from among multiple possible inducement values, each indicating a different level of response by the program and the recurring feature to said calendar entry, wherein a first inducement value provides a first response within said program and said recurring feature that is different from a second response to a second inducement value, and wherein said recurring feature is subject to modification by specific inducement values associated with specific entries; and

when said scheduled date arrives, modifying parameters associated with the automatic execution of the recurring feature when said calendar entry has sufficient relevance to alter the execution of said program, wherein said modifying involves logically combining the inducement values with execution values that control execution of scheduled programs.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating execution control logic keyed to one or more inducement values with said program scheduled for execution;

configuring the execution control logic to employ inducement values associated with events within a user calendar;

wherein the step of associating includes setting the execution control logic to modify execution of the program when an inducement value is associated with at least one event within a user calendar for the date during which the program is scheduled for execution.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting execution control logic to modify execution of the program by suspending execution of the program when a first inducement value is associated with the at least one event and canceling execution of the program when a second inducement value is associated with the at least one event.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of setting the execution control logic to modify execution of the program further comprises:

setting the execution control logic to execute the program in a modified form when a third inducement value is associated with the at least one event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user to enter additional information about an event type entered during entry of the event, wherein the inducement value is automatically determined based on a response given by the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein when said program includes pop ups and dialogs requiring user interaction and said event type indicates the user is not available during program execution, said modifying includes disabling said pop ups and said dialogs, wherein said program continues to execute without stalling while waiting for a user response.

7. A method of employing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

responsive to determining that a program scheduled for execution should execute on a current date, checking a user calendar for event entries associated with the current date;

responsive to identifying at least one event entry within the user calendar associated with the current date;

retrieving an inducement value for the at least one event entry;

modifying the program execution in one of a plurality of ways from among suspending execution of the program, canceling execution of the program, or executing the program in a modified form based on the inducement value, wherein a first inducement value provides program execution according to a first modified form and a second inducement value provides program execution according to a second modified form; and

executing the program in accordance with the inducement value, wherein said program execution is modified.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of retrieving an inducement value for the at least one event entry further comprises:

retrieving inducement values associated with any event entries for the current date in the user calendar.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of executing the program in accordance with the inducement value further comprises:

responsive to detecting a plurality of event entries in the user calendar for the current date, identifying a highest inducement value from among inducement values associated with any of the plurality of event entries; and

executing the program based on the highest inducement value.

10. In a data processing system having a calendar function and program applications that may be pre-scheduled for operation, a system for establishing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

means for receiving user input of a calendar entry from among a plurality of different types of entries that may be calendared, said input indicating at least a scheduled date at which a calendar event occurs, wherein said entry is placed on a date during which a program configured for automatic execution of a recurring feature is scheduled for execution;

means for setting an inducement value for said calendar entry, said inducement value indicating a level of response to said calendar entry by the program and the recurring feature, wherein a different value of said inducement value provides a different response within said program and said recurring feature, and wherein said recurring feature is subject to modification by specific inducement values associated with specific entries;

means, when said scheduled date arrives, for modifying parameters associated with the automatic execution of the recurring feature when said calendar entry has sufficient relevance to said execution of said program;

wherein said means for modifying parameters includes;

means, responsive to detecting a plurality of event entries in a user calendar for the current date, for;

identifying a highest inducement value from among inducement values associated with any of the plurality of event entries; and

executing the program based on the highest inducement value.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

execution control logic keyed to one or more inducement values and associated with a program scheduled for execution; and

an inducement value for at least one user calendar entry on a date during which the program is scheduled for execution;

wherein the execution control logic is configured to check the date within a user calendar for events having an associated inducement value; and

wherein the execution control logic further comprises control logic modifying execution of the program when an inducement value is associated with at least one event within a user calendar for the date during which the program is scheduled for execution.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an execution control topic keyed to one or more inducement values and associated with a program scheduled for execution means, wherein the control logic suspends execution of the program when a first inducement value is associated with the at least one event and cancels execution of the program when a second inducement value is associated with the at least one event.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control logic executes the program in a modified form when a third inducement value is associated with the at least one event.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for prompting a user to enter additional information about an event type entered during entry of the event, wherein the inducement value is automatically determined based on a response given by the user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein when said program includes pop ups and dialogs requiring user interaction and said event type indicates the user is not available during program execution, said means for modifying includes means for disabling said pop ups and said dialogs, wherein said program continues to execute without stalling while waiting for a user response.

16. A system for employing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

means, responsive to determining that a program scheduled for execution should execute on a current date, for checking a user calendar for event entries associated with the current date;

means, responsive to identifying at least one event entry within the user calendar associated with the current date, for;

retrieving an inducement value for the at least one event entry; and

executing the program in accordance with the inducement value, wherein execution of said program is modified according to said inducement value, and wherein said means for executing the program in accordance with the inducement value further comprises;

means, responsive to detecting a plurality of event entries in the user calendar for the current date, for identifying a highest inducement value from among inducement values associated with any of the plurality of event entries; and

means for executing the program based on the highest inducement value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for retrieving an inducement value for the at least one event entry further comprises:

means for retrieving inducement values associated with any event entries for the current date in the user calendar.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for executing the program in accordance with the inducement value further comprises:

means for modifying a program execution according to one of a plurality of options including suspending execution of the program, canceling execution of the program, or executing the program in a modified form based on the inducement value, wherein a first inducement value provides program execution according to a first modified form and a second inducement value provides program execution according to a second modified form.

19. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for establishing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

instructions for receiving user input of a calendar entry from among a plurality of different types of entries that may be calendared, said input indicating at least a scheduled date at which a calendar event occurs, wherein said entry is placed on a date during which a program configured for automatic execution of a recurring feature is scheduled for execution;

instructions for setting an inducement value for said calendar entry, said inducement value indicating a level of response to said calendar entry by the program and the recurring feature, wherein a different value of said inducement value provides a different response within said program and said recurring feature, and wherein said recurring feature is subject to modification by specific inducement values associated with specific entries; and

instructions for modifying parameters associated with the automatic execution of the recurring feature when said scheduled date arrives and said calendar entry has sufficient relevance to said execution of said program.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions for associating execution control logic keyed to one or more inducement values with a program scheduled for execution;

instructions for setting an inducement value for at least one user calendar entry on a date during which the program is scheduled for execution; and

instructions for configuring the execution control logic to check the date within a user calendar for events having an associated inducement value;

wherein the instructions for associating execution control logic flirter comprise instructions for setting the execution control logic to modify execution of the program when an inducement value is associated with at least one event within a user calendar for the date during which the program is scheduled for execution.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

instructions for setting the execution control logic to modify execution of the program when an inducement value is associated with at least one event within a user calendar

for the date during which the program is scheduled for execution including suspending execution of the program when a first inducement value is associated with the at least one event and canceling execution of the program when a second inducement value is associated with the at least one event.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions for setting an execution control logic to modify execution of the program when an inducement value is associated with at least one event within a user calendar for the date during which the program is scheduled for execution;

by executing the program in a modified form when a third inducement value is associated with the at least one event.

23. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for employing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

instructions, responsive to determining that a program scheduled for execution should execute on a current date, for checking a user calendar for event entries associated with the current date; and

instructions, responsive to identifying at least one event entry within the user calendar associated with the current date, for retrieving an inducement value for the at least one event entry and executing the program in accordance with the inducement value, wherein said program execution is modified and wherein the instructions for executing the program in accordance with the inducement value further comprise;

instructions, responsive to detecting a plurality of event entries in the user calendar for the current date, for identifying a highest inducement value from among inducement values associated with any of the plurality of event entries; and

executing the program based on the highest inducement value.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for retrieving an inducement value for the at least one event entry further comprise:

instructions for retrieving inducement values associated with any event entries for the current date in the user calendar.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for executing the program in accordance with the inducement value further comprise:

instructions for modifying the program execution in one of a plurality of ways including suspending execution of the program, canceling execution of the program, or executing the program in a modified form based on the inducement value, wherein a first inducement value provides program execution according to a first modified form and a second inducement value provides program execution according to a second modified form.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

instructions for prompting a user to enter additional information about an event type entered during entry of the event, wherein the inducement value is automatically determined based on a response given by the user.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein when said program includes pop ups and dialogs requiring user interaction and said event type indicates the user is not available during program executions, said instructions for completing said modifying step includes instructions for disabling said pop ups and said dialogs, wherein said program continues to execute without stalling while waiting for a user response.

28. A method of employing calendar-induced program execution, comprising:

responsive to arrival of start time for an event within a user calendar, determining whether an inducement value is associated with the event, said inducement value indicating a level of response to said calendar entry by the program and the recurring feature, wherein a different value of said inducement value provides a different response within said program and said recurring feature, and wherein said recurring feature is subject to modification by specific inducement values associated with specific entries; and

responsive to identifying an inducement value associated with the event, transmitting the inducement value to a program scheduler; and

controlling, utilizing the inducement value within the program scheduler, execution of a program that is scheduled to executed during the event, wherein controlling the execution of the program by utilizing the inducement value further includes;

responsive to detecting a plurality of event entries in the user calendar for the current date, identifying a highest inducement value from among inducement values associated with any of the plurality of event entries; and

executing the program based on the highest inducement value.