Method and apparatus for managing calendar information from a shared database and managing calendar information from multiple users

• US 6,785,868 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Raff, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US09/585,711
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 715/530, 715/500.1, 715/511, 715/526, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 707/10, 709/227, 709/400, 709/203
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing and using calendar information from a shared database. Calendar information can be stored in a shared database, and accessed and synchronized with one or more portable computer systems. Calendar information stored on the shared database can be assigned a unique category type. Multiple portable computer systems can then access the shared calendar information which can be displayed on each computer system along with the system'"'"'s own calendar information. The unique category type is different from the default type of each system'"'"'s own calendar information and the user is not able to change category types on the portable computer system. Shared calendar information can be viewed and edited and then easily removed using the unique category type.

Claims

1. A method of processing information comprising:

a) storing first calendar information under a predetermined category name in a first database on a server, said first database comprising calendar information received from multiple computer systems, said first calendar information comprising event name, time and date information;

b) transferring said first calendar information from said server to a portable computer system, said portable computer system having a second database comprising second calendar information that is differentiated from said first calendar information by a default category name that is different from said predetermined category name, said second calendar information comprising event name, time and date information;

c) displaying together portions of said first and said second calendar information on a display screen of said portable computer system wherein said predetermined category name is unmodifiable by said portable computer system;

d) synchronizing said second database comprising said second calendar information with a third database on a host computer system that is different from said server so that after synchronization said second and third databases contain the same calendar information; and

e) removing said first calendar information from said portable computer system without disturbing said second calendar information.

2. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

said portable computer system modifying a portion of said first calendar information; and

said portable computer system modifying a portion of said second calendar information.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said portable computer system is a palmtop computer system.

4. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising transferring said first calendar information from said server to multiple other portable computer systems, each of said multiple other portable computer systems having respective second calendar information stored under a respective default category name.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said first calendar information is a schedule for a tradeshow.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said step b) comprises:

b1) inserting said portable computer system into a receiving slot of a cradle coupled to said server; and

b2) said server transferring said first calendar information to said portable computer system in response to said step b1).

7. A method as described in claim 6 wherein said step e) comprises:

e1) inserting said portable computer system into said receiving slot of said cradle; and

e2) removing said first calendar information from said portable computer system.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said step c) comprises displaying said portion of said first calendar information in proximity to a designation representing said predetermined category name.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a server for storing first calendar information stored under a predetermined category name in a first database that comprises calendar information received from multiple computer systems, said first calendar information comprising event name, time and date information;

a software manager resident on said server and for transferring said first calendar information to said portable computer system in response to said portable computer system being inserted into a cradle coupled to said server, said portable computer system having second calendar information stored in a second database under a default category name which is different from said predetermined category name, said second calendar information comprising event name, time and date information;

a host computer system comprising a third database that comprises calendar information associated only with said portable computer system;

a file sharing manager resident on said host computer system and for synchronizing said second calendar information but not said first calendar information with said calendar information in said third database, wherein after synchronization said second and third databases contain the same calendar information;

said portable computer system for displaying together portions of said first and said second calendar information on a display screen of said portable computer system wherein said predetermined category name and said default category name are both unmodifiable by said portable computer system; and

said portable computer system also for using said predetermined category name to remove said first calendar information from said portable computer system without disturbing said second calendar information.

10. A system as described in claim 9 wherein said portable computer system is also for modifying a portion of said first calendar information and also for modifying a portion of said second calendar information.

11. A system as described in claim 9 wherein said portable computer system is a palmtop computer system.

12. A system as described in claim 9 further comprising multiple other portable computer systems and wherein said software manager is also for separately transferring said first calendar information to said multiple other portable computer systems, each of said multiple other portable computer systems having respective second calendar information stored under said default category name.

13. A system as described in claim 9 wherein said first calendar information is a schedule for a tradeshow.

14. A method of processing information comprising:

a) storing first and second calendar information stored, respectively, under first and second category names, said first and second calendar information stored in a database on a server, said database comprising calendar information received from multiple computer systems, said first calendar information corresponding to a first portable computer system and said second calendar information corresponding to a second portable computer system, said first and second calendar information comprising event name, time and date information;

b) synchronizing said first calendar information in said database but not said second calendar information with calendar information of said first category name stored on said first portable computer system wherein modifications to said first calendar information in said database are reflected in said first portable computer system and vice-versa;

c) transferring said second calendar information from said server to said first portable computer system;

d) designating a first flag indicating whether or not said second calendar information is to be displayed on said first portable computer system;

e) displaying said first calendar information on a display screen of said first portable computer system; and

f) displaying said second calendar information, together with said first calendar information, on said display screen provided said first flag indicates that said second calendar information is to be displayed and otherwise not displaying said second calendar information.

15. A method as described in claim 14 further comprising the step of synchronizing said second calendar information in said database but not said first calendar information with calendar information of said second category name stored on said second portable computer system wherein modifications in said database are reflected in said second portable computer system and vice-versa.

16. A method as described in claim 14 further comprising:

storing, in said database on said server server, third calendar information stored under a third category name and comprising event name, time and date information, said third calendar information corresponding to a third portable computer system;

transferring said third calendar information from said server to said first portable computer system;

designating a second flag indicating whether or not said third calendar information is to be displayed on said first portable computer system; and

displaying said third calendar information on said display screen provided said second flag indicates that said third calendar information is to be displayed and otherwise not displaying said third calendar information.

17. A method as described in claim 14 further comprising:

storing, in said database on said server, third calendar information stored under a third category name and comprising event name, time and date information, said third calendar information corresponding to a third portable computer system;

transferring said third calendar information from said server to said second portable computer system;

designating a second flag indicating whether or not said third calendar information is to be displayed on said second portable computer system; and

displaying said third calendar information on said display screen provided said second flag indicates that said third calendar information is to be displayed and otherwise not displaying said third calendar information.

18. A method as described in claim 17 further comprising synchronizing said third calendar information in said database but not said first and second calendar information with calendar information of said third category name stored on a third portable computer system wherein modifications in said database are reflected in said third portable computer system and vice-versa.

19. A method as described in claim 14 further comprising modifying a portion of said first calendar information.

20. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said first portable computer system is a palmtop computer system.

21. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said second portable computer system is a palmtop computer system.

22. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said step d) comprises toggling said first flag on and off by using a pull down menu that lists said second category name and displays said first flag.