Smart calendar

• US 6,820,096 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2000
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sabath, Mariusz, Kanevsky, Dimitri, Zlatsin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/707,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/200, 707/201, 707/8, 700/16, 700/1, 709/203, 178/18.01, 178/15, 345/156, 708/112, 705/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

The idea of this invention is to be able to create an external calendar that is connected to the Internet which can provide instant copies of the calendar, rewrite information on one calendar to another, and create a hassle free way to check calendar dates. One way this is done is by inserting a small digital chip into a calendar which allows the calendar to be connected to the Internet and to perform certain operations. The calendar will have a screen and a special digital pen which allows a user to fill in information (dates, events, appointments) into special date boxes.

Claims

1. A calendar system connected to a network comprising:

a first calendar, formed of light-image-responsive material, and a second calendar;

a video camera and a projector of light images pointed at the first calendar;

means for sending the data displayed on the first calendar to the second calendar or data displayed on the second calendar to the first calendar, wherein the system displays on the first calendar the data stored in the second calendar via the projector, and the system displays on the second calendar the data stored in the first calendar via said video camera;

a computer for comparing the contents of the first calendar and the second calendar and for filling them with data missing from either, such that both the first calendar and second calendars are able concurrently to display altogether the same data.

2. A calendar system as defined in claim 1, in which the computer for comparing the contents includes means for recognizing and interpreting the fast calendar'"'"'s content, wherein the system displays on the first calendar the data that is stored in the second calendar, if such data is not displayed already on the first calendar.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, further including a third calendar having a screen, and an input means in the form of a digital pen wherein what is written on the third calendar by the digital pen is sent to the first and second calendars.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the third calendar includes a digital chip for connection to the internet.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 in which the video camera captures the image of the first calendar, means connected to the first calendar for sending the image to the computer OCR for recognizing character data and transforming such into a digital format, wherein said OCR produces a string of data that denotes a particular date;

means for comparing data stored in the second calendar located in another computer and having the same date;

means for comparing the calendar content to find the same date;

means for combining the information responsive to the dates having been compared.

6. A system as defined in claim 5, further including a projector transformer which transforms data on the computer'"'"'s calendar and adjusts it to an image, and means for transforming the image and sending it to the projector so that it is displayed on the first calendar.

7. A system as defined in claim 1 further including a third, desktop calendar having a digital chip means and a digital pen, the digital pen being used to input information into the third calendar;

the third calendar having a date box which is adapted to be enlarged responsive to the tapping of a corner thereof, the chip means being responsive to the tapping of the date box for enlarging that date box.