Scheduling system and method including creating and/or changing a scheduling system by an administrator and making appointments employing the schedule conducted through a global computer network

• US 7,028,178 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifetouch Incorporated (Shutterfly, LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Herff Jones Company of Indiana, Inc.
• Inventors: Orlick, Abraham I.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US09/878,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 718100-108, 713/150, 705 1- 80, 707/1, 701/1, 709100-108, 712/28, 712/200, 712/214, 712/220, 711/100, 711/106, 711/151, 717/100, 717/160, 717/161
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A scheduling system and method. Schedules, created by an administrator, are made available to users through a global computer network, such as the Internet. Authorized users gain access to an administrator'"'"'s web site and, upon entry of an appropriate access code, obtain access to the schedule. The user may select a time slot which has not been selected or which has not been frozen. The system provides an automatic e-mail reminder of the appointment to the student to the e-mail address entered by the user, who may, for example, be a student making an appointment to sit for a portrait. The administrator can alter certain aspects of the schedule such as moving up the starting date, moving back the closing date, selecting the number of appointments per day and/or the length and starting and ending time of appointments. Each user may change an appointment prior to the scheduled date. The administrator may prevent users from selecting more that one appointment for the same purpose. Users may visit the web site at any given time to confirm, print out, delete, change or update an appointment previously made by that user. The user who is a member of a designated group is provided with messages when an appointment entry is confirmed and may also be provided with information relating to the appointment, such as cost and attire, as well as emergency messages, dealing, for example, with a weather delay.

Claims

1. A method employing a computer network for administering a schedule created by an administrator for use by members of a group entitled to make appointments, comprising:

(a) generating and storing a schedule for use by members of a given group including providing a predetermined given number of time slots on a given number of days;

(b) assigning a user access code for use by members of said given group for entering appointment data into a database;

(c) assigning an administration access code for use by an administrator, including providing a first level access code and at least a second level access code, said first level access code enabling viewing of all dates which can be displayed and said second level access code permitting limited access to said database;

(d) providing a first display prompting an administrator to enter an access code when reaching the first display including providing access codes for four levels of access including;

a sales access level enabling a sales person to access a first group of reports based on data in the database;

an operator access level enabling an operator to schedule an appointment requested by telephone and a second group of reports based on data in the database, said second group of reports being different from said first group of reports;

an administrative access level enabling an administrator to create and delete different groups of members making appointments and third group of reports based on data in the database, the third group of reports including reports provided to said sales and operator levels; and

a systems access level enabling a person having a systems level access code to access all of the reports and capabilities available to the sales, operator and administrative level;

(e) providing a second display responsive to entry of a proper access code, presenting prompts to select a given request from a noun of requests including providing at least one prompt to change a feature of a group of data of at least one of the displays capable of being requested when said first level access code is entered and a prompt to change a starting time for appointments on a given day responsive only to entry of a valid administration access code; and

(f) displaying results of the requested search;

displaying the information including displaying fees related to the appointment; and

,

(g) sending an e-mail to the designated user upon confirmation of the appointment and sending a further e-mail to the designated user several days prior to the scheduled appointment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a system access level code further includes enabling a person having a systems level access code to control data to which all of the remaining levels are entitled to access.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to an administrator to remove one appointment of a member of a member of said group who has entered more than one appointment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to print a copy of the requested display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to change an ending date of said schedule.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to change a number of appointments during a day.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to prevent appointments from being made on a given day and at a given time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said given day is one of a weekend day and a holiday.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to add hours to a given scheduled day.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hours added are added either before the first previously scheduled hour or after the last previously scheduled hour.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt responsive to a valid administration code to enable an administrator to provide a message for a display presented to members of a group designated to enter appointment dates.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing a message includes manually inputting a desired message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes a prompt to select a status of said schedule.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(h) generating a total number of appointment time slots taken and a total number of time slots available; and

(i) displaying the results of the generating step when the status of said prompt to select a status of said schedule is selected.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) enabling an administrator to freeze given appointment slots when said second level access code is entered and the user clicks on a freeze prompt provided on said display.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) enabling a hard copy of the scheduled appointment to be printed.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) comparing a received access code to the assigned user access code for use by members of said given group.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(i) restricting the entering of appointment data into the database if the received access code does not match the assigned user access code.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(h) receiving a user confirmation code from a member of said given group; and

(i) enabling said member to alter previously entered appointment data if the receiver used confirmation code is a valid user confirmation code for said member.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a user confirmation code when a member of said given group enters appointment data into the database using the assigned user access code.