Method and meeting scheduler for automated meeting insertion and rescheduling for busy calendars

• US 7,283,970 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Cragun, Brian John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarae; C. Michelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sterrett; Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US10/068,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 9
• US Class Current: 705/7.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

A method and meeting scheduler are provided for automated meeting insertion and rescheduling for busy calendars. An electronic calendar meeting scheduling program stores meeting automation properties defined for each scheduled meeting. The electronic calendar meeting scheduling program stores meeting attendee automation properties defined for each attendee of each scheduled meeting. The electronic calendar meeting scheduling program utilizes the stored meeting automation properties and the stored meeting attendee automation properties to calculate a conflict score and action list for each potential time block for automated meeting insertion and rescheduling. The calculated conflict score and action list for each potential time block for rescheduling a meeting are based upon multiple factors including a move score, a leave early score, and a shorten meeting score. The action list includes an entry for each meeting altered for automated meeting insertion and rescheduling.

Claims

1. A meeting scheduler, running on a computer, for automated meeting insertion rescheduling for busy calendars comprising:

an electronic calendar meeting scheduling program storing meeting automation properties defined for each scheduled meeting; and

said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program utilizing said stored meeting automation properties to calculate a conflict score, said conflict score used to identify a solution time block for the automated meeting rescheduling;

said calculated conflict score includes a calculated move score for each meeting altered for automated meeting rescheduling;

said calculated move score comprises;

an increased move score based upon each time meeting has been moved, an increased move score based upon each day delay for alternate meeting time block, a decreased move score based upon each attendee with same conflict, and a decreased move score based upon each day for alternate meeting time block from a current date;

wherein the calculated conflict score results in a minimum total score utilizing the move scores; and

storing said identified solution time block for the automated meeting rescheduling.

2. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program stores meeting attendee automation properties defined for each attendee of each said scheduled meeting;

and wherein said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program utilizes said stored meeting automation properties and said stored meeting attendee automation properties to identify said solution time block for automated meeting rescheduling.

3. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program identifies an unavailability event;

and for each conflicting meeting for said identified unavailability event, decommits from each said conflicting meeting.

4. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 1 wherein said calculated move score includes a maximum value based upon an alternate meeting time block beyond a meeting deadline value.

5. A computer executed software program meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars comprising:

an electronic calendar meeting scheduling program storing meeting automation properties and meeting attendee automation properties defined for each scheduled meeting;

said stored meeting automation properties including a move premium value, a shorten premium value, a leave premium value, and a plurality of approval options for moving, shortening and for allowing attendees to leave early;

said meeting attendee automation properties including an attendee role, an attendee commitment option for attending;

an attendee selected notification option, and a plurality of approval options for moving, shortening and for allowing attendees to leave early;

said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program utilizing said stored meeting and attendee automation properties to identify a solution time block for the automated meeting rescheduling;

said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program utilizing said stored meeting automation and attendee properties to calculate a conflict score and action list for each potential time block for the automated meeting rescheduling;

wherein said conflict score is calculated using the smallest increment associated with said meeting automation properties and said meeting attendee automation properties to result in a minimum calculated conflict score; and

said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program utilizing said calculated conflict score and action list to identify said solution time block for the automated meeting rescheduling; and

said electronic calendar meeting scheduling program storing said identified solution time block for the automated meeting rescheduling.

6. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 5 wherein said calculated conflict score includes a calculated move score for each meeting altered for automated meeting rescheduling.

7. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 6 wherein said calculated move score includes at least one of an increased move score based upon each optional meeting attendee, an increased move score based upon each required meeting attendee, and an increased move score based upon each required approval by a meeting attendee.

8. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 5 wherein said calculated conflict score includes a calculated leave early score for each meeting altered for automated meeting rescheduling.

9. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 8 wherein said calculated leave early score includes at least one of a stored leave early premium meeting automation property value, an increased leave early score based upon number of minutes for leaving early, and an increased leave early score based upon each required approval by a meeting attendee.

10. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 8 wherein said calculated leave early score includes an increased leave early score based upon each leaving participant'"'"'s meeting role.

11. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 5 includes a calculated shorten meeting score including at least one of a stored shorten meeting range premium meeting automation property value, an increased shorten meeting score based upon number of minutes to shorten meeting, and an increased shorten meeting score based upon each required approval by a meeting attendee.

12. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 5 includes a calculated shorten meeting score including at least one of a decreased shorten meeting score based upon each day for alternate meeting time block from a current date, and a decreased shorten meeting score based upon previous or next periodic meeting not being shortened and a decreased shorten meeting score based upon each day for an alternate meeting time block from next periodic meeting.

13. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 5 wherein said calculated conflict score includes for each meeting altered for automated meeting rescheduling at least one of a calculated move score, a calculated leave early score and a calculated shorten meeting score.

14. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 13 wherein a lowest one of said at least one of said calculated move score, said calculated leave early score, and said calculated shorten meeting score is added to said conflict score.

15. A meeting scheduler for automated meeting rescheduling for busy calendars as recited in claim 13 wherein a lowest score action of said calculated move score, said calculated leave early score, and said calculated shorten meeting score is added to said action list.

16. A computer program product for automated meeting insertion and rescheduling for busy calendars, said computer program product including a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of:

storing meeting automation properties defined for each scheduled meeting;

said stored meeting automation properties including a move premium value, a shorten premium value, a leave premium value, and a plurality of approval options for moving, shortening and for allowing attendees to leave early;

storing meeting attendee automation properties defined for each attendee of each said scheduled meeting;

said meeting attendee automation properties including an attendee role, an attendee commitment option for attending;

an attendee selected notification option, and a plurality of approval options for moving, shortening and for allowing attendees to leave early;

calculating a conflict score and action list for each potential time block for the automated meeting insertion and rescheduling utilizing said stored meeting automation properties and said stored meeting attendee automation properties;

wherein said conflict score is calculated using the smallest increment associated with said meeting automation properties and said meeting attendee automation properties to result in a minimum calculated conflict score;

said action list including an entry for each meeting altered for automated meeting insertion and rescheduling; and

identifying a solution time block for the automated meeting insertion and rescheduling utilizing said calculated conflict score and action list of said potential time blocks; and

storing said identified solution time block for the automated meeting rescheduling.