Method and system for creating and tracking appointments and tasks from email messages

• US 7,584,253 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Carosso, Kevin, Curbow, David W., Srivastava, Anil K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Christensen; Scott
• Application Number:
  US10/446,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/219, 709/242, 715/752
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for scheduling an event based on a user-selected electronic message. The method comprises accessing a user-selected electronic message precipitating the event from an electronic message in-box, scanning the electronic message for information associated with the event, determining the parameters of the event based on information associated with the event, and automatically scheduling the event in an electronic calendar, using the determined parameters.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling an event based on an electronic message, comprising:

receiving from a first user a request to schedule said event based on said electronic message;

responsive to the request from said first user, automatically scheduling said event, by a scheduling service, in a first electronic calendar associated with said first user, wherein automatically scheduling said event comprises;

accessing a first portion of said electronic message from an electronic message in-box of the first user, wherein said first portion of said electronic message is specified by said first user;

scanning said first portion of said electronic message for information associated with said event;

processing said information associated with said event to obtain a first plurality of parameters, wherein said first plurality of parameters are obtained based on keywords;

storing said event in said first electronic calendar using said first plurality of parameters, wherein said stored event comprises a first link providing access to said electronic message;

modifying said electronic message to comprise a second link providing access to said stored event;

identifying a second user associated with said event based on said first plurality of parameters; and

storing said event in a second electronic calendar using said first plurality of parameters, wherein said second electronic calendar is associated with said second user;

responsive to said second user using said first link to access said electronic message, notifying the first user of said access by said second user;

responsive to automatically scheduling said event, automatically scanning the in-box of the first user for at least one other electronic message related to the stored event; and

in response to finding at least one other electronic message related to the stored event;

modifying said stored event to include one or more additional links providing access to each other electronic message related to the stored event, and

modifying each other electronic message related to the stored event to include a link providing access to said stored event.

2. The method described in claim 1, wherein said event comprises a meeting.

3. The method described in claim 2, wherein said information associated with said event comprises a date related to said meeting.

4. The method described in claim 2, wherein said information associated with said event comprises a designation of an attendee of said meeting.

5. The method described in claim 2, wherein said information associated with said event comprises an agenda for said meeting.

6. The method described in claim 1, further comprising linking said electronic message to said stored event.

7. The method described in claim 1, further comprising linking said stored event to said electronic message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning said first portion of said electronic message further comprises scanning for user specified key words.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a dialog to said first user showing said first plurality of parameters of said event prior to storing said event.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein storing said event further comprises coordinating said event with an electronic calendar of another user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said keywords comprises temporal keywords and priority keywords for calculating a date and time for said event.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning said first portion of said electronic message for information associated with a second event;

processing said information associated with said second event to obtain a second plurality of parameters, wherein said second plurality of parameters are obtained based on said keywords; and

storing said second event in said first electronic calendar using said second plurality of parameters.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising linking said stored second event to said stored event.

14. A system for scheduling an event based on an electronic message, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a storage device;

an electronic calendar application for managing a first electronic calendar associated with a first user;

an electronic mail application associated with said first user, wherein said electronic mail application stores said electronic message in an in-box; and

a scheduling service application operatively connected to said first electronic calendar and said electronic mail application, wherein said scheduling service application comprises software instructions stored in the memory for causing the system to;

receive from said first user a request to schedule said event based on a first portion of said electronic message, wherein said first portion of said electronic message is specified by said first user,

responsive to said request from said first user, automatically;

access said first portion of said electronic message from said in-box of the electronic mail application;

scan said first portion of said electronic message for information associated with said event;

process said information associated with said event to obtain a first plurality of parameters, wherein said first plurality of parameters are obtained based on keywords;

store said event in said first electronic calendar using said first plurality of parameters, wherein said stored event comprises a first link providing access to said electronic message;

modify said electronic message to comprise a second link providing access to said stored event;

identify a second user associated with said event based on said first plurality of parameters; and

store said event in a second electronic calendar using said first plurality of parameters, wherein said second electronic calendar is associated with said second user,

responsive to said second user using said first link to access said electronic message, notify the first user of said access by said second user,

responsive to storing said event in said first electronic calendar, automatically scan the in-box of the first user for at least one other electronic message related to the stored event; and

in response to finding at least one other electronic message related to the stored event;

modify said stored event to include one or more additional links providing access to each other electronic message related to the stored event and

modify each other electronic message related to the stored event to include a link providing access to said stored event,

wherein the electronic calendar application, the scheduling service application, and the electronic mail application are executing on the processor.

15. The system described in claim 14, further comprising a means for coordinating a stored event in the electronic calendars of a plurality of users.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said scheduling service application further scans said first portion of said electronic message to locate user specified key words in said first portion of said electronic message.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said keywords comprises temporal keywords and priority keywords for calculating a date and time for said event.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said scheduling service application further presents a dialog to said first user showing said first plurality of parameters of said event prior to storing said event.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said scheduling service application further links said electronic message to said stored event.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said scheduling service application further links said stored event to said electronic message.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said event comprises a meeting.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said information associated with said event comprises a date related to said meeting.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said information associated with said event comprises a designation of an attendee of said meeting.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said information associated with said event comprises an agenda for said meeting.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein said scheduling service application further comprises software instructions stored in the memory for enabling the system to:

scans said first portion of said electronic message for information associated with a second event;

processes said information associated with said second event to obtain a second plurality of parameters, wherein said second plurality of parameters are obtained based on said keywords;

stores said second event in said first electronic calendar application using said second plurality of parameters.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said scheduling service application further comprises software instructions stored in the memory for enabling the system to link said stored second event to said stored event.

27. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code for scheduling an event based on an electronic message, said computer program code comprising instructions to:

receive from a first user a request to schedule said event based on a first portion of said electronic message, wherein said first portion of said electronic message is specified by said first user;

responsive to said request from said first user, automatically, by a scheduling service, schedule said event in a first electronic calendar associated with said first user by;

accessing said first portion of said electronic message from an electronic message in-box;

scanning said first portion of said electronic message for information associated with said event;

processing said information associated with said event to obtain a first plurality of parameters, wherein said first plurality of parameters are obtained based on keywords;

storing said event in said first electronic calendar using said first plurality of parameters, wherein said stored event comprises a first link providing access to said electronic message;

modifying said electronic message to comprise a second link providing access to said stored event;

identifying a second user associated with said event based on said first plurality of parameters; and

storing said event in a second electronic calendar using said first plurality of parameters, wherein said second electronic calendar is associated with said second user; and

responsive to said second user using said first link to access said electronic message, notify the first user of said access by said second user;

responsive to automatically scheduling said event, automatically scanning the in-box of the first user for at least one other electronic message related to the stored event; and

in response to finding at least one other electronic message related to the stored event;

modifying said stored event to include one or more additional links providing access to each other electronic message related to the stored event, and

modifying each other electronic message related to the stored event to include a link providing access to said stored event.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein said scanning said portion of said electronic message comprises seeking user specified key words in said portion of said electronic message.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein said event comprises a meeting.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said information associated with said event comprises a date related to said meeting.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said information associated with said event comprises a designation of an attendee of said meeting.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said information associated with said event comprises an agenda for said meeting.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 27 wherein said instructions to schedule said event further comprise instructions to present a dialog to said first user showing said first plurality of parameters of said event prior to storing said event.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein said instructions for storing said event further comprise instructions for coordinating said event with an electronic calendar of another user.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein said instructions to schedule said event further comprise instructions for linking said electronic message to said stored event.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein said instructions to schedule said event further comprise instructions for linking said stored event to said electronic message.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein said keywords comprises temporal keywords and priority keywords for calculating a date and time for said event.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 27, said computer program code further comprising instructions to:

scan said first portion of said electronic message for information associated with a second event;

process said information associated with said second event to obtain a second plurality of parameters, wherein said second plurality of parameters are obtained based on said keywords; and

store said second event in said first electronic calendar using said second plurality of parameters.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 27, said computer program code further comprising instructions to link said stored second event to said stored event.