Agenda and day hybrid calendar view

• US 7,757,181 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Stroupe, Autumn L., Pan, David Tianzhou, Gupta, Ranjit Kumar, Gupta, Neeti
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton; Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dasgupta; Soumya
• Application Number:
  US11/465,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 715/772
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A user interface and user interface control for displaying calendar data is provided. In particular, the user interface provides a hybrid view that includes both a schedule view of listed calendar items together with an overview strip that displays a compressed version of the schedule view. The selection of an appointment is reflected in both the schedule view portion of the view and the overview strip. As a result, users are able to easily see conflicts and free time while retaining a simple chronological listing of their day'"'"'s commitments. Through the use of this hybrid view, the number of views to navigate between can be reduced without sacrificing function to simplify the calendaring experience.

Claims

1. Computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions that when executed by a computing system provide a user interface that optimizes limited screen real estate when displaying calendar information, the user interface comprising:

an overview strip that provides an overview of calendar items according to when they are scheduled to occur as well as user availability within a several hour time frame, the overview strip comprising a chronological time line with a user'"'"'s availability and schedule indicated thereon; and

a calendar item view space that provides a more detailed view of one or more calendar items whereby the number of calendar items visible at once depends in part on available screen real estate,

wherein the overview strip is adapted to display a conflict indication that a first calendar item conflicts with a second calendar item and that the first calendar item has priority over the second calendar item,

wherein the conflict indication comprises using a first color to display the first calendar item and using a second color to display the second calendar item, the first color specifying the first calendar item has a higher priority,

wherein, when the first calendar item and the second calendar item have the same priority, the instructions determine which of the items the user is most likely to prefer and visually enhances that item for easier readability.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the overview strip is oriented in a horizontal manner above the calendar item view space.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the overview strip comprises a line when at least one all-day calendar item exists for a given day.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the overview strip comprises bars for each calendar item that indicates the calendar item'"'"'s duration, wherein each bar appears at the items respective times.

5. The user interface of claim 4, wherein the bars in the overview strip appear in the same color as displayed in the calendar item view space.

6. The user interface of claim 5, wherein color represents at least one of the following:

status of the calendar item, status of the user for the calendar item, and priority of the calendar item.

7. The user interface of claim 4, wherein the bar is one pixel in length for a calendar item lasting 1 minute or less in duration.

8. The user interface of claim 1, wherein conflicting calendar items are indicated by at least one of a symbol, icon, or color.

9. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the overview strip provides a peripheral view of user activity and availability across a time window that extends beyond the number of calendar items visible at a time in the calendar item view space.

10. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the calendar items are represented in the overview strip and in the calendar item view space in a similar manner to convey status, selection, and conflict information to the user.

11. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the overview strip comprises a fixed time window based on user preferences when initially opening a calendar program.

12. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the overview strip comprises a flexible time window which is based on when a majority of the calendar items are scheduled for a given day, thus minimizing context changes during navigation of the calendar item view space.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the overview strip slides to a different time window based on the calendar items displayed in the schedule view.

13. A user interface control system that facilitates displaying calendar items from multiple perspectives on a screen, comprising:

means for displaying one or more calendar items in a schedule view and an overview strip, the overview strip comprising a chronological time line with a conflict being indicated thereon;

means for displaying at least one status indicator that indicates a status of a calendar item listed in the schedule view and the overview strip; and

means for providing at least one conflict indicator to indicate the conflict between calendar items in the schedule view and in the overview strip view, the at least one conflict indicator comprising an indication in the overview strip that a first calendar item conflicts with a second calendar item and that the first calendar item has priority over the second calendar item,

wherein the at least one conflict indicator indicates that the first calendar item has priority over the second calendar item by using a first color in displaying the first calendar item in the overview strip and using a second color in displaying the second calendar item in the overview strip, the first color specifying the first calendar item has a higher priority,

wherein, when the first calendar item and the second calendar item have the same priority, the system determines which of the items the user is most likely to prefer and visually enhances that item for easier readability.

14. A user interface control system that facilitates displaying calendar items from multiple perspectives on a screen comprising:

a processor that executes the following computer executable components;

a multi-view display component displays one or more calendar items in a schedule view and an overview strip view, the overview strip comprising a chronological time line with a user'"'"'s availability and schedule indicated thereon, the multi-view display component comprising a schedule display object and a time window display object;

a status notification component that displays at least one status indicator that indicates a status of a calendar item listed in the schedule view and the overview strip; and

a conflict notification component that provides at least one conflict indicator to indicate a conflict between calendar items in the schedule view and the overview strip, the at least one conflict indicator comprising an indication in the overview strip that a first calendar item conflicts with a second calendar item and that the first calendar item has priority over the second calendar item,

wherein the at least one conflict indicator indicates that the first calendar item has priority over the second calendar item by using a first color in displaying the first calendar item in the overview strip and using a second color in displaying the second calendar item in the overview strip, the first color specifying the first calendar item has a higher priority,

wherein, when the first calendar item and the second calendar item have the same priority, the system determines which of the items the user is most likely to prefer and visually enhances that item for easier readability.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the schedule display object displays at least a subset of the calendar items in a list form.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the time window display object displays a compressed view of the calendar items that exist within a selected block of time.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the time window display object displays at least one set of hours for a given day.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the time window display object displays an all-day indicator to indicate when at least one all-day calendar item exists for a given day.

19. The system of claim 14 further comprises one or more navigation components that facilitate navigating between calendar items in the schedule view.