Method of managing a calendar and a computer system for implementing that method

• US 7,822,713 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Noyau, Eric, Hullot, Jean-Marie, Guiheneuf, Bertrand, Cerveau, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham; John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rayyan; Susan F
• Application Number:
  US11/496,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/201, 707/620, 707627-628, 705/9, 715/963
• US Class Current: 707/628
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Methods, systems and machine readable media for operating a calendar in a data processing system. In one exemplary method of managing a calendar, which contains at least one event, said method comprises:

• • making available the calendar in an electronic format;
  • subscribing to said calendar;
  • downloading said calendar from a host electronic device to a subscriber electronic device; and
  • storing said calendar in said electronic format to form a local calendar.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

a second electronic device subscribing to two or more calendars in a plurality of published calendars wherein the two or more calendars comprises at least two user-created calendars, wherein the at least two user-created calendars are created by a first user on a first electronic device and wherein each calendar in the two or more calendars comprises at least one event;

receiving, from a server, the two or more calendars at the second electronic device;

storing the two or more calendars on the second electronic device to form two or more local calendars;

effecting a change to at least one of the two or more local calendars at the second electronic device;

sending the change from the second electronic device to the first electronic device;

receiving, from the server, updated versions of the two or more calendars at the second electronic device, the change being reflected in the at least one of the two or more local calendars to which the change was effected;

storing the updated versions of the two or more calendars at the second electronic device to form two or more updated local calendars;

receiving a first user input from a second user using the second electronic device that indicates to publish at least a portion of a calendar of the second user having an event being published, such that the at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s calendar is available to the first user;

receiving in a display region of the second electronic device second user input and third user input from the second user respectively specifying calendar data of the second user and the second user'"'"'s calendar to directly import the calendar data from another different calendar of the second user into the second user'"'"'s calendar;

transmitting data representing the event being published and the imported calendar data to the first electronic device.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the plurality of published calendars are available over the Internet.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the at least two user-created calendars each comprise at least one user-created event.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

as a consequence of the first user making a second change to one of the calendars to which the second device is subscribed;

receiving the second change made by the first user at the second electronic device;

updating one of the two or more local calendars stored on the second electronic device with the second change made by the first user.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein the second change made by the first user is sent from the first electronic device to the second electronic device.

6. A machine readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

a second electronic device subscribing to two or more calendars in a plurality of published calendars wherein the two or more calendars comprises at least two user-created calendars, wherein the at least two user-created calendars are created by a first user on a first electronic device and wherein each calendar in the two or more calendars comprises at least one event;

receiving, from a server, the two or more calendars at the second electronic device;

storing the two or more calendars on the second electronic device to form two or more local calendars;

effecting a change to at least one of the two or more local calendars at the second electronic device;

sending the change from the second electronic device to the first electronic device;

receiving, from the server, updated versions of the two or more calendars at the second electronic device, the change being reflected in the at least one of the two or more local calendars to which the change was effected;

storing the updated versions of the two or more calendars at the second electronic device to form two or more updated local calendars;

receiving a first user input from a second user using the second electronic device that indicates to publish at least a portion of a calendar of the second user having an event being published, such that the at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s calendar is available to the first user;

receiving in a display region of the second electronic device second user input and third user input from the second user respectively specifying calendar data of the second user and the second user'"'"'s calendar to directly import the calendar data from another different calendar of the second user into the second user'"'"'s calendar;

transmitting data representing the event being published and the imported calendar data to the first electronic device.

7. The medium as in claim 6 wherein the plurality of published calendars are available over the Internet.

8. The medium as in claim 6 wherein the at least two user-creates calendars each comprise at least one user-created event.

9. The medium as in claim 6, further comprising:

as a consequence of the first user making a second change to one of the calendars to which the second device is subscribed;

receiving the second change made by the first user at the second electronic device;

updating one of the two or more local calendars stored on the second electronic device with the second change made by the first user.

10. The medium as in claim 9 wherein the second change made by the first user is sent from the first electronic device to the second electronic device.

11. A second handheld electronic computing device having a storage medium containing program code that when processed by said second handheld electronic computing device causes a method to be performed, said method comprising:

said second handheld electronic device subscribing to two or more calendars in a plurality of published calendars wherein the two or more calendars comprises at least two user-created calendars, wherein the at least two user-created calendars are created by a first user on a first electronic device and wherein each calendar in the two or more calendars comprises at least one event;

receiving, from a server, the two or more calendars at the second handheld electronic device;

storing the two or more calendars on the second handheld electronic device to form two or more local calendars;

effecting a change to at least one of the two or more local calendars at the second handheld electronic device;

sending the change from the second handheld electronic device to the first electronic device;

receiving, from the server, updated versions of the two or more calendars at the second handheld electronic device, the change being reflected in the at least one of the two or more local calendars to which the change was effected;

storing the updated versions of the two or more calendars at the second handheld electronic device to form two or more updated local calendars;

receiving a first user input from a second user using the second handheld electronic device that indicates to publish at least a portion of a calendar of the second user having an event being published, such that the at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s calendar is available to the first user;

receiving in a display region of the second handheld electronic device second user input and third user input from the second user respectively specifying calendar data of the second user and the second user'"'"'s calendar to directly import the calendar data from another different calendar of the second user into the second user'"'"'s calendar; and

transmitting data representing the event being published and the imported calendar data to the first electronic device.

12. The second handheld electronic device as in claim 11 wherein the plurality of published calendars are available over the Internet.

13. The second handheld electronic device as in claim 11 wherein the at least two user-created calendars each comprise at least one user-created event.

14. The second handheld electronic device as in claim 11, further comprising:

as a consequence of the first user making a second change to one of the calendars to which the second handheld electronic device is subscribed;

receiving the second change made by the first user at the second handheld electronic device;

updating one of the two or more local calendars stored on the second handheld electronic device with the second change made by the first user.

15. The second handheld electronic device as in claim 11 wherein the second change made by the first user is sent from the first electronic device to the second electronic device.