Team-based task invitations

• US 7,836,140 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Eaton, Stephen D, Conmy, Douglas W, Herescu, Oltea M, Omer, Adeel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Philip C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIAGINI, CHRISTOPHER D
• Application Number:
  US12/131,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method for managing invitations to one or more events includes identifying an attribute required to perform an event. An invitation may be created so that invitees are selected according to the identified attribute required to perform the event. At least one person associated with a attribute may then be invited to attend the event. An invitation is sent to one or more persons associated with the attribute.

Claims

1. A method of managing group-based invitations to an event, the method comprising:

identifying a skill set required to perform the event, wherein the skill set includes a plurality of skills required to perform the event;

associating the skill set with a plurality of group identifiers;

creating an invitation to the event, wherein the invitation is addressed to the plurality of group identifiers and specifies the skill set required to perform the event;

identifying at least one person possessing the skill set from among one or more persons based on an association of the one or more persons with the plurality of group identifiers, wherein each of the at least one person possesses at least one skill of the skill set;

sending the invitation to the at least one person identified as possessing the skill set in accordance with one or more invitation strategies, wherein at least one of the one or more invitation strategies comprises ranking the one or more persons in accordance with one or more criteria, the one or more criteria including a number of the plurality of group identifiers with which each of the one or more persons is associated; and

withdrawing the invitation from the at least one person possessing the skill set and sending the invitation to a second at least one person on the condition that the second at least one person is identified as possessing a second skill set comprising a greater number of skills than the skill set,

wherein the method is implemented by one or more computing devices, each of the one or more computing devices including at least one processor and a memory, at least one processor of at least one of the one or more computing devices executing computer-readable program code stored in the memory of the at least one of the one or more computing devices to perform steps of the method.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria further comprises a preference of a manager of the event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising withdrawing the invitation from a person to whom the invitation is sent on the condition that the person no longer possesses at least one skill of the skill set.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising addressing the invitation to a specific number of persons, each of the specific number of persons having one or more skills of the skill set.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the invitation to one or more additional persons in addition to the at least one person on the condition that each of the one or more additional persons possesses one or more skills of the skill set.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a new invitation when the skill set changes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message regarding a detail of the event to a plurality of accepted invitees.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically sending the message to a newly accepted invitee.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking the one or more persons in accordance with the number of the plurality of group identifiers with which each of the one or more persons is associated comprises:

determining the number of the plurality of group identifiers with which each of the one or more persons is associated; and

ranking the one of more persons associated with the plurality of group identifiers based on the determination of the number of the plurality of group identifiers with which each of the one or more persons is associated,

wherein on the condition that a first person of the one or more persons is associated with a greater number of the plurality of group identifiers than a second person, the first person is preferentially invited to the event over second person.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more invitation strategies further comprises:

an invitation strategy generated by at least one of the one or more persons associated with the plurality of group identifiers;

an invitation strategy generated by a creator of the invitation; and

one or more default invitation strategies associated with the plurality of group identifiers.

11. A computer program product for managing group-based invitations to an event, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied thereon, the computer readable code comprising;

computer-readable code configured to associate a skill set required to perform the event with a plurality of group identifiers, the skill set comprising a plurality of skills required to perform the event;

computer readable code configured to create an invitation to the event, wherein the invitation is addressed to the plurality of group identifiers and specifies the skill set required to perform the event;

computer readable code configured to associate one or more persons with the plurality of group identifiers;

computer readable code configured to identify at least one person possessing the skill set from among the one or more persons based on the association of the one or more persons with the plurality of group identifiers, wherein each of the at least one person possesses at least one skill of the skill set;

computer readable program code configured to send the invitation to the at least one person, identified as possessing the skill set in accordance with one or more invitation strategies, wherein at least one of the one or more invitation strategies comprises ranking the one or more persons in accordance with one or more criteria, the one or more criteria including a number of the plurality of group identifiers with which each of the one or more persons is associated;

computer readable code configured to withdraw the invitation from the at least one person possessing the skill set and send the invitation to a second at least one person on the condition that the second at least one person is identified as possessing a second skill set comprising a greater number of skills than the skill set.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising computer readable code configured to automatically withdraw the invitation from a person to whom the invitation is sent on the condition that the person no longer possesses at least one skill of the skill set.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer readable code configured to automatically send the invitation, in accordance with the one or more invitation strategies, to a replacement person to replace the person from whom the invitation was withdrawn.

14. An apparatus for managing group-based invitations to an event, comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the instructions for;

identifying a skill set required to perform the event, wherein the skill set includes a plurality of skills required to perform the event;

associating the skill set with a plurality of group identifiers;

identifying at least one person possessing the skill set from among one or more persons based on an association of the one or more persons with the plurality of group identifiers, wherein each of the at least one person possesses at least one skill of the skill set;

creating one or more invitation strategies, wherein at least one of the one or more invitation strategies comprises ranking the one or more persons in accordance with one or more criteria, the one or more criteria including a number of the plurality of group identifiers with which each of the one or more persons is associated;

creating an invitation to the event, wherein the invitation is addressed to the plurality of group identifiers and specifies the skill set required to perform the event;

sending the invitation to the at least one person possessing the skill set in accordance with the one or more invitation strategies; and

withdrawing the invitation from the at least one person possessing the skill set and sending the invitation to a second at least one person on the condition that the second at least one person is identified as possessing a second skill set comprising a greater number of skills than the skill set.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more invitation strategies comprises adjusting the invitation based on an availability of the at least one person.