On-line appointment system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method implemented by a central appointments server comprising:
- receiving at least one request from a user system over a network to make an appointment during a time period;
responsive to the request, enabling a selection of a service provider from a plurality of service providers accessible via the central appointments server;
determining at least one available appointment time within the time period for the selected service provider through use of the central appointments server, wherein the central appointments server is configured to store representations of respective calendars that indicate available appointment times for the plurality of service providers, wherein the representations of the calendars include a representation of a first calendar for the selected service provider;
transmitting the at least one available appointment time obtained from the first calendar to the user system;
receiving notification of a selection of an appointment time from the at least one available appointment time; and
responsive to the notification, causing a second calendar maintained by the selected service provider separate from the central appointments server to be checked to determine whether the selected appointment time is available in the second calendar.
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Abstract
Improved approaches for providing on-line appointments over a network are disclosed. The network is, for example, a global computer network such as the Internet. According to one aspect, users are able to schedule appointments over the network by on-line means. The users are typically individuals or service providers. Service providers are often those businesses that offer appointments to schedule their services.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a central appointments server comprising:
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receiving at least one request from a user system over a network to make an appointment during a time period; responsive to the request, enabling a selection of a service provider from a plurality of service providers accessible via the central appointments server; determining at least one available appointment time within the time period for the selected service provider through use of the central appointments server, wherein the central appointments server is configured to store representations of respective calendars that indicate available appointment times for the plurality of service providers, wherein the representations of the calendars include a representation of a first calendar for the selected service provider; transmitting the at least one available appointment time obtained from the first calendar to the user system; receiving notification of a selection of an appointment time from the at least one available appointment time; and responsive to the notification, causing a second calendar maintained by the selected service provider separate from the central appointments server to be checked to determine whether the selected appointment time is available in the second calendar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions, that in response to execution by a server device, cause the server device to implement an on-line scheduling application that is configured to:
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responsive to a request to make an appointment on-line, output a user interface configured to accept input of search terms and cause a search of a directory of service providers based on the search terms to facilitate a selection of a service provider from the directory; upon selection of the service provider from the directory, determine at least one available appointment slot for the service provider through use of a central appointments server having access to a central appointment database configured to store a first calendar for at least the service provider; transmit a representation of the at least one available appointments slot obtained from the first calendar to a user system; receive from the user system a representation of a selected appointment slot from the at least one available appointment slot; and cause a second calendar maintained by the service provider separately from the first calendar to be checked to verify that the selected appointment slot is available in the second calendar. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An on-line appointment system, comprising:
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at least one appointment database configured to store representations of respective calendars for one or more service providers on behalf of the on-line appointment system; and at least one appointment server device configured to; furnish access to the calendars stored by the appointment database via a network to schedule appointments with the one or more service providers; expose a business directory of service providers that is searchable via a user system to facilitate selection of the one or more service providers to schedule the appointments; obtain at least one available appointment time for communication to the user system using the calendars stored by the appointment database for the one or more service providers that are selected using the directory; propose at least one appointment at least one selected appointment time between the user system and the one or more service providers based on a determination that the at least one selected appointment time is available in one or more local software calendars maintained by the one or more service providers, the one or more local software calendars being separate and distinct from the calendars stored by the appointment database; and request confirmation, by the one or more service providers, of the appointments that have been proposed with the one or more service providers. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, in response to execution by a server device, cause the server device to perform a method comprising:
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receiving at least one request from a user system to search a directory maintained by the server device, wherein the directory lists a plurality of service providers registered with an on-line appointment system; searching the directory based on at least one search term to identify one or more of the plurality of service providers that match the at least one search term; transmitting search results describing the matching service providers to the user system; receiving, from the user system, a selection of a service provider based on the search results; accessing a first calendar associated with the selected service provider to identify at least one available appointment slot for making appointments with the selected service provider; transmitting data representing the at least one available appointment slot for the selected service provider to the user system; receiving, from the user system, a selection of at least the available appointment slot; and requesting that the appointment be scheduled between the user system and the selected service provider at the selected appointment slot based upon a determination of whether the one or more selected appointment slot is available in a second calendar maintained by the service provider separately from the first calendar. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification