Method and device for scheduling follow-up events

• US 8,635,533 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zinn, Scotte
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US13/478,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752, 715/733
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

A device and method for scheduling follow-up events in relation to an existing event record. The device receives an input follow-up request associated with the existing event record and automatically generates a follow-up event record having information in its field populated using the information contained in the existing event record. The date of the follow-up event is automatically generated based upon the date of the existing event record. If the existing event record is a recurring event, then the date of the follow-up event is based on the frequency of recurrence. The follow-up event record may be displayed for user editing and may be transmitted to the attendees to propose scheduling of the follow-up event.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling a future event on a device connected to a network, the device having stored thereon an existing event record, the existing event record having at least date information and subject information, the device having stored thereon a pre-configured interval, the method being implemented by the device and comprising:

receiving a request to schedule a follow-up event in relation to the existing event record;

creating a follow-up event record, the follow-up event record being a calendar appointment having a plurality of fields, comprising a subject field and a date field;

extracting the subject information from the existing event record and populating the subject field with the extracted subject information;

automatically selecting a follow-up date based upon said date of the existing event record plus the pre-configured interval stored in the device;

populating the date field with the selected follow-up date; and

displaying the follow-up event record in a scheduling user interface,

wherein the existing event record is not a recurring event record.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising displaying an options menu for pre-configuring the pre-configured interval.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing the follow-up event record in the device as a new event separate from the existing record.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said existing event record further includes attendee information, said follow-up event record includes an attendee field, and said steps of extracting and populating include extracting said attendee information from said existing event record and populating said attendee field with said extracted attendee information.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further including a step of transmitting an event notification to each attendee identified in said attendee information regarding the follow-up event record.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further including a step of displaying, in association with said existing event record, a selectable follow-up option displayed with at least text of “

follow-up”

, and wherein said receiving comprises receiving user selection of said follow-up option.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying the follow-up record includes permitting user editing of the follow-up record, and receiving user acceptance of the follow-up record.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising automatically populating a field of the follow-up record with text which indicates the follow-up record as being the follow-up event to the existing event record.

9. A communications device, comprising:

a memory storing an existing event record, the existing event record having at least date information and subject information, and storing a pre-configured interval;

a display;

a user input device;

a communications subsystem for communicating with remote devices over a network; and

a processor for receiving input from the user input device and for controlling the display, the processor being configured to;

receive a request to schedule a follow-up event in relation to the existing event record,

create a follow-up event record, the follow-up event record being a calendar appointment having a plurality of fields, comprising a subject field and a date field,

extract the subject information from the existing event record and populating the subject field with the extracted subject information,

automatically select a follow-up date based upon said date of the existing event record plus the pre-configured interval stored in the device,

populate the date field with the selected follow-up date, and

display the follow-up event record in a scheduling user interface,

wherein the existing event record is not a recurring event record.

10. The communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said processor is configured to display an options menu for pre-configuring the pre-configured interval.

11. The communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said communications subsystem is configured to store the follow-up event record in the memory as a new event separate from the existing record.

12. The communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said existing event record further includes attendee information, said follow-up event record includes an attendee field, and said processor is configured to extract said attendee information from said existing event record and populate said attendee field with said extracted attendee information.

13. The communications device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said communications subsystem is configured to transmit an event notification to each attendee identified in said attendee information regarding the follow-up event record.

14. The communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said display is configured to display, in association with said existing event record, a selectable follow-up option displayed with at least text of “

follow-up”

, and wherein said selectable follow-up option is selectable using said user input device to generate said request to schedule.

15. The communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said processor is configured to permit user editing of the follow-up record via said scheduling user interface, and to receive user acceptance of the follow-up record.

16. The communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said processor is configured to automatically populate a field of the follow-up record with text which indicates the follow-up record as being the follow-up event to the existing event record.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded thereon computer program instructions for scheduling a future event on a device connected to a network, the device having stored thereon an existing event record, the existing event record having at least date information, attendee information, and subject information, the device storing a pre-configured interval, the computer executable instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a request to schedule a follow-up event in relation to the existing event record;

instructions for creating a follow-up event record, the follow-up event record being a calendar appointment having a plurality of fields, comprising a subject field and a date field;

instructions for extracting the subject information from the existing event record and populating the subject field with the extracted subject information;

instructions for automatically selecting a follow-up date based upon said date of the existing event record plus the pre-configured interval stored in the device;

instructions for populating the date field with the selected follow-up date; and

instructions for displaying the follow-up event record in a scheduling user interface,

wherein the existing event record is not a recurring event record.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 17, further comprising instructions for displaying an options menu for pre-configuring the pre-configured interval.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 17, further comprising instructions for storing the follow-up event record in the device as a new event separate from the existing record.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 17, further comprising instructions for automatically populating a field of the follow-up record with text which indicates the follow-up record as being the follow-up event to the existing event record.