Accommodating unforeseen events using an electronic calendar

• US 8,880,419 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Li, Li, Yongcheng, Xiao, Lun
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleischer, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US11/306,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,213 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.18, 705/7.19
• US Class Current: 705/7.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

Methods and computer program products for accommodating unforeseen events using an electronic calendar. Occurrences of unforeseen events pertinent to preexisting appointments are detected. Occurrences of unforeseen events may be detected by, for example, accepting input from the user conveyed by, for example, a keyboard, a mouse click, or a menu selection; or by accepting input from an automated information source that provides, for example, commute times or weather reports. The calendar responds automatically on behalf of the user to the detection of unforeseen events pertinent to preexisting appointments. Response may include sending notifications to other parties to appointments by way of, for example, electronic mail, instant messaging, or voice mail messaging; by canceling appointments; or by rescheduling appointments.

Claims

1. A system for accommodating unforeseen events comprising:

a computing device to process and store data in connection with an electronic calendar, the computing device comprising an unforeseen event detector, in which, when operating, the computing device;

with the unforeseen event detector, detects an occurrence of an unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment scheduled in an electronic calendar by accepting information provided by an automated information source that provides the computing device with information about the existence of the unforeseen event; and

automatically responds to detection of the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to the preexisting appointment,

in which responding automatically comprises sending a number of notifications to other parties to the preexisting appointment, in which responding automatically further comprises indicating an amount of time of delay that the unforeseen event creates, and

in which the unforeseen event detector applies a threshold in detecting an unforeseen event.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the number of notifications are sent using electronic mail.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the number of notifications are sent using instant messaging.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the number of notifications are sent using voice mail messages.

5. The system of claim 1, in which responding automatically to the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment further comprises canceling the preexisting appointment.

6. The system of claim 1, in which responding automatically to the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment further comprises rescheduling the preexisting appointment.

7. The system of claim 1, in which detecting an occurrence of an unforeseen event comprises accepting input about the unforeseen event from a user of the electronic calendar.

8. The system of claim 7, in which the input is conveyed by one of:

a keyboard entry, a mouse click, and a menu selection.

9. The system of claim 1, in which the information provided by the automated information source concerns one of:

a commute time, and a weather report.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the electronic calendar accepts configuration information from a user about unforeseen events, the configuration information defining the unforeseen events.

11. The system of claim 1, in which the threshold is user-definable.

12. The system of claim 1, in which the electronic calendar accepts configuration information from a user about unforeseen events, the configuration information defining responses to be made when unforeseen events occur.

13. The system of claim 1, in which the electronic calendar accepts configuration information from a user about unforeseen events, the configuration information mapping responses to the unforeseen events, the responses to be made when the unforeseen events occur.

14. A computer program product for accommodating unforeseen events using an electronic calendar, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code tangibly embedded therein, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code for an unforeseen event detector to, when executed by a processor, detect an occurrence of an unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment scheduled in the electronic calendar; and

computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, respond automatically to detection of the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment;

in which the computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, detect an occurrence of an unforeseen event comprises computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, accept information provided by an automated information source that provides the computing device with information about the existence of the unforeseen event,

in which the computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, respond automatically to detection of the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment comprises computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, indicate an amount of time of delay that the unforeseen event creates, and

in which the unforeseen event detector applies a threshold in detecting an unforeseen event.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, in which the Computer readable program code to respond automatically to the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment comprises:

computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, send a number of notifications to other parties to the preexisting appointment.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, in which the number of notifications are sent using one of:

electronic mail, instant messaging, and voice mail messages.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, in which the computer readable program code to respond automatically to the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment further comprises computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, cancel the preexisting appointment.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, in which the computer readable program code to respond automatically to the occurrence of the unforeseen event pertinent to a preexisting appointment further comprises computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, reschedule the preexisting appointment.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, in which the computer readable program code to detect an occurrence of an unforeseen event comprises computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, accept input about the unforeseen event from a user of the electronic calendar.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, in which the computer readable program code further comprises computer readable program code to, when executed by a processor, accept configuration information from a user about a number of unforeseen events, the configuration information defining the unforeseen events.