Adding events to a calendar from another application

• US 8,924,860 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Espinoza, Tony, Lavoy, Debra, Quigley, Ben, Sobotka, Dave, Sugarbaker, Mike, Wolf, Mary
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/618,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 715/770, 715/760, 715/803, 715/804, 715/805, 715/809, 715/749, 715/963, 715/765, 715/748, 715/712, 715/785, 715/802, 715/823, 715/854, 715/711, 715/752
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided that allows a user to automatically add content, such as an event, to a container, such as, a calendar without directly accessing the container. Second and third preferred embodiments are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a message with information associated with a user event;

providing, in the message, a selectable element associated with the user event that allows for the user event to be added to an electronic calendar application, the message being provided to a user in a first graphical user interface;

detecting, by at least one processor, a user selection of the selectable element provided in the message;

upon detecting the user selection of the selectable element provided in the message, providing a second graphical user interface including one or more input fields for information related to the user event;

detecting, using the at least one processor, a user confirmation of information in the one or more input fields; and

upon detecting the user confirmation of the information in the one or more input fields, creating, by the at least one processor, an entry in the electronic calendar application corresponding to the user event based on the information, wherein the entry is created in the electronic calendar application without opening the electronic calendar application.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first graphical user interface is associated with a first application, the first application differing from the electronic calendar application.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first application comprises an Internet browser.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selectable element comprises an icon.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selectable element comprises text.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the text comprises a description of the user event.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more input fields comprise a title input field, a date input field, and a time input field.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising auto-filling the title input field, the date input field, and the time input field upon providing the second graphical user interface.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising receiving an input from the user for the title input field, the date input field, and the time input field.

10. A method comprising:

identifying a message of a first application associated with an event that a user can attend or otherwise participate in, the message including information related to the event;

providing a selectable element associated with the event in the message that allows for the event to be added to an electronic calendar application, the message and the selectable element being provided to the user in a first graphical user interface;

detecting, by at least one processor, a user selection of the selectable element provided in the message;

upon detecting the user selection of the selectable element provided in the message, providing a second graphical user interface including one or more input fields for information related to the event;

detecting, using the at least one processor, a user confirmation of information in the one or more input fields; and

upon detecting the user confirmation of the information in the one or more input fields, creating by the at least one processor, an entry in the electronic calendar application corresponding to the event based on the information, wherein the entry is created in the electronic calendar application without opening the electronic calendar application, and the electronic calendar application differs from the first application.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the first application comprises an Internet browser.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the selectable element comprises an icon.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the selectable element comprises text.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the text comprises a description of the event.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising providing a user interface portion indicating that the event has successfully been entered in the electronic calendar application.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the user interface portion comprises one or more of a title, a date, and a time of the event.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the user interface portion allows a user to modify one or more of the title, the date, and the time of the event.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage media storing instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer system to:

identify a message with information associated with a user event;

provide, in the message, a selectable element associated with the user event that allows for the user event to added to an electronic calendar application, the message being provided to a user in a first graphical user interface;

detect a user selection of the selectable element provided in the message;

provide a second graphical user interface including one or more input fields upon detecting the user selection of the selectable element provided in the message;

detect a user confirmation of information in the one or more input fields; and

create an entry in the electronic calendar application corresponding to the user event based on the information upon detecting the user confirmation of the information in the one or more input fields, wherein the entry is created in the electronic calendar application without opening the electronic calendar application.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage media as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computer system to provide a user interface portion indicting that the user event has successfully been entered in the electronic calendar application, wherein the user interface portion comprises one or more of a title, a date, a time of the user event, and allows the user to modify one or more of the title, the date, and the time of the user event.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage media as recited in claim 18, wherein the one or more input fields comprise a title input field, a date input field, and a time input field;

and the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computer system to auto-fill the title input field, the date input field, and the time input field upon providing the graphical user interface.