Sharing calendar information

• US 9,026,590 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Michel, Theodore L., Frankel, Glenn, Comertoglu, Can, Bjordahl, Hans, Tsang, Brian, Abdo, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): MIAH, RAZU A
• Application Number:
  US12/959,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-204, 709/224, 705/26
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Sharing calendar information may be provided. Calendar information may be shared with individuals that may or may not be associated with a local exchange server in order to coordinate schedules. A determination is conducted to decide whether a sender is authorized to send calendar information to another by examining registration rights. Next, if the registration rights are valid, input may be received from the sender associated with sending the calendar information to another using one or more entry points. Next, calendar information settings are received from the sender, which are used when sending the calendar information to another. Next, calendar information is published to the Internet based on the calendar information settings established by the sender, and provided to others for viewing.

Claims

1. A method for sharing calendar information, the method comprising:

authenticating a sender;

determining registration rights associated with the sender;

determining whether the sender is authorized to send calendar information by examining the registration rights associated with the sender;

upon determining that the registration rights associated with the sender are valid, receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information;

receiving calendar information settings from the sender;

receiving, prior to a publication of the calendar information, a time frame limit for a portion of the calendar information which is shared after the publication, the time frame limit comprising a predetermined time span for sharing the portion of the calendar information;

receiving, prior to the publication of the calendar information, a detail level for controlling an amount of the calendar information which is shared after the publication, the detail level comprising a plurality of calendar detail settings, the plurality of calendar detail settings comprising an availability only setting for sharing only the sender'"'"'s availability within the calendar information, with others;

publishing the calendar information on the Internet based on the calendar information settings; and

sharing a portion of the published calendar information on the Internet based on the received time frame limit and the detail level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information comprises receiving an input associated with sending the calendar information to another using one of a plurality of entry points, the plurality of entry points comprising a calendar toggle button and a calendar tab.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sharing a portion of the published calendar information on the Internet based on the received time frame limit and the detail level comprises:

sharing a portion of the published calendar information by providing access, to only a transaction, from among a plurality of transactions, in the calendar information to another;

wherein the access is provided by setting a time frame limit for the portion of the published calendar information using a rolling time window, the rolling time window comprising a plurality of specified durations during which access to the transaction in the calendar information is provided to the another; and

wherein an implied date range created by the plurality of durations shifts at a specified time to create a rolling effect for a shared calendar comprising the calendar information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the published calendar information is associated with one or more online communities.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the published calendar information when the calendar information changes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the published calendar information when the calendar information changes comprises automatically updating the published calendar information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the published calendar information when the calendar information changes comprises automatically updating the published calendar information in response to a send and receive operation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing subscription based viewing of the published calendar information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, in a search engine, a user search for calendar information associated with one or more calendars.

10. A system for sharing calendar information, the system comprising:

a memory comprising a data storage device for storing calendar information, wherein the memory is searchable;

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

authenticate a sender;

determine registration rights associated with the sender;

determine whether the sender is authorized to send calendar information by examining the registration rights associated with the sender;

upon determining that the registration rights associated with the sender are valid, receive input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information;

receive calendar information settings from the sender;

receive, prior to a publication of the calendar information, a time frame limit for a portion of the calendar information which is shared after the publication, the time frame limit comprising a predetermined time span for sharing the portion of the calendar information;

receive, prior to the publication of the calendar information, a detail level for controlling an amount of the calendar information which is shared after the publication, the detail level comprising a plurality of calendar detail settings, the plurality of calendar detail settings comprising an availability only setting for sharing only the sender'"'"'s availability within the calendar information, with others; and

publish the calendar information on the Internet based on the calendar information settings;

share a portion of the published calendar information on the Internet based on the received time frame limit and the detail level.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit, in receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information, is further operative to receive an input associated with sending the calendar information to another using one of a plurality of entry points, the plurality of entry points comprising a calendar toggle button and a calendar tab.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit, in sharing a portion of the published calendar information on the Internet based on the received time frame limit and the detail level, is further operative to:

share a portion of the published calendar information by providing access, to only a transaction, from among a plurality of transactions, in the calendar information to another;

wherein the access is provided by setting a time frame limit for the portion of the published calendar information using a rolling time window, the rolling time window comprising a plurality of specified durations during which access to the transaction in the calendar information is provided to the another; and

wherein an implied date range created by the plurality of durations shifts at a specified time to create a rolling effect for a shared calendar comprising the calendar information.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is associated with a server that supports a hypertext transfer protocol (http).

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the published calendar information is associated with one or more online communities.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is further operative to utilize a search engine to search the memory storage, wherein the search engine searches for calendar information using search criteria associated with the calendar information.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory storage stores calendar information associated with a plurality of calendars.

17. A memory device which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for sharing calendar information, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

authenticating a sender;

determining registration rights associated with the sender;

determining whether the sender is authorized to send calendar information by examining the registration rights associated with the sender;

upon determining that the registration rights associated with the sender are valid, receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information;

receiving calendar information settings from the sender;

receiving, prior to a publication of the calendar information, a time frame limit for a portion of the calendar information which is shared after the publication, the time frame limit comprising a predetermined time span for sharing the portion of the calendar information;

receiving, prior to the publication of the calendar information, a detail level for controlling an amount of the calendar information which is shared after the publication, the detail level comprising a plurality of calendar detail settings, the plurality of calendar detail settings comprising an availability only setting for sharing only the sender'"'"'s availability within the calendar information, with others;

publishing the calendar information on the Internet based on the calendar information settings;

sharing a portion of the published calendar information on the Internet based on the received time frame limit and the detail level;

updating the published calendar information when the calendar information changes;

receiving, in a search engine, a user search for calendar information associated with one or more calendars; and

providing subscription based viewing of the published calendar information.

18. The memory device of claim 17, wherein receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information comprises receiving an input associated with sending the calendar information to another using one of a plurality of entry points, the plurality of entry points comprising a calendar toggle button and a calendar tab.

19. The memory device of claim 17, wherein sharing a portion of the published calendar information on the Internet based on the received time frame limit and the detail level comprises:

sharing a portion of the published calendar information by providing access, to only a transaction, from among a plurality of transactions, in the calendar information to another;

wherein the access is provided by setting a time frame limit for the portion of the published calendar information using a rolling time window, the rolling time window comprising a plurality of specified durations during which access to the transaction in the calendar information is provided to the another; and

wherein an implied date range created by the plurality of durations shifts at a specified time to create a rolling effect for a shared calendar comprising the calendar information.

20. The memory device of claim 17, wherein updating the published calendar information when the calendar information changes comprises automatically updating the published calendar information in response to a send/receive operation.