Determining availability based on percentage available

• US 9,058,596 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Goodman, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/728,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a system and method for displaying the scheduling availability of a user. The system includes an occupancy module for analyzing the schedule of the user to determine the occupancy for a time period in the schedule. The time period includes an available time slot and/or an occupied time slot. A processor connected to the occupancy module determines whether the occupancy for the time period is above a threshold level of occupancy. The threshold level of occupancy includes a maximum number of occupied time slots, a maximum percentage of occupied time slots, a maximum amount of occupied time, and/or a maximum percentage of occupied time. A scheduling module connected to the processor automatically displays the scheduling availability of the user as unavailable for the time slot when the occupancy for the time period is above the threshold level of occupancy.

Claims

1. A method for displaying scheduling availability of a user, said method comprising:

determining a number of occupied time slots in a time period in a schedule of the user;

determining a number of unoccupied time slots in the time period;

calculating a percentage of occupied time slots in the time period;

determining whether the percentage of occupied time slots is above a threshold percentage of occupied time slots with a processor; and

automatically displaying the scheduling availability of the user with a scheduling module, the scheduling availability of the user being displayed as unavailable for the time slot when the percentage of occupied time slots is above the threshold percentage of occupied time slots.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time period includes at least one of a day, a week, a month, a morning, an afternoon, an evening, and a defined block of time.

3. A method for displaying scheduling availability of a user, said method comprising:

determining a number of occupied time slots in a time period in a schedule of the user;

determining a number of unoccupied time slots in the time period;

calculating a percentage of occupied time slots in the time period;

determining whether the percentage of occupied time slots is above a threshold percentage of occupied time slots with a processor; and

automatically displaying the scheduling availability of the user with a scheduling module, the scheduling availability of the user being displayed as unavailable for the time slot when the percentage of occupied time slots is above the threshold percentage of occupied time slots; and

updating the percentage of occupied time slots when a change to the schedule of the user is detected.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the time period includes at least one of a day, a week, a month, a morning, an afternoon, an evening, and a defined block of time.

5. The method according to claim 3, further including defining at least one ineligible occupied time slot that is not included in at least one of:

the number of occupied time slots in the time period,

the percentage of occupied time slots in the time period,

the amount of occupied time in the time period, and

the percentage of occupied time in the time period.

6. A method for displaying scheduling availability of a user, said method comprising:

determining a number of occupied time slots in a time period in a schedule of the user;

determining a number of unoccupied time slots in the time period;

calculating a percentage of occupied time slots in the time period;

determining whether the percentage of occupied time slots is above a threshold percentage of occupied time slots with a processor; and

automatically displaying the scheduling availability of the user with a scheduling module, the scheduling availability of the user being displayed as unavailable for the time slot when the percentage of occupied time slots is above the threshold percentage of occupied time slots, said automatically displaying of the scheduling availability of the user including sending a message at least one of the user and a second user.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the time period includes at least one of a day, a week, a month, a morning, an afternoon, an evening, and a defined block of time.

8. The method according to claim 6, further including defining at least one ineligible occupied time slot that is not included in at least one of:

the number of occupied time slots in the time period,

the percentage of occupied time slots in the time period,

the amount of occupied time in the time period, and

the percentage of occupied time in the time period.

9. A method for displaying scheduling availability of a user, said method comprising:

determining a number of occupied time slots in a time period in a schedule of the user;

determining a number of unoccupied time slots in the time period;

calculating a percentage of occupied time slots in the time period;

determining whether the percentage of occupied time slots is above a threshold percentage of occupied time slots with a processor; and

automatically displaying the scheduling availability of the user with a scheduling module, the scheduling availability of the user being displayed as unavailable for the time slot when the percentage of occupied time slots is above the threshold percentage of occupied time slots, said automatically displaying of the scheduling availability of the user including sending a message at least one of the user and a second user; and

updating the percentage of occupied time slots when a change to the schedule of the user is detected.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the time period includes at least one of a day, a week, a month, a morning, an afternoon, an evening, and a defined block of time.