Electronic calendar auto event resolution system and method

• US 9,129,264 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lyle, Ruthie D., Ramseur, Demethria J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US12/722,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 724
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• 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 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A system and method for event resolution. The method includes determining whether a post-scheduled event or a pre-scheduled event conflicts with a scheduled event. The method further includes extracting details of the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event and automatically populating a response with at least some of the extracted details. The method further includes sending the response with an accept indication when the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event does not conflict with the scheduled event, or sending the response with a cancel indication when the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event conflicts with the scheduled event, or sending the response with a tentatively accept indication when the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event conflicts with the scheduled event.

Claims

1. A method for use in calendar management, the method comprising:

receiving, by an invitee at a first computing device, an invitation to an event from a second computing device via a first computer communication link;

generating, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a scheduled event, wherein generating the scheduled event includes storing information representing the scheduled event in an electronic representation of a calendar associated with the invitee;

determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, whether the invitee is designated as a chair of the event by;

extracting information indicating a designated chair from the invitation, and

determining whether the information indicating the designated chair indicates the invitee;

determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, whether the event conflicts with the scheduled event by;

identifying a start value and an end value for the scheduled event from the information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee,

identifying a start value and an end value for the event from the invitation, and

determining whether the event conflicts with the scheduled event based on at least two of the start value of the event, the end value of the event, the start value of the scheduled event, or the end value of the scheduled event;

determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, whether the scheduled event is an unconfirmed event by identifying information indicating whether the scheduled event is confirmed from the information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee;

extracting, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a value of a detail of the event from the invitation;

populating, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a response electronic message with the value of the detail;

including, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a tentative acceptance indication in the response electronic message on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the scheduled event is an unconfirmed event, and the invitee is not designated as the chair of the event;

including, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a tentative acceptance indication in the response electronic message on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the scheduled event is an unconfirmed event, and generating the scheduled event is performed before receiving the invitation;

including, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a tentative acceptance indication in the response electronic message on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the scheduled event is a confirmed event, the invitee is designated as the chair of the event, and generating the scheduled event is performed before receiving the invitation; and

sending the response electronic message from the first computer to the second computer via a second computer communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving, via a user interface, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, restoring, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the event by including information representing the event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee; and

in response to receiving, via a third computer communication link, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, restoring, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the event by including information representing the event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the response electronic message is based on an electronic template including a field and populating the response electronic message includes populating the field by including information extracted from the electronic template in the response electronic message and replacing the field with the value of the detail.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the detail to a log by writing the value of the detail to a log file.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to receiving, via a user interface, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, retrieving, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the detail from the log by reading the value of the detail from the log file; and

in response to receiving, via a third computer communication link, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, retrieving, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the detail from the log by reading the value of the detail from the log file.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

restoring, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the detail by including information indicating the value of the detail in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee; and

removing, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the scheduled event by;

identifying information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee, and

removing the including information indicating the scheduled even from the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a prompt, via a user interface, indicating a request to confirm the scheduled event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically rescheduling, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the event to a non-conflicting time, on a condition that the invitee is designated as the chair, the event conflicts with the scheduled event, receiving the invitation is performed before generating the scheduled event, and the scheduled event is a confirmed event, wherein automatically rescheduling the event includes;

identifying an invited attendee, other than the invitee, of the event by extracting an identifier representing the invited attendee from the invitation,

receiving information indicating availability for the invited attendee to attend the rescheduled event from the second computing device via a third computer communication link,

determining the non-conflicting time based on the information indicating availability for the invited attendee and the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee, such that a percentage of available invitees for the event at the non-conflicting time is greater than a defined threshold,

including information representing the rescheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee,

generating an electronic message indicating a request to reschedule the event to the non-conflicting time, and

sending the electronic message indicating the request to reschedule the event to the non-conflicting time to the invited attendee via a fourth computer communication link.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to a cancelation of the scheduled event;

using, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a log file to generate an electronic message indicating a request to reschedule the event to an original time by;

reading information representing the event from the log file, the information representing the event including an indication of the original time, wherein the original time is a time indicated in the invitation to the event, and

populating the electronic message with the information representing the event from the log file; and

sending, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, the electronic message via a fifth computer communication link.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a profile on a server or a client, wherein creating the profile includes receiving user input representing at least a portion of the profile, and wherein creating the profile includes storing information representing the profile in a computer readable non-transitory medium, wherein the profile includes at least one of;

a conflict resolution preference associated with the invitee;

a conflict response template configured for population using the value of the detail;

a time period indicating a maximum confirmation date associated with the scheduled event;

or

a response threshold indicating a percentage of invited attendees.

11. An apparatus for use in calendar management, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions, wherein the memory is a computer readable non-transitory medium; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

receive, by an invitee, an invitation to an event from an external computing device via a first computer communication link;

generate a scheduled event, including storing information representing the scheduled event in an electronic representation of a calendar associated with the invitee;

determine whether the invitee is designated as a chair of the event by;

extracting information indicating a designated chair from the invitation, and

determining whether the information indicating the designated chair indicates the invitee;

determine whether the event conflicts with the scheduled event by;

identifying a start value and an end value for the scheduled event from the information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee,

identifying a start value and an end value for the event from the invitation, and

determining whether the event conflicts with the scheduled event based on at least two of the start value of the event, the end value of the event, the start value of the scheduled event, or the end value of the scheduled event;

extract a value of a detail of the event from the invitation;

populate a response electronic message with the value of the detail;

include a tentative acceptance indication in the response electronic message on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the scheduled event is an unconfirmed event, and the invitee is not designated as the chair of the event;

include a tentative acceptance indication in the response electronic message on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the scheduled event is an unconfirmed event, and generating the scheduled event is performed before receiving the invitation;

include a tentative acceptance indication in the response electronic message on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the scheduled event is a confirmed event, the invitee is designated as the chair of the event, and generating the scheduled event is performed before receiving the invitation; and

send the response electronic message to the second computer via a second computer communication link.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

in response to receiving, via a user interface, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, restore the event by including information representing the event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee; and

in response to receiving, via a third computer communication link, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, restore the event by including information representing the event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the response electronic message is based on an electronic template including a field and the wherein the processor is configured to populate the response electronic message by including information extracted from the electronic template in the response electronic message and replacing the field with the value of the detail.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

save the detail to a log by writing the value of the detail to a log file.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to:

in response to receiving, via a user interface, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, retrieve the detail from the log by reading the value of the detail from the log file, and

in response to receiving, via a third computer communication link, information indicating a cancelation of the scheduled event, retrieve the detail from the log by reading the value of the detail from the log file.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

restore the detail by including information indicating the value of the detail in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee; and

remove the scheduled event by;

identifying information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee, and

removing the including information indicating the scheduled event from the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

generate a prompt for display via a user interface, the prompt indicating a request to confirm the scheduled event.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

automatically reschedule the event to a non-conflicting time, on a condition that the invitee is designated as the chair, the event conflicts with the scheduled event, receiving the invitation is performed before generating the scheduled event, and the scheduled event is a confirmed event, wherein the processor is configured to automatically reschedule the event by;

identifying an invited attendee, other than the invitee, of the event by extracting an identifier representing the invited attendee from the invitation,

receiving information indicating availability for the invited attendee to attend the rescheduled event from the second computing device via a third computer communication link,

determining the non-conflicting time based on the information indicating availability for the invited attendee and the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee, such that a percentage of available invitees for the event at the non-conflicting time is greater than a defined threshold,

including information representing the rescheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee,

generating an electronic message indicating a request to reschedule the event to the non-conflicting time, and

sending the electronic message indicating the request to reschedule the event to the non-conflicting time to the invited attendee via a fourth computer communication link.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to:

in response to a cancelation of the scheduled event;

generate a message indicating a request to reschedule the meeting to an original time using a log file; and

send the message.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

create a profile including at least one of;

a conflict resolution preference associated with the invitee;

a conflict response template configured for population using the value of the detail;

a time period indicating a maximum confirmation date associated with the scheduled event;

or

a response threshold indicating a percentage of invited attendees, wherein creating the profile includes receiving user input representing at least a portion of the profile, and wherein creating the profile includes storing information representing the profile in a computer readable non-transitory medium.

21. A method for use in calendar management, the method comprising:

receiving, by an invitee at a first computing device, an invitation to an event from a second computing device via a first computer communication link;

generating, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a scheduled event, wherein generating the scheduled event includes storing information representing the scheduled event in an electronic representation of a calendar associated with the invitee;

determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, whether the invitee is designated as a chair of the event by;

extracting information indicating a designated chair from the invitation, and

determining whether the information indicating the designated chair indicates the invitee;

determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, whether the event conflicts with the scheduled event by;

identifying a start value and an end value for the scheduled event from the information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee,

identifying a start value and an end value for the event from the invitation, and

determining whether the event conflicts with the scheduled event based on at least two of the start value of the event, the end value of the event, the start value of the scheduled event, or the end value of the scheduled event;

determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, whether the scheduled event is an unconfirmed event by identifying information indicating whether the scheduled event is confirmed from the information representing the scheduled event in the electronic representation of the calendar associated with the invitee;

identifying, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium,, a delegate chair by parsing a plurality of invited attendees and selecting an invited attendee from the plurality of invited attendees on a condition that the event conflicts with the scheduled event, the invitee is designated as the chair of the event, and receiving the invitation is performed before generating the scheduled event; and

sending, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, a delegate chair request electronic message to the identified delegate chair via a second computer communication link.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, in response to receiving via a third computer communication link an electronic message including a decline indication from the delegate chair, sending, via a fourth computer communication link, a cancelation response electronic message to the plurality of invited attendees.