Automated schedule systems and methods

• US 9,129,266 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2011
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharat Nagaraj
• Original Assignee: Sharat Nagaraj
• Inventors: Nagaraj, Sharat
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Application Number:
  US13/163,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,543 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Automated notification and acceptance/rejection of appointment or opening in a calendar/schedule via network-based systems and methods, including application over social networks and website based connection between users and service providers.

Claims

1. A method for automated notification of calendar openings based on user information derived from use of a network comprising:

a memory and a processor,

a server creating a profile in a profile database based on inputs of at least one customer user through a computing device over a social network;

the server executing a matching program detecting attributes of the profile in the profile database;

the program building constraints for the at least one customer user receiving a notification of a calendar opening based on the attributes;

the profile database informing a calendar opening agent to identify concepts of interest to the at least one customer user based on the profile;

at least one service provider using the communication network through a second computing device to indicate a notification of a calendar opening;

the calendar opening agent receiving a notification of the calendar opening from the at least one service provider user;

the calendar opening agent identifying at least one available user with availability and/or concepts of interest matching the calendar opening; and

automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening over the social network;

wherein the inputs include a lead time required in advance of the calendar opening for the at least one customer user to be notified of the calendar opening;

wherein the at least one available user is selected from the at least one customer user;

wherein further comprising the step of assigning the at least one user a level of priority, wherein the level of priority is selected from the group including a first tier priority, a second tier priority, and a third tier priority, wherein the at least one available user includes at least one first tier priority user, at least one second tier priority user, and at least one third tier priority user, wherein the step of automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network is performed first for the at least one first tier priority user, second for the at least one second tier priority user, and third for the at least one third tier priority user; and

wherein the step of assigning the at least one user the level of priority includes the at least one user paying a fee for the level of priority; and

offering the at least one available user a discount for services associated with the calendar opening, wherein the discount is based on the difference between the time at which the step of automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network is performed and the date and/or the time of the calendar opening, wherein the discount is a dynamic discount, wherein the dynamic discount dynamically increases as the time until the calendar opening decreases.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the at least one user the level of priority includes the at least one user earning the level of priority.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the at least one available user accepting the calendar opening through the social network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of the at least one available user receiving at least one request from at least one requesting user to transfer the calendar opening to the at least one requesting user, wherein the at least one request includes a compensation or a reward, further comprising the steps of the at least one available user transferring the calendar opening to the at least one requesting user and the at least one requesting user transferring the compensation or the reward to the at least one available user.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of the at least one available user releasing a notification for exchange through the social network, wherein the notification for exchange includes a solicitation for bids or offers to exchange the calendar opening.

6. A method for automated notification of calendar openings based on user information derived from use of a network comprising:

a memory, and a processor;

at least one customer user using a communication network through a computing device;

a program using information derived from the at least one customer user'"'"'s using the communication network through the computing device to develop a social network by identifying concepts of interest to the user;

a server creating a profile in a profile database based on inputs of at least one customer user through a computing device over a social network;

the server executing a matching program detecting attributes of the profile in the profile database;

the program building constraints for the at least one customer user receiving a notification of a calendar opening based on the attributes;

the profile database informing a calendar opening agent to identify concepts of interest to the at least one customer user based on the profile;

assigning the at least one customer user a level of priority, wherein the level of priority is selected from the group including a first tier priority, a second tier priority, and a third tier priority, wherein the at least one available user includes at least one first tier priority user, at least one second tier priority user, and at least one third tier priority user;

at least one service provider using the communication network through a second computing device to indicate a notification of a calendar opening;

a calendar opening agent receiving the notification of the calendar opening from the at least one service provider user;

the calendar opening agent identifying at least one available user with concepts of interest matching the calendar opening;

automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network;

offering the at least one available user a discount for services associated with the calendar opening, wherein the discount is based on the difference between the time at which the step of automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network is performed and the date and/or the time of the calendar opening, wherein the dynamic discount dynamically increases as the time until the calendar opening decreases; and

the at least one available user accepting the calendar opening through the social network;

wherein the step of automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network is performed first for the at least one first tier priority user, second for the at least one second tier priority user, and third for the at least one third tier priority user;

wherein the at least one available user is selected from the at least one customer user;

wherein the communication network is the Internet;

wherein the step of assigning the at least one customer user the level of priority includes the at least one customer user paying a fee for the level of priority.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of automatically disbanding the social network upon the at least one available user accepting the calendar opening through the social network.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of prompting at least one additional user to join the social network, the at least one additional user indicating a desire to join the social network, and adding the at least one additional user to the social network.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of assigning the at least one customer user the level of priority includes the at least one customer user earning the level of priority.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of the at least one available user receiving at least one request from at least one requesting user to transfer the calendar opening to the at least one requesting user, wherein the at least one request includes a compensation or a reward, further comprising the steps of the at least one available user transferring the calendar opening to the at least one requesting user and the at least one requesting user transferring the compensation or the reward to the at least one available user.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of the at least one available user releasing a notification for exchange through the social network, wherein the notification for exchange includes a solicitation for bids or offers to exchange the calendar opening.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification for exchange is only released to at least one willing user, wherein the at least one willing user has indicated a willingness to accept the notification for exchange, and wherein the at least one willing user is selected from the at least one user.