Specifically programmed computer-implemented engine systems for real-time on-demand discovery of available time slots across programmed schedule objects and methods of use thereof

• US 9,467,545 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoneBusy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoneBusy, Inc.
• Inventors: Agranov, Alexander V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Gurkanwaljit
• Application Number:
  US14/937,279
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber

Abstract

In some embodiments, the present invention provides for a computer-implemented method, including at least the following steps to be performed by a specifically programmed computer processor of a schedule management computer system: electronically causing to display a specialized schedule GUI; where the specialized schedule GUI is configured to allow each user to: define a programmed schedule object, including a plurality of availability time periods (TimeWindows); each having TimeWindow parameters, and identifying when a time period is available or unavailable for booking; where the TimeWindow parameters include: a start date, a start time, an end time, at least one day of a week, and a period type; electronically and in real-time, generating a bitmask of days in a week for each TimeWindow of the TimeWindows; electronically and in real-time, storing schedule objects associated with the users in a specifically dedicated database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

electronically causing, via a computer network, by at least one specifically programmed computer processor of a schedule management computer system executing software to perform the method, to display a first specialized schedule graphical user interface (a first specialized schedule GUI) on a screen of each remotely distributed computing device associated with each user of a plurality of users;

wherein the plurality of users are associated with a plurality of remotely distributed computing devices;

wherein the first specialized schedule GUI is configured to allow each user to;

i) define at least one programmed software schedule object, comprising a plurality of availability time periods (a plurality of TimeWindows), and

ii) associate at least one programmed software schedule object with at least one of;

1) at least one user,

2) at least one resource, and

3) at least one service;

wherein each TimeWindow is;

i) defined by a plurality of TimeWindow parameters, and

ii) configured to identify whether a corresponding time period is available for booking or unavailable for booking;

wherein the plurality of TimeWindow parameters comprise;

i) at least one first TimeWindow parameter, identifying a start date for the corresponding time period,

ii) at least one second TimeWindow parameter, identifying a start time for the corresponding time period,

iii) at least one third TimeWindow parameter, identifying an end time for the corresponding time period,

iv) at least one fourth TimeWindow parameter, identifying at least one day of a week associated with the corresponding time period, and

v) at least one fifth TimeWindow parameter, identifying a period type of the corresponding time period;

executing, in real-time, by the at least one specifically programmed computer processor, a programmed software scheduling module which at least perform the following operations;

electronically and in real-time, generating, based, at least in part, on the at least one fourth TimeWindow parameter, at least one first bitmask data object of days in a week for the corresponding time period of each TimeWindow of the plurality of TimeWindows so as to generate a plurality of first bitmask data objects for the plurality of TimeWindows, wherein the plurality of first bitmask data objects associated with the at least one programmed software schedule object;

electronically and in real-time, storing a plurality of programmed software schedule objects associated with the plurality of users in at least one specifically dedicated database, wherein each programmed software schedule object comprises the plurality of first bitmask data objects;

electronically causing, via the computer network, to display a second specialized schedule graphical user interface (a second specialized schedule GUI) on a screen of a remotely distributed computing device associated with a particular user, wherein the second specialized schedule GUI is configured to allow each user to submit an electronic query seeking to determine when a particular time period is available for booking or unavailable for booking, wherein the particular time period associated with at least one of;

1) the at least one user,

2) the at least one resource, and

3) the at least one service;

electronically receiving, via the computer network, the electronic query of the particular user;

electronically and in real-time, determining, based on the electronic query of the particular user, a set of TimeWindows selected from the plurality of programmed software schedule objects related to at least one of

     1) the at least one user,

     2) the at least one resource, and

     3) the at least one service;

electronically and in real-time, generating a union data structure of the set of TimeWindows, wherein the union data structure comprises at least one union data representation;

electronically and in real-time, determining, based on each first bitmask data object of the plurality of first bitmask data objects associated with the set of TimeWindows, a second bitmask corresponding to the at least one union data representation;

electronically and in real-time, determining an intersection data structure between the union data structure and the electronic query of the particular user to electronically identify at least one matched day of the week between the at least one union data representation and the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user;

electronically and in real-time, determining when the at least one matched day of the week includes the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user, based, at least in part, on;

1) the at least one second TimeWindow parameter of a particular TimeWindow associated with the at least one matched day of the week;

2) the at least one third TimeWindow parameter of the particular TimeWindow associated with the at least one matched day of the week;

3) the at least one second TimeWindow parameter of the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user; and

4) the at least one third TimeWindow parameter of the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user; and

electronically and in real-time causing at least one of;

i) booking, by a respective remotely distributed computing device, the particular time period for the particular user when the at least one matched day of the week includes the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user, wherein the respective remotely distributed computing device is associated with at least one of

     1) the at least one user,

     2) the at least one resource, and

     3) the at least one service; and

ii) generating an electronic scheduling alert on the screen of remotely distributed computing device associated with a particular user, wherein the electronic scheduling alert identifies that the particular time period is unavailable for booking when the at least one matched day of the week excludes the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically and in real-time, storing, by the at least one specifically programmed computer processor, the union data structure and the intersection data structure in the at least one specifically dedicated database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one sixth parameter, identifying an end date for the corresponding time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the period type of the corresponding time period is selected from the group consisting of:

once, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one seventh parameter, identifying a particular date or a particular day which is within the corresponding time period having the period type of monthly or yearly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one eighth parameter, identifying a frequency of the corresponding time period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one ninth parameter, identifying an interval for the frequency of the corresponding time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the union data structure is based on a logical OR operation with the set of TimeWindows.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the intersection data structure is based on a logical AND operation.

10. A specifically programmed schedule management computer system, comprising:

at least one specialized computer machine, comprising;

a non-transient memory, electronically storing particular computer executable program code; and

at least one computer processor which, when executing the particular program code, becomes a specifically programmed computer processor of the specifically programmed schedule management computer system that is configured to concurrently perform at least the following operations;

electronically causing, via a computer network, to display a first specialized schedule graphical user interface (a first specialized schedule GUI) on a screen of each remotely distributed computing device associated with each user of a plurality of users;

wherein the plurality of users are associated with a plurality of remotely distributed computing devices;

wherein the first specialized schedule GUI is configured to allow each user to;

i) define at least one programmed software schedule object, comprising a plurality of availability time periods (a plurality of TimeWindows), and

ii) associate at least one programmed software schedule object with at least one of;

1) at least one user,

2) at least one resource, and

3) at least one service;

wherein each TimeWindow is;

i) defined by a plurality of TimeWindow parameters, and

ii) configured to identify whether a corresponding time period is available for booking or unavailable for booking;

wherein the plurality of TimeWindow parameters comprise;

i) at least one first TimeWindow parameter, identifying a start date for the corresponding time period,

ii) at least one second TimeWindow parameter, identifying a start time for the corresponding time period,

iii) at least one third TimeWindow parameter, identifying an end time for the corresponding time period,

iv) at least one fourth TimeWindow parameter, identifying at least one day of a week associated with the corresponding time period, and

v) at least one fifth TimeWindow parameter, identifying a period type of the corresponding time period;

executing, in real-time, a programmed software scheduling module which at least perform the following operations;

electronically and in real-time, generating, based, at least in part, on the at least one fourth TimeWindow parameter, at least one first bitmask data object of days in a week for the corresponding time period of each TimeWindow of the plurality of TimeWindows so as to generate a plurality of first bitmask data objects for the plurality of TimeWindows, wherein the plurality of first bitmask data objects associated with the at least one programmed software schedule object;

electronically and in real-time, storing a plurality of programmed software schedule objects associated with the plurality of users in at least one specifically dedicated database, wherein each programmed software schedule object comprises the plurality of first bitmask data objects;

electronically causing, via the computer network, to display a second specialized schedule graphical user interface (a second specialized schedule GUI) on a screen of a remotely distributed computing device associated with a particular user, wherein the second specialized schedule GUI is configured to allow each user to submit an electronic query seeking to determine when a particular time period is available for booking or unavailable for booking, wherein the particular time period associated with at least one of;

1) the at least one user,

2) the at least one resource, and

3) the at least one service;

electronically receiving, via the computer network, the electronic query of the particular user;

electronically and in real-time, determining, based on the electronic query of the particular user, a set of TimeWindows selected from the plurality of programmed software schedule objects related to at least one of

     1) the at least one user,

     2) the at least one resource, and

     3) the at least one service;

electronically and in real-time, generating a union data structure of the set of TimeWindows, wherein the union data structure comprises at least one union data representation;

electronically and in real-time, determining, based on each first bitmask data object of the plurality of first bitmask data objects associated with the set of TimeWindows, a second bitmask corresponding to the at least one union data representation;

electronically and in real-time, determining an intersection data structure between the union data structure and the electronic query of the particular user to electronically identify at least one matched day of the week between the at least one union data representation and the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user;

electronically and in real-time, determining when the at least one matched day of the week includes the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user, based, at least in part, on;

1) the at least one second TimeWindow parameter of a particular TimeWindow associated with the at least one matched day of the week;

2) the at least one third TimeWindow parameter of the particular TimeWindow associated with the at least one matched day of the week;

3) the at least one second TimeWindow parameter of the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user; and

4) the at least one third TimeWindow parameter of the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user; and

electronically and in real-time causing at least one of;

i) booking, by a respective remotely distributed computing device, the particular time period for the particular user when the at least one matched day of the week includes the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user, wherein the respective remotely distributed computing device is associated with at least one of

     1) the at least one user,

     2) the at least one resource, and

     3) the at least one service; and

ii) generating an electronic scheduling alert on the screen of remotely distributed computing device associated with a particular user, wherein the electronic scheduling alert identifies that the particular time period is unavailable for booking when the at least one matched day of the week excludes the particular time period identified in the electronic query of the particular user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the specifically programmed computer processor of the specifically programmed schedule management computer system is further configured to perform at least:

electronically and in real-time, storing the union data structure and the intersection data structure in the at least one specifically dedicated database.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one sixth parameter, identifying an end date for the corresponding time period.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the period type of the corresponding time period is selected from the group consisting of:

once, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one seventh parameter, identifying a particular date or a particular day which is within the corresponding time period having the period type of monthly or yearly.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one eighth parameter, identifying a frequency of the corresponding time period.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise at least one ninth parameter, identifying an interval for the frequency of the corresponding time period.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the union data structure is based on a logical OR operation with the set of TimeWindows.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the intersection structure is based on a logical AND operation.