Providing electronic distribution of filtered calendars

• US 9,671,933 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Stillion, Cameron D., Bjordahl, Hans J., Tsang, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/851,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130219291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing electronic distribution of filtered calendars. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving control data. The control data may be configured to indicate a portion of master calendar data a user designates to transmit. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include filtering the master calendar data based on the control data to create filtered calendar data and transmitting the filtered calendar data.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, provide a method for providing electronic distribution of secure calendar data, the method comprising;

receiving, at a second computing device, a first request from a first user at a first computing device for calendar data;

receiving, at the second computing device, a second request from a second user at a third computing device for calendar data;

in response to the first and second requests, accessing control data the control data configured to indicate first allowed detail level associated with the first user and a second allowed detail level associated with the second user, wherein the allowed detail level indicates a depth of calendar appointment data selected by the calendar owner from a plurality of pre-defined detail levels, wherein the plurality of pre-defined detail levels comprises;

an availability only level providing first calendar information regarding whether a calendar owner is busy for a particular time span; and

a full details level providing second calendar information that includes greater detail than the first calendar information, wherein the full details level provides full details of the one or more calendar items for the calendar owner;

filtering information in a master calendar data based on the control data to create a first filtered calendar data for the first user and a second filtered calendar data for the second user;

generating a representation of the first filtered calendar data for the first user, wherein the allowed detail level of the first user is the availability only level; and

generating a representation of the second filtered calendar data for the second user, wherein the allowed detail level of the second user is the full details level;

transmitting the representation of the first filtered calendar data to the first user at the first computing device, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar only shows when the calendar owner is busy; and

transmitting the representation of the second filtered calendar to the second user at the third computing device, wherein the representation of the second filtered calendar shows all details for the calendar owner.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar data is sent in an iCalendar format.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the representation of the second filtered calendar data is sent in an HTML format.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar data is transmitted as an email attachment.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions that when executed by the processor, further provide:

transmitting the second filtered calendar data to the first computing device in two formats.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions that when executed by the processor, further provide:

updating the first filtered calendar data by replacing a first payload of the first filtered calendar data with a second payload of the second filtered calendar data.

7. A computer implemented method for providing electronic distribution of secure calendar data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a second computing device, a first request from a first user at a first computing device for calendar data;

receiving, at the second computing device, a second request from a second user at a third computing device for calendar data;

in response to the first and second requests, accessing control data, the control data configured to indicate first allowed detail level associated with the first user and a second allowed detail level associated with the second user, wherein the allowed detail level indicates a depth of calendar appointment data selected by the calendar owner from a plurality of pre-defined detail levels, wherein the plurality of pre-defined detail levels comprises;

an availability only level providing first calendar information regarding whether a calendar owner is busy for a particular time span; and

a full details level providing second calendar information that includes greater detail than the first calendar information, wherein the full details level provides full details of the one or more calendar items for the calendar owner;

filtering information in a master calendar data based on the control data to create a first filtered calendar data for the first user and a second filtered calendar data for the second user;

generating a representation of the first filtered calendar data for the first user, wherein the allowed detail level of the first user is the availability only level; and

generating a representation of the second filtered calendar data for the second user, wherein the allowed detail level of the second user is the full details level;

transmitting the representation of the first filtered calendar data to the first user at the first computing device, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar only shows when the calendar owner is busy; and

transmitting the representation of the second filtered calendar to the second user at the third computing device, wherein the representation of the second filtered calendar shows all details for the calendar owner.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising presenting a user interface that includes a drop-down list for selecting at least a portion of the control data, the drop-down list including options for the availability only level and the full details level.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the control data further indicates the first filtered calendar data is within a time period.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar data is sent in an iCalendar format.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the wherein the representation of the second filtered calendar data is sent in an HTML format.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising updating the first filtered calendar data by replacing a first payload of the first filtered calendar data with a second payload of the second filtered calendar data.

13. One or more computer storage devices having computer-executable components that upon execution perform a method for providing electronic distribution of secure calendar data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a second computing device, a first request from a first user at a first computing device for calendar data;

receiving, at the second computing device, a second request from a second user at a third computing device for calendar data;

in response to the first and second requests, accessing control data, the control data configured to indicate first allowed detail level associated with the first user and a second allowed detail level associated with the second user, wherein the allowed detail level indicates a depth of calendar appointment data selected by the calendar owner from a plurality of pre-defined detail levels, wherein the plurality of pre-defined detail levels comprises;

an availability only level providing first calendar information regarding whether a calendar owner is busy for a particular time span; and

a full details level providing second calendar information that includes greater detail than the first calendar information, wherein the full details level provides full details of the one or more calendar items for the calendar owner;

filtering information in a master calendar data based on the control data to create a first filtered calendar data for the first user and a second filtered calendar data for the second user;

generating a representation of the first filtered calendar data for the first user, wherein the allowed detail level of the first user is the availability only level; and

generating a representation of the second filtered calendar data for the second user, wherein the allowed detail level of the second user is the full details level;

transmitting the representation of the first filtered calendar data to the first user at the first computing device, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar only shows when the calendar owner is busy; and

transmitting the representation of the second filtered calendar to the second user at the third computing device, wherein the representation of the second filtered calendar shows all details for the calendar owner.

14. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises displaying a user interface that includes a drop-down list for selecting at least a portion of the control data, the drop-down list including options for the availability only level and the full details level.

15. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the control data further indicates the first filtered calendar data is within a time period.

16. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the representation of the first filtered calendar data is sent in an iCalendar format.

17. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the wherein the representation of the second filtered calendar data is sent in an HTML format.

18. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the update to the first filtered calendar data replaces a first payload of the first filtered calendar data with a second payload of the second filtered calendar data.

19. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the plurality of pre-defined detail levels further comprises a limited details detail level, wherein the limited details level provides subjects of one or more calendar items for the calendar owner.

20. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the second filtered calendar data is transmitted to the first computing device in two formats.