Chat interface and computer program product for comparing free time between instant message chat members

• US 9,736,091 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Joyner, Jr., Wilbert R., Allen, Timothy E., Perry, Jeremy Gray, Saari, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheema, Umar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan, John
• Application Number:
  US14/519,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

Under the present disclosure, a chat interface and computer program product for comparing free time between instant message chat members in order to schedule an upcoming event are provided. One approach includes: storing individual calendars corresponding to each member of the chat; initiating a free time comparison; and combining the individual calendars corresponding to each member of the chat into a free time summary calendar, wherein the free time summary calendar indicates at least one of free time periods that are simultaneously available to all of the members of the chat and conflict time periods during which at least two chat members simultaneously have an event scheduled. The free time summary calendar may be viewed in day, week, and month view formats.

Claims

1. A chat interface displayed on a display of a computer system having a processor and a memory, the chat interface for comparing free time for members of an instant message (IM) chat, the chat interface comprising:

a chat area configured to display a dialog between members of the IM chat;

a compose message area allowing the members of the IM chat to enter a message in the chat area; and

a free time comparison initiation mechanism to initiate a free time comparison, wherein the free time comparison includes;

storing individual calendars corresponding to each member of the IM chat and at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat;

initiating a free time comparison in response to an actuation of a selection mechanism via the IM chat interface, the IM chat interface comprising an IM chat area for displaying a dialog between the members of the IM chat,

wherein initiating a free time comparison further comprises displaying a selection window including a plurality of selection mechanisms corresponding to each member of the IM chat and the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat,

wherein the selection mechanisms corresponding to each member of the IM chat are selected automatically by default, and

wherein the selection mechanisms corresponding to each of the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat are not selected by default, but can be manually selected to be included in the free time comparison;

combining the individual calendars corresponding to each member of the IM chat and the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat into a free time summary calendar,

wherein the free time summary calendar indicates at least one of free time periods that are simultaneously available to all of the members of the IM chat and the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat and conflict time periods during which at least two IM chat members simultaneously have an event scheduled; and

enlarging the IM chat interface and displaying the free time summary calendar adjacent to the chat area of the IM chat interface,

wherein the free time summary calendar indicates free time periods and conflict time periods in a format selected from the group consisting of;

a day view format, a week view format, and month view format.

2. The chat interface of claim 1, wherein the day view format and the week view format indicate free time periods and conflict time periods during a predetermined time span.

3. The chat interface of claim 1, wherein the day view format and the week view format indicate free time periods that are simultaneously available to all of the members of the IM chat.

4. The chat interface of claim 1, wherein the month view indicates free days during which there is at least one simultaneously available free time period for all of the members of the IM chat, and conflict days during which there are no simultaneously available free time periods for all of the members of the IM chat.

5. The chat interface of claim 1, wherein the free time comparison initiation mechanism is further configured to switch between the day view format, week view format, and month view format.

6. The chat interface of claim 1, wherein the free time comparison initiation mechanism is further configured to navigate between individual days within said day view format, week view format, and month view format.

7. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by at least one computing device, causes the at least one computing device to compare free time for members of a chat by performing actions including:

storing individual calendars corresponding to each member of the chat; and

initiating a free time comparison, wherein the free time comparison includes;

storing individual calendars corresponding to each member of the IM chat and at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat;

initiating a free time comparison in response to an actuation of a selection mechanism via the IM chat interface, the IM chat interface comprising an IM chat area for displaying a dialog between the members of the IM chat,

wherein initiating a free time comparison further comprises displaying a selection window including a plurality of selection mechanisms corresponding to each member of the IM chat and the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat,

wherein the selection mechanisms corresponding to each member of the IM chat are selected automatically by default, and

wherein the selection mechanisms corresponding to each of the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat are not selected by default, but can be manually selected to be included in the free time comparison;

combining the individual calendars corresponding to each member of the IM chat and the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat into a free time summary calendar,

wherein the free time summary calendar indicates at least one of free time periods that are simultaneously available to all of the members of the IM chat and the at least one person who is not a member of the IM chat and conflict time periods during which at least two IM chat members simultaneously have an event scheduled; and

enlarging the IM chat interface and displaying the free time summary calendar adjacent to the chat area of the IM chat interface,

wherein the free time summary calendar indicates free time periods and conflict time periods in a format selected from the group consisting of;

a day view format, a week view format, and month view format.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the day view format and the week view format indicate free time periods and conflict time periods during a predetermined time span.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the day view format and the week view format indicate free time periods that are simultaneously available to all of the members of the IM chat.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the month view indicates free days during which there is at least one simultaneously available free time period for all of the members of the IM chat, and conflict days during which there are no simultaneously available free time periods for all of the members of the IM chat.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program code for initiating the free time comparison is further configured to switch between the day view format, week view format, and month view format.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program code for initiating the free time comparison is further configured to navigate between individual days within said day view format, week view format, and month view format.