Information management systems with time zone information, including event scheduling processes

• US 9,864,975 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, Colin, Eldridge, Jeff, Abbar, Mohamed Anas
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US15/365,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20170083875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 709200, 709216, 709204, 709223, 709246
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• 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

Abstract

Information management systems with time zone information, including event scheduling processes are disclosed. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a computer-implemented scheduling method that can include identifying a difference between a participant time zone and a user time zone, reviewing availability information for the participant and/or one or more selected time preference periods for the participant, and selecting a time range for an event. The method can further include reviewing one or more selected time preference periods for the user. Another aspect of the invention is directed toward a computer-implemented method for associating time zone information with a contact in an information management program application that includes selecting a contact, analyzing contact information associated with the contact, and determining a time zone for the contact based on the analysis of the contact information.

Claims

1. A system for event scheduling with time zone information, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a system memory to store instructions that, based at least on execution by the processor, cause the processor to;

select a participant identification associated with a participant from a list of contacts;

collect a participant time zone based on the participant identification;

identify a difference between a participant time zone and a user time zone, where the participant time zone is associated with a participant and the user time zone is associated with a user scheduling an event;

send availability information to a system display to show the availability information for the participant and one or more selected time preference periods for the participant, wherein the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant correspond to one or more time period automatically selected for the participant;

select a time range for the event, wherein the time range is within the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant; and

send the selected time range for the event to the system display to be displayed graphically.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatically selected time period for the participant is based on the availability information for the participant and also user availability information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the time zone information is determined based on a physical location associated with the participant identification.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the time zone information is determined based one of multiple time zones associated with a country, the country associated with the participant identification.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user time zone is determined based on a physical location associated with the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user time zone is determined based one of multiple time zones associated with a user country, the user country associated with the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the time range is within a participant schedule and a user schedule.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein graphically showing the selected time range for the event also indicates if the selected time preference period is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant in relationship to the participant time zone.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein graphically showing the selected time range for the event also indicates if the selected time preference period is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the user in relationship to the user time zone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein identifying the difference between the participant time zone and the user time zone includes graphically displaying a time difference between the participant time zone and the user time zone to the user.

11. A method for event scheduling with time zone information, the method comprising:

selecting a participant identification associated with a participant from a list of contacts;

collecting a participant time zone based on the participant identification;

identifying a difference between a participant time zone and a user time zone, wherein the participant time zone is associated with a participant and the user time zone is associated with a user scheduling an event;

displaying availability information for the participant and one or more selected time preference periods for the participant, wherein the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant correspond to one or more time periods automatically selected for the participant;

selecting a time range for the event, wherein the time range is within the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant; and

displaying graphically the selected time range for the event.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically selected time period for the participant is based on the availability information for the participant and also user availability information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the time zone information is determined based on a physical location associated with the participant identification.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the time zone information is determined based one of multiple time zones associated with a country, the country associated with the participant identification.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the user time zone is determined based on a physical location associated with the user.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the user time zone is determined based one of multiple time zones associated with a user country, the user country associated with the user.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the time range is within a participant schedule and a user schedule.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein graphically showing the selected time range for the event also indicates if the selected time preference period is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant in relationship to the participant time zone.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein graphically showing the selected time range for the event also indicates if the selected time preference period is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the user in relationship to the user time zone.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the difference between the participant time zone and the user time zone includes graphically displaying a time difference between the participant time zone and the user time zone to the user.

21. A system for event scheduling with time zone information, the system comprising:

a processor that executes programming instructions to select a participant identification associated with a participant from a list of contacts, to collect a participant time zone based on the participant identification, to identify a difference between a participant time zone and a user time zone, where the participant time zone is associated with a participant and the user time zone is associated with a user scheduling an event, and to select a time range for the event, wherein the time range is within one or more selected time preference periods for the participant; and

a system display to receive availability information, to show the availability information for the participant and the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant, wherein the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant correspond to one or more time period automatically selected for the participant, and to graphically display the selected time range for the event.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the automatically selected time period for the participant is based on the availability information for the participant and also user availability information.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the time zone information is determined based on a physical location associated with the participant identification.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the time zone information is determined based one of multiple time zones associated with a country, the country associated with the participant identification.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the user time zone is determined based on a physical location associated with the user.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the user time zone is determined based one of multiple time zones associated with a user country, the user country associated with the user.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the time range is within a participant schedule and a user schedule.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein graphically showing the selected time range for the event also indicates if the selected time preference period is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant in relationship to the participant time zone.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein graphically showing the selected time range for the event also indicates if the selected time preference period is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the user in relationship to the user time zone.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein identifying the difference between the participant time zone and the user time zone includes graphically displaying a time difference between the participant time zone and the user time zone to the user.