GROUP CALENDAR INTERFACE

• US 20090255153A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mori, Yasuhiko, Bou, Yusuke, Shibata, Masafumi, Kawabata, Yukitoshi, Hara, Yoshiaki
• Application Number:
  US12/103,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20090255153A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/107
• CPC Class Codes: G09D 3/12 electrically operated

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing an improved group calendar. Information is received from a central server. A group is generated based on the information. The group is provided in the group calendar interface.

Claims

1. A method for providing a group calendar interface, the method comprising:

receiving information from a central server;

generating a group based on the information; and

providing the group in the group calendar interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a selection interface in the group calendar interface for selecting a plurality of members from the group;

receiving a selection of the plurality of members; and

upon receiving the selection of the plurality of members, displaying calendar items associated with the plurality of members.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying calendar items associated with the plurality of members comprises displaying calendar items associated with the plurality of members in a day view.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying calendar items associated with the plurality of members comprises displaying calendar items associated with the plurality of members in a week view.

5. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising providing a scheduling interface for scheduling an event for the plurality of members at one time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the central server comprises an email server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating a group based on the information comprises generating the group based on an address book provided by the email server.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein generating a group based on the information comprises generating the group based on emails received and transmitted.

9. A method for providing a group calendar interface, the method comprising:

providing along a first axis a plurality of members of a group, the plurality of members of the group being selected based on information provided by a central server;

providing along a second axis a time span; and

providing a calendar grid comprising a plurality of calendar entries, each of the calendar entries for storing a calendar item corresponding to one of the plurality of members along the first axis and a time frame selected from the time span along the second axis.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first axis is a vertical axis and the second axis is a horizontal axis.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the time span is a daily time span.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the time span is a weekly time span.

13. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising a group selection interface for selecting the plurality of members along the first axis.

14. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising providing a group status indicator for indicating whether the time frame is available for the plurality of members of the group.

15. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising a scheduling interface for scheduling an event for the plurality of members of the group at one time.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the calendar grid displays text for each of the plurality of calendar items, the text comprising a description of the calendar items.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the text is hidden from view in the calendar grid as specified by the one of the plurality of members.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive group information from an email server;

generate a group based on the group information;

display the group in a group calendar interface;

receive a selection of a plurality of members from the group via the group calendar interface;

upon receiving the selection of the plurality of members, retrieve calendar items corresponding to the plurality of members from a calendar database; and

display in the group calendar interface a calendar grid comprising a plurality of calendar items, each of the plurality of calendar items being associated with one of the plurality of members displayed along a first axis of the calendar grid and a time frame displayed along a second axis of the calendar grid.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the group information comprises groups specified by an address book stored on the email server.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the group information comprises a number of emails received and transmitted between the plurality of members.