System for collection and distribution of calendar information

• US 7,035,913 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lehmeier, Michelle R., Culp, Jerlyn R, Rudd, Michael L, Brown, Brian J., Breidenbach, Steven T., Gennetten, K Douglas, Webb, Steven L, Albritton-McDonald, James C
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAWAZ, ASAD M
• Application Number:
  US09/966,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 705 8- 9, 709218-219, 709223-224, 715/500.1, 715/963, 283/2, 719/318, 358/442, 358/474
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for obtaining and distributing calendar information from one or more calendar sources, as may be defined by a user, in a manner that allows for easy incorporation of the obtained calendar information into a personal or group calendar database. A collection and distribution unit is provided for obtaining calendar information from a predetermined calendar source. If necessary, the collection and distribution unit may convert the obtained calendar information into a predetermined format. Calendar data is distributed by the collection and distribution unit in accordance with preferences specified by a subscriber record.

Claims

1. A system for collecting calendar information from a predetermined calendar source and distributing calendar data to a subscriber, said system comprising:

an input device configured to capture calendar data from a subscriber-designated calendar source;

a collection and distribution unit communicatively coupled to the input device and a network via a network interface, the collection and distribution unit comprising a storage memory for storing a subscriber list and configured to integrate calendar data from the input device into a calendar database; and

a subscriber unit indirectly coupled and registered with the collection and distribution unit, the subscriber unit configured to receive calendar data from the collection and distribution unit in accordance with said subscriber list;

wherein the input device is operative to capture calendar data from the subscriber-designated calendar source responsive to identifying the subscriber-designated calendar source from the subscriber list such that the calendar data is captured without the calendar data being designated with the collection and distribution unit for distribution to the subscriber unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said network comprises the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said network interface comprises a wireless interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said subscriber designated calendar source comprises a world wide web (WWW) site.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said world wide web site comprises a hyper-text mark-up language (HTML) compliant web site.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said collection and distribution unit collects data in a first format and distributes data in a native format of the calendar database.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said subscriber unit stores the calendar database in a format other than the native format of the calendar database.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the system further comprises an optical imaging device configured to capture an image of calendar data; and

the collection and distribution unit is operative to integrate calendar data from the image of calendar data for providing to the subscriber unit.

9. A system for collecting calendar information from a predetermined calendar source and distributing calendar data to a subscriber, said system comprising:

an optical imaging device configured to capture an image of calendar data;

a collection and distribution unit communicatively coupled to the optical imaging device and a network via a network interface, the collection and distribution unit comprising a storage memory for storing a subscriber list and configured to integrate calendar data from the image of calendar data into a native format of a calendar database; and

a subscriber unit registered with the collection and distribution unit and configured to receive calendar data from the collection and distribution via said network interface in accordance with said subscriber list.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said collection and distribution unit distributes said calendar data to the subscriber as an e-mail attachment.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said subscriber list comprises data identifying the subscriber.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said subscriber list further comprises data identifying said calendar data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said subscriber list further comprises data identifying a predetermined format for compiling said calendar data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said predetermined format is compliant with the Internet engineering task force standards for electronic business cards.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said collection and distribution unit is further configured to synchronize calendar data.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein said optical imaging device comprises a camera.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein said collection and distribution unit collects data in a first format and distributes data in a native format of the calendar database.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein said subscriber unit stores the calendar database in a format other than the native format of the calendar database.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein said subscriber unit stores the calendar database in a format retrieved from a specified calendar source.