Calendar overlays

• US 7,039,596 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEINECKE DIAZ, SUSANNA M
• Application Number:
  US10/283,138
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• 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 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Implementing an electronic calendar can include accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party, accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party, and presenting a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars. Source information for each of the first and second electronic calendars may be electronically maintained. The combined view may be updated electronically to reflect a change to at least one of the existing entries from within at least one of the first and second electronic calendars. Electronic calendars may be accessed and overlaid without importing events, thus enabling simple updating. Event information may be imported and source or other attributes may be associated with imported information to enable updating and other sorting functions.

Claims

1. A method of implementing an electronic calendar, the method comprising:

accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party;

accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party based on information associated with the first electronic calendar, the second electronic calendar being separate from the first electronic calendar, and the information specifying at least a portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into a combined view with at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

integrating into the combined view, after accessing the second electronic calendar, the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

presenting the combined view that combines the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

updating electronically, using the information, the combined view to reflect a change made to the portion of the second electronic calendar by the second party;

maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a portion of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links including the information specifying the portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view;

accessing each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

presenting the combined view after integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining electronic source information for each of the first electronic calendar and the second electronic calendar.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein maintaining electronically source information for each of the first electronic calendar and the second electronic calendar comprises maintaining a first source attribute for the first electronic calendar and a second source attribute for the second electronic calendar.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein maintaining the second source attribute comprises storing a user ID for the owner of the second electronic calendar.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising presenting at least part of the source information in the combined view.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein presenting at least part of the source information in the combined view comprises:

presenting entries from the first electronic calendar differently than entries from the second electronic calendar; and

providing an indication of a source for entries presented from the second electronic calendar.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the source information for the second electronic calendar comprises a link to a location from which the second electronic calendar originates.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the source information for the second electronic calendar comprises a link to an instantiation of the second electronic calendar and the second party controls the instantiation.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the information associated with the first electronic calendar comprises the source information for the second electronic calendar.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the source information for the second electronic calendar is associated with the first electronic calendar by being part of the first electronic calendar.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the source information for the second electronic calendar is associated with the first electronic calendar by being pointed to by a pointer in the first electronic calendar.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising copying the second electronic calendar and maintaining the first electronic calendar and the copy of the second electronic calendar in separate files.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the view comprises overlaying the first and second electronic calendars.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the presented view includes entries from each of the first and second electronic calendars for a specific time period.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the second electronic calendar comprises accessing a device operated by the second party.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein accessing the device is performed in response to interaction between the first party and a calendar application.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the first electronic calendar comprises an update schedule for particular information associated with the first electronic calendar and originating from the second electronic calendar.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the update schedule is associated with the first electronic calendar by being part of the first electronic calendar.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the first electronic calendar comprises a selection of an event from the second electronic calendar for association with the first electronic calendar.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the selected event is to be associated with the first electronic calendar by being imported into the first electronic calendar.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the selected event is to be associated with the first electronic calendar by being overlaid with the first electronic calendar.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein:

accessing the first electronic calendar comprises accessing, by an electronic calendar system, the first electronic calendar on behalf of the first party,

accessing the second electronic calendar comprises accessing, by the electronic calendar system, the second electronic calendar on behalf of the first party, the second electronic calendar including an entry, and

the method further comprises the electronic calendar system providing a reminder for the entry to the first party.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the reminder is included in the second electronic calendar and is set by a party other than the first party.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the party other than the first party is the second party.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein:

the second electronic calendar includes event information from a third electronic calendar, the third electronic calendar being owned by a third party, and

the party other than the first party is the third party.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein an original reminder for the entry is included in the second electronic calendar, and the method further comprises modifying, by the first party, content from the original reminder to generate the reminder that is provided to the first party.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the reminder is set by the first party.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the reminder is set by the electronic calendar system using a default setting associated with the first party.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the separate calendars using the list of links is performed automatically in conjunction with accessing the first electronic calendar.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the second electronic calendar based on the information, integrating the portion, and presenting the combined view are performed automatically in conjunction with accessing the first electronic calendar.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the second electronic calendar is stored on a device controlled by the second party and accessing the second electronic calendar comprises accessing the device.

32. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a machine result in at least the following:

accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party;

accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party based on information associated with the first electronic calendar, the second electronic calendar being separate from the first electronic calendar, and the information specifying at least a portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into a combined view with at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

integrating into the combined view, after accessing the second electronic calendar, the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

presenting the combined view that combines the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

updating electronically, using the information, the combined view to reflect a change made to the portion of the second electronic calendar by the second party;

maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a portion of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links including the information specifying the portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view;

accessing each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

presenting the combined view after integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars.

33. An apparatus for implementing an electronic calendar, the apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device and programmed to perform at least the following operations;

access a first electronic calendar owned by a first party,

access a second electronic calendar owned by a second party based on information associated with the first electronic calendar, the second electronic calendar being separate from the first electronic calendar, and the information specifying at least a portion of the second electronic calendar is to be integrated into a combined view with at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar,

integrate into the combined view, after accessing the second electronic calendar, the portion of the second electronic calendar and that at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

present the combined view that combines the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

update electronically, using the information, the combined view to reflect a change made to the portion of the second electronic calendar by the second party;

maintain a list of links, each link identifying at least a portion of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links including the information specifying the portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view;

access each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrate each of the portions of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

present the combined view after integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars.

34. An apparatus for implementing an electronic calendar, the apparatus comprising:

means for accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party;

means for accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party based on information associated with the first electronic calendar, the second electronic calendar being separate from the first electronic calendar, and the information specifying at least a portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into a combined view with at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

means for integrating into the combined view, after accessing the second electronic calendar, the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

means for presenting the combined view that combines the portion of the second electronic calendar and the at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar;

means for updating electronically, using the information, the combined view to reflect a change made to the portion of the second electronic calendar by the second party;

means for maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a portion of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links including the information specifying the portion of the second electronic calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view;

means for accessing each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

means for integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

means for presenting the combined view after integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars.

35. A method of implementing an electronic calendar, the method comprising:

accessing, by a first party, a first electronic calendar owned by the first party;

accessing, by the first party, a second electronic calendar owned by a second party;

presenting, to the first party, a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars;

determining electronically that a change has been made to at least a portion of the second electronic calendar;

updating electronically the combined view to reflect the change and to include the portion of the second electronic calendar;

maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a part of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links identifying a part including the at least one existing entry of the second electronic calendar that is to be presented in the combined view;

accessing, by the first party, each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

presenting, to the first party, the combined view after integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein updating comprises:

accessing the second electronic calendar at a second time after the change has been made to the second electronic calendar; and

presenting an updated combined view that combines at least part of the first electronic calendar and the changed second electronic calendar, including the portion of the second electronic calendar that has been changed.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising maintaining information of the second electronic calendar separate from information of the first electronic calendar.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the accessed first electronic calendar is at a location remote from the accessed second electronic calendar.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising storing a copy of the second electronic calendar at a location local to the first electronic calendar.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

maintaining a source attribute for the stored copy of the second electronic calendar; and

updating the stored copy of the second electronic calendar using the source attribute.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein updating the stored copy comprises:

determining that the second electronic calendar at the remote location is more recent than the copy; and

copying the more recent second electronic calendar to the local location.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the source attribute identifies an entity with a right to modify an event in the second electronic calendar.

43. The method of claim 35 further comprising integrating information from the second electronic calendar into the first electronic calendar.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising adding a source attribute to the integrated information from the second electronic calendar.

45. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting the view comprises displaying the view on a screen or printing the view on paper.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting the view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars comprises presenting a view that combines events for a given time period from each of the first and second electronic calendars.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting the view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars comprises visually distinguishing presented events based on whether presented events come from the first or second electronic calendars.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein distinguishing comprises using a first icon for events from the first electronic calendar and using a second icon for events from the second electronic calendar.

49. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting the view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars comprises presenting events from the first electronic calendar in the same manner as events from the second electronic calendar.

50. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting the view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars comprises overlaying the first and second electronic calendars.

51. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting the view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars comprises presenting the first and second electronic calendars side-by-side in the view.

52. The method of claim 35 further comprising importing event information from the second electronic calendar into the first electronic calendar.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising importing an event from the second electronic calendar into the first electronic calendar, the event including the event information.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein importing the event comprises:

copying the event; and

designating the copied event as being owned by the second party.

55. The method of claim 52 further comprising maintaining an attribute for the imported event information that identifies the event information as being imported.

56. The method of claim 52 further comprising updating the imported event information.

57. The method of claim 35 further comprising importing the second electronic calendar into the first electronic calendar.

58. The method of claim 35 further comprising providing a notice for an event in the accessed second electronic calendar.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the notice is provided based on a predetermined criterion in the second electronic calendar.

60. The method of claim 58 wherein an application performs the accessing of the second electronic calendar and the notice is provided based on a criterion determined using the application.

61. The method of claim 58 wherein providing the notice comprises providing a reminder for the event.

62. The method of claim 35 wherein determining that the change has been made comprises receiving, by the first party, an indication that the second electronic calendar has been changed.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the indication is provided by the second party.

64. The method of claim 35 wherein determining that the change has been made comprises receiving, by the first party, at least a portion of the second electronic calendar that has been changed.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein the portion of the second electronic calendar that has been changed is provided to the first party by the second party.

66. The method of claim 64 wherein:

determining that the change has been made further comprises inquiring electronically by the first party, to the second party, whether any change has been made, and

the portion is received in response to the inquiring.

67. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a machine results in at least the following:

accessing, by a first party, a first electronic calendar owned by the first party;

accessing, by the first party, a second electronic calendar owned by a second party;

presenting a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars;

determining electronically that a change has been made to at least a portion of the second electronic calendar;

updating electronically the combined view to reflect the change and to include the portion of the second electronic calendars;

maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a part of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links identifying a part including the at least one existing entry of the second electronic calendar that is to be presented in the combined view;

accessing, by the first party, each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

presenting the combined view after integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the storage medium comprises a disk.

69. An apparatus for implementing an electronic calendar, the apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device and programmed to perform at least the following operations;

access, by a first party, a first electronic calendar owned by the first party;

access, by the first party, a second electronic calendar owned by a second party;

present a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars;

determine electronically that a change has been made to at least a portion of the second electronic calendar;

update electronically the combined view to reflect the change and to include the portion of the second electronic calendar;

maintain a list of links, each link identifying at least a part of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links identifying a part including the at least one existing entry of the second electronic calendar that is to be presented in the combined view;

access, by the first party, each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrate each of the parts of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

present the combined view after integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars.

70. The apparatus of claim 69 further comprising a display communicatively coupled to the processor and operable to present the view.

71. An apparatus for implementing an electronic calendar, the apparatus comprising:

means for accessing, by a first party, a first electronic calendar owned by the first party;

means for accessing, by the first party, a second electronic calendar owned by a second party;

means for presenting a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars;

means for determining electronically that a change has been made to at least a portion of the second electronic calendar;

means for updating electronically the combined view to reflect the change and to include the portion of the second electronic calendar;

means for maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a part of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links identifying a part including the at least one existing entry of the second electronic calendar that is to be presented in the combined view;

means for accessing, by the first party, each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

means for integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

means for presenting the combined view after integrating each of the parts of the separate calendars.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 wherein:

the means for accessing the first electronic calendar comprises a processor communicatively coupled with stored instructions for accessing the first electronic calendar,

the means for accessing the second electronic calendar comprises the processor communicatively coupled with stored instructions for accessing the second electronic calendar,

the means for presenting the view comprises a display, and

the means for updating the combined view comprises the processor communicatively coupled with stored instructions for updating the combined view.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 wherein the means for accessing the second electronic calendar further comprises an interface to a network, the interface being communicatively coupled to the processor and operable to access the second electronic calendar over the network.

74. A method of implementing an electronic calendar, the method comprising:

accessing, by a first party, a first electronic calendar owned by the first party;

accessing, by the first party, a second electronic calendar owned by a second party, the second electronic calendar including an event, the event configured to electronically generate an electronic reminder for the event based on parameters stored with the second electronic calendar;

presenting, for the first party, a view that combines at least one existing entry from within the first electronic calendar and the event from the second electronic calendar;

generating the electronic reminder for the event based on the parameters;

presenting the generated electronic reminder for the first party;

maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a portion of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links identifying a portion including the event of the second electronic calendar that is to be presented in the combined view;

accessing, by the first party, each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

presenting the combined view after integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars.

75. The method of claim 74 further comprising modifying, by the first party, the parameters, and storing the modified parameters with the first electronic calendar, wherein generating the electronic reminder is based on at least one of the modified parameters.

76. A method of implementing an electronic calendar, the method comprising:

accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party;

accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party based on information associated with the first electronic calendar, the second electronic calendar being separate from the first electronic calendar, and the information associated with the first electronic calendar including an update schedule for particular information associated with the first electronic calendar and originating from the second electronic calendar;

presenting a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars;

maintaining electronically source information for each of the first electronic calendar and the second electronic calendar;

maintaining a list of links, each link identifying at least a portion of a respective separate calendar that is to be integrated into the combined view, and one of the links identifying a portion including the at least one existing entry from the second electronic calendar that is to be presented in the combined view;

accessing each of the separate calendars, including the second electronic calendar and at least one other calendar, using the list of links;

integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars into the combined view; and

presenting the combined view after integrating each of the portions of the separate calendars.