Mutual scheduling of events on handheld computers

• US 7,571,254 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2000
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ACCESS Systems Americas Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Lunsford, E. Michael, Canova, Francis J. Jr., Osborn, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US09/571,083
• Time in Patent Office: 3,368 Days
• Field of Search: 709/214, 709/205, 709/248, 707/201
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for scheduling an event. The method includes signaling a request from a first computer to schedule an event to a second computer. A schedule is then received from the second, the schedule includes indicators of available time periods in the calendar period from the second computer. A consolidated schedule is then generated. The consolidated schedule comprises information comparing the indicators of available time periods from the second computer with indicators of available time periods from the first computer.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling an event using a first computer and a second computer, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal between the first computer and the second computer to request to schedule one or more new events;

wherein a first scheduling application that resides on the first computer has a first set of events;

wherein a second scheduling application that resides on the second computer has a second set of events;

programmatically generating a consolidated schedule of available time periods of the first scheduling application and available time periods of the second scheduling application;

wherein programmatically generating a consolidated schedule includes comparing versions of different sets of events, said versions including a version of the first set of events and a version of the second set of events;

using the consolidated schedule to schedule a proposed event;

wherein the proposed event is not a member of any version of any set of events compared to generate the consolidated schedule;

the first computer transmitting a request to the second computer to schedule the proposed event;

the first computer receiving a message from the second computer;

if the message indicates that the proposed event can be scheduled, causing the first computer to update the first scheduling application to reflect that the proposed event is scheduled,

wherein the second scheduling application has been updated to reflect that the proposed event is scheduled; and

if the message indicates that the proposed event cannot be scheduled, then the first computer causing no update to the first scheduling application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a consolidated schedule includes displaying a calendar period having graphic indications of available time periods based on the available time periods of the first computer and the second computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying a calendar period having graphic indications includes displaying a calendar period with at least one of shading, coloring, or patterning that indicates the available time periods of the first computer and the second computer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying a calendar period having graphic indications includes displaying the calendar period with a first graphic indication of available time periods of only the first computer, a second graphic indication of available time periods of only the second computer, and a third graphic indication of available time periods of both the first computer and the second computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first graphic indication is at least one of shading, coloring, or patterning showing unavailable time periods on the first computer, the second graphic indication is at least one of shading, coloring, or patterning showing unavailable time periods on the second computer, and the third graphic indication is at least one of shading, coloring, or patterning showing the unavailable time periods of both the first computer and the second computer.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

ranking available time periods as a function of an attribute.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the attribute is at least at least one of a geographic location, an event priority, time proximity to a preceding event or time proximity to a proceeding event.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the attribute is a plurality of attributes.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a ranking of available time periods in at least one of a graphical, graphical indicator or an alphanumeric format.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of an available time period for the event.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising signaling the available time period to the second computer.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a selected available time period from the second computer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first computer and the second computer are handheld computers;

the steps of the method further include the first computer transmitting signals to poll other handheld computers;

the step of transmitting signals includes said signaling to a second computer a request to schedule one or more new events; and

the signals are directly transmitted, via a wireless connection, to the other handheld computers without participation of another computer in transmitting the signals.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

programmatically generating a consolidated schedule includes automatically operating a consolidated schedule comprising conflicting events that overlap a time period.

13. A system for scheduling events, the system comprising:

a first computer, the first computer including a first processor for operating a first scheduling application that maintains a first schedule;

a second computer, the second computer including a second processor for operating a second scheduling application to maintain a second schedule;

wherein at least one of the first computer and second computer is configured to signal through a communication port a request to schedule one or more new events with another scheduling application on another computer;

wherein at least one of the first computer and the second computer is configured to receive through a communication port the request to schedule the one or more events with the another computer;

wherein the first schedule has a first set of events and the second schedule has a second set of events;

wherein the first computer or the second computer is configured for generating a consolidated schedule of available time periods of the first schedule and the available time periods of the second schedule;

wherein generating a consolidated schedule includes comparing versions of different sets of events, said versions including a version of the first set of events and a version of the second set of events;

wherein the first computer is configured to use the consolidated schedule to schedule a proposed event;

wherein the proposed event is not a member of any version of any set of events compared to generate the consolidated schedule;

wherein the first processor is configured to transmit a request to the second computer to schedule the proposed event;

wherein the first processor is configured to receive a message from the second computer;

wherein, if the message indicates that the proposed event can be scheduled, the first processor is configured to update the first scheduling application that reflects that the proposed event is scheduled,

wherein the second scheduling application has been updated to reflect that the proposed event is scheduled; and

wherein, if the message indicates that the proposed event cannot be scheduled, then the first processor is configured to cause no update to the first scheduling application.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to display a calendar that includes a plurality of indicators, the plurality of indicators indicating available time periods on the respective first and second schedules.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of indicators includes at least one of shading, coloring or patterning.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the display of the calendar includes a plurality of indicators that combine the plurality of indicators from the first schedule with the plurality of indicators from the second schedule.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first computer or the second computer is a handheld computer.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first computer or the second computer is a device selected from a cell phone, handheld computer, or laptop computer.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first communication port and the second communication port are each selected from a group consisting of a radio frequency communication port, an infra-red communication port, and a Bluetooth enabled communication port.