Method and apparatus for managing calendar information from a shared database and managing calendar information from multiple users

• US 7,584,412 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Raff, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries; Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US10/887,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500.1, 715/501, 715/511, 715/200, 715/201, 715/203, 715/205, 715/209, 715/210, 715/229, 715/234, 715/273, 715/700, 715/739, 715/760, 715/783, 715/845, 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 707/203, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing and using calendar information from a shared database is disclosed. Calendar information can be stored in a shared database, e.g., on a server system and accessed and synchronized with one or more portable computer systems. The calendar information is stored using particular category types which facilitate separate manipulation, access and remobal of the calendar information when placed onto a portable computer system (e.g., palmtop). In one embodiment, calendar information is stored on a shared database and is assigned a unique category type. Multiple portable computer systems can then access the shared calendar information which can be displayed on each computer system along with the system'"'"'s own calendar information. The unique category type is different from the default type of each system'"'"'s own calendar information and the user is not able to change category types on the portable computer system. Shared calendar information can be viewed and edited and then easily removed using the unique category type.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of processing information comprising:

a) storing a first set of calendar information under a predetermined category name in a first database on a server, said first database comprising a first set of calendar information received from multiple computer systems;

b) transferring said first set of calendar information from said server to a portable computer system, said portable computer system having a second database comprising a second set of calendar information that is differentiated from said first set of calendar information by a second category name that is different from said predetermined category name;

c) displaying said first set of calendar information in conjunction with said second set of calendar information such that events in the calendar information of the first and second sets are combined in a single listing of events over a duration; and

d) synchronizing said second database comprising said second set of calendar information but not said first set of calendar information with calendar information in a third database on a host computer system that is different from said server via delta records so that after synchronization said second and third databases contain the same set of calendar information, wherein said delta records represent changes in said database and, wherein said calendar information associated only with said portable computer system.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

said portable computer system modifying a portion of said first set of calendar information; and

said portable computer system modifying a portion of said second set of calendar information.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said portable computer system is a handheld computer system.

4. The as described in claim 1 further comprising transferring said first set of calendar information from said server to multiple other portable computer systems, each of said multiple other portable computer systems having respective second set of calendar information stored under a respective default category name.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said first set of calendar information comprises event name, time and date information.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

inserting said portable computer system into a receiving slot of a cradle coupled to said server; and

said server transferring said first set of calendar information to said portable computer system.

7. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

inserting said portable computer system into a receiving slot of a cradle; and

removing said first set of calendar information from said portable computer system.

8. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising displaying a portion of said first set of calendar information in proximity to a designation representing said predetermined category name.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a server for storing a first set of calendar information stored under a predetermined category name in a first database that comprises a first set of calendar information received from multiple computer systems;

a software manager resident on said server and for transferring said first calendar information to said portable computer system, said portable computer system having a second set of calendar information stored in a second database under a default category name which is different from said predetermined category name, said portable computer system having a display capable of displaying said first set of calendar information in conjunction with said second set of calendar information, such that events in the calendar information of the first and second sets are combined in a single listing of events over a duration;

a host computer system comprising a third database that comprises calendar information associated only with said portable computer system; and

a file sharing manager resident on said host computer system and for synchronizing said second set of calendar information but not said first set of calendar information with said calendar information in said third database via delta records, wherein after synchronization said second and third databases contain the same calendar information, wherein said delta records represent changes in said database.

10. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said portable compute system is also for modifying a portion of said first set of calendar information and also for modifying a portion of said second set of calendar information.

11. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said portable computer system is a handheld computer system.

12. The system as described in claim 9 further comprising multiple other portable computer systems and wherein said software manager is also for separately transferring said first set of calendar information to said multiple other portable computer systems, each of said multiple other portable computer systems having respective second calendar information stored under said default category name.

13. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said first set of calendar information comprises event name, time and date information.