Sharing calendar information

• US 7,870,194 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tsang, Brian, Comertoglu, Can, Bjordahl, Hans, Michel, Theodore L., Abdo, Ralph, Frankel, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miah; Razu A
• Application Number:
  US11/598,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 709/216, 715/853, 705/1, 345/853
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Sharing calendar information may be provided. Calendar information may be shared with individuals that may or may not be associated with a local exchange server in order to coordinate schedules. A determination is conducted to decide whether a sender is authorized to send calendar information to another by examining registration rights. Next, if the registration rights are valid, input may be received from the sender associated with sending the calendar information to another using one or more entry points. Next, calendar information settings are received from the sender, which are used when sending the calendar information to another. Next, calendar information is published to the Internet based on the calendar information settings established by the sender, and provided to others for viewing.

Claims

1. A method for sharing calendar information, the method comprising:

determining whether a sender is authorized to send calendar information to another by examining registration rights associated with the sender, wherein examining registration rights associated with the sender uses an authentication process;

upon determining that the registration rights associated with the sender are valid, receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information to the another using one of a plurality of entry points, the plurality of entry points comprising a calendar toggle button and a calendar tab;

receiving calendar information settings from the sender;

publishing the calendar information on the Internet based on the calendar information settings;

sharing a portion of the published calendar information by providing access, to only a transaction, from among a plurality of transactions, in the calendar information to the another, wherein the access is provided by setting a time frame limit for the portion of the published calendar information using a rolling time window, the rolling time window comprising a plurality of specified durations during which access to the transaction in the calendar information is provided to the another, wherein an implied date range created by the plurality of durations shifts at a specified time to create a rolling effect for a shared calendar comprising the calendar information; and

setting a detail level for controlling an amount of the calendar information published to the Internet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the published calendar information is associated with one or more online communities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the calendar information is published on the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the published calendar information when the calendar information changes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the update is automatic.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the update occurs in response to a send/receive operation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing subscription based viewing of the published calendar information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a user can search for calendar information associated with one or more calendars using a search engine.

9. A system for sharing calendar information, the system comprising:

a memory comprising a data storage device for storing calendar information, wherein the memory is searchable;

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

determine whether a sender is authorized to send calendar information to another by examining registration rights associated with the sender, wherein examining registration rights associated with the sender uses an authentication process;

upon determining that the registration rights associated with the sender are valid, receive input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information to the another using one of a plurality of entry points, the plurality of entry points comprising a calendar toggle button and a calendar tab;

receive calendar information settings from the sender;

publish the calendar information on the Internet based on the criteria;

share a portion of the published calendar information by providing access, to only a transaction, from among a plurality of transactions, in the calendar information to the another, wherein the access is provided by setting a time frame limit for the portion of the published calendar information using a rolling time window, the rolling time window comprising a plurality of specified durations during which access to the transaction in the calendar information is provided to the another, wherein an implied date range created by the plurality of durations shifts at a specified time to create a rolling effect for a shared calendar comprising the calendar information; and

set a detail level for controlling an amount of the calendar information published to the Internet.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is associated with a server that supports a hypertext transfer protocol (http).

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the published calendar information is associated with one or more online communities.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising using a search engine to search the memory storage, wherein the search engine searches for calendar information using search criteria associated with the calendar information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory storage stores calendar information associated with a plurality of calendars.

14. A memory device which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for sharing calendar information, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

determining whether a sender is authorized to send calendar information to another by examining registration rights associated with the sender, wherein examining registration rights associated with the sender uses an authentication process;

upon determining that the registration rights associated with the sender are valid, receiving input from the sender associated with sending the calendar information to the another using one of a plurality of entry points, the plurality of entry points comprising a calendar toggle button and a calendar tab;

receiving calendar information settings from the sender;

publishing the calendar information on the Internet based on the criteria; and

sharing a portion of the published calendar information by providing access, to only a transaction, from among a plurality of transactions, in the calendar information to the another, wherein the access is provided by setting a time frame limit for the portion of the published calendar information using a rolling time window, the rolling time window comprising a plurality of specified durations during which access to the transaction in the calendar information is provided to the another, wherein an implied date range created by the plurality of durations shifts at a specified time to create a rolling effect for a shared calendar comprising the calendar information; and

setting a detail level for controlling an amount of the calendar information published to the Internet.