Patent Grant
7827240
The invention relates generally to meeting and resource management. More particularly, the invention relates to a hierarchical structure for managing meetings and other shared resources.
Electronic mail has become a widely used business communication and organization application. The use of email has proliferated well beyond the simple act of sending and receiving messages. Email is currently used as a platform for meeting coordination and resource sharing. Additionally, applications like electronic calendars and planners are widely used with email. There are a number and variety of interactive electronic calendaring systems and methods currently available to email users. The objective of all of these systems is primarily to assist the person who, for a number of different reasons, maintains a calendar of future events containing various information about the events at entry points on the calendar, which relate to the time of the event. The events have a number of different parameters (e.g., location, time, resources, attendees, invitees, etc.) that help define the event.
The increased availability and usefulness of personal computers and intelligent workstations in recent years has made it possible for calendar owners to establish and maintain these calendars on these interactive type data processing systems. Hence, the term “electronic calendaring systems.”
Calendar owners are able to share their events or calendar items with other users if they wish to either invite them to the calendar item or at least make them aware the calendar item exists. The recipients of the calendar item are allowed to agree to and accept the terms (i.e., parameters) of the calendar item or decline the calendar item. In the past, if the recipient did not agree to one or more of the parameters of the original calendar item, he/she could create a new calendar item that has the changed parameter and then send the new calendar item to all recipients in an attempt to amend the original parameters of the calendar item. A problem with this particular solution is that if multiple recipients want to change parameters of the calendar item, then multiple calendar items will exist for the same event among the set of original recipients. This may lead to confusion between potential participants as to which calendar item dictates the actual event.
Essentially, any calendar item shared among a population (e.g., an entire company) has a certain set of parameters. If some property needs to be different for a subset of that population (e.g., a particular department, section of that department, subsections, etc.) receiving the original calendar item, there is no efficient way of dealing with the calendar item. For example, if a meeting is requested for an entire company, and a particular department needs to meet in a different room, then there is no easy way to send a different meeting request to that department without creating confusion about the actual location of the meeting.
There have been some attempts to solve this problem. In particular, some solutions involve the duplication of calendar items. Referring to the example above, User B may send a meeting request to the particular department, with details that add or change the details of an original meeting sent by User A. A problem is that any time the details of the original meeting changes, User B must also issue the same change to his/her meeting.
There are a number of other complicating situations that may arise when one user wishes to change certain aspects of an original calendar item. The complicating situations may lead to confusion regarding the calendar item and a waste of time in resolving such confusion.
These and other needs are addressed by various embodiments and configurations of the present invention. The present invention is directed generally to a hierarchical organization of calendar items and their associated parameters. More specifically, an original calendar item with a first set of parameters can be specialized by a party other than the originator without effecting a change to how the originator views the calendar item.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided. The method comprises the steps of:
(a) receiving a first calendar item having at least one parameter from an originator;
(b) adjusting the at least one parameter to create a second calendar item having adjusted at least one parameter;
(c) determining at least one recipient for the second calendar item, wherein the at least one recipient excludes the originator; and
(d) sending the second calendar item to the at least one recipient.
As used herein a “calendar item” is understood to include a temporally scheduled calendar item including without limitation schedules, meetings, or requests thereof and tasks. A calendar item is essentially used as a coordination of activities between two or more individuals.
Often a recipient of a calendar item may not agree to all of the parameters set by the originator. Moreover, the parameters may not even apply to all recipients of the calendar item. In a global economy with events being coordinated across time zones, many recipients will likely want to change some aspects of an original calendar item. To accomplish this, in one embodiment, parameters of the original calendar item can be specialized and transmitted to other recipients to notify them of a relevant change. However, the originator may not want to be bothered with such a change, nor do the recipients of the original calendar item want to receive a second disparate calendar item related to the same event. Rather, in accordance with at least one embodiment, by specializing an original calendar item, a user can notify recipients of parameter changes to the original calendar item without confusing them with a second calendar item or bothering the originator.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a recipient specializes one or more parameters of a received calendar item. In the event that such a specialization would result in a conflict, the recipient is asked to resolve the conflict. Moreover, if at some point the originator of the first calendar item desires to update the original calendar item, the updated parameters are compared to the specialized parameters to determine if any conflicts exit. If no conflicts exist, then the group that has received the specialized calendar item does not need to be notified of the updates, whereas the non-specialized group does need to receive updates. By separating a population of calendar item participants into specialized and non-specialized groupings of participants, each group can be treated differently based on their locations, work schedules, needs, etc and changes to one group of the participants do not have to bother or confuse any other participants.
In accordance with one embodiment, a hierarchical system is created to govern how specializations should be handled and also how potential conflicts should be resolved. If conflicts are detected then parameters that have been defined higher on the hierarchical structure may supersede parameter changes that have been made at a lower level of the hierarchical structure. A hierarchical approach to calendar item management affords for ease of conflict resolution and a unified approach to calendar item parameter administration.
These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) contained herein. The above-described embodiments and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
As used herein, “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.
The invention will be illustrated below in conjunction with an exemplary communication system. Although well suited for use with, e.g., a system using a server(s) and/or database(s), the invention is not limited to use with any particular type of communication system or configuration of system elements. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosed techniques may be used in any communication application in which it is desirable to manage meetings or other shared resources.
Referring initially to
The communication endpoints 108 can be any of a number of packet-switched or circuit-switched devices including, without limitation, analog phone, digital phone, Personal Computer (PC), laptop, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), IP hardphone, IP softphone, wireless phone, cellular phone, and networking equipment.
As examples, a communication endpoint 108 may comprise a conventional wireline or wireless telephone, an Internet protocol (IP) telephone, a networked computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a television, radio or any other device capable of transmitting or receiving speech and/or data.
A server 112, 116, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, may comprise a communication server or other computer that functions to provide services to client devices. The email server 112 provides email capabilities to users of the communication endpoints 108. By accessing the email server 112, the communication endpoint 108 can view email that has been sent to a particular user associated with the communication endpoint 108.
The calendar server 116 may work in conjunction with the email server 112 to provide scheduling and resource management capabilities to the communication devices 108. The email server 112 may access applications on the calendar server, like the scheduling agent 120, to perform scheduling functions via email. For example, a calendar service may be provided via an email application stored on the email server 112. Information related to the calendar service may be retrieved from the calendar server 116 and presented to the user through an email application. In one embodiment, calendar items may be generated and transmitted to various users of the communication endpoints 108 via email, where a calendar item may relate to a task, meeting, and/or request for a shared resource. In one embodiment, the scheduling agent 120 is operable to determine if there are any conflicts between scheduled calendar items. More specifically, the scheduling agent 120 may be capable of identifying conflicting original and specialized parameters of a single calendar item or between a number of calendar items. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the functionality of the email server 112 and calendar server 116 may be combined into a single server or processor capable of providing email and scheduling services to the communication endpoints 108.
The communication network 104 may comprise a converged network for transmitting voice and data between associated devices 108 and/or servers 112, 116. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the communication network 104 need not be limited to any particular type of network. Accordingly, the communication network 104 may comprise a wireline or wireless Ethernet network, the Internet, a private intranet, a private branch exchange (PBX), the public switched telephony network (PSTN), a cellular or other wireless telephony network, or any other network capable of transmitting data, including voice data. In addition, it can be appreciated that the communication network 104 need not be limited to any one network type, and instead may be comprised of a number of different networks and/or network types.
The database 124 may include any data storage medium capable of maintaining data related to users of the communication endpoints 108, the communication endpoints 108, calendar items, or other important information. The database 124 may include one or more magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, solid state storage devices, or the like.
The term “switch” or “server” as used herein should be understood to include a PBX, an enterprise switch, an enterprise server, or other type of telecommunications system switch or server, as well as other types of processor-based communication control devices such as media servers (i.e., email servers, voicemail servers, web servers, and the like), computers, adjuncts, etc.
It should be emphasized that the configuration of the server, user communication endpoints, and other elements as shown in
With reference now to
A communication endpoint 108 or server 112, 116 may additionally include memory 208 for use in connection with the execution of programming by the processor 204 and for the temporary or long term storage of data or program instructions. The memory 208 may comprise solid state memory resident, removable or remote in nature, such as DRAM and SDRAM. Where the processor 204 comprises a controller, the memory 208 may be integral to the processor 204.
In addition, the communication endpoint 108 or server 112 may include one or more user inputs or means for receiving user input 212 and one or more user outputs or means for outputting 216. Examples of user inputs 212 include keyboards, keypads, touch screens, touch pads and microphones. Examples of user outputs 216 include speakers, display screens (including touch screen displays) and indicator lights. Furthermore, it can be appreciated by one of skill in the art that the user input 212 may be combined or operated in conjunction with a user output 216. An example of such an integrated user input 212 and user output 216 is a touch screen display that can both present visual information to a user and receive input selections from a user.
A communication endpoint 108 or server 112, 116 may also include data storage 220 for the storage of application programming and/or data. In addition, operating system software 224 may be stored in the data storage 220. The data storage 220 may comprise, for example, a magnetic storage device, a solid state storage device, an optical storage device, a logic circuit, or any combination of such devices. It should further be appreciated that the programs and data that may be maintained in the data storage 220 can comprise software, firmware or hardware logic, depending on the particular implementation of the data storage 220.
Examples of other applications that may be stored in the data storage 220 include an email application 228 that allows the user of the endpoint 108 to view, access, and manipulate data on the email server 112. For example, the email application 228 may provide a user friendly interface that presents data from the email server 112 to the user in a logical fashion, allows the user to create emails for transmission to other users associated with the communication system 100 and further respond to and/or forward emails received from other users. Another application that may reside in data storage 220 is a calendar application 232. The calendar application 232 may maintain a personal event calendar and resource availability chart for a user associated with the endpoint 108. The calendar application 232 may be used to view upcoming events or tasks for a particular person or group of people. The email application 228 and calendar application 232 may work cooperatively to schedule calendar items via email with other users of the network 100. The data storage 220 may also contain application programming and data used in connection with the performance of other functions of the communication endpoint 108 or server 112. For example, in connection with a communication endpoint 108 such as a telephone or IP telephone, the data storage may include communication application software. As another example, a communication endpoint 108 such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or a general purpose computer may include a word processing application in the data storage 220.
A communication endpoint 108 or server 112 may also include one or more communication network interfaces 236. Examples of communication network interfaces 236 include a network interface card, a modem, a wired telephony port, a serial or parallel data port, radio frequency broadcast receiver or other wired or wireless communication network interfaces.
With reference now to
One or more of the original recipients may further decide to invite other users. For example, User C may decide to invite Users G, H, and I and User F may decide to invite Users J and K. When these additional users are included as recipients of the calendar item they may receive a copy of the original calendar item as prepared by User A or they may receive a specialized calendar item with parameters that differ from those of the original calendar item. As can be seen in
The first layer 308 corresponds to original recipients of the original calendar item. These original recipients may invite other users or simply specialize one or more parameters of the original calendar item. For example, Users E and F may be in a completely different geographic location than Users A-D. User A may have generated the original calendar item to include a parameter defining the location of the meeting to be in the East conference room of a New Jersey office. Users E and F may be in San Jose Calif. so the location parameter of the original calendar item does not necessarily apply to them. Based on their location, User E may decide to specialize the location parameter of the original calendar item, thereby creating a specialized calendar item.
User E can then send the specialized calendar item to User F that replaces the original calendar item or at least updates the specialized parameter of the original calendar item. User E can be referred to as a primary first level specializer 316 because he/she was the first to specialize the original calendar item in the first layer 308. When User F receives the specialized calendar item from User E, he/she may decide to invite a few more users, for example Users J and K. Upon inviting Users J and K, User F may decide to further specialize the calendar item received from User E. User F may wish to invite Users J and K and include a resource parameter requesting that they bring their laptops to the meeting in San Jose. Since User F added another layer of specialization to the original calendar item, User F can be referred to as a secondary first level specializer 320. As can be appreciated, more specializers may exist on the first layer 308 of the hierarchy. If User F had decided to simply change User E′s specialized calendar item for Users E, F, J, and K. (i.e., the entire population of recipients of the specialization), User F would either need to request that User E change the parameter of the first specialization or generate a new calendar item for transmission to all users.
The second layer 312 corresponds to invited users that were not a part of the original recipient's list. Like users in the first layer, users in the second layer 312 can create specializations of calendar items. For instance, when Users G, H, and I received the original calendar item from User C, User H may decide that one of the parameters of the original calendar item should be specialized. As an example, Users H and I may work the night shift in New Jersey and therefore the original meeting time parameter may not apply to Users H and I. Rather, Users H and I may decide to meet at a different time to review issues raised in the original meeting. They may also decide to record the original meeting and review the tape of the meeting at their meeting. Thus, User H may specialize a required resource parameter to include a VCR, whereas the attendees of the original meeting do not need a VCR. Since User H was the first specializer in the second layer 312 he/she is referred to herein as a primary second level specializer. As can be appreciated, more specializers may exist in any one of the first and second layers or in further layers created by the addition of new invitees.
The maintenance of specialized parameters 412 for a specialized calendar item 404 allows the scheduling agent 120 to determine if there are any conflicts with the specialized parameter 412 and any other instances of that parameter in an associated calendar item, where calendar items may be associated if one calendar item is the specialization of another calendar item or if both calendar items have similar parameters (e.g., meeting place and time, meeting time and required shared resources, etc).
The first set of specialized parameters 412a-f may further be specialized up to n times until an nth set of specialized parameters 416a-f are created. Similar to the first set of specialized parameters 412, the nth set of specialized parameters 416 may include only changed parameters along with references to any unchanged parameter from the first specialized set of parameters 412 and/or the original parameters 408. Each subsequent specialization of a calendar item occurs at a later point in time than the previous specialization.
Typically, identities of or links/pointers to data structures associated with relevant parties are stored with the specialized parameters 412, 416. In this manner, when a change to a specialized parameter is made it is easier to propagate the change to the affected parties. With reference to the example of
With reference now to
In accordance with one embodiment, by actuating the specialize button 516, the recipient may be presented with a number of options related to specializing the calendar item as can be seen in
Referring now to
Once at least some recipients have received the calendar item (and possibly accepted its parameters), at least one recipient decides to specialize the original calendar item (step 712). Thereafter, the recipient becomes a specializer and is allowed to adjust at least one parameter of the original item (step 716). As noted above, the adjustment of an original parameter may include the addition, deletion, or alteration of the original parameter. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, some parameters may have protective mechanisms associated therewith that require the specializer to obtain permission from the originator before any original parameter is specialized. As an example, the originator may send a calendar item to a number of users related to a meeting that he/she would like to have face-to-face. In this instance, the originator may “lock” the location and time parameters. Therefore, if anyone attempts to specialize those parameters they must obtain permission from the originator before doing so. Furthermore, original parameters may be locked on a user-by-user basis, instead of globally applying a parameter lock. Also, a specializer may be allowed to place restrictions on specialized parameters.
After at least one parameter has been adjusted, recipients for the specialized item are determined (step 720). The recipients may include new users that did not originally receive the calendar item or users that were original recipients. Essentially, the recipients of the specialized calendar item can represent a subset of the original recipient population and/or a new population of recipients. After the parameters have been defined and recipients have been identified, a specialized calendar item is generated for each recipient(step 724). The recipient group members' calendar entries containing the specialized parameters are linked to one another. The adjusted parameters are compared with the original parameters to determine if there are any conflicts (step 728). The types of conflicts that may arrive include, without limitation, time conflicts, location conflicts, and/or resource requirement conflicts. For example, a specializer may attempt to change the time of a meeting for certain individuals that have a locked original parameter. The scheduling agent 120 can identify this conflict and ask the specializer to resolve the conflict (step 732). In an alternative embodiment, if two different specializations conflict with one another, one or both of the specializers may be asked to resolve the conflict. In still a further alternative embodiment, the originator may be asked to resolve any specialization conflicts.
After the conflict has been resolved, or in the event there were no identified conflicts, the specializer sends the specialized message to the identified recipients (step 736). When the recipients receive the specialized item, the original item is replaced with the specialized parameters. In another embodiment, the changed parameters of the original calendar item are updated and notification of the same is sent to the recipient, thereby making recipients aware of the changes. This is done instead of sending a new calendar item, which may cause confusion among recipients of the original calendar item and specialized calendar item.
With reference to
In accordance with one embodiment, conflicts between specializations and original updates generally occur if the update parameters were not one of the specialized parameters. In the event that a conflict does exist between the specialized calendar item and updated original calendar item, then the specializer is either notified of the conflict and allowed to make another specialization or the parameter is automatically changed (step 824). After the specializer has updated his/her specialization or the specializations have been automatically changed to reflect the updated original parameters, the updated specialization is set to the specialized population (step 828). Thereafter, the updated original item is sent to the non-specialized population (step 820).
It should be noted that inventive aspects of the present invention are not limited to specializing a single calendar item at a time. Rather, a series of calendar items can be grouped and specialized at substantially the same time. For example, some calendar items include reoccurring appointments (e.g., the calendar item is scheduled every week or every month) with the same parameters. One specialization of that reoccurring appointment could specialize the entire appointment for recipients of the specialization. Alternatively, if a calendar item is associated with a reoccurring appointment, the specialization could be limited to a subset of the reoccurring appointments if the situation warrants such a change.
The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost of implementation.
The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention.
Moreover, though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.
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