BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating how an existing electronic scheduling program user interface would carry out scheduling a meeting to repeat on Mondays for two months.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system for practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention.
FIGS. 3A-3H show exemplary embodiments of flexible time components of the pull down menu user interface for an electronic scheduling application.
FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate the expansion of the flexible time component interface beyond a monthly time unit to schedule an event on eleven consecutive Mondays in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 5A-5D illustrates the use of flexible time component interface to schedule an event on six consecutive Mondays and Fridays in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the use of the flexible time components user interface to carry out scheduling a meeting to repeat on Mondays for two months according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and means for decreasing the number of total unique user selections or clicks for a given scheduling activity and to increase the usability of the scheduling software user interface. The present novel invention accomplishes this with time components that offer unique features that will allow the user unprecedented freedom of selection and increased usability. The time components allow the user to visually select unique selections that were difficult to accomplish with past solutions. The user will be notified of the time component's state by a section of the component itself. The state of a time component is the current day that is in the user's focus, a label of the larger logical time the smaller units are in (the current month for the days, the current day for the hours), and how many total selections there are.
The flexible selections offered by the novel time components of the user interface allow for excessive clicks to be minimized. Flexible selections permit the user to select similar times beyond the boundaries of the present selection. In other words, if a user wishes to pick 6 consecutive Mondays starting in the month of March, the month selection will automatically expand to the following month of April. In the same manner, the user can select the first week of consecutive months. Upon the whole week becoming selected, if the user continues outside of the time component's user interface boundaries, the first week of the next month will be selected and so on until the user stops dragging the mouse. The expandable selection area of the time components enables longer-term time selection with a single unique user selection (drag and click). When the user reaches the display boundary of a time component, the time component will expand to the next larger logical time unit (for days the next month is shown, and for years the next decade is shown).
When a user selectable time component interface is located near the boundary of the display screen, for example on the left side of the screen and the user's selection is proceeding in a leftward direction, the time component progresses to the next larger logical time unit. In an alternative embodiment, the time component can be automatically re-centered on the display screen. In yet another embodiment, the user can employ the mouse scroll wheel to advance to the next larger logical time unit (to the next month in a day component).
With the implementation of the flexible time component user interface, users are able to complete their work faster and more efficiently, due to the improved utility of the scheduling interface. By increasing the selection area of the time components temporarily while selections are made, the user is able to select larger durations of time than previously possible. This leads to a reduction of excessive clicking and greater user productivity.
Turning now to the drawings as described in detail below, the present invention provides for an enhanced graphical user interface (GUI) for increasing the flexibility, complexity, and resolution of scheduling options, while minimizing the number of unique independent user selection entries.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 1 for implementing the electronic scheduling program of the present invention and graphically illustrates how those blocks interact in operation. The system includes one or more computing/communication devices 2 coupled to a server system 4 via a network 6. Each computing/communication device 2 may be implemented using a general-purpose computer executing a computer program for carrying out the processes described herein. The computing/communication devices 2 may also be, but are not limited to, portable computing devices, wireless devices, personal digital assistants (PDA), cellular devices, etc. The computer program may be resident on a storage medium local to the computing/communication devices 2, or maybe stored on the server system 4. The server system 4 may belong to a public service provider, or to an individual business entity or private party. The network 6 may be any type of known network including a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), global network (e.g., Internet), intranet, wireless or cellular network, etc. The computing/communication devices 2 may be coupled to the server system 4 through multiple networks (e.g., intranet and Internet) so that not all computing/communication devices 2 are coupled to the server system 4 via the same network. In a preferred embodiment, the network 6 is a LAN and each computing/communication device 2 executes a user interface application (e.g., web browser) to contact the server system 4 through the network 6. Alternatively, a computing/communication device 2 may be implemented using a device programmed primarily for accessing network 6 such as a remote client.
The electronic scheduling program of the present invention provides functionality to the user with the same options for scheduling events, absences, tasks, meetings, etc. as in prior art programs, but also offers additional user functionality through an enhanced graphical user interface (GUI) for increasing the flexibility, complexity, and resolution of scheduling options, while minimizing the number of unique independent user selection entries.
The program of the present invention generates and displays, by well-known software methods, a graphical user interface (GUI) to the user of a computer on which the program is running. Examples of various types of a graphical user interface scheduling selection options (flexible time components) are shown in FIGS. 3A-3H. In the FIG. 2, the graphical user interface of the electronic scheduling program is displayed on the screens 3 of computing/communication devices 2. The flexible time components are presented to the user via a pull down menu that is provided by the GUI to allow the user to select certain options and/or shortcuts to options by clicking on representative icons with a mouse or other similar selecting or pointing device. A pointing device or mouse can also activate the GUI, by hovering over a desired flexible time component label, which brings the full flexible time component into view. In this instance, the menu selection labels are always displayed. It is also possible that the flexible selection time component will always be visible. Alternatively, the host device that comprises the computing/communication device 2 may only support keyboard driven commands to drive the graphical user interface of the present invention. Among the functions provided by the flexible timer components is the ability to control time in various levels of resolution including the selection of years (FIG. 3D), months (FIGS. 3G, 3H), days (FIGS. 3A, 3E), and hours and increments thereof (FIGS. 3B, 3C, 3F).
FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate the expansion of the flexible time component interface of FIG. 3A beyond a monthly time unit to schedule an event on eleven consecutive Mondays in one embodiment of the present invention. Initially, the day-time unit component of FIG. 4A starts with no selections. The user proceeds to select all the Mondays of the month by clicking and dragging across those similar dates (FIG. 4B). As the user continues to drag beyond the boundaries of the current time limit, the flexible time component automatically expands (FIG. 4C) to the next logical increment of the current time unit (in this instance months). When the selection of eleven consecutive Mondays is completed the flexible time component reverts to its initial size (FIG. 4D). However, it should be noted that at the bottom portion of the FIG. 4D, eleven selections are now indicated. If one of the selections requires modification, standard selection key modifiers can be used in conjunction with clicking to toggle and extend the selection. An example of this is selecting eleven Mondays to schedule a repeating event, and then deselecting one Monday falling on a business holiday.
In another example (Please see FIGS. 5A-5D) of the utility and ease of use of the flexible time component interface, a user schedules an event on six consecutive Mondays and Fridays in one embodiment of the present invention. Initially, the day-time unit component of FIG. 5A starts with no selections. The user proceeds to select six consecutive Mondays by clicking and dragging across those similar dates (FIG. 5B). The user then selects the six corresponding Fridays (FIG. 5C). Finally, a time block (3.5 hours) for the twelve selected dates is specified by clicking and dragging on the flexible time component (clock face) of FIG. 3C as shown in FIG. 5D.
In contrast to flow diagram of FIG. 1, which illustrates how an existing electronic scheduling program user interface would carry out scheduling a meeting to repeat on Mondays for two months with fourteen unique user operations, a current embodiment of the present invention can handle the process in only six steps (please see FIG. 6). Referring to FIG. 6 the user starts the process of scheduling a meeting at step 600 by clicking the event “New Meeting.” The user then proceeds to click and drag, to select a duration in days (602), and click and drag to select a duration in hours (604). The user clicks to enable the repeat function (606), and clicks and drags on the flexible time component of FIG. 3A to select all Mondays within a two-month time frame (608), and schedules the meeting (610). As can be readily seen from a comparison of FIG. 1 and FIG. 6 the flexible time components of the graphical user interface of the current invention greatly streamlines the process of scheduling multiple events over extended periods of time.
The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
Patent Application
20080034305
