Patent Application
20140006497
This disclosure relates to online collaboration and, more particularly, to creating events.
The Internet currently allows for the free exchange of ideas and information in a manner that was unimaginable only a couple of decades ago. One such use for the Internet is as a communication medium, whether it is via one-on-one exchanges or multi-party exchanges. For example, two individuals may exchange private emails with each other. Alternatively, multiple people may participate on a public website in which they may post entries that are published for multiple people to read. Examples of such websites may include but are not limited to product/service review sites, social networks, and topical blogs.
According to an implementation, a method may include receiving a request to schedule an event associated with a conversation within a group messaging system. The method may also include creating an event including the participants of the conversation. The method may also include receiving an event attribute from at least one of the participants of the conversation. The method may further include transmitting a notification of the event and the at least one event attribute to the conversation via the group messaging system.
According to another implementation, a method may include receiving an identification of a conversation including a plurality of conversation participants within a group messaging system. The method may also include receiving a request to schedule an event relative to the conversation. The method may also include creating an event having a plurality of event participants based on, at least in part, the plurality of conversation participants. The method may further include transmitting a notification of the event to the plurality of event participants.
One or more of the following features may be included. The method may further include receiving one or more event attributes from one or more of the plurality of event participants. The method may further include transmitting the one or more event attributes to the conversation. The one or more event attributes may include one or more of a time and a location. The method may further include receiving a changed event attribute from one or more event participants, and updating the one or more event attributes based on, at least in part, the changed event attribute.
Receiving the request to schedule the event may include receiving an indication of an existing event. Creating the event having a plurality of event participants based on, at least in part, the plurality of conversation participants may include updating the existing event to include the plurality of conversation participants as event participants.
The method may further include transmitting metadata associated with the event to the conversation. The metadata associated with the event may include one or more of and RSVP and an event check-in. The method may also include determining an event attribute based on one or more status characteristics of the plurality of event participants. The one or more status characteristics of the plurality of event participants may include one or more of a location of the plurality of event participants and an availability of the one or more event participants. The method may further include transmitting event updates to the conversation based on a changed event participant status.
In another implementation, a computing system includes at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to receive a request to schedule an event associated with a conversation in a group messaging system. The at least one processor may also be configured to create an event including a plurality of event participants based on, at least in part, a plurality of conversation participants. The at least one processor may also be configured to receive one or more event attributes from one or more of the plurality of event participants. The at least one processor may further be configured to transmit a notification of the event and the one or more event attributes to the plurality of event participants via the group messaging system.
One or more of the following features may be included. The one or more event attributes may include one or more of a time and a location. The at least one processor may be further configured to receive a changed event attribute from one or more event participants. The at least one processor may also be configured to update the one or more event attributes based on, at least in part, the changed event attribute. The at least one processor may be further configured to transmit the updated one or more event attributes to the conversation within the group messaging system.
The request to schedule the event may include an indication of an existing event, and the at least one processor may be configured to create the event by updating the existing event to include the plurality of conversation participants as event participants.
The at least one processor may be further configured to transmit metadata associated with the event to the conversation. The metadata associated with the event may include one or more of and RSVP and an event check-in. The at least one processor may be further configured to determine an event attribute based on one or more status characteristics of the plurality of event participants. The one or more status characteristics of the plurality of event participants may include one or more of a location of the plurality of event participants and an availability of the one or more event participants. The at least one processor may be further configured to transmit event updates to the conversation based on a changed event participant status.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
According to some example embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, events may be scheduled through a group messaging system. The group messaging system may generally include a messaging system that utilizes participant-threaded messaging, in which messages make up a conversation based on common participants. In some embodiments, scheduling events through the group messaging system may simplify scheduling, e.g., of ad hoc events. For example, the number of steps required for creating an event may be reduced by utilizing the participants of the conversation to pre-populate a guest list for the event. Further, a group dynamic flowing from the conversation may be utilized for determining various attributes of the event.
Referring to
For example, event process 10 may be implemented as a purely server-side process via event process 10s. Alternatively, event process 10 may be implemented as a purely client-side process via one or more of client-side application 10c1, client-side application 10c2, client-side application 10c3, and client-side application 10c4. Alternatively still, event process 10 may be implemented as a server-side/client-side process via event process 10s in combination with one or more of client-side application 10c1, client-side application 10c2, client-side application 10c3, and client-side application 10c4. In such an example, at least a portion of the functionality of event process 10 may be performed by event process 10s and at least a portion of the functionality of event process 10 may be performed by one or more of client-side application 10c1, 10c2, 10c3, and 10c3.
Accordingly, event process 10 as used in this disclosure may include any combination of event process 10s, client-side application 10c1, client-side application 10c2, client-side application 10c3, and client-side application 10c4.
Referring also to
Event process 10s may be a server application and may reside on and may be executed by computing device 12, which may be connected to network 14 (e.g., the Internet or a local area network). Examples of computing device 12 may include, but are not limited to: a personal computer, a server computer, a series of server computers, a mini computer, a mainframe computer, or a dedicated network device.
The instruction sets and subroutines of event process 10s, which may be stored on storage device 16 coupled to computing device 12, may be executed by one or more processors (not shown) and one or more memory architectures (not shown) included within computing device 12. Examples of storage device 16 may include but are not limited to: a hard disk drive; a tape drive; an optical drive; a RAID device; an NAS device, a Storage Area Network, a random access memory (RAM); a read-only memory (ROM); and all forms of flash memory storage devices.
Network 14 may be connected to one or more secondary networks (e.g., network 18), examples of which may include but are not limited to: a local area network; a wide area network; or an intranet, for example.
Examples of client-side applications 10c1, 10c2, 10c3, 10c4 may include but are not limited to a web browser, a game console user interface, a television user interface, or a specialized application (e.g., an application running on a mobile platform). The instruction sets and subroutines of client-side application 10c1, 10c2, 10c3, 10c4, which may be stored on storage devices 20, 22, 24, 26 (respectively) coupled to client electronic devices 28, 30, 32, 34 (respectively), may be executed by one or more processors (not shown) and one or more memory architectures (not shown) incorporated into client electronic devices 28, 30, 32, 34 (respectively). Examples of storage devices 20, 22, 24, 26 may include but are not limited to: hard disk drives; tape drives; optical drives; RAID devices; random access memories (RAM); read-only memories (ROM), and all forms of flash memory storage devices.
Examples of client electronic devices 28, 30, 32, 34 may include, but are not limited to, personal computer 28, laptop computer 30, mobile computing device 32, notebook computer 34, a netbook computer (not shown), a server computer (not shown), a gaming console (not shown), a data-enabled television console (not shown), and a dedicated network device (not shown). Client electronic devices 28, 30, 32, 34 may each execute an operating system.
Users 36, 38, 40, 42 may access event process 10 directly through network 14 or through secondary network 18. Further, event process 10 may be accessed through secondary network 18 via link line 44.
The various client electronic devices (e.g., client electronic devices 28, 30, 32, 34) may be directly or indirectly coupled to network 14 (or network 18). For example, personal computer 28 is shown directly coupled to network 14. Further, laptop computer 30 is shown wirelessly coupled to network 14 via wireless communication channels 46 established between laptop computer 30 and wireless access point (WAP) 48. Similarly, mobile computing device 32 is shown wirelessly coupled to network 14 via wireless communication channel 50 established between mobile computing device 32 and cellular network/bridge 52, which is shown directly coupled to network 14. WAP 48 may be, for example, an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, Wi-Fi, and/or Bluetooth device that is capable of establishing wireless communication channel 46 between laptop computer 30 and WAP 48. Additionally, personal computer 34 is shown directly coupled to network 18 via a hardwired network connection.
As generally discussed above, event process 10 may generally allow events to be created, scheduled, and/or managed in connection with group messaging systems. For example, in an embodiment, event process 10 may receive 100 an identification of a conversation including a plurality of conversation participants within a group messaging system. The group messaging system may generally allow for messaging communications between two or more people. Group messaging system may utilize a communication channel that may include participant-based message threads. As such, conversations within the group messaging system may include a common group of participants (i.e., a plurality of conversation participants) regardless of topic or subject of the message. In some embodiments, the group messaging system may utilize interruptive messaging, e.g., in which an interruptive notification of a new message may be utilized. As such, exchanges within a conversation may be capable of being carried out in a generally synchronous manner. Examples of group messaging systems may include, but are not limited to, SMS messaging systems, instant messaging systems, social network-based messaging systems, and the like.
According to an example embodiment, and referring also to
Event process 10 may also receive 102 a request to schedule an event relative to the conversation. For example, and referring still to
In another embodiment, in addition/as an alternative to creating a new event, user 40 may share an existing event with the conversation (i.e., may share the existing event with the conversation participants). Consistent with such an embodiment, event process may receive 102 the request to schedule an event including receiving 108 an indication of an existing event. For example, and with reference again to
While not shown, in response to user 40 selecting event sharing option 172, client-side application 10c3 (alone and/or in conjunction with event process 10 and/or another application) may provide a listing of all of the up-coming events for which user is a participants (i.e., events to which user 40 has been invited). User 40 may select an event to be shared with the conversation from within the list of the up-coming events. In response to user 40 selecting an event from within the list of up-coming events, event process 10 may receive 108 an indication of the existing event. Consistent with such an embodiment, in response to receiving 108 the indication of the existing event, event process 10 may create 104 the event having a plurality of event participants based on, at least in part, the plurality of conversation participants by updating 110 the existing event to include the plurality of conversation participants as event participants. That is, event process 10 (alone and/or in conjunction with another application, such as a separate scheduling application and/or a scheduling module within the group messaging system, etc.) may update the existing event to expand the participants list (i.e., the list of individuals invited to participate in the event) to include the conversation participants.
Event process 10 may transmit 106 a notification of the event to the plurality of event participants. In an example embodiment, transmitting 106 a notification of the event to the plurality of event participants may include transmitting a notification of the event to the conversation (i.e., to the conversation participants via the group messaging system). For example, and referring also to
In an example embodiment, event process 10 may further receive 112 one or more event attributes from one or more of the plurality of event participants. For example, and as described above, in some embodiments the user creating the event (e.g., user 40 in the preceding example) may provide one or more event attributes during creation of the event (e.g., as described with respect to
In an embodiment, event process 10 may determine 114 an event attributed based on one or more status characteristics of the plurality of event participants. In an example embodiment, the one or more status characteristics of the plurality of event participants may include one or more of a location of the plurality of event participants and an availability of the one or more event participants. For example, event process 10 (alone and/or in conjunction with one or more additional applications, such as client-side applications 10c1, 10c2, 10c3, 10c4, a separate scheduling application associated with one or more event processors, a scheduling module associated with the group messaging system, etc.) may determine an available time associated with the plurality of event participants. For example, based on, at least in part, other scheduled events for each of the event participants, event process 10 may determine 114 that each of the event participants may be available at 7:00 PM. In response to determining 114 that each of the event participants may be available at 7:00 PM, event process 10 may set a time attribute associated with the event to be 7:00 PM. In a further embodiment, the one or more event participants may provide (e.g., in response to a request for availability from event process 10) times at which they may be available.
In another example embodiment, event process 10 may determine 114 an event location attribute based on, at least in part, an determined location of one or more event participants and/or an anticipated location of the one or more event participants. For example, in an embodiment event process 10 may determine a location associated with one or more of the event participants based on a request for location transmitted to one or more of the event participants. In a further embodiment, one or more of the client electronic devices associated with one or more of the event participants may transmit a location of the client electronic device (e.g., based on a GPS determined location, a hardwired determined location, cell tower triangulation, and or another mechanism by which a location of the client electronic device may be determined) to event process 10. In an example embodiment, based on received locations associated with one or more of the event participants (e.g., either directly and/or by inference based on the location of a client electronic device associated with one or more of the event participants), event process 10 may determine 114 an event location attribute, e.g., based on a location that may be generally central to at least a majority of the one or more event participants. Event process 10 may determine 114 various additional/alternative event attributes associated with the event in generally similar manners.
In an embodiment, event process 10 may transmit 116 the one or more event attributes to the conversation. For example, once one or more event attributes have been defined by one or more of the event participants, a notification of the event including the received 112 and/or determined 114 event attributes may be transmitted to the conversation (i.e., to the conversation participants via the group messaging system). For example, assume that an event participant (e.g., user 36) may have provided an event location (e.g., restaurant) for the “dinner tonight” event. Further, assume that event process 10 may have determined 114 a time (e.g., 7:00 PM) for the event. Accordingly, event process 10 may transmit 116 the one or more event attributes to the conversation, e.g., as a notification including event details. For example, and referring also to
According to an example embodiment, event process 10 may facilitate the creation and modification of events based on a group dynamic amongst conversation participants. I such an example embodiment, event process 10 may receive 118 a changed event attribute from one or more event participants, and may update the one or more event attributes based on, at least in part, the changed event attribute. For example, and as generally discussed with respect to
In some embodiments, event process 10 may further transmit 120 metadata associated with the event to the conversation. According to various embodiments, the metadata associated with the event may include, for example, an RSVP to the event, a check-in (e.g., signifying that an event participant may have arrived at the location of the event), and/or various additional/alternative metadata. Event process 10 may transmit 120 the metadata associated with the event to the conversation (e.g., to event participants via the group messaging system), for example, as a message within the conversation and/or via other suitable mechanism.
In some embodiments, event process 10 may transmit 122 event update to the conversation based on, at least in part, a changed event participant status. Event participant status may include, but is not limited to, for example an event participant's location, an event participant's arrival at the event, and estimated time of arrival for an event participant at the event, and the like. In an example embodiment, event process 10 may transmit 122 event updates to the conversation which may be accessed by a conversation participant via a group messaging interface. For example, and referring to
Referring also to
Computing system 12 may include microprocessor 350 configured to e.g., process data and execute instructions/code for event process 10. Microprocessor 350 may be coupled to storage device 16. As discussed above, examples of storage device 16 may include but are not limited to: a hard disk drive; a tape drive; an optical drive; a RAID device; an NAS device, a Storage Area Network, a random access memory (RAM); a read-only memory (ROM); and all forms of flash memory storage devices. IO controller 352 may be configured to couple microprocessor 350 with various devices, such as keyboard 354, mouse 356, USB ports (not shown), and printer ports (not shown). Display adaptor 360 may be configured to couple display 362 (e.g., a CRT or LCD monitor) with microprocessor 350, while network adapter 364 (e.g., an Ethernet adapter) may be configured to couple microprocessor 350 to network 14 (e.g., the Internet or a local area network).
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as a method (e.g., executing in whole or in part on computing device 12), a system (e.g., computing device 12), or a computer program product (e.g., encoded within storage device 16). Accordingly, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium (e.g., storage device 16) having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.
Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium (e.g., storage device 16) may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium may include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may also be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-usable medium may include a propagated data signal with the computer-usable program code embodied therewith, either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to the Internet, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc.
Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network/a wide area network/the Internet (e.g., network 14).
The present disclosure is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, may be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor (e.g., processor 350) of a general purpose computer/special purpose computer/other programmable data processing apparatus (e.g., computing device 12), such that the instructions, which execute via the processor (e.g., processor 350) of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory (e.g., storage device 16) that may direct a computer (e.g., computing device 12) or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer (e.g., computing device 12) or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures may illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, may be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
Having thus described the disclosure of the present application in detail and by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure defined in the appended claims.
