Electronic calendar with group scheduling and asynchronous fan out method6085166Abstract A system for scheduling time intervals for a plurality of users comprises a database, associated with one or more server means, for storing a profile for potential invitees of the system, the invitee profiles comprising user profiles wherein each user profile comprises information regarding available and unavailable times for that user. A remote workstation comprises a request generating system that is connected over a network to the server means and that generates a request for allocation of a time interval for one or more of the plurality of invitees. At the server, a busy time determination system gathers the profiles for the one or more requested invitees using asynchronous fan out requests to the one or more databases storing the profiles and determines whether those invitees are available during the requested time interval. Claims What is claimed is: Description FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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Unavailability of optional invitees
Weight 1
Non-work hours for an invitee
Weight 1
Conflicting events, appointments
Weight 2
Unavailability of required invitees
Weight 10
Unavailability of coordinator or room
Weight 100
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Applying these relative weights, the assortment of unavailable situations produced in step 114 would be, for example, as listed below:
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Unavailability of coordinator or room
Value
due to conflicting appointment
2000
Unavailability of coordinator or room
Value
due to non-work hours 1000
Unavailability of required invitee due
Value
to conflicting appointment
20
Unavailability of required invitee due
Value
to non-work hours 10
Unavailability of optional invitee due
2
to conflicting appointment
Unavailability of optional invitee due
1
to non-work hours
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In the next step, steps 116 and 118, this method chooses an available time interval based on the lowest weighted value. A value of zero would mean that everyone invited could attend the proposed event at the suggested time interval. In this embodiment, in step 116, the system selects the time interval with the lowest weighted unavailability value. In step 118, the system then eliminates the invitee or resource with the lowest weighting assigned thereto. That new grouping is then returned to steps 104 and 106 to determine the busy times for the new set of invitees and to compare to determine whether those invitees are available at the requested time. to determine the busy times for those create a new busy time file with the new reduced list of invitees. The process repeats steps 104, 106, and 108 until a time interval is found based on the reduced number of invitees. That time is presented to the coordinator as a proposed alternative time with the "best fit." When the user has been presented either with a time interval with no conflicting busy time or a best fit time interval and selects that time interval, the system then generates an invitation to the invitee. Other techniques for finding alternative times may also be used. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system may present information to a user on the system regarding availability of one or more potential invitees to a event or other event. The system may present this information in a variety of ways. In one view, the system may provide a free time dialog box 10 as depicted in FIG. 5, for example. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the information that may be communicated when a user of the system requests a event. In one location of the view, event selection portion 12, for example, near the upper left hand corner of the box, the date and the time interval of the proposed event may be entered, which a coordinator may have entered to search for free time. A results portion 14 may then be presented in the free time dialog box 10. For example, results portion 14 may be displayed beneath the date and time of the proposed event. In this instance, the search results indicate that the scheduled time is not available for everyone who has been invited. Indeed, in the illustration of FIG. 5, of the 174 invitees for the proposed event, calendar information on only 158 was found, and of those invitees, only 148 were found to be available to attend. Based on the calendar information found for 158 invitees, the system according to the present invention provides alternative event times. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, these recommended event times represent the "best fit" for most of the invitees listed, as described in detail below. The search parameters (date, time, and duration of the proposed event), the search results, and the recommended event times are the same in FIGS. 5 through 9. A button 16 may be provided to permit the coordinator to modify the invitee list if desired. For example, button 16 may be located beneath the box showing the recommended event times. Various free time dialog views may be presented in a display selection portion 20. Display selection portion 20 may permit a user to display the views by: By Day--Can Attend By Day--Can Not Attend By People--Not Found FIGS. 5 through 9 present different views of the information retrieved by the system as a result of the search performed by the chairman. In FIG. 5, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic calendar system presents a listing portion 18. Listing portion 18 may provide a list of the invitees sorted by those for whom calendar information cannot be found. The background shading for each of the displayed invitee names may be displayed to match a similar shading in the legend box labeled "No Info." A day planner showing the hours of the proposed event is shown in the box. Other shading/coloring or other graphical indications may be used in the boxes listing the individual names and/or graphical time bar to indicate "Free Time," "Busy Time," "OK," "Conflict," or "Other" status indicators. This feature combined with the ability to generate a variety of views may facilitate the coordination of a event. For example, a recommended event time portion 15 may be presented showing several optional times that have been determined using the best fit routine, for example. FIG. 6 presents an illustration of a view that lists invitees and their calendar information sorted by those who cannot attend. As this figure represents, it may be that all of the invitees have busy times during the time interval of the proposed event. FIG. 7 presents an illustration of a view that lists invitees and their calendar information sorted by those who can attend in the listing portion 18. Listing portion 18 shows, the coordinator for the event first. In this example, "Doug Conmy/Iris," is the event coordinator, as may be identified by an icon above the name listing. The rest of the invitees who can attend may be presented in alphabetical order, for example. Other ordering sequences may also be used. All of these attendees show free time during the time interval of the proposed event. A graphical representation of the free and busy time is displayed for each individual. For example, "Doug Comny/Iris" is shown graphically to be free from 9 AM to 5 PM except for 12-1 PM. Additionally, before 9 AM and after 5 PM are indicated as Busy Time, which could indicate his work hours. FIG. 8 presents an illustration of a view that lists all invitees and their calendar regardless of availability. Similar graphical information is displayed with other views. FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a dialog box 25 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Dialog box 25 displays the search results for another proposed event. Again, dialog box 25 has an event selection portion 26 which may be displayed in the left hand side of the dialog box, for example. In this example, listing portion 28 indicates that the proposed date and time is available to all invitees. Moreover, the application has recommended a number of alternative event times in an alternative time portion 30. Listing portion 18 may display the calendar information as a daily composite for a 7-day (or other) period. According to the display, a block of free time from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. is available for everyone on Thursday, June 5. The event coordinator may use this information in rescheduling the event. Otherwise, the event is already booked for its requested date and time slot. This view is a view of Free Time by day. The white blocks indicate free time, the gray blocks are busy time. This view is based on the composite busy time file generated by the system. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the invention may be implemented by a software application designed to run on a client/server architecture such as Notes 4.5, in which a name/address book is kept for each person at each domain. In other words, the electronic mail address and calendar for each person are in the same database, so that calendar information may be exchanged via electronic mail. The system may also comprise a calendar connect unit 310 which may be used to go from server to server for the names and calendars of desired invitees. Calendar connect unit 310 enables the user who proposes an event to view attendee availability or unavailability for a given time interval and also to show attendees who cannot be found. While various calendar schedule programs may be used with various e-mail programs, a preferred embodiment uses the Lotus Organizer calendar/schedule program with Lotus Notes or cc: Mail messaging program and a Lotus Domino server. The invention is not so limited. Various aspects and advantages of the preferred embodiment are detailed below. The invention dramatically cuts the amount of time it takes to set up a event and book a room using Lotus Notes and Domino software. A user may send a event invitation to anyone from a Notes Name and Address book and virtually instantly view current busy and free time. A user may also attach a document (a event agenda, for example) to an invitation, and request optional or mandatory attendance. The invention uses reliable, secure Notes routing to deliver invitations to other Notes and Organizer users. According to one embodiment, because the system is connected to intranet and internet, even people who do not use the system of the present invention, for example, Organizer or Notes, may be invited. Event invitees may then accept, decline, delegate a substitute, or re-schedule. Their responses may be automatically forwarded to the coordinator or coordinator. Once an invitee accepts a event invitation, their Organizer calendars are automatically updated as well as the coordinator's calendar. This enables coordinators to be able to check to see who can make it, who can't, and who's sending an alternate attendee. One embodiment of the invention takes advantage of the powerful Notes and Domino environment to keep the chair/coordinator and every member of their team in touch even when out of the office. For example, a user may dial up and gain remote access to an Organizer file, the same way one may tap into a Notes mail file. Plus, the user may replicate the mail file and use it off-line to update a Calendar or schedule group events. A user may even view busy and free times for other users while on the road. The invention enables a user to create links among entries stored in different sections of in the Organizer. For example, link an appointment in Calendar to a customer in the Address book to an agenda in Notepad to a Web address. The user may then move quickly and directly between them to link ideas and information with people and projects. The scheduling of group events and rooms via Lotus Notes and Domino has certain advantages. For example it enables a user to: select attendees from the Lotus Notes Name & Address book; view free and busy times by person or date in real time and pick from a list of available free times; send an e-mail invitation to non-Calendar users automatically; specify required or optional attendance; attach a file, such as a event agenda, to the event invitation; propose changes to event times and/or days by dragging and dropping; accept, decline, delegate or reschedule a event invitation; and see who has accepted, declined or delegated a event invitation at a glance. The advantages of the present invention include that Information Technology ("IT") professionals want calendar and scheduling ("C&S") solutions that leverage the sizable investments already made in these infrastructures. They also want solutions that deliver real-time inter-enterprise scheduling, as well as mobile C&S access. A C&S solution must meet the IT and personal C&S requirements dictated by end users. The solution must build an environment where personal calendars may be easily maintained by everyone who is expected to participate in electronic scheduling processes. It follows that for a C&S product to earn widespread user acceptance as a group scheduler, it must also offer rich PIM functionality and an intuitive and engaging user interface ("UI"). Collectively, these IT and end-user requirements call for a new generation of C&S product offerings. Existing generations of host-based C&S solutions cannot readily support mobile scheduling and they typically have outdated UIs. PIM solutions cannot support high-bandwidth, real-time scheduling nor can they offer management tools that integrate with the network and messaging infrastructure. The invention architecture delivers solutions that address the full spectrum of IT and end-user requirements. Lotus Notes customers have a choice of at least two C&S application front ends--native Notes.TM. and Organizer.TM.. Both C&S applications are fully integrated with Notes back-end services to provide seamless group scheduling. Each Notes user's mail database houses both mail and calendar information. Notes C&S and Organizer share common free-time services that offer real-time access to free/busy times and a common scheduling infrastructure. The Notes messaging infrastructure serves as the delivery vehicle for event notices and replies, while Notes replication ensures a robust, scaleable C&S solution that supports both LAN-connected and mobile users. Both native Notes C&S and Organizer offer group scheduling to both connected and mobile users. The Organizer client additionally provides advanced PIM functionality. Running in a Notes environment, an Organizer user gains highly effective time management tools that include the popular Organizer tabs--Calendar, To Do, Address, Calls, Planner, Notepad, and Anniversary as well as advanced print output options for calendar and PIM information. According to one embodiment, the Organizer front end is used with the cc:Mail DB8 back end to provide an equally powerful C&S product line for cc:Mail customers. Interoperability between Notes-based and cc:Mail-based C&S users is assured through the bi-directional cc:Mail Message Transfer Agent (MTA). Organizations using the invention may migrate host-based calendar users to Notes or cc:Mail-based systems while maintaining co-existence as needed. The Lotus OfficeVision Calendar Connector (LOVCC) allows co-existence between host-based and LAN-based C&S. This high performance connector provides real-time, bidirectional query of free/busy times stored within Notes, Organizer, and OV calendars. It also enables exchange of event notices among Notes, Organizer, or cc:Mail clients and OV users, and IBM Time and Place/2.TM. (TaP/2) clients. The LOVCC may be used with OS/2.RTM., Windows NT.TM., AIX.RTM., and other server platforms. One aspect of the invention is the integration of the C&S solution with a messaging and groupware infrastructure. Doing so provides several advantages, such as a scaleable and secure calendar store: the invention can scale with the same size, performance, and manageability characteristics of the underlying messaging and groupware infrastructure and can rely on its security capability. The storage of calendar information and mail information in a common data store provides this advantage. Another advantage is that the present invention provides real-time access to scheduling and calendar information. Two important characteristics of a C&S solution are the ability to query free/busy times for small or large groups of people and the ability to perform these queries in real time. Another important characteristic is the ability to access calendar data itself. The invention not only support users who need to schedule events, conference rooms, and resources, or who wish to see their calendar information in real time, but they also transparently and automatically support these activities across multiple time zones. A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of remote access and mobile scheduling. Mobile and disconnected users are provided nearly the same C&S functionality that is available to them when they are connected to the LAN. The invention lets users take their calendars on the road; receive and automatically synchronize calendar information on an as-needed basis; create and modify group events away from the office; and provide the option to access scheduling information in real time. Also, Web server and browser technology that allows users to access calendar information across the Internet is incorporated in the present invention. Yet another advantage is that the present invention provides inter-enterprise scheduling. Customers may schedule events with suppliers, business partners, and other individuals who work outside the bounds of a user's organization. The ability to exchange event notices and check free-time across public networks such as the Internet meets this requirement. The invention's architecture leverages Internet protocols to deliver this type of inter-enterprise scheduling. Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides cross platform support. Users within an organization need to be able to schedule events with each other, no matter what operating systems the event coordinator or attendees are using. The invention has full feature/function parity for all major GUI client platforms, including Windows.RTM. 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2, Macintosh.RTM., and UNIX.RTM.. All major server platforms are similarly supported. The marriage of C&S and mail promotes higher levels of end-user productivity. The mobile advantages afforded to Notes mail users are naturally extended to C&S users. The Notes Release 4 mail user interface is a three pane interface that allows a user to organize their mail, see their messages, and read individual messages without jumping from window to window. In Notes 4.5, additionally, the calendar and scheduling functionality is seemlessly integrated without mail functionality. The Notes R4 Mail UI is home for all event invitations, delegations, proposed reschedules, and accept/decline notices, all of which are funneled through the Notes mail inbox. Scheduling a event off-line, for example, is no more complicated than creating a mail message off-line, and users are not required to switch from one application to another to schedule an appointment. Another facet of Notes C&S is integrated task management. Users often receive tasks through e-mail. Joining C&S and mail means that users may click on an assignment to turn it into a task that can be prioritized, tracked, or even delegated. Users also have the ability to authorize others (an administrative assistant, for example) to access and/or manipulate their mail and calendar information. There is also integration with desktop applications. For example, if an upcoming event requires review of a proposed budget, a linked spreadsheet is available for review with the click of a mouse directly from any Organizer entry. Organizer takes this functionality one step further with OLE support in the Notepad. Users can embed and link information from other OLE applications, such as Lotus SmartSuite.RTM. and Microsoft.RTM. Office applications, directly in the Notepad section, and may even create OLE objects to access their favorite Internet Web sites. At the group scheduling level, Organizer permits users to view free/busy times of other LAN users in real time. It also permits them select a convenient event time and location and send event invitations, complete with attachments, to anyone in the Notes Name & Address Book or cc:Mail directory. At the same time, users can reserve a conference room and audio-visual equipment or circulate a event agenda. Organizer leverages Notes and cc:Mail messaging services to route event requests. Invitees may accept the event invitation, decline the invitation, propose another event time, or delegate a substitute to attend. Accepted events are automatically posted to the user's calendar. This event status information is made available in graphical form to the event coordinator with just the click of a mouse. In addition, all the C&S mobile capability in Notes and cc:Mail is also available to Organizer users. In addition to deploying their choice of C&S front ends, customers may choose the format for storing user and resource profiles--either Notes.NSF or cc:Mail DB8--that best meets their business requirements. Native Notes C&S and Organizer clients running within a Notes environment store calendar information in the Notes mail database (MAIL.NSF). One data store may support both C&S and mail information for both clients. By using a Notes based mail data store for mail and C&S, the scalability and security of native Notes C&S and Organizer utilize the scalability and security model of Notes itself. A common data store enables one database schema, one security model, one set of replication processes, one directory, one transport platform, and one set of administration tools to serve both mail and C&S information. A user according to the present invention, such as a client on a Notes system, may store its calendar information in the DB8 message store. Again, one database schema, one security model, one directory, one transport platform, and one set of administration tools serve both mail and C&S information, enterprise-wide. Within the framework of the C&S architecture, a user's calendar information is stored alongside his or her mail information in a common data store. That means that calendar information is updated simultaneously and seamlessly with e-mail, extending the full range of Notes and cc:Mail mobile support capabilities to C&S. As with e-mail, the remote C&S user automatically receives up-to-date calendar information. Mobile C&S users, whether they are native Notes, cc:Mail, or Organizer users, may create and respond to event notices, set up events, and track event status off-line just as easily as they may create and respond to mail messages off-line. The C&S architecture integrates elements of real-time calendaring with the powerful, messaging-based infrastructure of Notes and cc:Mail to provide a robust scheduling application that works well for both connected and disconnected users. A free-time query process provides real-time, graphical views of others' free/busy times. Real-time queries of free/busy time information are accomplished with free-time viewers for Notes, cc:Mail, Organizer, OV, and TaP/2 calendars. Free-time queries are available across multiple servers, and across multiple time zones. A user, if authorized, may also see another user's calendar. The free-time query process may also offer intelligent resource scheduling, allowing users not only to reserve a event room, but also to match requirements for room capacity, audio-visual equipment, catering, and even seating configurations. Users of the system according to the present invention may choose the front-end clients, back-end data stores, and scheduling services best suited to their environments. Native Notes and Organizer C&S choices are fully interoperable. Users may also deploy a mix of native Notes and Organizer C&S client applications. Native Notes C&S may use the Notes NSF data store. Organizer clients may use either the Notes NSF data store or the cc:Mail DB8 data store. Between Notes and cc:Mail environments, interoperability is ensured through the cc:Mail MTA. The cc:Mail MTA runs on the Notes R4 server. It provides high performance, bi-directional translation of event notices between Notes R4 and cc:Mail R7 users. The Notes R4 SMTP MTA provides a facility for Notes R4 forms to tunnel through the Internet. In this way, if Notes R4 is running at a supplier's site and Notes R4 is running at a manufacturer's site, the SMTP/MIME mail gateway enables transport of event notices (invitations, accepts/declines, etc.) across the Internet. Workers do not use their calendars simply to schedule personal appointments and group events; they allot blocks of time to complete small tasks as well as complex projects that require days, weeks, or even months. A user's calendar is a metaphor for his or her time. Therefore, the C&S software incorporates task and project management as well as event management facilities. Like events, parallel tasks and completion dates can cause conflicts. The invention may use a method which assigns and computes priorities of tasks and events to help users formulate more efficient short-term and long-term time management strategies. Other embodiments and uses of this invention will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification and examples provided herein should be considered exemplary only. The scope of the invention is only defined by the claims appended hereto.
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