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US5774867A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Meeting conflict resolution for electronic calendars

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-03-25
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Granted: 1998-06-30
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Expires: 2013-03-25
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Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for camping on an electronic calendar. In one embodiment, the invention determines, in response to an input of a date, a time and a duration of a proposed meeting between a meeting requester and a target, that a conflicting event appears on the target's electronic calendar, monitors the target's electronic calendar to detect the removal of the conflicting event, and schedules a meeting between the requester and the target on their electronic calendars in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gregory P. Fitzpatrick
  • 👤 Marvin L. Williams

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 09:20
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/109; G06Q10/1093

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 232 words
A method, performed in a data processing system, for scheduling a meeting between a requester and a target on an electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target, wherein said requester and said target are separate entities, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: determining, in response to an input, to the data processing system, of a date, a time and a duration of a proposed meeting between the requester and the target, that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target for the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system; in response to a selection, by the requester, upon the determination that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, to monitor the electronic calendar maintained by the target for the removal of the conflicting event, and also in response to the determination that the conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, monitoring the electronic calendar maintained by the target to detect the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target; and scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 232 words
A method, performed in a data processing system, for scheduling a meeting between a requester and a target on an electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target, wherein said requester and said target are separate entities, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: determining, in response to an input, to the data processing system, of a date, a time and a duration of a proposed meeting between the requester and the target, that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target for the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system; in response to a selection, by the requester, upon the determination that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, to monitor the electronic calendar maintained by the target for the removal of the conflicting event, and also in response to the determination that the conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, monitoring the electronic calendar maintained by the target to detect the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target; and scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method of claim 1, further including the computer implemented step of scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on an electronic calendar maintained, on the data processing system, by the requester in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer implemented step of notifying the target and the requester of the scheduling of the meeting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 94 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer implemented step of determining, in response to the input, to the data processing system, of the date, the time and the duration of the proposed meeting between the requester and the target, and prior to scheduling the meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, that no conflicting event appears on an electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the requester for the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 133 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the computer implemented step of scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target includes the computer implemented step of scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendars maintained by the requester and by the target in response to both the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target and also the determination that no conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the requester at the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the meeting is scheduled for the date, time and duration input to the data processing system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 6, further comprising the computer implemented step of notifying the target and the requester of the scheduling of the meeting.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the meeting between the requester and the target is scheduled on the electronic calendar maintained by the target without input from the target.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the meeting between the requester and the target is scheduled on the electronic calendar maintained by the target without input from the target.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 227 words
A data processing system for scheduling a meeting between a requester and a target on an electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target, wherein said requester and said target are separate entities, comprising: means for determining, in response to an input, to the data processing system, of a date, a time and a duration of a proposed meeting between the requester and the target, that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target for the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system; means for monitoring the electronic calendar maintained by the target to detect the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target, in response to a selection, by the requester, upon the determination that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, to monitor the electronic calendar maintained by the target for the removal of the conflicting event, and also in response to the determination that the conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target; and means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 227 words
A data processing system for scheduling a meeting between a requester and a target on an electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target, wherein said requester and said target are separate entities, comprising: means for determining, in response to an input, to the data processing system, of a date, a time and a duration of a proposed meeting between the requester and the target, that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the target for the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system; means for monitoring the electronic calendar maintained by the target to detect the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target, in response to a selection, by the requester, upon the determination that a conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, to monitor the electronic calendar maintained by the target for the removal of the conflicting event, and also in response to the determination that the conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained by the target; and means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 53 words
The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on an electronic calendar maintained, on the data processing system, by the requester in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising means for notifying the target and the requester of the scheduling of the meeting.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 93 words
The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising means for determining, in response to the input, to the data processing system, of the date, the time and the duration of the proposed meeting between the requester and the target, and prior to scheduling the meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target, that no conflicting event appears on an electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the requester for the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 130 words
The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target includes means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendars maintained by the requester and by the target in response to both the detection of the removal of the conflicting event from the electronic calendar maintained by the target and also the determination that no conflicting event appears on the electronic calendar maintained on the data processing system by the requester at the date and time and during the duration input to the data processing system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 24 words
The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the meeting is scheduled for the date, time and duration input to the data processing system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
The data processing system of claim 15, further comprising means for notifying the target and the requester of the scheduling of the meeting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 53 words
The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target are means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target without input from the target.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 53 words
The data processing system of claim 10, wherein the means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target are means for scheduling a meeting between the requester and the target on the electronic calendar maintained by the target without input from the target.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-06-29 2001-12-29 2002-06-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-06-29 2005-12-29 2006-06-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-06-29 2009-12-29 2010-06-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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