Abstract:
System and method for implementing a shared personalized auto-open work scheduler are described. In one embodiment, a method for implementing an auto-open work scheduler system comprises creating a work group comprising a plurality of members, wherein the creating further comprises providing for each of the members an e-mail address and a PC-ID identifying a computer of the member; sending to each of the members an e-mail message, the e-mail message comprising means for enabling the member to install a plug-in module on a computer of the member; determining whether all of the members have installed the plug-in module; and responsive to a determination that at least one of the members has not installed the plug-in module, sending a reminder e-mail message to the at least one of the members.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Today, individuals are faced with the challenge of keeping track of multiple personal and work-related tasks, many of which are scheduled to be completed on a timely (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) basis. Reminders may be provided by various means, such as e-mail, but such reminders are easily overlooked, forgotten, or accidentally deleted due to overloaded e-mail accounts and other factors. 
         [0002]    Additionally, work groups often need to synchronize efforts to ensure effective communication and focus on a project or task. Work group members often get distracted performing other tasks, causing them to lose focus on which tasks are of the highest priority to complete. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The features and advantages of a shared personalized auto-open works scheduler system and method in accordance with an embodiment will be more clearly understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate similar or corresponding elements, regions, and portions, and in which: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an environment in which an Auto-Open Work Scheduling System (“AOWSS”) may be advantageously employed in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for creating a work group for use in connection with the AOWSS. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of the method for creating a work group for use in connection with the AOWSS illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  illustrates a management interface for scheduling auto-open items to be auto-opened using the AOWSS. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of a method implemented by the AOWSS for auto-opening items scheduled to be auto-opened using the management interface of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an environment in which an auto-open work scheduler of one embodiment may be advantageously implemented. As shown in  FIG. 1 , members of a work group  10  may include a sponsor  11 , a manager  12 , and a plurality of users, or team members,  14 . In one embodiment, the sponsor  11  selects the manager  12 , who then selects the various team members  14 . As used herein, the terms “sponsor”, “manager”, and “team member” may be used to designate the persons to whom those roles are assigned, as well as the desktop computing environments of those persons. The sponsor  11 , manager  12 , and team members  14  are connected, either directly or indirectly, to a server  16  through which they are afforded access to an Auto-Open Work Scheduler System, or “AOWSS” (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), in accordance with privileges granted them by virtue of their role (e.g., “sponsor”, “manager”, “team member”). For example, members of the work group  10  can map to the AOWSS, open it, and download a plug-in to their desktop environment. The privileges granted to a member of the work group  10  will enable them to use the plug-in in different manners. In general, there will be hierarchical relationship among the privilege roles of the sponsor, manager, and team members vis-à-vis the AOWSS. Typically, the sponsor role will have associated therewith the most privileges, the team member role will have associated therewith the least privileges, and the manager role will have associated therewith more privileges than the team member role but fewer privileges than the sponsor role. 
         [0010]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , typically during an organizational, or kick-off, meeting  22  in connection with a new project or task to be undertaken by a sponsor  24 , the sponsor will designate a manager  26  for the project or task. In addition, team members  28  may be identified during the meeting  22 . In accordance with one embodiment, following the meeting  22 , the manager  26  is granted access to an Auto-Open Work Scheduler System (“AOWSS”)  30  stored on a server  32 . The manager  26  accesses a scheduler forum  34  of the AOWSS  30  and uses the scheduler forum  34  to set up the project or task. In particular, using a first section  36  of the scheduler forum  34 , the manager  26  can indicate how the project or task is to be identified. It will be noted that in the illustrated embodiment, the manager  26  can elect to designate the project as a “Project”, a “Task”, or “Other”, by selecting the corresponding check box  38   a ,  38   b , or  38   c . The manager  26  also indicates a name, or “Title” of the project by entering same in the corresponding field  40   a ,  40   b , or  40   c . It will be recognized that how one defines a “project” as opposed to a “task” will likely be based on subjective criteria; that is, what one person might designate as a “task”, another might designate as a “project”. In addition to being used to create a project or task and associate a work group therewith, the scheduler forum  34  can also be used to modify/edit, copy, or delete an existing task or project and associated work group. As will be described in greater detail below, the manager  26  can also set up a personal project or task by selecting a check box  42 . 
         [0011]    Using a second section  48  of the scheduler forum  34 , the manager  26  enters identifying information for all of the work group members. In particular, the manager  26  enters an e-mail address and PC ID (which is stored in a PC-ID database  18  of the server  32 ) for each work group member in the appropriate space. Once all of the necessary information has been entered, the data is submitted to the server  32  by clicking on a submit link  52 . In general, only the manager and sponsor roles will have access to the scheduler forum  34 . 
         [0012]    When the AOWSS  30  receives the scheduler forum  34 , it sends an e-mail  54  to each of the designated group members (i.e., the sponsor  24 , the manager  26 , and the team members  28 ) containing a link to a plug-in  56  associated with the AOWSS  30 . When a recipient of the e-mail  54  clicks on the link, the plug-in  56  is downloaded to and installed on the recipient&#39;s computer. As will be described in greater detail below, installation of the plug-in  56  on a user&#39;s computer enables the AOWSS  30  to auto-open and display on the computer pop-ups the content and timing of which are controlled by the manager  26 . In one aspect, if a recipient fails to install the plug-in  56  on his computer in the manner described above within a predetermined time period (e.g., 24 hours), a reminder e-mail will be sent to the recipient. This reminder process will be repeated periodically (e.g., every 24 hours) until installation of the plug-in  56  is confirmed. 
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating creation of a work group using the AOWSS as illustrated in and described with reference to  FIG. 2 . In step  70 , the kick-off meeting is held, during which a manager and team members are identified. In step  72 , the manager is granted access to the AOWSS and in step  74 , the manager completes and submits the scheduler forum. In step  76 , the AOWSS sends an e-mail to all of the work group members (i.e., sponsor, manager, and team members) as specified in the scheduler forum submitted by the manager. The e-mail contains a link to a plug-in associated with the AOWSS. After a predetermined time period has elapsed (step  78 ), in step  80 , the AOWSS determines whether all of the recipients of the e-mail sent in step  76  have installed the plug-in on their computer. If not, in step  82 , the AOWSS sends a reminder e-mail to those recipients who have not installed the plug-in on their computer and execution returns to step  78 . This process (steps  78 - 82 ) is repeated periodically until a determination is made in step  80  that all of the e-mail recipients have installed the plug-in on their computer, in which case execution terminates in step  84 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates an appearance of a manger&#39;s desktop environment  90  after the scheduler forum has been used to set up various projects and/or tasks as illustrated in and described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The privileges afforded the manager role result in a management interface  92  of the AOWSS being displayed at the bottom of the desktop environment  90 . The sponsor will likely also have access to the management interface  92 . Each project or task that has been set up using the scheduler forum ( FIG. 2 ) is represented in the management interface  92  by a button and an associated status bar. In particular, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , there are four such buttons, including a “Tool” button  94   a , a “UserGuides” button  94   b , a “Support” button  94   c , and an “Other Applications” button  94   d . Each of the buttons  94   a - 94   d  has associated therewith a respective status bar  95   a - 95   d . The represented projects or tasks may have associated therewith one or more documents, applications, and/or web pages (hereinafter collectively referred to as “auto-open items”), each of which is represented by a tab displayed in the status bar associated with the corresponding project or task 
         [0015]    For example, the status bar  95   d  of the Other Apps button  94   d  contains five tabs, respectively designated by reference numerals  96   a - 96   e . It will be assumed for the sake of simplicity and for purposes of example that each of the tabs  96   a - 96   e  represents documents. Clicking on the tab  96   a  results in the document represented by that tab being opened. Clicking on the button  94   d  results in all of the documents represented by the tabs  96   a - 96   e  being opened 
         [0016]    Operation and use of the management interface  92  will be now be described with reference to the status bar  95   d , although it should be recognized that the various elements of the status bars  95   a - 95   c  function in the manner described with respect to corresponding elements of the status bar  95   d . Clicking a “Setup” button  98   a  of the status bar  95   d  results in the display of a scheduling function window  100 . Using the scheduling function window  100 , the manager can identify for one or more of the documents represented by the tabs  96   a - 96   e , a time and date the document(s) should be opened and on which work group members&#39; (or “assignees”) computers. The name of each work group member on whose computer the document(s) should be opened at the scheduled date and time is selected from a list of the all of the work group members designated via the scheduler forum ( FIG. 2 ) and displayed in an “Assignees” drop down menu  102  of the scheduling function window  100 . At the scheduled time, the AOWSS  30  ( FIG. 2 ) automatically opens and displays (“auto-opens”) the document(s) on the computer of each of the designated work group members based on the PC-ID for the member provided via the scheduler forum ( FIG. 2 ). It will be recognized that, in order for the AOWSS  30  to accomplish this function, the plug-in  56  ( FIG. 2 ) must have previously been installed on the computer of the designated work group member. 
         [0017]    Clicking an “Add” button  98   b  enables the user to add an auto-open item to the status bar  95   d  and associates that item with the corresponding project or task. Additionally, auto-open items may be “added” to a project or task by clicking and dragging an icon representing the auto-open item to the corresponding status bar. As previously noted, non-personal projects and tasks can only be added via the scheduler forum ( FIG. 2 ). Clicking on a “Del” button  98   c  results in removal of some or all of the contents of the status bar  95   d  and disassociates the auto-open items represented by deleted contents from the project or task corresponding to the status bar  95   d . It should be noted that the project or task itself represented by the status bar  95   d  cannot be removed in this manner, as this can only performed by the sponsor or system administrator. The manager can only edit the contents of the status bar  95   d . Clicking on a “Save” button  98   d  saves the contents of the status bar  95   d . Clicking on a “Close” button  98   e  reduces the status bar  95   d  to an icon in a task bar  103  of the environment  90 . 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, an auto-open schedule comprising, for each auto-open item to be auto-opened, the time and date the auto-open item is to be auto-opened and information identifying the users on whose computers the auto-open item is scheduled to be auto-opened is maintained by and within the AOWSS  30 . In one aspect, when an auto-open item is auto-opened on a team member&#39;s computer, some method of confirming that the team member viewed the document/application/web page and/or performed an assigned task is provided. For example, the team member may be required to respond to a query displayed in a pop-up window in connection with the auto-opened document/application/web page. Alternatively, the server may be able to track keystrokes in connection with or modifications to the auto-opened item to determine whether the team member has met certain minimum requirements with respect to same. 
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating operation of an AOWSS, such the AOWSS  30 , for auto-opening a scheduled auto-open item in accordance with one embodiment. In step  110 , at preselected time intervals (e.g., one minute intervals), the AOWSS checks the auto-open schedule maintained thereby. In step  112 , the AOWSS identifies any auto-open item(s) in the auto-open schedule scheduled to be auto-opened at the current time. In step  114 , for each of the auto-open items identified in step  112  all users for whom the auto-open item is scheduled to be auto-opened at the current time are identified. Execution then proceeds to step  116  in which, for each of the auto-open items identified in step  110 , the auto-open item is opened on computers of the users for whom the auto-open item is scheduled to be auto-opened at the current time. In one embodiment, step  116  is accomplished in the following manner. At the scheduled time, the plug-in installed on the manager&#39;s computer activates a AOWSS on the server, which in turn opens the plug-in installed on the computer of each of the designated users. The user&#39; plug-ins pup-up and open a window to the server in which the auto-open item is running. In step  118 , the AWOSS awaits the next time interval before returning to step  110 . 
         [0020]    As previously noted, the AOWSS  30  ( FIG. 2 ) can be used for personal scheduling as well. In such cases, there will be a status bar containing a button designated “Personal” on the managers desktop. This status bar can be managed in much the same way as described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the main difference being that the documents/applications/web pages will be auto-opened on the manager&#39;s desktop, rather than on designated team members&#39; desktops, at the scheduled time. 
         [0021]    As previously indicated, in one aspect, when an auto-open item is auto-opened on a team member&#39;s computer, some method of confirming that the team member viewed the document/application/web page and/or performed an assigned task may be provided. For example, the team member may be required to respond to a query displayed in a pop-up window in connection with the auto-opened document/application/web page. Alternatively, the server may be able to track keystrokes in connection with or modifications to the auto-opened item to determine whether the team member has met certain minimum requirements with respect to same. 
         [0022]    While the preceding description shows and describes one or more embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the claims should be interpreted in a broad manner, consistent with the present disclosure.