Abstract:
An approach, for calendaring event proximity conflict identification. An event conflict identifier receives an instruction to add a second calendar event to a user calendar. The event conflict identifier, identifies location proximity conflicts based on searching calendar metadata associated with the user calendar, where the calendar metadata includes first geographic locations associated with first calendar events. The event conflict identifier responds by creating event conflict alerts including conflict resolution action options associated with the location proximity conflicts respectively and outputting the event conflict alerts.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of calendaring systems and more particularly to, identifying calendar event conflict based on user geographic proximity. 
         [0002]    Calendaring systems can be considered a core component of personal information management. The typical calendaring application minimally provides a mechanism for scheduling an event to occur on a certain date at a certain time. Calendaring systems permit users to keep track of their personal and professional schedules, so that they do not miss appointments and/or events. A user can participate in appointments and/or events both in-person and virtually (e.g., teleconferencing, video conferencing). When a user receives an invitation to attend an event in-person and/or a travel event (e.g., international business trip) is added to a calendar, it can become important to check existing calendar events for geographic location conflicts that can prevent participation and identify conflicts needing resolution action. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    As disclosed herein, a method, for calendaring event proximity conflict identification, the method comprising: receiving, by event conflict identifier, an instruction to add a second calendar event to a user calendar; identifying, by the event conflict identifier, one or more location proximity conflicts based on searching one or more calendar metadata associated with the user calendar, wherein the one or more calendar metadata comprises one or more first geographic locations associated with one or more first calendar events; responsive to identifying the one or more location proximity conflicts, creating, by the event conflict identifier, one or more event conflict alerts comprising one or more conflict resolution action options associated with the one or more location proximity conflicts respectively and outputting, by the event conflict identifier, the one or more event conflict alerts. A computer system and a computer program product corresponding to the above method are also disclosed herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates a functional block diagram of a computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flowchart of calendaring event location proximity conflict identification, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  illustrates examples of calendar event conflict processing scenarios, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of components of the server and/or the computing device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    Embodiments of the present invention can create, manage and search location based metadata in a calendaring system to determine and alert a user of existing user calendar events that conflict based on proximity of a received calendar event. When comparing geographic locations of calendar events of a user with a received event near a similar time slot, an alert can be output to indicate that geographic proximately of the event can inhibit planned event participation (e.g., location proximity conflict). For example, a new meeting can be received that is scheduled in a city, sixty miles from an existing preceding meeting. An alert can be output to indicate that the user cannot physically travel to the new meeting if there is not enough time between meetings and the user plans to physically participate/attend the former meeting. A user can resolve location proximity conflicts by taking actions such as, but not limited to, cancel an event, reschedule an event, ignore a conflict, assign a delegate, choose alternate teleconference attendance and defer conflict resolution decision. 
         [0009]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures. It should be noted that references in the specification to “an exemplary embodiment,” “other embodiments,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a functional block diagram of a computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Computing environment  100  comprises COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110 , and COMPUTER SYSTEM  120 , interconnected via NETWORK  140 . COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110  and COMPUTER SYSTEM  120  can be desktop computers, laptop computers, specialized computer servers, or the like. In certain embodiments, COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110  and COMPUTER SYSTEM  120  represent computer systems utilizing clustered computers and components acting as a single pool of seamless resources via NETWORK  140 . For example, such embodiments can be used in data center, cloud computing, storage area network (SAN), and network attached storage (NAS) applications. In general, COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110  and COMPUTER SYSTEM  120  are representative of any electronic devices, or combination of electronic devices, capable of executing computer readable program instructions, as described in detail with regard to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0011]    In one embodiment of the present invention, COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110  comprises USER APPLICATION(S)  112 . USER APPLICATION(S)  112  can be a plurality of USER APPLICATION(S)  112  within COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110 . 
         [0012]    USER APPLICATION(S)  112  can be an application used to manage one or more calendaring systems and can be an interfacing tool toward CALENDAR ENGINE  122  and/or EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130 . In embodiments of the present invention, USER APPLICATION(S)  112  comprises any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with operating and maintaining electronic calendar(s). 
         [0013]    NETWORK  140  can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as, the Internet, or a combination of the two, and include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. In general, NETWORK  140  can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110  and COMPUTER SYSTEM  120 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment of the present invention, COMPUTER SYSTEM  120  comprises CALENDAR ENGINE  122 , LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  and EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130 . 
         [0015]    In one embodiment of the present invention, CALENDAR ENGINE  122  can be a plurality of CALENDAR ENGINES  122  within COMPUTER SYSTEM  120 . CALENDAR ENGINE  122  can provide users with an electronic version of a calendar used for managing and/or scheduling events of a user. Further, each calendar event can comprise metadata (e.g., data about data) that can be accessed and/or updated by EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130 . In embodiments of the present invention, CALENDAR ENGINE  122  can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with electronic calendaring. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment of the present invention, LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  can be a plurality of LOCATION IDENTIFIERS  124  within COMPUTER SYSTEM  120 . LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  can receive a plurality of location attributes such as, but not limited to, city, state, country, Global Positioning System (GPS) location and business name to output a mapping position of a location. In embodiments of the present invention, LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with identifying a physical event location. For example, LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  can comprise an information source such as, but not limited to, Google Maps by Google Inc. and user accessible private and/or public address books. LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  can determine an event location and calculate distance (e.g., proximity) by location comparison of a plurality of events. When LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  completes operation, output can be sent toward CONFLICT DETERMINER  134 . 
         [0017]    In one embodiment of the present invention, EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130  can be a plurality of EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIERS  130  within COMPUTER SYSTEM  120  and EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130  can be a separate and/or integrated tool that can be operated during calendaring event management (e.g., CALENDAR ENGINE  122 ) to determine and alert users of event physical location proximity conflicts. EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130  can comprise METADATA PROCESSOR  132 , CONFLICT DETERMINER  134  and ACTION PROCESSOR  136 . In embodiments of the present invention, EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130  can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with identifying physical event location proximity conflicts. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment of the present invention, METADATA PROCESSOR  132  can be a plurality of METADATA PROCESSORS  132  within EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130 . METADATA PROCESSOR  132  can receive a calendar event from CALENDAR ENGINE  122  and/or USER APPLICATION(S)  112  and if the calendar event comprises a physical location, METADATA PROCESSOR  132  can send data toward LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  to determine an identifiable location of the event. Further, metadata such as, but not limited to, cancellation policy and conflict resolution decision information can be collected and processed by METADATA PROCESSOR  132 . When METADATA PROCESSOR  132  completes processing, metadata such as, but not limited to, identified location, cancellation policy and conflict resolution decision(s) can be sent toward associated calendar event(s) (e.g., CALENDAR ENGINE  122 ). 
         [0019]    In one embodiment of the present invention, CONFLICT DETERMINER  134  can be a plurality of CONFLICT DETERMINERS  134  within EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130 . CONFLICT DETERMINER  134  can search calendar events comprising geographic location metadata in a predetermined time period, in response to receiving a calendar event from CALENDAR ENGINE  122  and/or USER APPLICATION(S)  112 . For example, a received one hour event can be added to a calendar and a work day time period can be searched to determine if any events in the day are in close geopraphic proximity and if not, then a conflict could be determined. In another example, a received calendar event could be a travel event such as, but not limited to, an airplane flight. In this example, the duration of the flight can establish the time period for a conflict search. In embodiments of the present invention, CONFLICT DETERMINER  134  can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with receiving calendar event metadata (e.g., CALENDAR ENGINE  122 ) and/or location identifiers (e.g., LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124 ) to determine proximity between event locations. It should be noted that determination of proximity can be based on a predetermined threshold comprising distance and travel time. For example, two meetings in a single day may be located in two cities that are fifteen miles apart. With an example threshold proximity of thirty miles/thirty-five minutes travel time and assuming there are sixty minutes between meetings, a conflict may not exist. If two cities are sixty miles apart with the aforementioned threshold, a conflict can be identified. It should be further noted that proximity can received from LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  with distance/time adjustments based on predetermined factors such as, but not limited to, mode of travel, time of day and detours. When CONFLICT DETERMINER  134  identifies location proximity conflict(s), associated event and/or location information can be sent toward ACTION PROCESSOR  136 . 
         [0020]    In one embodiment of the present invention, ACTION PROCESSOR  136  can be a plurality of ACTION PROCESSORS  136  within EVENT CONFLICT IDENTIFIER  130 . ACTION PROCESSOR  136  can receive event location proximity conflict from CONFLICT DETERMINER  134  to output user alerts related to location proximity conflict(s) of user calendar events. In embodiments of the present invention, ACTION PROCESSOR  136  can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with processing calendar event conflict notifications. When ACTION PROCESSOR  136  completes, alert notification(s) can be sent toward COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flowchart of calendaring event location proximity conflict identification, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Event conflict identifier  200 , comprises operations RECEIVE CALENDAR EVENT  202 , SEARCH EXISTING CALENDAR EVENT(S)  204 , DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206 , OUTPUT GEO. PROXIMITY CONFLICT ALERT(S)  208 , RECEIVE ALERT RESOLUTION ACTION(S)  210  and DEFER ACTION(S)  212 . 
         [0022]    Operation RECEIVE CALENDAR EVENT  202 , can receive a calendar event (e.g., second calendar event) to add to user calendar and/or to search for geographic location conflicts. Execution of operation RECEIVE CALENDAR EVENT  202  can be initiated by events such as, but not limited to, a new event, changed/reschedule event, user interaction, periodic refresh and expiration of deferred conflict resolution action. It should be noted that a received calendar event can be identified as physical participation events as compared to remote participation events (e.g., teleconference event) to enable event conflict identification toward physical participation events. 
         [0023]    Operation SEARCH EXISTING CALENDAR EVENT(S)  204 , can search existing event metadata for a predetermined range of events (e.g., first calendar event) to find identified geographic location events where a user is scheduled to participate. For example, a single one-hour event received from operation RECEIVE CALENDAR EVENT  202  can initiate a search within a single day whereas a received travel event (e.g., flight reservation) can initiate a search of calendar events during the departing flight duration, the time span proceeding the departing flight arrival (e.g., duration away from ‘home’ location) and the duration of the return flight. In the case of an event type such as, but not limited to, a travel event, the range of calendar event searched can be bound by a next geographic location event (e.g., a next travel event). For example, a user can have a series of travel events before returning a ‘home’ location. In this case each next travel event (e.g., travel segment) can delimit a search of location proximity conflicts. As geographic location events are found, operation SEARCH EXISTING CALENDAR EVENT(S)  204  can send results toward operation DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206 . It should be noted that each geographic location event can be sent individually and/or collectively toward operation DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206 . Execution of operation SEARCH EXISTING CALENDAR EVENT(S)  204  can be initiated actions such as, but not limited to, by operation RECEIVE CALENDAR EVENT  202 , timed actions (e.g., delay duration), scheduled actions (e.g., time of day), programmed actions (e.g., logical operation) and interactive actions (e.g., user action). 
         [0024]    Operation DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206 , can determine if a received calendar event (e.g., second calendar event) comprises geographic proximity beyond a predetermined threshold value. Operation DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206  can send a received second calendar event toward LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  to determine identification of the event location. Operation DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206  can also send each first calendar event(s) (e.g., received from operation SEARCH EXISTING CALENDAR EVENT(S)  204 ) toward LOCATION IDENTIFIER  124  to compare location identifications of the second calendar event location with the first calendar location(s) to determine geographic proximity. Where geographic proximity of each associated calendar events exceeds a predetermined threshold, a location proximity conflict is identified. As location proximity conflict(s) are identified, operation DETERMINE LOCATION PROXIMITY CONFLICT(S)  206  can send location proximity conflict results toward operation OUTPUT GEO. PROXIMITY CONFLICT ALERT(S)  208 . 
         [0025]    Operation OUTPUT GEO. PROXIMITY CONFLICT ALERT(S)  208 , can output alerts toward a user, based on each identified location proximity conflict. For each location proximity conflict, suggested resolution action(s) can be output for user selection. Resolutions such as, but not limited to, cancelling, rescheduling, ignoring, assigning a delegate, choose teleconference attendance mode and defer conflict resolution decision can be output based on predetermined user preferences and/or calendar event metadata settings. 
         [0026]    Operation RECEIVE ALERT RESOLUTION ACTION(S)  210 , can receive user response(s) (e.g., selections) to conflict alert(s). Operation OUTPUT GEO. PROXIMITY CONFLICT ALERT(S)  208  can send conflict resolution actions toward associated metadata (e.g., CALENDAR ENGINE  122 ) to store location proximity conflict action(s) that can be analyzed in subsequent event conflict identifier  200  operation. It should be noted that a defer action can establish follow-up date(s)/time(s) to output repeated event conflict alert(s). It should be further noted that a defer action could record received information such as, but not limited to, event cancellation date/time attribute(s) where an event conflict alert could be output based on follow-up timing associated to metadata attribute(s) (e.g., avoiding change/cancellation fees associated to an event). It should be noted that output of geographic proximity alerts and receiving alert resolution actions can be performed by various methods such as, but not limited to, real-time user interactivity and form based processing. 
         [0027]    In decision operation DEFER ACTION(S)  212 , if a user decision received from operation RECEIVE ALERT RESOLUTION ACTION(S)  210  is a defer action for an event conflict alert, flow toward operation SEARCH EXISTING CALENDAR EVENT(S)  204  can proceed when associated event metadata deferral date/time is reached. Processing of the deferred conflict resolution decision event can then be re-analyzed to determine further location proximity conflict(s). It should be noted that a received defer action can output a warning/error message toward the user to indicate scheduling flexibility conflicts and/or limited deferral capability based on exceeding predetermined time based threshold rules in comparison of related date/time metadata such as, but not limited to, a calendar event cancellation policy. For example, a hotel reservation can have a policy to cancel by five PM in the destination time zone and a defer action of a conflicting event can cause a warning that a hotel reservation needs to be cancelled by a specific date in a user&#39;s time zone to avoid penalty. In the example, a deferral date/time (e.g., follow-up) setting can be limited based on, but not limited to, a date/time that will avoid cancellation penalty. When decision operation DEFER ACTION(S)  212  is false, flow execution ends until an initiating event activates operation RECEIVE CALENDAR EVENT  202 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates examples of calendar event conflict processing scenarios, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The location proximity conflict processing scenarios  300  represents samples of received events that can be processed with respect to a user calendar. Location proximity conflict processing scenarios  300  can comprise items Time  302 , ORIG. SCHED  304 , TRAVEL  306 , MEETING  308 , Depart Flight  310 , Appt_ 1   312 , Hotel_ 1   314 , Hotel_ 2   316 , Meet_ 1   318 , Meet_ 2   320 , Return Flight  322  and Appt_ 2   324 . 
         [0029]    Item Time  302  can represent a scale of time  1  through  9 , depicted as a normalized unit of measure which can comprise units such as, but not limited to, date and time (e.g., day, hour, minute, etc.). 
         [0030]    Item ORIG. SCHED  304  can represent a user original schedule of calendar events for comparison to received events, indicated by item TRAVEL  306  and item MEETING  308 . 
         [0031]    Item Depart Flight  310  illustrates a received event of a departing flight from a user ‘home’ location. Item Depart Flight  310  is represented as a bar, to indicate a duration that the flight consumes on a calendar. Item Appt_ 1   312 , can be an appointment conflicting with item Depart Flight  310  based on a location proximity conflict. An alert can be sent toward the user where the user may need to cancel item Appt_ 1   312 . 
         [0032]    Noting that item Return Flight  322  is located near item Time  302 , value  6 , it can be shown that item Appt_ 2   324 , appointment  2 , can also be identified as a location proximity conflict. However, in this example, item Appt_ 2   324  can be an appointment for the user&#39;s child. In this case, an alert would be output and the user could choose to delegate the appointment to another caregiver (e.g., spouse). In this example, the conflict is resolved by removing the conflict from the user calendar without cancelling the event. 
         [0033]    When analyzing the time span between item Depart Flight  310  and item Return Flight  322 , item Hotel_ 1   314 , hotel reservation  1 , can be for the geographic location of item Depart Flight  310  destination location. Metadata of item Depart Flight  310  event and item Hotel_ 1   314  can be used to determine that no location proximity conflict exists as the user is in a new ‘home’ location. 
         [0034]    Item Hotel_ 2   316  can be a second hotel reservation in item Depart Flight  310  destination location and the reservation is made for relatives joining the user in a trip. Since item Hotel_ 1   314  and item Hotel_ 2   316  are in the same geographic location, a location proximity conflict can cause an event conflict alert, as one of the hotel reservations may be a duplicate. In this case, the user can respond to an event conflict alert by deferring a decision to cancel the second reservation to allow time to confirm that the relatives are going to join the travel. It should be noted in some embodiments of the present invention that the user could enter cancellation policy rules (e.g., stored in event metadata) for the hotel so that the deferral of conflict resolution can output another event conflict alert in time to cancel the hotel without penalty. 
         [0035]    Item Meet_ 1   318  can be business meeting associated to the user&#39;s home location, however an alternative teleconference number may be provided with the meeting notice. In this example, an event conflict alert can be output and the user can make a determination to participate via teleconference. 
         [0036]    Item Meet_ 2   320  can be second business meeting in the user&#39;s ‘home’ location however the meeting in this example is informational. The user may determine they want to keep the meeting on their calendar, in case the user is able to participate. In this case the user can choose to resolve the associated event conflict alert by responding to the event conflict alert with an ‘ignore’ decision. In this example, event metadata can store the ignore decision to avoid future event conflict alerts. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of components of COMMUNICATION DEVICE  110  and COMPUTER SYSTEM  120  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that  FIG. 4  provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made. 
         [0038]    Computer system  400  includes communications fabric  402 , which provides communications between computer processor(s)  404 , memory  406 , persistent storage  408 , communications unit  410 , and input/output (I/O) interface(s)  412 . Communications fabric  402  can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as, microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric  402  can be implemented with one or more buses. 
         [0039]    Computer system  400  includes processors  404 , cache  416 , memory  406 , persistent storage  408 , communications unit  410 , input/output (I/O) interface(s)  412  and communications fabric  402 . Communications fabric  402  provides communications between cache  416 , memory  406 , persistent storage  408 , communications unit  410 , and input/output (I/O) interface(s)  412 . Communications fabric  402  can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as, microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric  402  can be implemented with one or more buses or a crossbar switch. 
         [0040]    Memory  406  and persistent storage  408  are computer readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory  406  includes random access memory (RAM). In general, memory  406  can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer readable storage media. Cache  416  is a fast memory that enhances the performance of processors  404  by holding recently accessed data, and data near recently accessed data, from memory  406 . 
         [0041]    Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention may be stored in persistent storage  408  and in memory  406  for execution by one or more of the respective processors  404  via cache  416 . In an embodiment, persistent storage  408  includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, persistent storage  408  can include a solid state hard drive, a semiconductor storage device, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any other computer readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information. 
         [0042]    The media used by persistent storage  408  may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage  408 . Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage  408 . 
         [0043]    Communications unit  410 , in these examples, provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices. In these examples, communications unit  410  includes one or more network interface cards. Communications unit  410  may provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links. Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention may be downloaded to persistent storage  408  through communications unit  410 . 
         [0044]    I/O interface(s)  412  allows for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to each computer system. For example, I/O interface  412  may provide a connection to external devices  418  such as, a keyboard, keypad, a touch screen, and/or some other suitable input device. External devices  418  can also include portable computer readable storage media such as, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention can be stored on such portable computer readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent storage  408  via I/O interface(s)  412 . I/O interface(s)  412  also connect to display  420 . 
         [0045]    Display  420  provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor. 
         [0046]    The programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. 
         [0047]    The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. 
         [0048]    The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: 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), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as, punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as, radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. 
         [0049]    Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. 
         [0050]    Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as, the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;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&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. 
         [0051]    Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. 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, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. 
         [0052]    These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor 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 readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0053]    The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0054]    The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). 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 illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
         [0055]    The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments 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 invention. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiment, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.