Abstract:
The Smart Meetings Plug-in for automated calendaring software allows meeting invitees to add comments when accepting a meeting invitation so that all invitees to the meeting can see the comments in the calendar entry created by accepting the meeting invitation. When automated calendaring software sends an invitation to a first recipient and a second recipient on an automated calendaring system, the automated calendaring software creates a calendar entry for the first recipient and the second recipient in response to receiving an acceptance of the invitation. Responsive to receiving a comment from the first recipient, the Smart Meetings Plug-in adds the comment to the calendar entry for the first recipient, and also adds the comment to the calendar entry for the second recipient.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to electronic calendaring methods, and relates specifically to posting comments in a calendar entry created by a meeting invitation so that the comments can be viewed by other invitees. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Existing automated calendaring software integrates e-mailed invitations with an electronic calendar. Software products such as MICROSOFT OUTLOOK and LOTUS NOTES provide automated calendaring software useful for scheduling meetings. Meetings include traditional face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, videoconferences, and online group chats. To schedule a meeting, a moderator sends an invitation via e-mail to a list of invitees. The invitation includes a date and time for the meeting, and can include other information such as location and comments added by the moderator. Invitees can either accept the invitation, reject the invitation, tentatively accept the invitation, or propose a new time. When an invitee accepts an invitation, the automated calendaring software automatically adds the meeting as an calendar entry in the invitee&#39;s personal calendar. When accepting an invitation, invitees can perform actions such as setting a reminder notification and adding personal comments to the calendar entry. The invitee&#39;s personal comments may relate to specific ideas, views, or discussion topics for the meeting. Whenever the time for the meeting arrives, the invitee can reference the personal comments to prepare for the meeting. 
         [0003]    Difficulties arise scheduling team meetings in a large corporation because invitees work in different worksites or internal organizations. If key individuals cannot attend a meeting, the meeting may not accomplish the desired goals. If the meeting gets off-topic, the meeting may waste time. Because of the difficulty coordinating a convenient time for meetings, it is important to take advantage of a scheduled meeting by conducting the meeting in an efficient manner. The meeting should stay on topic and not be sidetracked by discussions that should be addressed in a different forum. 
         [0004]    One way to help focus a meeting would be to arrange for invitees to share comments and ideas prior to the scheduled meeting. The shared comments could then be archived for future reference when creating an agenda, when preparing for the meeting, or when drafting meeting minutes. A need exists for an automated calendaring system that can distribute comments among meeting invitees. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The Smart Meetings Plug-in for automated calendaring software allows meeting invitees to add comments when accepting a meeting invitation so that all invitees to the meeting can see the comments in the calendar entry created by accepting the meeting invitation. When automated calendaring software sends an invitation to a first recipient and a second recipient on an automated calendaring system, the automated calendaring software creates a calendar entry for the first recipient and the second recipient in response to receiving an acceptance of the invitation. Responsive to receiving a comment from the first recipient, the Smart Meetings Plug-in adds the comment to the calendar entry for the first recipient, and also adds the comment to the calendar entry for the second recipient. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be understood best by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary computer network; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  describes programs and files in a memory on a computer; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a moderator component; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an invitee component. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0011]    The principles of the present invention are applicable to a variety of computer hardware and software configurations. The term “computer hardware” or “hardware,” as used herein, refers to any machine or apparatus that is capable of accepting, performing logic operations on, storing, or displaying data, and includes without limitation processors and memory. The term “computer software” or “software,” refers to any set of instructions operable to cause computer hardware to perform an operation. A “computer,” as that term is used herein, includes without limitation any useful combination of hardware and software, and a “computer program” or “program” includes without limitation any software operable to cause computer hardware to accept, perform logic operations on, store, or display data. A computer program may, and often is, comprised of a plurality of smaller programming units, including without limitation subroutines, modules, functions, methods, and procedures. Thus, the functions of the present invention may be distributed among a plurality of computers and computer programs. The invention is described best, though, as a single computer program that configures and enables one or more general-purpose computers to implement the novel aspects of the invention. For illustrative purposes, the inventive computer program will be referred to as the “Smart Meetings Plug-in” 
         [0012]    Additionally, the Smart Meetings Plug-in is described below with reference to an exemplary network of hardware devices, as depicted in  FIG. 1 . A “network” comprises any number of hardware devices coupled to and in communication with each other through a communications medium, such as the Internet. A “communications medium” includes without limitation any physical, optical, electromagnetic, or other medium through which hardware or software can transmit data. For descriptive purposes, exemplary network  100  has only a limited number of nodes, including workstation computer  105 , workstation computer  110 , server computer  115 , and persistent storage  120 . Network connection  125  comprises all hardware, software, and communications media necessary to enable communication between network nodes  105 - 120 . Unless otherwise indicated in context below, all network nodes use publicly available protocols or messaging services to communicate with each other through network connection  125 . 
         [0013]    Smart Meetings Plug-in  200  typically is stored in a memory, represented schematically as memory  220  in  FIG. 2 . The term “memory,” as used herein, includes without limitation any volatile or persistent medium, such as an electrical circuit, magnetic disk, or optical disk, in which a computer can store data or software for any duration. A single memory may encompass and be distributed across a plurality of media. Further, Smart Meetings Plug-in  200  may reside in more than one memory distributed across different computers, servers, logical partitions, or other hardware devices. The elements depicted in memory  220  may be located in or distributed across separate memories in any combination, and Smart Meetings Plug-in  200  may be adapted to identify, locate and access any of the elements and coordinate actions, if any, by the distributed elements. Thus,  FIG. 2  is included merely as a descriptive expedient and does not necessarily reflect any particular physical embodiment of memory  220 . As depicted in  FIG. 2 , though, memory  220  may include additional data and programs. Of particular import to Smart Meetings Plug-in  200 , memory  220  may include Automated Calendaring Software  230 , invitation  240 , and calendar entry  250  with which Smart Meetings Plug-in  200  interacts. Invitation  240  is an e-mail meeting invitation file created by Automated Calendaring Software  230  and calendar entry  250  is created by Automated Calendaring Software  230  when invitation  240  is accepted. In a preferred embodiment, Automated Calendaring Software  230  operates on an exchange server, where e-mails, invitations, and calendar entries are stored in a centralized repository, and individual users access the exchange server to interact with their e-mails, invitations and calendars. In an exchange server, each invitees views invitation  240  and calendar entry  250  as if they each have a personal copy, but only one instance of invitation  240  and calendar entry  250  exists on the exchange server. Smart Meetings Plug-in  200  has two components. Moderator component  300  is used by a moderator when creating invitation  240  or editing calendar entry  250 . Invitee component  400  is used by invitees when responding to invitation  240  or editing calendar entry  250 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 3  shows moderator component  300  start ( 310 ) whenever a moderator creates meeting invitation  240  or edits calendar entry  250  with Automated Calendaring Software  230 . Moderator component  300  displays user prompts ( 312 ) related to the actions described below. User prompts can include radio buttons, drop down menus, text fields, selectable icons, or check boxes. The moderator enters or edits meeting details such as date, time, location, and a list of invitees ( 314 ). If the moderator is creating a new instance of invitation  240  ( 316 ), the moderator can select whether to allow invitees to post public comments or public threads such as e-mails, or chat sessions to calendar entry  250 , or if public comments and threads require review by the moderator before inclusion in calendar entry  250  ( 318 ). If there are pending public comments or public threads waiting for approval by the moderator ( 320 ) moderator component  330  displays the public comments or public threads ( 322 ). The moderator can choose whether to accept the public comments or public threads ( 324 ). If the moderator accepts the public comments or public threads at step  324 , the public comments or public threads are added to calendar entry  250  ( 326 ). If the moderator rejects the public comments or public threads at step  324 , the moderator can choose whether to reply to the originator of the public comment or public thread ( 328 ). If the moderator chooses to reply at step  328 , moderator component  300  opens a new e-mail message ( 330 ); otherwise, moderator component proceeds to step  332 . Moderator component  300  repeats steps  314 - 332  until the moderator chooses to exit ( 332 ). When the moderator exits moderator component  300 , invitation  240  or calendar entry  250  is saved to memory  220  ( 334 ) and moderator component  300  stops ( 336 ). When the moderator saves a new instance of invitation  240 , Automated Calendaring Software  230  sends a copy of invitations  240  to each invitee. When the moderator edits calendar entry  250 , Automated Calendaring Software  230  updates calendar entry  250  for each invitee. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , invitee component  400  starts ( 410 ) when an invitee opens meeting invitation  240  or opens calendar entry  250  with Automated Calendaring Software  230 . Invitee component  400  displays user prompts ( 412 ) related to the actions described below. User prompts can include radio buttons, drop down menus, text fields, selectable icons, or check boxes. The invitee can accept or decline invitation  240 , and can edit personal details, such as setting a reminder notification or adding personal comments ( 414 ). In some embodiments of automated calendaring software  230 , the invitee can also tentatively accept invitation  240  or can propose an alternate meeting time. Invitee component saves the invitee&#39;s response, personal details and person comments to calendar entry  250  ( 416 ). If the invitee wishes to add a public comment for all invitees ( 418 ), the invitee adds public comments ( 420 ) and invitee component  400  saves the comments to calendar entry  250  in memory  220  ( 422 ). Depending on the settings made by the moderator, the public comments may not appear on other invitees&#39;s copies of calendar entry  250  until the moderator accepts the public comments. If the invitee wishes to start a public thread, such as an e-mail or chat session related to the meeting with other invitees ( 424 ), the invitee starts a public thread such as an e-mail or chat session ( 426 ) and invitee component  400  saves the public thread to calendar entry  250  in memory  220  ( 428 ). Steps  424 - 428  also allow an invitee to participate in an existing public thread created by another invitee related to calendar entry  250 . Depending on the settings made by the moderator, the public comments or public thread may not appear on other invitees&#39;s copies of calendar entry  250  until the moderator accepts the public comments or public thread. Invitee component  300  repeats steps  416 - 430  until the invitee chooses to exit ( 430 ). When the invitee exits component  400 , invitee component  400  stops ( 432 ). 
         [0016]    In a further embodiment, the invitee can post public comments or start a public thread with a subset of the other invitees. In this further embodiment, the public comment or public thread will only appear in the subset of other invitees invitation copies. In this further embodiment, the moderator may have further controls, such as the ability to review and approve the public comment or public thread, or to copy the public comment or public thread from the subset of invitees to all the other invitees. 
         [0017]    A preferred form of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described above, but variations in the preferred form will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The preceding description is for illustration purposes only, and the invention should not be construed as limited to the specific form shown and described. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the language of the following claims.