DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM COMMUNICATING UPDATES FOR A COMMON AGENDA TO EACH PARTY

Abstract: A data processing system comprises means for keeping a common agenda by parties to the data processing system, means for updating the common agenda by any of the parties, and means for communicating at least an update for the common agenda to the other parties possibly in response on an update by any of the parties. Advantageously all parties in the data processing system have the disposition of an updated agenda at all times.

Description: Data processing system communicating updates for a common agenda to each party. The present invention relates to a data processing system comprising means for keeping a common agenda by parties to the data processing system. The present invention also relates to a communication device for application in such a data processing system, and to a method for communicating data in said system, as outlined in claims 7 and 8, respectively. Such a data processing system is known from EP-A-0 475 871. The known data processing system has a plurality of user parties enrolled therein for automatically generating a meeting agenda for a requested meeting concerning a document stored within said data processing system. In particular a meeting agenda is kept by being created. The agenda, which is common to the parties concerned, incorporates an evaluation of said document, which meeting agenda is transmitted automatically to each desired attendee or party. Such a data processing system is particularly related to the document concerned and not very well suited for amending or updating the agenda. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide in particular an advanced data processing system, which is capable of communicating agenda related data over the system. Thereto the data processing system according to the invention is characterised in that the data processing system further comprises means for updating the common agenda by any of the parties and means for communicating at least an update for the common agenda to the other parties in response on an update by any of the parties. It is an advantage of the data processing system according to the invention that insertions, deletions and/or amendments in the common agenda can be made by each of the parties concerned. In addition all of the parties receive at least the updates of the common agenda, or possibly the whole new agenda, so that all parties have the disposition over a most recent version of the one common agenda at all times. Thus the virtual common agenda is always up-to-date, as it contains all appointments, and the keeping of redundant agendas, such as personal agendas or the transfer of the content of several personal agendas of each of the parties to a common agenda held by all parties or users is not necessary. An additional advantage of the processing system of the invention is, that the system does not need a server to control communication between parties in the system. An embodiment of the data processing system according to the invention is characterised in that the communication means initiate communication to the other parties in response to an update by any of the parties. Advantageously redundant communication sessions, wherein no updated data is present are avoided. A following embodiment of the data processing system according to the invention is characterised in that it comprises wireless transmission means for communicating at least the update for the common agenda to one or more of the parties. Advantageously this opens possibilities for including the present common agenda update feature in modern communication networks, such as wide area networks or local area networks and devices. Examples of such devices are mobile telephones, like Philips Genie, Philips Ilium Accent, or pagers, as well as so called communicators, such as the Nokia 9000 or 9000i communicator, Philips NINO 300, Palmpilot III products and the like. But also watches having an agenda with text entry functionality, such as Seiko's Ruputer watches. Preferably the data processing system is further characterised in that the data processing system is equipped with a kind of message protocol, such as for example the SMS protocol. This protocol is already known to be implemented in present days devices, in particular telephones and it has the capability of transmitting messages, mostly relatively short messages, including data, such as the agenda update data referred to above. A further embodiment of the data processing system according to the invention is characterised in that the data processing system is a GSM communication system. This wireless communication system is widely spread and implemented and very well suited to incorporate the updated agenda feature. A still further embodiment of the data processing system according to the invention is characterised in that it comprises communication devices installed at each party, which communication devices comprise display means for displaying data concerning the common agenda. The display means are advantageously capable of displaying in particular overviews of the contents of for example a day, a week, a month of the common agenda. Present day liquid crystal display screens are preferred because of their low weight, costs, size and energy consumption. Accordingly the method according to the present invention is characterised in that a common agenda held by several parties is being updated by one of the parties, and that the update data for the agenda is subsequently communicated to the other parties. At present the data processing system, communication device and method for communicating agenda data according to the invention will be elucidated further together with its additional advantages, while reference is being made to the appended drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows an outline of a data processing system having communication devices according to the invention, and Figs. 2a and 2b show examples of flowcharts for implementation of the method according to the invention in the data processing system of fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a data processing system 1, which is provided with a number of communication devices shown herein as P1-P3. The communication devices P1-P3 represent devices which are provided with suitable communications means COM, which are capable of communicating data with one another by means of for example wireless transmission means known per se. The system 1 as shown only depicts one possible embodiment of several possible embodiments. For example the number of devices P may be limited to only 2 or may be extended to a particular group, or to parties, such as for example the members of a family, a network, or a group of workers within a company, the members of a research, development, or management team etcetera. The binding factor between the parties is the fact that they to some extend share a common agenda CA. Each of the devices P is provided with a local memory, indicated #, wherein at least the common agenda CA is stored. Each party has such a device P comprising means 2 for updating the common agenda CA. Usually these means 2 (for reasons of clarity only explicitly shown in PI and P2 comprises keys or a local keyboard 3, a generally microprocessor (μP) controlled display screen 4, such as an LCD screen, and read/write means 5 coupled to the local memory # for reading and writing agenda data, which data will mostly be related to appointments, in particular new appointments. If a party, for example PI has made a new appointment in its own agenda, which is generally but not necessarily kept in its own local memory it contains updated data. The updated agenda data is communicated, either directly, or indirectly through in the case as shown PI by the communication means COM to each of the parties concerned, such that all parties have the disposition of a fully updated common agenda, wherein each party P subsequently can make its own deletions, amendments, remarks or new insertions and appointments, which are again communicated to all parties P. Communication of the updated agenda data, which may be effected in response to an update made by any of the parties concerned may take place by means of any suitable protocol, such as a message protocol, for example the well known SMS (Short Message Service) protocol. SMS is already implemented successfully in pagers, GSM telephones, and communicators for communicating up to 160 characters each time. All communication devices P may at wish be arranged and embodied identically. Figs 2a and 2b show a flowchart of a possible implementation of the explained data communication method. The implementation may be a software implementation running in the microprocessor μP. A party after the START in fig. 2a will enter the VIEW/EDIT mode in order to recall part of the common agenda from memory for reviewing purposes in order to make an update in the common agenda. The update may be the creation of a new appointment, a modification of an existing appointment etcetera. If the appointment update is made or even if the appointment update is still pending the update or part thereof will be stored locally and sent to usually all other party devices P. Fig. 2b illustrates a possible flowchart of software running in these other party devices. After an initial START the devices P wait for receipt of data relating to an appointment update. After receipt thereof the updated data is added to and combined with the locally stored agenda data to reveal the updated agenda. It is preferred because of a wanted short transmission time to only communicate the update data for the common agenda to the parties concerned in the data processing system 1.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A data processing system comprising means for keeping a common agenda by parties to the data processing system, characterised in that the data processing system further comprises means for updating the common agenda by any of the parties and means for communicating at least an update for the common agenda to the other parties. 2. The data processing system according to claim 1, characterised in that the communication means initiate communication to the other parties in response to an update by any of the parties. 3. The data processing system of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the data processing system comprises wireless transmission means for communicating at least the update for the common agenda to one or more of the parties. 4. The data processing system according to one of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the data processing system is equipped with a kind of message protocol, such as for example the SMS protocol. 5. The data processing system according to one of the claims 1-4, characterised in that the data processing system is a GSM communication system. 6. The data processing system according to one of the claims 1-5, characterised in that the data processing system comprises communication devices installed at each party, which communication devices comprise display means for displaying data concerning the common agenda. 7. The data processing system according to claim 6, characterised in that the display means comprises an LCD screen. 8. A communication device suited for application in the data processing system according to one of the claims 1-7, characterised in that the communication device comprises means for keeping a common agenda by parties to the data processing system, characterised in that the communication device further comprises means for updating the common agenda by any of the parties and means for communicating at least an update of the common agenda to each of the other parties devices possibly in response to an update by any of the parties. 9. A method for communicating data in a data processing system, characterised in that a common agenda held by several parties is being updated by one of the parties, and that in response to an update by any of the parties, the update data of the agenda is subsequently communicated to the other parties.

Inventors: MEINDS KORNELIS, MEINDS, KORNELIS
Applicants: KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV, KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06F12, G06Q10