Abstract:
Allowing an electronic schedule to be automatically updated by a device with the time zone where the device is presently located.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to automatically updating a schedule by an electronic device.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    A variety of electronic devices currently allow a user to maintain an electronic schedule. Such devices consist of personal computers (PC), personal digital assistants (PDA), and wireless telephones/pagers. The problem that is faced by a frequent traveler who has a significant number of meetings on a multi-leg trip, which involves the movement through a number of time zones, is to remember to manually update their electronic schedule before the trip starts and during the trip. The need in the prior art to manually update the electronic schedule either by performing this operation for each event or adjusting the time zone information is a major problem.  
           [0003]    Within the prior art, it is known to synchronous a scheduler maintained on a central server with the time zone of the server&#39;s location. This allows an individual in another time zone who is setting up a meeting via the participants&#39; schedulers to automatically have the meeting time reflected on participants&#39; schedulers in accordance with the time zones where the servers maintaining those various schedulers are located. Whereas, this prior art solution works well as long as the participants are in the same locations as their servers, it causes confusion when one or more of the participants are traveling. The traveler has to remember this fact and must also remember to mentally correct any verbal meeting time information received from other participants who may be in other time zones. A similar problem accords with respect to email transmission times that also reflect the time zone of the server being used for the email. The recipient of the email must remember that the email transmission time is that of the email server and not the time of day of the traveler&#39;s location.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by allowing an electronic schedule to be automatically updated by a device with the time zone where the device is presently located. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a wireless system for implementing the invention;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a wired system for implementing the invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 illustrates, in block diagram form, another embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates another embodiment of a wireless system for implementing the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 illustrates wireless device  101  establishing wireless communication with wireless system  102 . When this wireless connection is established, wireless system  102  transmits to device  101  timing information. This timing information defines the time of day as well as the time zone. Similarly, FIG. 2 illustrates device  201  establishing a wired connection to local area network (LAN)  202 . Once this connection is established, server  203  transmits to device  201  timing information. One skilled in the art would readily realize that LAN  202  could also be a variety of wired switching systems such as a circuit switching system, an ATM switching system, a packet switching system, or a wide area network. One skilled in the art would readily realize that wireless system  102  could be a variety of systems including a cellular system or a wireless network for data. One skilled in the art would also realize that device  101  or  201  could be a variety of devices such as personal computer, personal digital assistant, pager, or wireless telephone.  
         [0012]    In one embodiment of the invention, the device establishes contact with an external time source and determines if the time of day from this external source is different than the time of day within the device. If there is a difference, the user is given the opportunity to accept this new time of day for updating the electronic schedule. In another embodiment, the user can not only accept the new time of day but determine a period of time over which this new time will be utilized. In another embodiment, the user is given the opportunity to utilize a travel itinerary that is stored in electronic form within the device to update the electronic schedule. In another embodiment, the user is allowed to switch between the local time as determined by the external time source or to utilize the time specified by the travel itinerary.  
         [0013]    To better understand the various embodiments, consider the following example. In this example device  101  is a wireless PDA that a traveler is utilizing to maintain their electronic schedule. The traveler arrives at a location in a different time zone other than that currently being used by device  101 . Upon establishing wireless contact with wireless system  102 , device  101  receives from wireless system  102  timing information defining the time of day and the time zone. Device  101  is responsive to this timing information and displays to the user the new timing information indicating the time and time zone change, giving the user the ability to accept the utilization of this new timing information in the user&#39;s electronic schedule.  
         [0014]    In addition, an alternate embodiment of device  101  allows the user to specify a period of time during which the new timing information will be utilized. For example, the user may only intend to remain in the new location for a day. The user would indicate that the new timing information should be utilized in the electronic schedule for one day only. This allows the user to examine their other events occurring outside the one day with the timing information that was initially recorded for these events. In addition, the user can choose to ignore the new timing information and not to alter the time shown on the electronic schedule.  
         [0015]    The user can also create an electronic traveling itinerary. This will define the times that the user will be in various locations along with the time zone information. Device  101  can utilize this travel itinerary to automatically update the electronic schedule for the period of times covered by the itinerary. Note the user can manually override the electronic schedule defined by the itinerary or choose to override it utilizing timing information received from an external time source.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment in implementing the invention. Once started from block  300 , decision block  301  determines if the user wants to synchronous their electronic schedule to a trip itinerary. If the answer is yes, block  302  updates the electronic schedule in accordance with the trip itinerary before transferring control back to decision block  301 .  
         [0017]    If the answer in decision block  301  is no, decision block  303  determines if there has been timing information received from an external source that indicates a time change. If the answer is no in decision block  303 , control is transferred back to decision block  301 . If the answer is yes in decision block  303 , block  304  presents the new timing information to the user showing the time offset between the present time and the new timing information received from the external source as well as the new time zone. Advantageously, the external source could be a wireless system or a wired network switching system. After execution of block  304 , control is transferred to decision block  306 . The latter decision block determines if the user wants to accept the time offset for purposes of updating the electronic schedule. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to decision block  301 .  
         [0018]    If the answer in decision block  306  is yes, decision block  307  determines if the user wants to accept the time offset until the next sync time which would be the next contact with another external timing source. If the answer is yes, block  308  updates the whole electronic schedule before returning control back to decision block  301 . If the answer is no in decision block  307 , decision block  309  determines if the user wants to accept the time offset for a fixed period of time. If the answer is yes, block  311  updates the electronic schedule for this fixed period of time before returning control back to decision block  301 . If the answer in decision block  309  is no, control is returned to decision block  301 .  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of a device which may be device  101  of FIG. 1 or device  201  of FIG. 2. Blocks  412  and  413  will only be present if the device is a wireless telephone or performing the functions of a wireless telephone. Interface  414  interfaces the device to network  416 . Network  416  may be wireless system  102  of FIG. 1 or LAN  202  of FIG. 2. Interface  414  would be a wireless interface for wireless system  102  or a wired interface for FIG. 2. Processor  402  provides overall control of the interfaces and utilizes visual display and buttons  418  to receive and communicate information to the user. In one embodiment, processor  402  executes programs out of memory  401 . Operating system  403  provides overall control of the device. Applications  409  provide the operations that are normally provided for this type of device. For example, if the device were a wireless telephone, applications  409  would provide the functions of a wireless telephone. Schedule control  406  provides the control for performing the operations illustrated in FIG. 3. Schedule  407  is the electronic schedule, and trip itinerary  408  is a listing of a trip itinerary. Data  404  is utilized for various forms of data. Interface routine  411  is utilized to control interface  412 ,  414 , and  417 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 illustrates, in block diagram form, another embodiment of a device which may be device  601  of FIG. 6. This device has limited memory capacity and stores its schedule and trip itinerary in storage  603 . Blocks  512  and  513  will only be present if the device is a wireless telephone or performing the functions of a wireless telephone. Interface  514  interfaces the device to network  516 . Network  516  may be wireless system  602  of FIG. 6. Interface  514  would be a wireless interface for wireless system  602 . Processor  502  provides overall control of the interfaces and utilizes visual display and buttons  518  to receive and communicate information to the user. Interface routine  511  is utilized to control interface  512 ,  514 , and  517 . In one embodiment, processor  502  executes programs out of memory  501 . Operating system  503  provides overall control of the device. Applications  509  provide the operations that are normally provided for this type of device. For example, if the device were a wireless telephone, applications  509  would provide the functions of a wireless telephone. Schedule control  506  provides the control for performing the operations illustrated in FIG. 3 by using schedule  604  and trip itinerary  606  stored in storage  603  of FIG. 6. Schedule control  506  accesses schedule  604  and trip itinerary  606  stored in storage  603  via wireless system  602  in order to perform the operations of FIG. 3. Information concerning schedule  604  and trip itinerary  606  is displayed to the user of device  601  via the visual display &amp; buttons  518 . Data  504  is utilized for various forms of data including information accessed from schedule  604  and trip itinerary  606 .  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of a wireless system. Upon receiving a request from a wireless device, wireless system  602  can access storage  603 . Storage  603  stores a plurality of schedule and trip itinerary pairs  609 - 611  with each pair being associated with a device of limited memory capacity such as the device illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0022]    In an alternative embodiment of FIG. 2, server  203  can store schedule and trip itinerary pairs for use by devices such as the one illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0023]    When the operations of devices  101 ,  201 , or  601  are implemented in software, as is shown in FIG. 3, it should be noted that the software can be stored on any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In the context of this document, a computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or means that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with a computer related system or method. Device  101  or  201  can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. For example, the computer-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured via optical scanning of the paper or other medium and then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and stored in a computer memory.  
         [0024]    In an alternative embodiment, where device  101  or  201  is implemented in hardware, device  101  or  201  can be implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.  
         [0025]    Of course, various changes and modification to the illustrated embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the following claims except insofar as limited by the prior art.