Patent NZ-594607-A (NZ)
Title: Availability data service for one or more meeting request attendees
Inventor: MURILLO DAN
IPC: G06F17/30
Filed: 2006-09-06
Abstract: A computer-implemented method of obtaining real time availability data for one or more potential meeting attendees is disclosed. An availability data query for a specific meeting event initiated via a calendaring application is received at a first availability service (210). The first availability service compares the one or more potential meeting attendees against a list of persons in an information directory. The information directory identifies one or more mailbox servers (220, 225) on which information for the one or more potential meeting attendees is maintained. The first availability service determines a first mailbox server that includes real time availability data for a first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees and a second mailbox server that includes real time availability data for a second potential attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees. The second mailbox server is associated with a second availability service, and the second availability service is different from the first availability service. Whether permissions on individual calendar data set by the first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees allow a retrieval by the calendaring application of the real time availability data for the first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees are determined. The permissions are configured to restrict an amount and type of availability data that is retrievable by the calendaring application. Upon determining that the real time availability data for the first potential meeting attendee is retrievable by the calendaring application a type of availability data that is retrievable by the calendaring application is determined. The type of availability data comprises at least one of: a free/busy type of availability data and a detailed type of availability data. The first availability service requests the real time availability data of the type that is retrievable by the calendaring application for the first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees from the first mailbox server. The first availability service requests real time availability data for the second potential meeting attendee from the second availability service. The first availability service received the real time availability data of the type that is retrievable by the calendaring application for the first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees. The real time availability data indicates whether the first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees is free or busy for the specific meeting event. The first availability service receives the real time availability data for the second potential meeting attendee from the second availability service; and forwards the real time availability data of the type that is retrievable by the calendaring application for the first potential meeting attendee of the one or more potential meeting attendees and the real time availability data for the second potential meeting attendee to the calendaring application.