Patent ID: 8255256

Claim:
A method for improved management of user events scheduled during a user absence period, the method comprising: determining a user absence period having a start date and an end date, the user absence period defined on a user calendar; searching at least one calendaring repository for at least one scheduled user event having a due date during the user absence period, the at least one user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period; responding, using a processor, to each scheduled user event having a due date during the user absence period; detecting whether a new user event is scheduled after the defining of the user absence period, the new user event having a due date during the user absence period; responding, using the processor, to the new user event scheduled during the user absence period; defining a buffer period with a start date and an end date separate from the start date and end date of the absence period; searching at least one calendaring repository for one or more scheduled user events having a due date during the buffer period, the one or more scheduled user events scheduled prior to defining the buffer period; responding to each scheduled user event coming due during the buffer period in a manner differently than responding to the scheduled user event coming due during the user absence period; detecting whether a new user event is scheduled after defining the buffer period, the new user event having a due date during the buffer period; and responding, using the processor, to the new user event scheduled during the buffer period in a manner differently than responding to the new user event coming due during the user absence period.