Patent ID: 7856483

Claim:
A computer-implemented scheduling method, the method performed by a computer system having a processor and a memory, the method comprising: collecting a participant time zone, wherein the participant time zone is determined by: analyzing contact information associated with a participant, and determining a time zone for the participant based on the analysis of the contact information, wherein the contact information does not specify the time zone for the participant, and wherein the time zone is determined based on at least one of a phone number, an address, and an affiliation, wherein determining the time zone is performed by the processor executing instructions stored in the memory; identifying a time difference between the participant time zone and a user time zone, wherein the participant time zone is associated with the participant and the user time zone is associated with a user scheduling an event, wherein identifying the time difference is performed by the processor executing instructions stored in the memory; reviewing availability information for the participant and one or more selected time preference periods for the participant prior to inviting the participant to schedule the event, wherein the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant correspond to one or more time periods identified by the participant; selecting a time range for the event; graphically displaying in relationship to the user time zone the selected time range for the event relative to the availability information for the participant and the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant; and indicating that the selected time range is during one or more selected time preference periods for the participant in relationship to the participant time zone or is not during the one or more selected time preference periods for the participant in relationship to the participant time zone, wherein the processor executes instructions stored in the memory to determine whether the selected time range is or is not during one or more selected time preference periods for the participant in relationship to the participant time zone.