Method and apparatus for previewing changes in color palette

Abstract

A system for processing multiple schedules, constructed in accordance with the principle of the present invention, includes an information processing system having a memory and a processor; an input device for entering user information; a display device for showing scheduling information; an interface for sending and / or receiving information from another source; and means for reconciling two schedules by building synchronized lists, from which the user may effect a reconciliation.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to application Ser. No. 09 / 060,206 filed on Apr. 14, 1998 and scheduled to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 7,209,888 on Apr. 24, 2007; which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08 / 649,824 filed on May 17, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,346; which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07 / 823,567 filed on Jan. 21, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,606.[0002] The present invention relates generally to the area of information processing and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for reconciling ordinal information, especially time-based information. [0003] Successful management of one's time is a goal that every successful professional must achieve. One's business day may be swept away in a deluge of meetings and appointments, all of which must be somehow managed. An attempt to mange this task on paper, such as with a simple wall calendar, is unworkable for all but the simplest of schedules. More likely, such unsophisticated a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004] The first allies that professionals discovered were portable organizers, such as the Daytime™ or the Lafax™. However, an increasing number are discovering the power of personal computers for managing appointments. Several scheduling packages are available for the PC. While not as portable as paper organizers, scheduling packages offer increased flexibility in other areas. For example, one may view his or her schedule from a variety of views—by month, week, day or priority—and attached detailed notes to appointments. Additional options available include the ability to automatically schedule a meeting for the first Monday of every other month, or display horizontal bars which graphically represent one's weekly schedule, so that free time can be quickly pinpointed. Other options include the ability to easily edit an entry, and set alarms as a reminder of important appointments.

[0008] Computers have found a variety of applications for the management of one's time, including tracking meetings and appointments. With increased availability of portable information processing devices, many of the scheduling features found on personal computers are now available with handheld electronic organizers. Because handheld organizers sacrifice features for portability, professionals will often manage their time at the office with a personal computer, reserving the portable for when they are away. Upon returning to the office, however, one must reconcile the information stored in the portable with that already present in the personal computer.

Problems solved by technology

An attempt to mange this task on paper, such as with a simple wall calendar, is unworkable for all but the simplest of schedules.

More likely, such unsophisticated aids to managing one's time will lead to scheduling conflicts, missed appointments, botched deadlines and angry clients.

As a tradeoff for portability, however, these devices typically forego several of the more desirable features found on desktop personal computer (e.g., full color graphics display).

Updating or reconciling two sets of information, whether between a PC and an organizer, or between two computers joined by a communication network, has never been easy.

The reconciliation of scheduling information has been particularly difficult.

While prior art organizers and scheduling packages are very useful for managing one's own schedule, they have thus far been inadequate for resolving two or more schedules.

As a result, a user who wishes to reconcile two different schedules must rely on awkward data entry techniques to achieve the reconciliation.

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