Bidirectional Location Sharing Between Calendar and Map Apps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing devices with calendar and map applications lack significant synergy and interactivity, requiring users to manually enter location information, with limited linking between the two applications.
Innovation Solution
A method and computer program product that enables sharing of location information between calendar and map applications, allowing calendar event locations to be used as suggestions in the map application and vice versa, by pulling location information from one application's data store and populating the interface of the other with these suggestions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If users manually enter location information in both calendar and map applications, then data accuracy is maintained, but user time and effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically populating location fields in one application using data from the other application before the user needs to input information. When a user creates an event in the calendar application, the system pre-fills the location field with suggestions from the map application's stored locations, and vice versa, eliminating the need for manual entry.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of location data between applications. Location information stored in the map application is copied and used to populate suggestions in the calendar application, and calendar event locations are copied to provide suggestions in the map application, allowing users to leverage existing data without re-entering it.
2Adaptability or versatility
If calendar and map applications operate independently, then application simplicity is maintained, but application synergy and interactivity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism that enables communication between the calendar and map applications. This intermediary layer allows the applications to share location data and provide mutual suggestions without requiring deep integration or complex interdependencies, maintaining simplicity while enabling synergy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a universal location data sharing mechanism that serves multiple functions: providing location suggestions for calendar events, suggesting locations for map searches, and enabling bidirectional data exchange. This multi-functional approach allows both applications to benefit from the integration without requiring separate specialized systems.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method of sharing location information between a map application and a calendar application, the map application pulls calendar event locations from a calendar event store and presents these calendar event locations as suggested locations for the map application. Likewise, the calendar application pulls map locations from a map location data store and presents these map locations as suggested locations for calendar events. By sharing location information between the map application and the calendar applications, these applications become significantly more useful.