Consolidated Electronic Calendar via Server Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic calendars lack the ability to seamlessly integrate and synchronize calendar information across multiple users and devices, leading to duplication of events and inefficient alarm notifications, as well as limited customization and integration with user preferences.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating a consolidated electronic calendar through network-based communications between devices, allowing selection and modification of events based on predefined criteria, merging of calendar information, and automatic deletion of duplicates, with customizable alarms and user-preferred display settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If calendar information is synchronized across multiple users and devices, then information availability and collaboration are improved, but duplication of events and data inconsistency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives calendar information from multiple electronic devices, processes it to identify and remove duplicate events, and distributes the consolidated calendar data back to the devices. This mediator architecture resolves the contradiction by centralizing the synchronization logic, preventing duplication while maintaining information availability across all users and devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the server continuously monitors calendar updates from multiple devices, detects changes, and automatically pushes updated calendar information back to the relevant devices. This feedback loop ensures data consistency and prevents duplication by constantly synchronizing the calendar state across the network, resolving the contradiction between information availability and data consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If standard alarm notifications are used for all events, then system simplicity is maintained, but user preferences and event-specific requirements are not met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different alarm notification settings for different events or users within the same calendar system. Each user or event can have customized alarm preferences (e.g., different times, types, or intensities of notifications) while the overall system maintains a standardized architecture. This resolves the contradiction by providing customization where needed without making the entire system complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to pre-configure their alarm preferences and event-specific notification requirements in advance. When events are added to the calendar, the system automatically applies the pre-set notification rules without requiring real-time customization decisions. This preliminary configuration approach provides adaptability and user preference support while maintaining system simplicity during actual event management.
3Productivity
If multiple calendars are merged into a consolidated view, then overview and coordination are improved, but duplicate events and conflicts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as a mediator that receives calendar data from multiple sources, intelligently identifies and removes duplicate events based on matching criteria (time, location, participants), and consolidates the calendar information before presenting it to users. This process reduces the quantity of events in the consolidated view while maintaining comprehensive coverage, resolving the contradiction between coordination efficiency and event duplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and removes duplicate events from the merged calendar data. By comparing events across multiple calendars using defined criteria and extracting only unique events for the consolidated view, the system provides a clean overview without duplication. This extraction process maintains productivity benefits while reducing the harmful quantity of duplicate events.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing an Electronic Calendar (“EC”). The methods comprise: generating a first EC by a first Electronic Device (“ED”) used by a first person; performing network-based communication operations between the first ED and a second ED to obtain first Calendar Information (“CI”) associated with a second EC maintained by the second ED that is used by a second person and remote from the first ED; performing operations by the first ED to select a first Scheduled Event (“SE”) specified by the first CI based on a first pre-defined criteria; generating second CI by modifying a portion of the first CI associated with the first SE which was previously selected to comply with a second pre-defined criteria that is different than the first pre-defined criteria; and transforming the first EC into a consolidated EC by merging the second CI with third CI associated with the first EC.