For-Your-Information Event Calendar Time Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current calendaring systems lack a convenient method to send events without initially blocking time on the recipient's calendar, but allowing for later conversion to blocked events, which is necessary for optional or informational meetings where attendance is not mandatory.
Innovation Solution
The system introduces 'for-your-information' events that do not automatically block time on the recipient's calendar, allowing users to convert them to regular events with blocked time upon user input, enabling optional scheduling of such events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If regular events are sent to inform others about occurrences, then the recipient's calendar time is automatically blocked, but this reduces flexibility for optional or informational meetings where attendance is not mandatory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments events into two distinct types: regular events that automatically block calendar time, and for-your-information events that do not block time. This segmentation allows users to send informational events without the automatic time-blocking behavior, providing flexibility for optional meetings while maintaining the automatic blocking feature for mandatory events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dynamic conversion mechanism where for-your-information events can be converted to regular events by the recipient. This dynamic transformation allows the event type and calendar blocking behavior to change based on user decision, enabling flexibility initially while preserving the option to enforce time blocking later if needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If for-your-information events are introduced that do not automatically block time, then flexibility is improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple event types and conversion mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The for-your-information event type serves multiple functions: it can be sent as a simple informational notification without time blocking, and it can also be converted by the recipient into a regular event that does block time. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate event types for different scenarios, managing system complexity while providing versatility.
3Ease of operation
If all events automatically block calendar time, then calendar organization is improved, but this prevents convenient sharing of informational events where attendance is optional
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides events into regular events for mandatory scheduling and for-your-information events for optional informational sharing. This segmentation allows calendar organization through automatic blocking for regular events while enabling convenient sharing of informational events without time blocking, resolving the contradiction between organization and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A for-your-information event can be received in a computer system. The for-your-information event can include an event time field that indicates a scheduled time for the for-your-information event. The computer system may not automatically block the scheduled time of the for-your-information event on a calendar in response to receiving the for-your-information event. User input indicating that the for-your-information event is to be converted to a regular event can be received. In response to the user input, the computer system can convert the for-your-information event to a regular event. Converting the for-your information event can include automatically including the scheduled time of the for-your-information event as a scheduled time for the converted regular event. Also in response to the user input, the computer system can automatically block the scheduled time of the for-your-information event on the calendar.