Method and system for expansion of recurring calendar events

Abstract

A system and method for expanding recurring calendar events such that the retrieval of recurring calendar appointments is expedited. A recurring appointment is saved as a data structure including a recurrence pattern. When a recurring appointment is saved by a client that has sufficient processing and memory resources to perform the computations necessary to expand recurring appointments (i.e., a thick client), a background thread is notified. The background thread increases its priority to normal when idle processing capacity is available and calls a routine requesting calendar information for a defined time period. The routine causes the expansion of the data structure into the individual instances of the recurring appointment for a defined time period, and the individual instances are saved for later retrieval. A later query from a client without sufficient processing and memory resources to perform the calculations necessary to expand recurring appointments (i.e., a thin client), therefore, does not require that the expansion computations be performed contemporaneously.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention relates generally to computerized calendaring applications and more specifically to expansion of a recurring calendar entry into individual instances of the calendar entry for a defined time period prior to a user query to display the individual instances of the calendar entry. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The use of software programs and computers for messaging, calendaring and collaborating is common today. For example, computer application programs exists that allow a user to send, receive and manage email messages, maintain personal or group calendars, schedule meetings with others, manage contacts, and maintain task lists. One example of such a program is OUTLOOK, manufactured by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., although many other such programs are also available. [0003] Application programs that allow messaging, calendaring and collaboration may reside and execute on a single computer as a stand alone program. Additionally, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] The present invention is directed to alleviating the delay associated with the expansion of recurring appointments when accessing calendar information. In one embodiment of the invention, a status message indicates whether a recurring appointment data structure has been expanded into the individual instances of the recurring appointment. When a recurring appointment is created, modified, or deleted using a thick client, a thread running on the server places the folder identification (FID) of the calendar folder in a queue of FIDs for calendar folders with recurring appointments that require expansion. A separate thread running at low priority on the server is then signaled. The priority of the thread is increased and, with respect to each calendar folder containing a recurring appointment that requires expansion, the thread calls a routine that causes the server to expand the recurring appointment(s) in the calendar folder, and the individual instances of the recurring appointment(s) are saved to a computer readable medium. In one embodiment of the invention, the separate thread calls the routine causing the expansion when the central processing unit of the server has extra or idle processing capacity. Thus, when a user later accesses the calendar information on the server, the recurring appointment(s) have already been expanded into individual instances of the appointment(s) and saved to a computer readable medium, and only need to be transmitted for display on an appropriate user interface. Accordingly, there is no delay associated with having to expand the recurring appointments and saving the results at the time the calendar information is requested by the client.

Problems solved by technology

In such an implementation, the web browser (which would be the client), or cell phone or PIM would not have access to sufficient processing and memory resources to perform (or perform in a reasonable time) many of the more resource intensive tasks associated with managing messages, tasks, appointments, etc.

The approach outlined above can cause significant delays for users that use both thick and thin clients to save, modify, delete or access appointment information on a server.

If the user then tries to access and view these recurring appointments using a thin client (e.g., via the internet using a web browser from home the next morning), all of the recurring appointments for the time period desired to be viewed will have to be expanded by the server at the time of the viewing because the thin client (e.g., the web browser) has limited processing and memory resources of its own.

These tasks are resource (e.g., processor and / or memory resources) and time intensive.

The expansion of recurring appointments at the time of the request could result in noticeable time delay from the time the request for calendar information is submitted by the thin client to the server, to the time that the information is displayed on the user interface of the thin client.

This situation is made worse during peak hours when many users may be trying to access their calendar information from the server (for example, users trying to check their calendar from home in the morning before leaving for work).

In fact, it is possible that in a worse case scenario, the client may time-out while waiting for the server to expand and save the recurring appointment data structures.

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