Method of automatic scheduling, related devices and communication system

Abstract

A method of automatic scheduling, related devices and system. In one aspect, there is provided a method of automatic scheduling, comprising: receiving one or more tasks associated with a user, wherein each task has an associated duration; determining available timeslots in a calendar database associated with the user; and automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks in accordance with one or more scheduling rules.

1 . A method of automatic scheduling on an electronic device, comprising:
 receiving one or more tasks associated with a user, wherein each task has an associated duration;   determining available timeslots in a calendar database associated with the user; and   automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks in accordance with one or more scheduling rules.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more scheduling rules include a due date rule which specifies that new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks are automatically populated in the calendar database so that calendar events associated with tasks having a due date are scheduled to be completed before the due date of the respective tasks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the due date rule specifies that new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks are automatically populated in the calendar database so that calendar events associated with tasks having a due date are scheduled to be completed a threshold duration before the due date of the respective tasks 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the automatic populating comprises:
 determining whether a total time represented by the available timeslots before the due date is greater than or equal to the associated duration of a particular task;   when the total time represented by the available timeslots before the due date is less than the associated duration of the particular task,
 determining an amount of additional time to be allocated to the particular task; 
 identifying any moveable calendar events in the calendar database associated with the user which can be moved; 
 when the total time represented by any moveable calendar events in the calendar database associated with the user is greater than or equal to the amount of additional time to be allocated to the particular task,
 moving one or more of the moveable calendar events in the calendar database associated with the user to an available timeslot occurring after the due date until the total time represented by the available timeslots before the due date is greater than or equal to the associated duration of the particular task, and 
 automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with new calendar events associated with the particular task in accordance with the one or more scheduling rules. 
 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the automatic populating further comprises:
 when the total time represented by any moveable calendar events in the calendar database associated with the user is less than the amount of additional time to be allocated to the particular task, providing a notification.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 when the total time represented by the available timeslots before the due date is greater than or equal to the associated duration of the particular task, automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with new calendar events associated with the particular task in accordance with the one or more scheduling rules.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a priority is associated with at least some of the one or more tasks, any calendar events associated with a task having a lower priority than the particular task are identified as moveable. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a privacy setting is associated with at least some of the one or more tasks, wherein the privacy setting comprises values of “Private” or “Public”, wherein tasks having the privacy setting of “Public” are identified as not moveable and tasks having the privacy setting of “Private” are identified as moveable. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically displaying a task user interface after completion of a calendar event associated with a particular task, wherein the task user interface includes a task status field having a value selectable from a number of predetermined task status field options;   in response to a first value being set as the value of the task status field, automatically changing the status of the task status field; and   in response to a value other than the first value being set as the value of the task status field,   automatically displaying a prompt for a new duration;   in response to receiving a new duration as input,
 automatically changing the duration associated with the particular task to the new duration received as input; 
 determining available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user; and 
 automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with one or more new calendar events associated with the particular task in accordance with the new duration and the one or more scheduling rules. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the particular task has an associated due date, the method further comprising:
 in response to a value other than the first value being set as the value of the task status field,   automatically displaying a prompt for a new due date;   in response to receiving a new due date as input,
 automatically changing the due date associated with the particular task to the new due date received as input; 
 determining available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user; and 
 automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with one or more new calendar events associated with the particular task in accordance with the new due date and the one or more scheduling rules. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the task user interface is automatically displayed only after a last completed calendar event associated with the particular task when more than one calendar event is associated with the particular task. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically displaying a task user interface after completion of a calendar event associated with a particular task, wherein the task user interface includes a task status field having a value selectable from a number of predetermined task status field options;   in response to a first value being set as the value of the task status field, automatically changing the status of the task status field; and   in response to a value other than the first value being set as the value of the task status field,   automatically displaying a prompt for a new due date;   in response to receiving a new due date as input,
 automatically changing the due date associated with the particular task to the new due date received as input; 
 determining available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user; and 
 automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with one or more new calendar events associated with the particular task in accordance with the new due date and the one or more scheduling rules. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more scheduling parameters which define days and/or times of day which are schedulable and days and/or times of day which are not schedulable are defined, wherein determining the available timeslots comprises determining available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user which match the one or more scheduling parameters. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a priority is associated with at least some of the one or more tasks, wherein the one or more scheduling rules include a priority rule which specifies that new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks are automatically populated in the calendar database so that calendar events associated with tasks having a priority are scheduled in accordance with an order of priority based on the priority associated with the one or more tasks. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the one or more tasks comprises:
 obtaining the one or more tasks from a task database associated with the user, wherein the task database associated with the user and the calendar database associated with the user are distinct databases which are separately maintained from each other.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each calendar event associated with a task item is defined by a calendar object which includes linking information to the associated task, and each task item associated with one or more calendar events is defined by a task object which includes linking information to the one or more associated calendar events. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each task in the task database and each calendar event in the calendar database have a unique identifier (ID), wherein the task object of each task item associated with one or more calendar events includes the unique IDs of the one or more associated calendar events, and wherein the calendar object of each calendar event associated with a task item includes the unique ID of the associated task. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic populating comprises:
 automatically generating one or more calendar events for a particular task; and   storing the automatically generated calendar events in the calendar database for the user.   
     
     
         19 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a processor configured for:
 receiving one or more tasks associated with a user, wherein each task has an associated duration; 
 determining available timeslots in a calendar database associated with the user; and 
 automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks in accordance with one or more scheduling rules. 
   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine readable medium having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of automatic scheduling, the method comprising:
 receiving one or more tasks associated with a user, wherein each task has an associated duration;   determining available timeslots in a calendar database associated with the user; and   automatically populating one or more of the available timeslots in the calendar database associated with the user with new calendar events associated with the one or more tasks in accordance with one or more scheduling rules.