Free busy calendar interface

Abstract

A method and electronic device which provide a calendar having availability status options based on a type of remote server are described. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising: determining, by an electronic device, a type of a remote server in communication with the electronic device; and setting, by the electronic device, availability status options for an availability status field for calendar events based on the type of the remote server.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining, by an electronic device, a type provider identity of a remote server in communication with the electronic device, wherein the remote server comprises a messaging server that provides calendar functions to the electronic device, and wherein the provider identity of the remote server is specified in calendar application settings of the electronic device; and 
 setting, selecting, by the electronic device, from a plurality of different sets, a set of a plurality of availability status options for an availability status field for calendar events based on the type provider identity of the remote server; and 
 generating, by the electronic device, a calendar application user interface for creating or modifying calendar events on a display of the electronic device, wherein the calendar application user interface includes the availability status field, and wherein each one of the plurality of availability status options is selectable from the availability status field. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 exchanging with the remote server calendar event data for scheduled calendar events, wherein the calendar event data including the includes an availability status of the scheduled calendar events. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the availability status options is based on whether the remote server is a server that identifies itself as being implemented using IBM Lotus Domino™ or a server that identifies itself as being implemented using Microsoft Exchange™ Server. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting comprises setting availability status options for the availability status field of a calendar events detail user interface screen of a calendar application, wherein the calendar events detail application user interface screen displays includes details about an event. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the availability status options the plurality of different sets comprises:
 causing the availability status field to havea first set of at least two availability status options that is selected when the remote server is a first type of serverprovider identity of the remote server is a first provider identity; and 
 causing the availability status field to havea second set of at least four availability status options that is selected when the remote server is a second type of serverprovider identity of the remote server is a second provider identity, and 
 wherein the first set has less availability status options than the second set. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least two availability status options when the remote server is the first type of server include a “Free” status and a “Busy” status”, and wherein the at least four availability status levels when the remote server is the second type of server options include a “Free” status, a “Tentative” status, a “Busy” status, and an “Out of Office” status. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a calendar events detail user interface screen that includes a plurality of fields specifying information about an event, wherein one of the fields in the plurality of fields is an availability status field for displaying an availability status associated with the event.   
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the availability status options selecting the set is performed during communication between the electronic device and the remote server. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the availability status options selecting the set is performed during provisioning of the electronic device or synchronization of the electronic device with the remote server. 
     
     
       10. An electronic device, comprising: a display; a controller; and a communication subsystem, coupled to the controller, which exchanges calendar event data with a remote server;, wherein the controller being is configured to: 
 determine a type provider identity of the remote server and ,wherein the remote server comprises a messaging server that provides calendar functions to the electronic device, and wherein the provider identity of the remote server is specified in calendar application settings of the electronic device;  
 setselect, from a plurality of different sets, a set of a plurality of availability status options for an availability status field for calendar events based on the type provider identity of the remote server; and 
 generate a calendar application user interface for creating or modifying calendar events on the display, wherein the calendar application user interface includes the availability status field, and wherein each one of the plurality of availability status options is selectable from the availability status field. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the communication subsystem to exchange calendar event data for scheduled calendar events, and wherein the calendar event data including the includes an availability status of the scheduled calendar events. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to set the availability status options based on whether the remote server is a server that identifies itself as being implemented using IBM Lotus Domino™ or a server that identifies itself as being implemented using Microsoft Exchange™ Server. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein setting comprises setting availability status options for the availability status field of a calendar events detail user interface screen of a calendar application, wherein the calendar events detail application user interface screen displays includes details about an event. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to plurality of different sets comprises:
 cause the availability status field to havea first set of at least two availability status options that is selected when the remote server is a first type of server,provider identity of the remote server is a first provider identity; and 
 cause the availability status field to havea second set of at least four availability status options that is selected when the remote server is a second type of serverprovider identity of the remote server is a second provider identity, and 
 wherein the first set has less availability status options than the second set. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least two availability status options when the remote server is the first type of server include a “Free” status and a “Busy” status”, and wherein the at least four availability status levels when the remote server is the second type of server options include a “Free” status, a “Tentative” status, a “Busy” status, and an “Out of Office” status. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a display coupled to the controller;   wherein the controller being is configured to generate on the display a calendar events detail user interface screen that includes a plurality of fields specifying information about an event, wherein one of the fields in the plurality of fields is an availability status field for displaying an availability status associated with the event.   
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein setting the availability status options is performed the controller is configured to select the set during communication between the electronic device and the remote server. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein setting the availability status options is performed the controller is configured to select the set during provisioning of the electronic device or synchronization of the electronic device with the remote server. 
     
     
       19. A method comprising:
 determining, byassociating an electronic device, a type ofwith a remote server in communication with the electronic device, wherein the remote server comprises a messaging server that provides calendar functions to the electronic device; 
 determining, by the electronic device, a provider identity of the remote server, wherein the provider identity of the remote server is specified in calendar application settings of the electronic device;  
 setting,selecting, by the electronic device, from a plurality of different sets, a set of a plurality of availability status options for an availability status field for calendar events based on the type provider identity of the remote server; 
 displaying, by the electronic device, a calendar events detail user interface screen that includes a plurality of fields specifying information about an event, wherein one of the fields in the plurality of fields is an the availability status fieldfor displaying an availability status associated with the event, and wherein each one of the plurality of availability status options is selectable from the availability status field; and 
 setting, by the electronic device, the an availability status in the displayed availability status field to one of the plurality of availability status options in response to input received by the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to plurality of different sets comprises:
 cause the availability status field to have a first set of availability status options that is selected when the remote server is a first type of messaging server, provider identity of the remote server is a first provider identity; and 
 cause the availability status field to have a second set of availability status options that is selected when the remote server is a second type of messaging server provider identity of the remote server is a second provider identity, 
 wherein each one of the first and second sets includes at least two availability status options, and wherein the first set has less availability status options than the second set. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of different sets comprises:
 a first set of at least two availability status options that is selected when the provider identity of the remote server is a first provider identity; and   a second set of at least four availability status options that is selected when the provider identity of the remote server is a second provider identity, and   wherein the first set has less availability status options than the second set.   
     
     
       22. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 determining a provider identity of a remote server, wherein the remote server comprises a messaging server that provides calendar functions to an electronic device, and wherein the provider identity of the remote server is specified in calendar application settings of the electronic device;   selecting, from a plurality of different sets, a set of a plurality of availability status options for an availability status field based on the provider identity of the remote server; and   generating a calendar application user interface for creating or modifying calendar events on a display of the electronic device, wherein the calendar application user interface includes the availability status field, and wherein each one of the plurality of availability status options is selectable from the availability status field.   
     
     
       23. The computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform an operation comprising exchanging calendar event data for scheduled calendar events, the calendar event data includes an availability status of the scheduled calendar events. 
     
     
       24. The computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the calendar application user interface includes details about an event. 
     
     
       25. The computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of different sets comprises:
 a first set of at least two availability status options that is selected when the provider identity of the remote server is a first provider identity; and   a second set of at least four availability status options that is selected when the provider identity of the remote server is a second provider identity, and   wherein the first set has less availability status options than the second set.   
     
     
       26. The computer readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the at least two availability status options include a “Free” status and a “Busy” status, and wherein the at least four availability status options include a “Free” status, a “Tentative” status, a “Busy” status, and an “Out of Office” status. 
     
     
       27. The computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform an operation comprising displaying a calendar events detail user interface screen that includes a plurality of fields specifying information about an event, wherein one of the fields in the plurality of fields is an availability status field for displaying an availability status associated with the event. 
     
     
       28. The computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein selecting the set is performed during communication between the electronic device and the remote server. 
     
     
       29. The computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein selecting the set is performed during provisioning of the electronic device.