EVENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION Algorithm (31-Oct-2007)

EVENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION Algorithm

By Surender Kumar, Maria Thompson, Amarnath Chitti

Motorola, Inc.

ABSTRACT

A unique method is defined for identification, notification, resolution, and synchronization of event conflicts that could occur due to context based dependencies across heterogeneous mobile user communities. An EVENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION Algorithm is designed upon web based services model that gathers calendar events from heterogeneous user calendars, filter relevant contacts for each event, and creates inter-dependent chain of events for generating predictions and thus identifying event conflicts.

The algorithm issues notifications to all affected contacts and gathers user actions for propagating updated calendar data across all relevant contacts.

PROBLEM

How to notify, modify, and synchronize event conflicts across multiple heterogeneous user calendars?

Example:

F      User Mark, Emily, and Alex are a family.

F      Mark Schedule :

      2:00 – 3:00 PM Meeting with John at work

      3:00 – 3:30 PM Travel to pick up Alex from

                                 School

      3:30 – 5:00 PM Pickup Alex from school,

                                Drop Alex at home and drive

                                to meet with customer Rick

      5:00 PM            Meeting with Rick

F      Mark runs into traffic Jam, will reach Alex’s school at 4 PM instead and would be late for meeting with Rick

How does Rick get seamlessly notified? AND, How can both Emily and Alex get notified that it would be best for Emily to pick up Alex instead, so Mark can make the meeting with Rick?

SOLUTION

A method is defined for identification, notification, resolution, and synchronization of schedule conflicts that could occur due to context based known and unknown dependencies across heterogeneous mobile user communities. The suggested method is based on EVENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION algorithm which is designed upon web-based services model.

The server maintains the calendar events of all subscribed users. Based on this data, EVENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION algorithm generates chains of critical events across the user communities in order to monitor the probability of happening of each critical event based on known predictive algorithms. The additional inputs provided to this algorithm are multi-user dependencies. The outcome of these predictions enable EVENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION algorithm to make decisions related to

a) contact lists affected by the decisions,

b) suggestive solutions to mitigate the disruptions,

c) notification methodologies for affected contacts, and

d) delegation rules (if any) for affected contacts.

Figure 1 shows the algorithm steps.

Event types:

Events defined in a user’s calendar could be categorized...