Electronic Calendar
20220343287 · 2022-10-27
Inventors
Cpc classification
G08B7/06
PHYSICS
H04W4/80
ELECTRICITY
G06F3/0488
PHYSICS
G06F3/04886
PHYSICS
G06F1/1626
PHYSICS
G06F1/1643
PHYSICS
International classification
G06F3/0488
PHYSICS
G08B7/06
PHYSICS
Abstract
The present invention relates to a digital monthly electronic calendar that is designed to be hung in a convenient area of the home or office, to provide real-time information and reminders. The electronic calendar includes a touch screen that can display a digital monthly calendar with events planned for the month. The touch screen enables a user to easily view events, reminders and other important information while also enabling the user to edit existing events and add new events. The electronic calendar is designed to be synched with a plurality of other electronic calendars, such as those on phones and laptops through a mail server or directly through a wireless medium. The electronic calendar provides audible alerts through built-in speakers and also provides visual alerts of the upcoming events. Furthermore, the electronic calendar can be a battery-powered and operated device.
Claims
1. A method for electronic viewing of calendar events, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic calendar on an electronic device; hanging said electronic device on a wall; creating a user profile including credentials for a user of said electronic calendar; verifying said credentials entered by said user at the time of said creating said user profile; accessing said electronic calendar upon a successful authentication of said credentials; displaying an updated said electronic calendar associated with said user profile; viewing said electronic calendar; adding a plurality of calendar entries to said electronic calendar; syncing said electronic calendar with other electronic calendars installed in other electronic devices, wherein said plurality of calendar entries syncs with said electronic calendar and said other electronic calendars; and alerting said user with an audio alert and a visual alert of at least one of said plurality of calendar entries.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of adding to said plurality of calendar entries of said electronic calendar.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of editing said plurality of calendar entries of said electronic calendar.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said editing is from said other electronic devices.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said syncing includes a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of a server connection, a Wi-Fi connection, and a Bluetooth connection.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein said electronic device includes a touch screen display.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of said other electronic devices includes a mobile phone.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said alerting includes advance reminders of said at least one of said plurality of calendar entries.
9. A method for electronic viewing of calendar events, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic calendar on an electronic device; hanging said electronic device on a wall; creating a user profile including credentials for a user of said electronic calendar; verifying said credentials entered by said user at the time of said creating said user profile; accessing said electronic calendar upon a successful authentication of said credentials; displaying an updated said electronic calendar associated with said user profile; viewing said electronic calendar; adding a plurality of calendar entries to said electronic calendar; syncing said electronic calendar with other electronic calendars installed in other electronic devices, wherein at least one of said other electronic devices includes a mobile phone; and alerting said user with an audio alert and a visual alert of at least one of said plurality of calendar entries, wherein said alerting includes advance reminders of said at least one of said plurality of calendar entries.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising a step of adding to said plurality of calendar entries of said electronic calendar.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a step of editing said plurality of calendar entries of said electronic calendar.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said plurality of calendar entries syncs with said electronic calendar and said other electronic calendars.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said syncing includes a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of a server connection, a Wi-Fi connection, and a Bluetooth connection.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said electronic device includes a touch screen display.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said editing is from said other electronic devices.
16. An electronic device comprising: an electronic calendar having a user profile, user credentials, and a plurality of calendar entries; a wall hanging mechanism for hanging said electronic device on a wall; said user profile including said user credentials for a user for accessing of said electronic calendar, wherein said accessing said electronic calendar includes a successful authentication of said user credentials; said electronic calendar includes a real-time display of said plurality of calendar entries associated with said user profile; said electronic calendar synced with other electronic calendars installed in other electronic devices, wherein at least one of said other electronic devices includes a mobile phone; and said electronic device provides an audio alert and a visual alert of at least one of said plurality of calendar entries, wherein said audio alert and said visual alert include advance reminders of said at least one of said plurality of calendar entries.
17. The electronic calendar of claim 16, wherein said synced said electronic calendar and said other electronic calendars include said plurality of calendar entries synced with said electronic calendar and said other electronic calendars.
18. The electronic calendar of claim 17, wherein said synced includes a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of a server connection, a Wi-Fi connection, and a Bluetooth connection.
19. The electronic calendar of claim 18, wherein said electronic device includes a touch screen display.
20. The electronic calendar of claim 17, wherein said synced said electronic calendar and said other electronic calendars is real-time.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
[0018]
[0019]
[0020]
[0021]
[0022]
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[0026]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0027] The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It can be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments can be combined.
[0028] As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for an electronic calendar that can be hung on a wall, similar to a conventional wall calendar. There is also a long felt need in the art for an electronic calendar that provides convenience and utility to the user, much in the same way as is provided by a paper calendar. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for an electronic calendar that can automatically carry forward reoccurring events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, et. al., to the upcoming year. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an electronic calendar that can be synched with other user devices, thereby providing the user the liberty to add reminders and updates to one calendar, while autonomously updating same to all other connected digital calendars. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for an electronic calendar that provides for a one-time investment by the user, as the electronic calendar can be an electronic device that can be updated each year using the internet, thereby minimizing the expense of buying paper or consumable calendars every year. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for an electronic calendar that can be hung in a convenient area of the home or office to provide real-time information and reminders in the form of visual and audible alerts/notifications through an electronic display and speakers, respectively.
[0029] The present invention, in one potential embodiment, includes a novel digital monthly electronic calendar. The electronic calendar comprising a touch screen, a calendar software application, a communication module, built-in speakers, a battery and a controller. More specifically, the touch screen enables a user to edit and add events in the displayed calendar and also displays the real-time updated digital calendar for easy viewing. The calendar software application provides the digital calendar and interfaces for registration of the user. The speakers of the electronic calendar are configured to generate audible alerts/notifications indicating an upcoming event. The electronic calendar syncs with a mail server, email server, web server or calendars of nearby devices, such as phones and laptops, through a wireless communication medium provided by the communication module. Furthermore, the electronic calendar can be a battery-powered and operated device that can be hung in a convenient area of the home, kitchen or office using mechanical wall securing mechanisms.
[0030] Referring initially to the drawings,
[0031] The body 110 of the electronic calendar 100 can be made up of a material, such as, but not limited to: aluminum, wood, fiberglass, hardened plastic, polymer, chromed steel, stainless steel and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the body 110 of the electronic calendar 100 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. According to embodiments of the present invention, the electronic calendar 100 can be of different shapes and sizes, such as, but not limited to: cuboidal, cubic, cylindrical, hexagonal, square, rectangular and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any of the shapes and sizes for the electronic calendar 100 including known, related art and/or later developed technologies.
[0032] The touch screen 102 is configured to enable a user to input data into the electronic calendar 100. The user interface 102 is further configured to display output data associated with the electronic calendar 100. The user interface 102 can be, but is not limited to, a digital display, a touch screen display, a graphical user interface and so forth. In one potential embodiment of the present invention, the user interface 102 can be a touch screen display. The user interface 102 detects the location of a finger or a pointing device, such as a stylus, on the surface and enables a user to provide input to the electronic calendar 100. The touch screen user interface 102 can be touch-sensitive, and provides an input interface and an output interface between the electronic calendar 100 and a user. The controller 108, including the display controller module, receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to the touch screen 102. The touch screen 102 displays visual output to the user. The visual output can include graphics, text, icons and any combination thereof. The touch screen 102 can use LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, or LPD (light-emitting polymer display) technology, although other display technologies can be used in other embodiments. The touch screen 102 preferably includes a resolution of more than 100 dpi. In the present embodiment, the touch screen includes a resolution of approximately 150 dpi.
[0033] The speakers 104a, 104b (hereinafter referred to as speakers 104) are configured to generate a sound based on an output generated by the controller 108 of the electronic calendar 100. In one potential embodiment of the present invention, the sound can be an alert tone or signal that can be generated by the speakers 104, based on the output of the controller 108 of the electronic calendar 100. The alert tone can be generated by the speakers 104 to remind the user of the electronic calendar 100 of meetings, events, special occasions and so forth. According to embodiments of the present invention, the speakers 104 can be, but are not limited to, an electro-dynamic speaker, an in-wall speaker, a flat panel speaker, a plasma arc speaker, a piezoelectric speaker, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of speaker 104, including known, related art and/or later developed technologies. In another embodiment of the present invention, the speakers 104 can be buzzers that can be enclosed in the body 110 of the electronic calendar 100.
[0034] The communication module 106 of the electronic calendar 100 is configured to transmit data associated with the electronic calendar 100. Further, the communication module 106 can be configured to receive data associated with the electronic calendar 100. The transfer of data provides for synchronizing the electronic calendar 100 with other calendars installed in other electronic devices of a user. The entries made by a user in other calendars can be synched with the electronic calendar 100, and the wireless transmission of the information can be facilitated by the communication module 106. According to embodiments of the present invention, the communication module 106 can be in the form of an integrated chip and can be, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth device, Infrared (IR) device, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) device, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) device, Near Field Communication (NFC) device and so forth. In a potential embodiment of the present invention, the communication device 106 can be a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) device.
[0035] The controller 108 of the electronic calendar 100 performs the functions of a display controller. Accordingly, the controller 108 receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to the touch screen 102. Further, the touch screen 102 and the controller 108 detect contact and any movement on the touch screen 102, and convert the detected contact into interaction with the user-interface calendar 1020 that is displayed on the touch screen 102. The user-interface calendar 1020 is a monthly calendar that can list all the dates 116 and corresponding days 118 in a manner like a conventional paper wall calendar. Further, the month's name 122 can also be displayed on top of the calendar 1020 and events 120 such as meetings, birthdays, anniversaries and more are displayed on the corresponding dates. As stated earlier, a point of contact between the touch screen 102 and the user corresponds to a finger of the user or a stylus that is commercially available with the electronic calendar 100. The controller 108 also functions as an input/output controller that displays the output of a notification, an upcoming meeting or occasion on the touch screen 102. The controller 108 also controls the operation of the speakers 104. According to embodiments of the present invention, the controller 108 can be, but is not limited to: a Programmable Logic Control unit (PLC), a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a computing device, a development board, an ARDUINO development board and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the controller 108 including known, related art, and/or later-developed technologies that are capable of processing the received data. Further, the controller 108 will be explained in detail in conjunction with
[0036]
[0037]
[0038] The electronic calendar 100 can include a switch (not shown) disposed at a convenient location on the body of the calendar 100 and can be configured to enable a user to activate the electronic calendar 100 by pressing the switch. The switch, when activated, enables the calendar configuration module 210 to generate an activation signal for activating the touch screen and other components installed in the electronic calendar 100.
[0039] The display controller module 200 of the controller 108 detects contact and any movement on the touch screen by a finger of a user or by a stylus, and converts the detected contact into interaction with user-interface calendar displayed on the touch screen. The display controller 200 provides an input interface and an output interface to the user, enabling a user to input dates through the touch screen, and enabling the touch screen to display the calendar.
[0040] A registration module 202 enables a user to register in the electronic calendar 100. A user can register by providing touch input through the touch screen and a calendar application/software provides a user interface to the user for entering the input. The registration user interface can be provided by the registration module 202. A user can enter the username, the user identification number and the password, and can confirm same by clicking on the OK button. Subsequent thereto the user can become registered. A user can also enter the incoming mail server address and outgoing mail server address, enabling the calendar 100 to sync with the other calendar applications of the user that are configured with the same incoming mail server address and outgoing mail server address.
[0041] An input/output module 204 enables the user to add entries into the electronic calendar 100. The input/output module 204 enables the user to use an additional input device such as a wireless keyboard, to mark a date, set reminders and so forth on the calendar. The input/output module 204 also enables the user to set weekly, daily, monthly and yearly reminders that can generate audible and/or visual alerts/notifications using the notification module 208.
[0042] The electronic calendar 100 includes a calendar software application 206 that provides the interface, and can be configured to enable the user to sync the electronic calendar 100 with other calendars of the user device, such as a mobile phone, laptop, desktop, tablet, smartwatch and so forth. A plurality of views, such as a one-week view, multi-week view, monthly view or the like can be displayed by the software application 206, and can be selected using the touch interface. The software application 206 can be configured to connect to a mail server, or one or more user electronic devices for synchronization of all the calendars via a communication channel, established by the communication module 106. In an exemplary scenario, the user needs to login to the user profile by entering the credentials to connect to the nearby available user devices, and to the mail server, email server or web server to connect with the calendars synchronized with each other.
[0043] The notification module 208 can be designed to generate audible and visual alerts/notifications through the speaker and the touch screen. The generated audible alerts/notification can generate an alert tone that can be emitted through the speakers. The alert tone can be used to alert the user about the reminders, special dates, meetings, events and so forth. The notification module 208 can further be configured to generate visual alerts that can be displayed upon the touch screen.
[0044] As stated supra, the communication module 106 can be configured to establish a communication link between the user device and the mail/email/web server, and the electronic calendar 100 and can be used for wireless synchronization of the electronic calendar 100.
[0045]
[0046] The communication network 306 can include a data network such as, but not limited to, an Internet, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) and so forth. In some embodiments of the present invention, the communication network 106 can include a wireless network, such as, but not limited to, a cellular network, and can employ various technologies including Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE), a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and so forth. In some embodiments of the present invention, the communication network 106 can include or otherwise cover networks or sub-networks, each of which can include, for example, a wired or a wireless data pathway. In another embodiment of the present invention, the electronic calendar 100 and the user device 304 can be configured to communicate with each other by using Bluetooth.
[0047] The user devices 304a, 304b can include a calendar application or an email application with calendar functionality, that receives and transmits calendar data with the calendar software application in an electronic calendar 100. In an exemplary scenario, a user needs to login into the user profile in the software application of the electronic calendar 100 to sync his electronic calendar 100 with the calendars of the user devices 304a, 304b. The login credentials enable the software application to connect to the mail server 302. The mail server 302 can be configured to act as a bridge between the electronic calendar 100 and the user devices 304a, 304b. The mail server 302 enables the synchronization of the data from the electronic calendar 100 to the calendar of the user devices 304a, 304b, and vice versa. In another exemplary scenario, if the user fails to enter the correct credentials onto the electronic calendar 100, the calendars are prohibited from synching with each other.
[0048] In one alternative embodiment of the present invention, the user devices 304a, 304b can directly sync the calendars with the electronic calendar 100 directly through the communication network 306. The software application installed in the electronic calendar authenticates the calendar applications of the user devices 304a, 304b before synching the calendar entries.
[0049] According to embodiments of the present invention, the user devices 304a, 304b can be, but are not limited to, a mobile device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a portable computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a smart device, a smartwatch, and so forth.
[0050]
[0051] At step 408, the electronic calendar 100 can enable the user to sign up by entering credentials that can be used at the time of login. The credentials can be saved into the mail server. At step 410, the electronic calendar 100 downloads and displays the calendar related to the user profile from the mail server. The calendar can also be locally stored in the electronic calendar 100. At step 412, the electronic calendar 100 displays the digital calendar to the user with all the marked events related to the user profile. The events can be, for example, birthdays, anniversaries, meetings, flights, appointments, etc. The events can be displayed and synched with the other calendars of the user. At step 414, the user can edit/add special dates, events, updates, meetings, reminders and so forth in the electronic calendar using the touch surface. At step 416, the electronic calendar 100 automatically syncs the updates and entries on the mail server 302 using the communication network 306 and thus, the calendar can be synched with the other user devices. At step 418, visual and audible alerts/notifications are generated by the electronic calendar 100 regarding marked events through speakers and touch screen.
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[0055]
[0056] Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claim to refer to features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons can refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “electronic calendar”, “digital monthly electronic calendar”, “digital calendar”, “digital device” and “calendar” are interchangeable and refer to the electronic calendar 100 of the present invention.
[0057] Notwithstanding the foregoing, the electronic calendar 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the electronic calendar 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the electronic calendar 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the electronic calendar 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, electronic calendar 100 can be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
[0058] Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
[0059] What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.