System and Method for Scheduled Events to Subscribe to Live Information Topics

Abstract

A calendar system stores and organizes materials related to scheduled events, to-dos, addresses, etc. and allows a user to browse a calendar and select entries for viewing. In addition, each entry is linked to any number of topics related to that entry and up-to-date information on these topics are displayed when the entry is viewed. Topics are published on topic channels by one or more topic providers and a calendar system administrator defines which topics relate to which calendar entries. When a client enters information related to a new calendar entry or event, the calendar system determines which topics relate to that event and identifies corresponding topic channels which currently exist or need to be created between the calendar system and the topic providers. Finally, in each calendar entry, links are created to local versions of the appropriate topic channels and the entry is then persistently stored. Multiple calendar events and multiple calendar users are able to link to the same local topic channel and thereby reduce data searching, retrieval, and storage costs.

1 . A method for scheduled events to subscribe to topic channels comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving information entered via a computer, said entered information related to an event scheduled by a subscriber;    b. identifying a category associated with said event;    c. identifying at least one service associated with said identified category in (b);    d. constructing at least one topic name using said identified category in (b) and said identified service in (c);    e. either: 
 i. mapping said constructed topic name in (d) to at least one existing topic channel, or  
 ii. creating a new topic channel and mapping said constructed topic name to said to said newly created topic channel;  
   said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel being maintained by at least one topic publisher, said topic publisher providing service messages related to said event to said subscriber via said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel;    f. storing in storage, along with said entered information in (a), a link to said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel; and    g. receiving updated to said service messages related to said event from said topic publisher for said topic channel associated.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said event is a calendar event.  
     
     
         3 . The method  claim 1 , wherein at least two subscribers share said topic channel.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storage is a persistent computer storage.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method is implemented locally or remotely on one or more computer-based systems.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method is implemented across networks comprising any of LANs, WANs, cellular, Internet, or Web-based networks.  
     
     
         7 . An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein to subscribe scheduled events to topic channels, said medium comprising: 
 a. computer readable program code aiding in receiving information entered via a computer, said entered information related to an event scheduled by a subscriber;    b. computer readable program code identifying a category associated with said event;    c. computer readable program code aiding in identifying at least one service associated with said identified category in (b);    d. computer readable program code aiding in constructing at least one topic name using said identified category in (b) and said identified service in (c);    e. either: 
 i. computer readable program code mapping said constructed topic name in (d) to at least one existing topic channel, or  
 ii. computer readable program code creating a new topic channel and computer readable program code mapping said constructed topic name to said to said newly created topic channel;  
   said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel being maintained by at least one topic publisher, said topic publisher providing service messages related to said event to said subscriber via said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel;    f. computer readable program code aiding in storing, in storage, along with said entered information in (a), a link to said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel; and    g. computer readable program code aiding in receiving updated to said service messages related to said event from said topic publisher for said topic channel associated.    
     
     
         8 . The article of manufacture of  claim 7 , wherein said event is a calendar event.  
     
     
         9 . The article of manufacture of  claim 7 , wherein at least two subscribers share said topic channel.  
     
     
         10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 7 , wherein said storage is a persistent computer storage.  
     
     
         11 . A method for scheduled events to subscribe to topic channels comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving an calendar entry entered via a computer, said calendar entry related to an event scheduled by a subscriber;    b. identifying a category associated with said event;    c. identifying at least one service associated with said identified category in (b);    d. constructing at least one topic name using said identified category in (b) and said identified service in (c);    e. either: 
 i. mapping said constructed topic name in (d) to at least one existing topic channel, or  
 ii. creating a new topic channel and mapping said constructed topic name to said to said newly created topic channel;  
   said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel being maintained by at least one topic publisher, said topic publisher providing service messages related to said event to said subscriber via said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel;    f. storing in storage, along with said calendar entry in (a), a link to said existing topic channel or said newly created topic channel; and    g. receiving updated to said service messages related to said event from said topic publisher for said topic channel associated.    
     
     
         12 . The method  claim 11 , wherein at least two subscribers having substantially similar calendar entries share said topic channel.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said storage is a persistent computer storage.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said method is implemented locally or remotely on one or more computer-based systems.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said method is implemented across a network, said network comprising any of the following: local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or the Internet.