System and Method for Automatically Scheduling Group Appointments

Abstract

The system and method for automatically scheduling appointments includes obtaining group appointment preference information for an appointment group. The appointment group includes a plurality of users who are members of the appointment group. After obtaining the group appointment preference information scheduling, based on the group appointment preference information, a plurality of concurrent appointments associated with the appointment group including a first appointment and a second appointment and sending invitations to the plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group. Sending the invitations includes: sending, to a first subset of users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a first appointment at a first appointment time; and sending, to a second subset users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a second appointment at a second appointment time, where the first appointment time at least partially overlaps the second appointment time.

1 . A method for appointment scheduling, comprising:
 at an appointment server system including one or more processors and memory:
 obtaining group appointment preference information for an appointment group, wherein the appointment group includes a plurality of users who are members of the appointment group; 
 after obtaining the group appointment preference information scheduling, based on the group appointment preference information, a plurality of concurrent appointments associated with the appointment group including a first appointment and a second appointment; and 
 sending invitations to the plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group, wherein sending the invitations includes:
 sending, to a first subset of users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a first appointment at a first appointment time; and 
 sending, to a second subset users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a second appointment at a second appointment time, wherein the first appointment time at least partially overlaps the second appointment time. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein locations for the plurality of concurrent appointments are selected automatically, without human intervention. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of concurrent appointments are scheduled automatically, without human intervention. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein scheduling the plurality of concurrent appointments includes, for the first appointment:
 determining locations of the first subset of users; and   selecting a location for the first appointment based on the locations of the first subset of users.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the appointment group includes a respective number of members;   the first appointment has a maximum number of participants that is smaller than the respective number; and   the second appointment has a maximum number of participants that is smaller than the respective number.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group appointment preference information includes information about user preferences of a respective user determined based on responses, by the respective user, to prior invitations for prior appointments associated with the appointment group. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group appointment preference information includes information provided by a respective user who is a member of the appointment group, wherein the information provided by the respective user includes one or more of: an availability of the respective user including a plurality of times when the respective user is available for an appointment, a location of the respective user, a rating of one or more other users, travel preferences of the respective user, appointment location preferences of the respective user, and dietary restrictions/preferences of one the respective user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group appointment preference information includes information provided by an organizer of the appointment group that specifies parameters for appointments associated with the appointment group, wherein the parameters include one or more of: a number of participants for appointments, a frequency of appointments, geographical boundaries for appointments, and a number of concurrent appointments to schedule. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the group appointment preference information specifies a periodic interval for appointments associated with the appointment group;   the first appointment and the second appointment are scheduled on a first date; and   the method further comprises:
 selecting a second date based on the first date and the periodic interval; 
 scheduling, on the second date, an additional plurality of appointments associated with the appointment group based on the group appointment preferences, including a third appointment and a fourth appointment, wherein the third appointment is concurrent with the fourth appointment; and 
 sending invitations to the additional plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group, wherein sending the invitations includes:
 sending, to a third subset of users who are members of the appointment group, invitations to the third appointment at a third appointment time; and 
 sending, to a fourth subset of users who are members of the appointment group, invitations to the fourth appointment at a fourth appointment time, wherein the third appointment time at least partially overlaps the fourth appointment time. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving replies from a plurality of the first subset of users; and   in response to receiving the replies:
 when replies indicating an acceptance of the first appointment have been received from a predefined number of the first subset of users, sending electronic messages to the first subset of users including a confirmation of the first appointment. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first appointment is scheduled to occur at a first location;   the invitations sent to a first user of the first subset of users includes an indication of a first travel time of the first user to the first location; and   the invitations sent to a second user of the first subset of users includes an indication of a second travel time of the second user to the first location.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the indication of the travel time of a respective user to the first location includes a calendar appointment with a start time that is the first time adjusted by a travel time of the respective user to the first location. 
     
     
         13 . An appointment server system, comprising:
 one or more processors;   memory; and   one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and are configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 obtaining group appointment preference information for an appointment group, wherein the appointment group includes a plurality of users who are members of the appointment group; 
 after obtaining the group appointment preference information scheduling, based on the group appointment preference information, a plurality of concurrent appointments associated with the appointment group including a first appointment and a second appointment; and 
 sending invitations to the plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group, wherein sending the invitations includes:
 sending, to a first subset of users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a first appointment at a first appointment time; and 
 sending, to a second subset users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a second appointment at a second appointment time, wherein the first appointment time at least partially overlaps the second appointment time. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the appointment group includes a respective number of members;   the first appointment has a maximum number of participants that is smaller than the respective number; and   the second appointment has a maximum number of participants that is smaller than the respective number.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the group appointment preference information includes information about user preferences of a respective user determined based on responses, by the respective user, to prior invitations to prior appointments associated with the appointment group. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the group appointment preference information specifies a periodic interval for appointments associated with the appointment group;   the first appointment and the second appointment are scheduled on a first date; and   the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 selecting a second date based on the first date and the periodic interval; 
 scheduling, on the second date, an additional plurality of appointments associated with the appointment group based on the group appointment preferences, including a third appointment and a fourth appointment, wherein the third appointment is concurrent with the fourth appointment; and 
 sending invitations to the additional plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group, wherein sending the invitations includes:
 sending, to a third subset of users who are members of the appointment group, invitations to the third appointment at a third appointment time; and 
 sending, to a fourth subset of users who are members of the appointment group, invitations to the fourth appointment at a fourth appointment time, wherein the third appointment time at least partially overlaps the fourth appointment time. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer system with one or more processors, cause the computer system to:
 obtain group appointment preference information for an appointment group, wherein the appointment group includes a plurality of users who are members of the appointment group;   after obtaining the group appointment preference information schedule, based on the group appointment preference information, a plurality of concurrent appointments associated with the appointment group including a first appointment and a second appointment; and   send invitations to the plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group, wherein sending the invitations includes:
 sending, to a first subset of users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a first appointment at a first appointment time; and 
 sending, to a second subset users who are members in the appointment group, invitations to a second appointment at a second appointment time, wherein the first appointment time at least partially overlaps the second appointment time. 
   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the appointment group includes a respective number of members;   the first appointment has a maximum number of participants that is smaller than the respective number; and   the second appointment has a maximum number of participants that is smaller than the respective number.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the group appointment preference information includes information about user preferences of a respective user determined based on responses, by the respective user, to prior invitations to prior appointments associated with the appointment group. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the group appointment preference information specifies a periodic interval for appointments associated with the appointment group;   the first appointment and the second appointment are scheduled on a first date; and   the one or more programs further comprise instructions which cause the computer system to:
 select a second date based on the first date and the periodic interval; 
 schedule, on the second date, an additional plurality of appointments associated with the appointment group based on the group appointment preferences, including a third appointment and a fourth appointment, wherein the third appointment is concurrent with the fourth appointment; and 
 send invitations to the additional plurality of appointments to members of the appointment group, wherein sending the invitations includes:
 sending, to a third subset of users who are members of the appointment group, invitations to the third appointment at a third appointment time; and 
 sending, to a fourth subset of users who are members of the appointment group, invitations to the fourth appointment at a fourth appointment time, wherein the third appointment time at least partially overlaps the fourth appointment time.