Methods, Systems, And Computer Program Products For Calendar-Based Coverage Monitoring

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for calendar-based coverage monitoring are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes receiving a coverage rule defining at least one covering entity for performing an activity for a covered entity and at least one period of time during which the multiple covering entities is to perform the activity. Individual calendars for the at least one covering entity are monitored and a change in one of the calendars is detected. It is determined whether the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and a threshold criteria to be met, and in response to determining that the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and the threshold criteria to be me, automatically performing an action.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for calendar-based coverage monitoring, the method comprising:
 receiving a coverage rule defining at least one covering entity for performing an activity for a covered entity and at least one period of time during which the at least one covering entity is to perform the activity;   monitoring individual calendars for the at least one covering entity and detecting a change in at least one of the calendars;   determining whether the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and a threshold criteria to be met; and   in response to determining that the change causes the at least one of coverage rule to be violated and the threshold criteria to be met, automatically performing an action,   wherein at least one of the preceding actions is performed on at least one electronic hardware component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in response to determining that the change causes the coverage rule to be violated, performing the action includes automatically generating a notification indicating violation of the coverage rule. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in response to determining that the change causes the threshold criteria to be met, performing the action includes automatically generating a coverage warning notification indicating a potential for violation of the coverage rule. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a coverage rule includes receiving a coverage rule defining a minimum number of covering entities for performing the activity during at least one period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring individual calendars for the at least one covering entity comprises monitoring individual calendars for each of the at least one covering entity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring individual calendars includes receiving one of an availability period of time and a non-availability period of time associated with the at least one covering entity, and wherein detecting a change in one of the calendars includes detecting a change to the one of the availability period of time and the non-availability period of time associated with the at least one covering entity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining whether the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and a threshold criteria to be met includes comparing a number of available covering entities after the change for the at least one period of time to the number of covering entities specified by the coverage rule. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in response to determining that the change would cause the number of available covering entities to have a predetermined relationship with respect to the number of covering entities required by the coverage rule, automatically adding a coverage-related calendar event to the at least one of the calendars. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  comprising receiving calendar information associated with the covered entity and updating the coverage rule based on the calendar information associated with the covered entity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein receiving calendar information includes receiving one of event information and a period of time associated with the event information and wherein updating the coverage rule includes updating the coverage rule based on the one of event information and the period of time associated with the event information. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising determining whether the change would cause a number of available covering entities for the at least one period of time to have a predetermined relationship with respect to the plurality of covering entities required by the coverage rule without violating the coverage rule. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein, in response to determining that the change would cause the number of available covering entities to have the predetermined relationship, performing the action includes automatically generating a warning notification. 
     
     
         13 . A calendar-based coverage monitoring system, the system comprising system components including:
 a rule receiver component configured to receive a coverage rule defining at least one covering entity for performing an activity for a covered entity and at least one period of time during which the at least one covering entity is to perform the activity; and   a rule monitor component configured to:
 monitor individual calendars for the at least one covering entity; 
 detect a change in one of the calendars; 
 determine whether the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and a threshold criteria to be met; and 
 automatically performing an action in response to determining that the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and the threshold criteria to be met, 
   wherein at least one of the system components comprises at least one electronic hardware component.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein in response to determining that the change causes the coverage rule to be violated, the action performed by the rule monitor component includes automatically generating a notification indicating violation of the coverage rule in response to determining that the change causes the coverage rule to be violated. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein in response to determining that the change causes the threshold criteria to be met, the action performed by the rule monitor component includes automatically generating a coverage warning notification indicating a potential for violation of the coverage rule. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the rule monitor component is configured to receive calendar information associated with the covered entity and to update the coverage rule based on the calendar information associated with the covered entity. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the rule monitor component is configured to determine whether the change would cause a number of available covering entities for the at least one period of time to have a predetermined relationship with respect to the plurality of covering entities required by the coverage rule without violating the coverage rule. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  comprising an availability analysis function component configured to analyze calendar information and generate availability information. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising an action manager component configured to send the notification to at least one notification recipient. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the action manager component is further configured to perform an action in response to the rule monitor determining that the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and the threshold criteria to be met. 
     
     
         21 . A calendar-based coverage monitoring system, the system comprising:
 means for receiving a coverage rule defining at least one covering entity for performing an activity for a covered entity and at least one period of time during which the at least one covering entity is to perform the activity;   means for monitoring individual calendars for the at least one covering entity and detecting a change in one of the calendars;   means for determining whether the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and a threshold criteria to be met; and   means for automatically performing an action in response to determining that the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and the threshold criteria to be met.   
     
     
         22 . A computer readable medium containing a computer program, executable by a machine, for determining availability of presentable content via a subscription service, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
 receiving a coverage rule defining at least one covering entity for performing an activity for a covered entity and at least one period of time during which the at least one covering entity is to perform the activity;   monitoring individual calendars for the at least one covering entity and detecting a change in one of the calendars;   determining whether the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and a threshold criteria to be met; and   in response to determining that the change causes at least one of the coverage rule to be violated and the threshold criteria to be met; automatically performing an action.