Computer method and apparatus for automated scheduling

A computer system for providing an automatic visual scheduler, the computer system comprising:

• a digital processor and associated memory coupled to provide at least one electronic calendar that displays scheduled tasks in a time progression oriented so as to have a viewing pattern that is synonymous with sense of time, and the electronic calendar displays scheduled tasks in time order of respective start date and times;
• a graphical user interface executed by the digital processor and operatively coupled to the electronic calendar, the graphical user interface configured to employ drag and drop technology;
• and
• a scheduling engine executed by the digital processor and operatively coupled to the graphical user interface, the scheduling engine-responsive to user interaction with the electronic calendar as displayed by the digital processor and automatically:
• (i) scheduling a user requested unscheduled task and rescheduling any affected previously scheduled tasks and associated resources in the electronic calendar, and (ii) assigning a user requested resource to execute the user requested scheduled task, the assigning automatically determining availability of the assigned user requested resource during date and times of the user requested scheduled task,
• such that the calendar maintains a logically correct schedule of resources and tasks including the user-requested task and the previously scheduled tasks, wherein the user interaction includes:
• dragging and dropping a visual representation of the user requested unscheduled task into the electronic calendar at a certain date and time via the graphical user interface, wherein the scheduling engine displays the dragged and dropped visual representation in the calendar at the certain date and time as the user requested scheduled task, and
• dragging and dropping a working visual indication of the user requested resource onto the displayed visual representation of the user requested scheduled task in the calendar, in response to the dragging and dropping of the working visual indication of the user requested resource, the scheduling engine automatically determines if the user requested resource is available during the certain date and time of the user requested scheduled task, and if available, automatically displaying the dragged and dropped working visual indication in the calendar as the assigned user requested resource;
• wherein the digital processor displays views of the electronic calendar on a display monitor communicatively coupled to the digital processor.

A computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium holding computer code instructions thereon, the computer code instructions, when executed by at least one processor, cause an automatic visual scheduler to:
• provide one or more electronic calendars and support user manipulation of any of the electronic calendars;
• display scheduled tasks in the electronic calendar, said display being in a time progression along a horizontally oriented viewing pattern;
• provide a graphical user interface to the electronic calendar that employs drag and drop technology;
• and
• in response to user interaction with the electronic calendar, automatically:
• (i) schedule a user requested task and reschedule any impacted previously scheduled tasks and associated resources in the electronic calendar, and (ii) assign a user requested resource to execute the user requested scheduled task, the assigning automatically determining availability of the assigned user requested resource during date and times of the user requested scheduled task
• such that the electronic calendar maintains a logically correct schedule of resources and tasks including the user-selected task and the previously scheduled tasks, wherein the user interaction includes:
• dragging and dropping a visual representation of the user requested unscheduled task into the calendar at a certain date and time, wherein the at least one processor displays the dragged and dropped visual representation in the calendar at the certain date and time as the user requested scheduled task, and
• dragging and dropping a working visual indication of the user requested resource onto the displayed visual representation of the user requested scheduled task in the calendar, in response to the dragging and dropping of the working visual indication of the user requested resource, the at least one processor automatically determines if the user requested resource is available during the certain date and time of the user requested scheduled task, and if available, automatically displaying the dragged and dropped working visual indication in the calendar as the assigned user requested resource.