Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for rescheduling events within calendars to achieve a target objective with respect to target occurrences of a particular kind in the calendars. For instance, the target occurrences may correspond to instances of free time, and the target objective is to increase the amount of minimum-sized free-time blocks within the calendars, e.g., by favoring the introduction of large free-time blocks of minimum size (e.g., two-hour blocks), and disfavoring the presence of smaller-sized free-time blocks scattered among calendar events. In other words, the technique defragments the calendars with respect to free time expressed in those calendars. At the same time, the technique honors (when possible) participant-related constraints associated with calendar events. Further, the technique penalizes modification of an event as a function of a temporal distance over which the event is moved; this penalization has the effect of reducing disruption to the calendars.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for rescheduling events within calendars to achieve a target objective with respect to target occurrences of a particular kind in the calendars. For instance, the target occurrences may correspond to instances of free time, and the target objective is to increase the amount of minimum-sized free-time blocks within the calendars, e.g., by favoring the introduction of large free-time blocks of minimum size (e.g., two-hour blocks), and disfavoring the presence of smaller-sized free-time blocks scattered among calendar events. In other words, the technique defragments the calendars with respect to free time expressed in those calendars. At the same time, the technique honors (when possible) participant-related constraints associated with calendar events. Further, the technique penalizes modification of an event as a function of a temporal distance over which the event is moved; this penalization has the effect of reducing disruption to the calendars.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein that assists an end-user in setting up an event that involves a set of participants. The technique identifies a proposed time slot that satisfies two objectives. First, the time slot satisfies participant-related constraints pertaining to the event. Second, the time slot satisfies a target objective that is defined as a function of target calendar occurrences of a particular kind, as measured across all of the calendars of the participants. The computer-implemented technique has the effect, upon repeated scheduling of events, of defragmenting the calendars with respect to target occurrences that appear in the calendars. In one implementation, the target objective is a free-time objective, and the technique operates by favoring the introduction of large free-time blocks of minimum size (e.g., two-hour blocks), and disfavoring the presence of smaller-sized free-time blocks scattered among events.