US Patent 9734194 Encoding time interval information

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for encoding time interval information. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data specifying a time interval in which a provider is available, encoding the time interval in which the provider is available as one or more data structures that each identify (i) an offset value that specifies a time offset between a baseline time and a beginning of a reference time interval, and (ii) one or more respective time sub-interval values that identify one or more time sub-intervals within the reference time interval, and storing one or more of the data structures in association with the provider.