System and method for enhanced multimedia conference collaboration

• US 20040249884A1
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Beyda, William J., Caspi, Rami
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A telecommunications system includes a network (102) and a multimedia server (104) operably coupled to the network. The multimedia server (104) is adapted to manage a multimedia conference and includes a memory (103) for storing selectable portions of the multimedia conference, as well as action prompts. The system further includes one or more client devices (122) operably coupled to the network and adapted to set action cues for use during conferences. A voice recognition system may be used to detect instances of the action cues, which cause the launching of an associated action prompt.

Claims

1. A telecommunications method, comprising:

storing a plurality of action cues, said action cues associated with one or more participants to a multimedia conference and adapted to cause an action prompt to be launched; and

performing a function responsive to said action prompt.

2. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said action cues comprise one or more audio cues.

3. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said action cues comprise one or more visual cues.

4. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said function comprises prompting users for categorization information during said multimedia conference.

5. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said function comprises generating suggestions responsive to said action cue.

6. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising asking a participant to verify a speech-recognized term responsive to said cue.

7. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a local area network (LAN);

a multimedia server operably coupled to said LAN, said multimedia server adapted to manage a multimedia conference and including a memory for action cues for use during said multimedia conference; and

one or more client devices operably coupled to said LAN and adapted to set said action cues for launching one or more action prompts during said multimedia conference.

8. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 7, said one or more clients adapted to set said one or more action cues.

9. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said action prompts prompt users for categorization information during said multimedia conference.

10. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said action prompts prompt users for function suggestions during said multimedia conference.

11. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said action prompts ask users to verify speech recognized text.

12. A telecommunications server, comprising:

a multimedia communication controller for interfacing multimedia conferences; and

a collaboration controller operably coupled to said multimedia communication controller, said collaboration controller adapted to storea plurality of action cues, and recognize said action cues when used in a multimedia conference and generate an action prompt responsive thereto.

13. A telecommunications server in accordance with claim 12, said action prompt comprising a window prompting a user for categorization information during said multimedia conference.

14. A telecommunications server in accordance with claim 12, said action prompt comprising one or more windows having action suggestions.

15. A telecommunications server in accordance with claim 12, said action prompt comprising a window prompting a user to verify speech-recognized text.

16. A telecommunications method, comprising:

generating an action prompt responsive to a user-settable action cue during a multimedia conference.

17. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said action cue comprises a voice action cue.

18. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said action cue is associated with a single participant and the prompt is launched responsive to said participant invoking said action cue.

19. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 18, wherein invoking said action cue also causes a launch of a moderator window.

A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 19, wherein said moderator window allows said moderator to respond to the action prompt.