System and method for scheduling conference resources

• US 20060062367A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Christenson, Steven L., Pirzada, Shamim S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,693,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/202.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects

Abstract

A method for scheduling conference resources is provided, that includes receiving a request for a conference reservation. The request may include the identities of a plurality of proposed participants, a proposed start time, and at least one fixed resource criterion. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a projected location of at least one of the proposed participants is automatically calculated. The projected location may be a location at which the at least one of the proposed participants is expected to be at approximately the proposed start time. The method may also include automatically calculating a projected location of at least one invitee of the conference. In accordance with this embodiment, the projected location of the at least one invitee may be used to select an optimal one of a plurality of fixed resources, that match the at least one fixed resource criterion.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling conference resources, comprising:

receiving a request for a conference reservation, the request including the identities of a plurality of proposed participants, a proposed start time, and at least one fixed resource criterion; and

automatically calculating a projected location of at least one of the proposed participants, the projected location comprising a location at which the at least one of the proposed participants is expected to be at approximately the proposed start time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the proposed participants comprises a conference coordinator.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the projected location of the at least one of the proposed participants to select an optimal one of a plurality of fixed resources that match the at least one fixed resource criterion.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the optimal one of the plurality of fixed resources comprises the one of the plurality of fixed resources that is nearest to the projected location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of proposed participants further comprises at least one invitee of the conference.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

automatically calculating a projected location of the at least one invitee of the conference; and

using the projected location of the at least one invitee to select an optimal one of a plurality of fixed resources that match the at least one fixed resource criterion.

7. A method for scheduling conference resources, comprising:

receiving a request for a conference reservation, the request including a plurality of conference resources, and a proposed start time;

automatically calculating a respective projected location for each of the plurality of conference resources; and

generating an optimal location for the conference, based upon the locations of the plurality of conference resources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the conference resources comprise fixed conference resources.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the conference resources include moveable conference resources.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the request further includes identities of a plurality of proposed participants of the conference, and further comprising calculating respective projected locations for a plurality of the proposed participants.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the optimal location is generated based, at least in part, upon the locations of the plurality of proposed participants.

12. A system for scheduling conference resources, comprising:

an interface being operable to receive a request for a conference reservation, the request including the identities of a plurality of proposed participants, a proposed start time, and at least one fixed resource criterion; and

a processor being operable to automatically calculate a projected location of at least one of the proposed participants, the projected location comprising a location at which the at least one of the proposed participants is expected to be at approximately the proposed start time.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to:

automatically calculate a projected location of at least one invitee of the conference; and

use the projected location of the at least one invitee to select an optimal one of a plurality of fixed resources that match the at least one fixed resource criterion.

14. A system for scheduling conference resources, comprising:

an interface operable to receive a request for a conference reservation, the request including a plurality of conference resources, and a proposed start time;

a processor being operable to automatically calculate a respective projected location for each one of the plurality of conference resources; and

the processor being further operable to generate an optimal location for the conference, based upon the locations of the plurality of conference resources.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the request further includes identities of a plurality of proposed participants of the conference, and wherein the processor is further operable to calculate respective projected locations for a plurality of the proposed participants.

16. A system for scheduling conference resources, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a conference reservation, the request including the identities of a plurality of proposed participants, a proposed start time, and at least one fixed resource criterion; and

means for automatically calculating a projected location of at least one of the proposed participants, the projected location comprising a location at which the at least one of the proposed participants is expected to be at approximately the proposed start time.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for automatically calculating a projected location of at least one invitee of the conference; and

means for using the projected location of the at least one invitee to select an optimal one of a plurality of fixed resources that match the at least one fixed resource criterion.

18. A system for scheduling conference resources, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a conference reservation, the request including a plurality of conference resources, and a proposed start time;

means for automatically calculating a respective projected locations for each of the plurality of conference resources; and

means for generating an optimal location for the conference, based upon the locations of the plurality of conference resources.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the request further includes identities of a plurality of proposed participants of the conference, and further comprising means for calculating respective projected locations for a plurality of the proposed participants.

20. Software embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive a request for a conference reservation, the request including the identities of a plurality of proposed participants, a proposed start time, and at least one fixed resource criterion; and

automatically calculate a projected location of at least one of the proposed participants, the projected location comprising a location at which the at least one of the proposed participants is expected to be at approximately the proposed start time.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the code is further operable to:

automatically calculate a projected location of the at least one invitee of the conference; and

use the projected location of the at least one invitee to select an optimal one of a plurality of fixed resources that match the at least one fixed resource criterion.

22. Software embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive a request for a conference reservation, the request including a plurality of conference resources, and a proposed start time;

automatically calculate a respective projected location for each of the plurality of conference resources; and

generate an optimal location for the conference, based upon the locations of the plurality of conference resources.

23. The media of claim 22, wherein the request further includes identities of a plurality of proposed participants of the conference, and wherein the code is further operable to calculate respective projected locations for a plurality of the proposed participants.