MEANS AND METHODS TO COORDINATE MEETINGS AND GENERATION OF RELATED DOCUMENTS

• US 20080177611A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joshua Paul Sommers, Phil Paisley
• Original Assignee: Joshua Paul Sommers, Phil Paisley
• Inventors: Paisley, Phil, Sommers, Joshua Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/955,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177611A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

Meetings are coordinated by a meeting coordinator who enters the identity of invitees, possible meeting times and locations and other meeting parameters. Invitees may report their acceptance, rejection and/or personal preferences for meeting times and locations. If all invites respond and a consensus is not reached, the meeting coordinator may change the meeting parameters and initiate another round of invitations and responses. When a consensus is reached, a meeting location is selected, if multiple locations were approved. An agenda and confirmation of the meeting details are distributed. During the meeting, means of recording and displaying statements are provided. Meeting participates may provide contemporaneous written comments to the minutes during the meeting or may add comments or revisions after the meeting.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling meetings over a network comprising:

a) providing a meeting coordinator with an graphical user interface suitable for entering into a database the parameters of a new meeting including a name for the meeting;

b) providing a meeting coordinator with a graphical user interface suitable to optionally establish a meeting description, quorum or agenda for entry into a database;

c) providing a meeting coordinator with a graphical user interface comprising a my location page wherein meeting times may be selected, stored locations may be selected or new locations may be entered and selected from a database.

d) providing a meeting coordinator with a graphical user interface comprising a my attendees page wherein potential meeting attendees may be selected or new attendees may be established and selected from a database;

e) providing a meeting coordinator with means to define potential attendees as being required or optional;

f) providing a meeting coordinator with means to activate a send-meeting-invitations button causing electronic mail to be sent to all potential attendees;

g) providing to each potential attendee a hyperlink to a meeting locations page wherein a potential attendee is directed to another page wherein the potential attendee may indicate which meeting dates, times, and locations they can and cannot attend;

h) providing to each potential attendee a hyperlink to a meeting agenda page wherein each potential attendee may make recommendations for additions or changes to the meeting agenda;

i) after each potential attendee responds to a meeting invitation, comparing the meeting requirements to the responses and notifying the meeting coordinator when a meeting consensus has been reached.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the meeting coordinator is notified by electronic mail when all potential attendees have responded and no consensus has been reached.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the meeting coordinator may change meeting times, dates and locations, and change the required or optional status of potential attendees.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein all attendees may record notes during a meeting and such notes may be shared with all attendees.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the notes recorded during a meeting are saved and attendees may later retrieve the notes.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein invitees may convey to the meeting coordinator their dates and times of availability for a meeting.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a fee is charged to a meeting coordinator.

8. A coordination center for scheduling meetings and distributing agendas comprising:

a database;

a my meetings interface;

a my attendees interface;

a my locations interface; and

means of communicating to invitees.

9. The coordination center of claim 8 wherein the my meetings interface includes means of establishing a meeting name, description, quorum and agenda.

10. The coordination center of claim 9 wherein the my attendees interface includes means of selecting or adding potential meeting members to a mailing list.

11. A method of scheduling a meeting comprising the steps of:

entering meeting parameters into a database;

inviting participants to a meeting;

recording into the database the acceptances and rejections of the invited participates; and

scheduling a meeting when the invitees satisfy the meeting parameters entered into the database.

12. The method of claim 11 including means of recording statements made during a meeting.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein graphs are generated to display the status of filling the parameters of a meeting.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein fees are charged.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein an invited participant may invite others or sub-invitees to the meeting.