DERIVING AND COMMUNICATING ATTENTION SPANS IN COLLABORATIVE APPLICATIONS

• US 20090172100A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Denner, Gary, O'Sullivan, Patrick J., Callanan, Sean, Lyle, Ruthie D., Zimmet, Carol S.
• Application Number:
  US11/967,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative computing and provide a method, system and computer program product for deriving and communicating attention spans in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, an attention span management method can be provided for a collaborative computing environment. The method can include monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration, computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, and generating an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration.

Claims

1. An attention span management method for a collaborative computing environment, the method comprising:

monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration;

computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity; and

,

generating an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration, comprises monitoring received and transmitted instant messages for the collaborator to the collaboration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration, comprises monitoring user interaction with other applications by the collaborator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, comprises assigning a value as an attention span pre-assigned to the monitored activity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, comprises assigning a value to the attention span that has been pre-assigned to a combination of monitored activities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, comprises:

assigning a value for the attention span that has been pre-assigned to the monitored activity; and

,

weighting the assigned value according to a context of the collaboration.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration, comprises alerting either a moderator or a collaborator for the collaboration.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a collaborator required to maintain a requisite level of attention span for an anticipated portion of the collaboration; and

,

alerting the identified collaborator in advance of the anticipated portion of the need to pay attention.

9. A collaboration data processing system configured for attention span management, the system comprising:

a collaboration server providing a collaboration for a plurality of collaborators through collaborative clients over a computer communications network;

a plurality of monitors, each coupled to a different one of the clients; and

,

attention span management logic comprising program code enabled to computing an attention span based upon a monitored computing activity provided by a selected one of the monitors coupled to a selected one of the clients, and to generate an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the collaboration is an e-meeting.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the collaboration is a Web conference.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the collaboration is a team room.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium embodying computer usable program code for attention span management, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration;

computer usable program code for computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity; and

,

computer usable program code for generating an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration, comprises computer usable program code for monitoring received and transmitted instant messages for the collaborator to the collaboration.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration, comprises computer usable program code for monitoring user interaction with other applications by the collaborator.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, comprises computer usable program code for assigning a value as an attention span pre-assigned to the monitored activity.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, comprises computer usable program code for assigning a value to the attention span that has been pre-assigned to a combination of monitored activities.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer usable program code for computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, comprises:

computer usable program code for assigning a value for the attention span that has been pre-assigned to the monitored activity; and

,

computer usable program code for weighting the assigned value according to a context of the collaboration.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for generating an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration, comprises computer usable program code for alerting either a moderator or a collaborator for the collaboration.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying a collaborator required to maintain a requisite level of attention span for an anticipated portion of the collaboration; and

,

computer usable program code for alerting the identified collaborator in advance of the anticipated portion of the need to pay attention.