Implementing meeting moderator failover and failback

• US 7,953,622 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Sullivan, Patrick J., Ogle, David M., Shaye, Susan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEENEY, BRETT A
• Application Number:
  US12/134,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer-usable medium for scheduling a meeting, determining a set of policies for selecting a replacement meeting moderator if an original meeting moderator is not present in the meeting, specifying the a set of policies for reestablishing control of the meeting to the original meeting moderator when the original meeting moderator rejoins the meeting, deciding whether to implement a default policy or a custom policy as the set of policies. The default policy includes examining a user directory, establishing a hierarchy ranking of a collection of meeting members, where the original meeting moderator holds the highest rank, and designating a member of the collection of meeting members as a replacement meeting moderator, where the member holds a next highest rank in the hierarchy ranking.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scheduling a meeting using one or more server computer systems;

defining, using the one or more server computer systems, a set of custom policies comprising a failover policy and a failback policy instructing the one or more server computer systems to select a replacement meeting moderator in response to an absence of an original meeting moderator in the meeting, the failover policy specifying a custom hierarchy of one or more replacement meeting moderators, the failback policy specifying a custom policy for reestablishing control of the meeting with the original meeting moderator in response to the original meeting moderator rejoining the meeting;

detecting during the meeting, by the one or more server computer systems, that the original meeting moderator is absent by one of the original meeting moderator leaving the meeting and the original meeting moderator failing to log on to the meeting; and

designating based on the failover policy, by the one or more server computer systems, the replacement meeting moderator for the meeting in response to detecting that the original meeting moderator is absent in the meeting.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reestablishing control of the meeting with the original meeting moderator, based on the failback policy, in response to detecting, during the meeting, the original meeting moderator rejoining the meeting.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

indicating, using the one or more server computer systems, that the set of policies will be utilized in the meeting.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, using the one or more server computer systems, a default policy to the set of custom policies.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the default policy includes:

examining, using the one or more server computer systems, a user directory;

establishing, using the one or more server computer systems, the custom hierarchy of one or more replacement meeting moderators, the custom hierarchy comprising a plurality of meeting members within the user directory, wherein the original meeting moderator holds a highest rank in the custom hierarchy; and

designating, using the one or more server computer systems, a member of the plurality of meeting members as the replacement meeting moderator, wherein the member holds a next highest rank in the custom hierarchy.

6. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer-usable medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

scheduling a meeting;

defining a set of custom policies comprising a failover policy and a failback policy for selecting a replacement meeting moderator in response to an absence of an original meeting moderator in the meeting, the failover policy specifying a custom hierarchy of one or more replacement meeting moderators, the failback policy specifying a custom policy for reestablishing control of the meeting with the original meeting moderator in response to the original meeting moderator rejoining the meeting;

detecting during the meeting that the original meeting moderator is absent by one of the original meeting moderator leaving the meeting and the original meeting moderator failing to log on to the meeting; and

designating, based on the failover policy, the replacement meeting moderator for the meeting in response to detecting that the original meeting moderator is absent in the meeting.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

reestablishing control of the meeting with the original meeting moderator, based on the failback policy, in response to detecting, during the meeting, the original meeting moderator rejoining the meeting.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

indicating that the set of policies will be utilized in the meeting.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

assigning a default policy to the set of custom policies.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the default policy includes:

examining a user directory;

establishing the custom hierarchy of one or more replacement meeting moderators, the custom hierarchy comprising a plurality of meeting members within the user directory, wherein the original meeting moderator holds a highest rank in the custom hierarchy; and

designating a member of the plurality of meeting members as the replacement meeting moderator, wherein the member holds a next highest rank in the custom hierarchy.

11. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

scheduling a meeting;

defining a set of custom policies comprising a failover policy and a failback policy for selecting a replacement meeting moderator in response to an absence of an original meeting moderator in the meeting, the failover policy specifying a custom hierarchy of one or more replacement meeting moderators, the failback policy specifying a custom policy for reestablishing control of the meeting with the original meeting moderator in response to the original meeting moderator rejoining the meeting;

detecting during the meeting that the original meeting moderator is absent by one of the original meeting moderator leaving the meeting and the original meeting moderator failing to log on to the meeting; and

designating, based on the failover policy, the replacement meeting moderator for the meeting in response to detecting that the original meeting moderator is absent in the meeting.

12. The computer-usable medium according to claim 11, wherein the embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for:

reestablishing control of the meeting with the original meeting moderator, based on the failback policy, in response to detecting, during the meeting, the original meeting moderator rejoining the meeting.

13. The computer-usable medium according to claim 11, wherein the embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for:

indicating that the set of policies will be utilized in the meeting.

14. The computer-usable medium according to claim 11, wherein the embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for:

assigning a default policy to the set of custom policies.

15. The computer-usable medium according to claim 14, wherein the default policy includes:

examining a user directory;

establishing the custom hierarchy of one or more replacement meeting moderators, the custom hierarchy comprising a plurality of meeting members within the user directory, wherein the original meeting moderator holds a highest rank in the custom hierarchy; and

designating a member of the plurality of meeting members as the replacement meeting moderator, wherein the member holds a next highest rank in the custom hierarchy.

16. The computer-usable medium according to claim 11, wherein said computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

17. The computer-usable medium according to claim 11, wherein said computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.