Interactive wireless device communication system for meetings and conferences
First Claim
1. A method for defining and controlling a conference, occurring at a physical conference location, using conference software executing on a computer system, the method comprising:
- storing conference information associated with the conference, the conference information including a database listing the physical conference location and attendees of the conference, the attendees registered to attend the conference at the physical conference location;
associating, in the database, first and second ones of the attendees with respective first and second real identities;
assigning, in the database, first and second personal proxies to the respective first and second ones of the attendees;
communicating, during the conference, with a first wireless device of the first attendee and a second wireless device of the second attendee to convey updated conference information, the updated conference information including a list of attendees from the database in the computer system;
receiving from the first attendee, a message directed to the second attendee using the second personal proxy; and
directing the message to the second attendee using the second real identity.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conference organizer uses conference software to define a conference and to store conference information on the organizer'"'"'s computer system. The stored conference information includes a list of attendees, and a personal proxy mailbox for each attendee. Each attendee has a wireless device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA). The organizer'"'"'s computer system includes a wireless communication station that can communicate in wireless fashion with the wireless devices of the attendees at the conference. During the conference, an attendee uses his/her wireless device to access the conference information, select another attendee from the list of attendees, and send the selected attendee a message such that the message is stored in the personal proxy mailbox of the selected attendee. The use of personal proxy mailboxes allows attendees to send messages to one another and to receive messages from one another without divulging their primary email addresses.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for defining and controlling a conference, occurring at a physical conference location, using conference software executing on a computer system, the method comprising:
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storing conference information associated with the conference, the conference information including a database listing the physical conference location and attendees of the conference, the attendees registered to attend the conference at the physical conference location; associating, in the database, first and second ones of the attendees with respective first and second real identities; assigning, in the database, first and second personal proxies to the respective first and second ones of the attendees; communicating, during the conference, with a first wireless device of the first attendee and a second wireless device of the second attendee to convey updated conference information, the updated conference information including a list of attendees from the database in the computer system; receiving from the first attendee, a message directed to the second attendee using the second personal proxy; and directing the message to the second attendee using the second real identity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer system for communicating information about a conference, held within a physical conference location, with a plurality of wireless devices, the computer system comprising:
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server-side storage storing an address specifying the physical conference location, a list of conference attendees to attend the conference at the physical conference location, and information about a first exhibit of a first conference exhibitor and a second exhibit of a second conference exhibitor, the information including physical exhibit locations of the first and second exhibits within the physical conference location, the server-side storage maintaining first and second personal proxy mailboxes for respective first and second attendees on the list of conference attendees, each of the first and second attendees having another mailbox that is not maintained by the server; and an interface that allows the first conference exhibitor to modify the information about the first exhibit of the first conference exhibitor but does not allow the first conference exhibitor to modify the information about the second exhibit of the second conference exhibitor, and allows the second conference exhibitor to modify the information about the second exhibit of the second conference exhibitor but does not allow the second conference exhibitor to modify the information about the first exhibit of the first conference exhibitor; wherein the server communicates the information about the first and second exhibits to a plurality of wireless devices, including first and second wireless devices respectively associated with first and second attendees on the list of attendees; and wherein the server receives a message from the first wireless device and directed to the second attendee and directs the message to the second proxy mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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21. A computer system for communicating information about a conference, held within a physical conference location, with a plurality of wireless devices, the computer system comprising:
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server-side storage storing an address specifying the conference location, a list of conference attendees to attend the conference at the conference location, and information about a first exhibit of a first conference exhibitor and a second exhibit of a second conference exhibitor, the information including exhibit locations of the first and second exhibits within the conference location, the server-side storage maintaining first and second personal proxy mailboxes for respective first and second attendees on the list of conference attendees, each of the first and second attendees having another mailbox that is not maintained by the server; and an interface that allows the first conference exhibitor to modify the information about the first exhibit of the first conference exhibitor but does not allow the first conference exhibitor to modify the information about the second exhibit of the second conference exhibitor, and allows the second conference exhibitor to modify the information about the second exhibit of the second conference exhibitor but does not allow the second conference exhibitor to modify the information about the first exhibit of the first conference exhibitor; wherein the server communicates the information about the first and second exhibits to a plurality of wireless devices, including first and second wireless devices respectively associated with first and second attendees on the list of attendees; wherein the server receives a message from the first wireless device and directed to the second attendee and directs the message to the second proxy mailbox; and wherein the computer system stores a map of the conference location, the wireless device being usable to retrieve from the computer system and to display the map on the wireless device.
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Specification