Method and system for reserving facility resources for a conference

• US 8,077,635 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Patel, Labhesh, Christenson, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUNKULH, BOB A
• Application Number:
  US11/046,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

A method for reserving conference resources includes communicating a conference notification to each of a plurality of conference invitees. The conference notification is associated with a multipoint conference. The method includes receiving, from each of a first number of the plurality of conference invitees, a response to the conference notification indicating that the invitee will participate on the multipoint conference. The first number of the plurality of invitees comprises participating invitees. The method includes automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources to allow the participating invitees to communicate on the multipoint conference. The method also includes automatically reserving the determined sufficient amount of resources and hosting the multipoint conference between the participating invitees using the reserved resources.

Claims

1. A method for reserving conference resources, comprising:

communicating a conference notification to each of a plurality of conference invitees, the conference notification comprising an option to attend a conference in person;

receiving, from each of a first number of the plurality of conference invitees, a response to the conference notification indicating that the invitee will attend the conference, the first number of the plurality of invitees comprising attending invitees;

communicating a plurality of attendance options to at least one of the first number of the plurality of invitees, each of the plurality of attendance options associated with a different mode of attendance;

receiving from at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees at least one attendance option selection indicative of a mode of attendance, the attendance option selection selected from the plurality of attendance options communicated to the at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees;

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees; and

automatically reserving the sufficient amount of resources for the conference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises automatically determining physical meeting space for the attending invitees.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises automatically determining refreshments for the attending invitees.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises automatically determining equipment resources for the attending invitees.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the equipment resources comprise telecommunications equipment resources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the conference notifications comprise an option to attend the conference via a telecommunications link;

at least one of the responses to the conference notifications received from the attending invitees comprises a selection to attend the conference via a telecommunications link; and

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises automatically determining, based on the received selections to attend the conference via a telecommunications link, a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources to allow attendance via a telecommunications link.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein automatically determining a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources comprises automatically determining a sufficient amount of communication ports.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein automatically determining a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources comprises automatically determining a sufficient amount of digital signal processing (DSP) resources.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein:

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises;

automatically determining meeting space sufficient to hold all invitees attending in person; and

automatically determining communication ports sufficient to allow participation by invitees attending via a telecommunications link; and

automatically reserving the sufficient amount of resources for the conference comprises;

automatically reserving the determined meeting space for the conference; and

automatically reserving the determined communication ports for the conference.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises executing an event-specific workflow associated with the conference to automatically determine the sufficient amount of resources.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the conference notification to each of a plurality of conference invitees comprises communicating a conference notification comprising a uniform resource locator address for a web page to each of the plurality of conference invitees, the web page comprising:

the plurality of attendance options, the plurality of attendance options selected from the group consisting of in-person attendance, audio-only telephone attendance, video conference attendance, data collaboration attendance, and instant messaging attendance; and

one or more invitee selectable location options selected from the group consisting of participating from an office, participating from a conference room, participating from remote location having a high surcharge for placing telephone calls, participating from a home location, participating from a custom location, and participating from an unknown location.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon receiving the response to the conference notification indicating that the invitee will attend the conference, prompting the invitee to provide at least one attendance option selection indicative of a mode of attendance.

13. A system for reserving conference resources, comprising:

an interface operable to;

communicate a conference notification to each of a plurality of conference invitees, the conference notification comprising an option to attend a conference in person;

receive, from each of a first number of the plurality of conference invitees, a response to the conference notification indicating that the invitee will attend the conference, the first number of the plurality of invitees comprising attending invitees;

communicate a plurality of attendance options to at least one of the first number of the plurality of invitees, each of the plurality of attendance options associated with a different mode of attendance;

receive from at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees at least one attendance option selection indicative of a mode of attendance, the attendance option selection selected from the plurality of attendance options communicated to the at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees;

a processor coupled to the interface, the processor operable to;

automatically determine, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees; and

automatically reserve the sufficient amount of resources for the conference.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises a processor operable to automatically determine physical meeting space for the attending invitees.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises a processor operable to automatically determine refreshments for the attending invitees.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises a processor operable to automatically determine equipment resources for the attending invitees.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the equipment resources comprise telecommunications equipment resources.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the conference notifications comprise an option to attend the conference via a telecommunications link;

at least one of the responses to the conference notifications received from the attending invitees comprises a selection to attend the conference via a telecommunications link; and

a processor operable to automatically determine, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises a processor operable to automatically determine, based on the received selections to attend the conference via a telecommunications link, a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources to allow attendance via a telecommunications link.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources comprises a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of communication ports.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources comprises a processor operable to automatically determine a sufficient amount of digital signal processing (DSP) resources.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein:

a processor operable to automatically determine, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises a processor operable to;

automatically determine meeting space sufficient to hold all invitees attending in person; and

automatically determine communication ports sufficient to allow participation by invitees attending via a telecommunications link; and

a processor operable to automatically reserve the sufficient amount of resources for the conference comprises a processor operable to;

automatically reserve the determined meeting space for the conference; and

automatically reserve the determined communication ports for the conference.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is operable to execute an event-specific workflow associated with the conference to automatically determine the sufficient amount of resources.

23. A system for reserving conference resources, comprising:

means for communicating a conference notification to each of a plurality of conference invitees, the conference notification comprising an option to attend a conference in person;

means for receiving, from each of a first number of the plurality of conference invitees, a response to the conference notification indicating that the invitee will attend the conference, the first number of the plurality of invitees comprising attending invitees;

means for communicating a plurality of attendance options to at least one of the first number of the plurality of invitees, each of the plurality of attendance options associated with a different mode of attendance;

means for receiving from at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees at least one attendance option selection indicative of a mode of attendance, the attendance option selection selected from the plurality of attendance options communicated to the at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees;

means for automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees; and

means for automatically reserving the sufficient amount of resources for the conference.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the conference notifications comprise an option to attend the conference via a telecommunications link;

at least one of the responses to the conference notifications received from the attending invitees comprises a selection to attend the conference via a telecommunications link; and

means for automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises means for automatically determining, based on the received selections to attend the conference via a telecommunications link, a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources to allow attendance via a telecommunications link.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein means for automatically determining a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources comprises means for automatically determining a sufficient amount of communication ports.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein means for automatically determining a sufficient amount of multipoint conference resources comprises means for automatically determining a sufficient amount of digital signal processing (DSP) resources.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein:

means for automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications, a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises;

means for automatically determining meeting space sufficient to hold all invitees attending in person; and

means for automatically determining communication ports sufficient to allow participation by invitees attending via a telecommunications link; and

means for automatically reserving the sufficient amount of resources for the conference comprises;

means for automatically reserving the determined meeting space for the conference; and

means for automatically reserving the determined communication ports for the conference.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein means for automatically determining a sufficient amount of resources for the attending invitees comprises means for executing an event-specific workflow associated with the conference to automatically determine the sufficient amount of resources.

29. A method for reserving conference resources, comprising:

communicating a conference notification to each of a plurality of conference invitees, the conference notification comprising an option to attend a conference in person;

receiving, from each of a first number of the plurality of conference invitees, a response to the conference notification indicating that the invitee will attend the conference, the first number of the plurality of invitees comprising attending invitees;

communicating a plurality of attendance options to at least one of the first number of the plurality of invitees, each of the plurality of attendance options associated with a different mode of attendance;

receiving from at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees at least one attendance option selection indicative of a mode of attendance, the attendance option selection selected from the plurality of attendance options communicated to the at least one of the first number of the plurality of conference invitees;

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, whether audio conferencing resources will be needed for the conference;

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, whether physical meeting space will be needed for the conference;

if it is determined that audio conferencing resources will be needed for the conference;

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, a sufficient amount of audio conferencing resources for the attending invitees attending via audio conference; and

automatically reserving the sufficient amount of audio conferencing resources for the conference; and

if it is determined that physical meeting space will be needed for the conference;

automatically determining, based on the responses to the conference notifications and the at least one attendance option selection, a sufficient amount of physical meeting space for the attending invitees attending in person; and

automatically reserving the sufficient amount of physical meeting space for the conference.