Method for calendar driven decisions in web conferences

• US 8,121,880 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Sullivan, Patrick, Zimmet, Carol
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLYNN, KEVIN H
• Application Number:
  US11/954,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.24, 705/7.18, 705/7.19, 709/204
• US Class Current: 705/7.24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

A method for associating a calendar invitation for a calendar event to a web conference for a web conference event is provided. Invitees of a calendar invitation for a calendar event are received and are detected. The invitees of the calendar event are associated to a web conference event. Modifications relating to the invitees of the calendar event are detected. Modifications relating to the invitees of the calendar event are propagated to the web conference event, and the web conference event synchronizes with the calendar event. Modifications relating to the web conference event for the web conference are detected. Modifications relating to the web conference event are propagated to the calendar event, and the calendar event synchronizes with the web conference event. The invitees of the calendar invitation include first, second, and/or third tiers, and the tiers relate to user roles and privileges, such as a hidden or anonymous presence.

Claims

1. A method for associating a calendar invitation for a calendar event to a web conference for a web conference event, comprising:

receiving invitees of a calendar invitation for a calendar event;

detecting the invitees of the calendar invitation for the calendar event, wherein the invitees correspond to a To field of an email, a carbon copy field of the email, and a blind carbon copy field of the email;

associating the invitees of the calendar event to a web conference event for a web conference such that the invitees in the blind carbon copy field of the email are translated to be displayed as anonymous during the web conference;

wherein the invitees in the To field and the carbon copy field of the email have normal attendee privileges in the web conference;

detecting by a server modifications relating to the invitees of the calendar event, such that in response to the modifications relating to the invitees being to promote the invitees in the blind carbon copy field to the To field, the invitees in the blind carbon copy field are promoted to the To field for the web conference to have normal attendee privileges;

propagating by the server the modifications relating to the invitees of the calendar event to the web conference event, such that the web conference event synchronizes with the calendar event;

detecting modifications relating to the web conference event for the web conference; and

wherein the modifications relating to the web conference event include changes to a time for the web conference, changes to a location for the web conference, changes to a date for the web conference, and changes to a password for the web conference;

propagating the modifications relating to the web conference event to the calendar event for the invitees, such that the calendar event synchronizes with the web conference event for changes to the time for the web conference, changes to the location for the web conference, changes to the date for the web conference, and changes to the password for the web conference;

wherein the invitees, of the calendar invitation for the calendar event, comprise the To field, the carbon copy field, and the blind carbon copy field of the email; and

wherein a count appears next to an anonymous entry on the computer, in which the count appearing next to the anonymous entry is a number of the invitees in the blind carbon copy field that join the web conference as anonymous attendees, such that each succeeding one of the anonymous attendees joins the web conference with an appearance as an additional anonymous attendee.