Methods and systems for determining quantitative benefits of travel avoidance through online web conferencing and tracking thereof

• US 8,234,337 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadsoft Ilinc Communications Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadsoft Ilinc Communications Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abrams, Ethan Terry, Powers, James M. Jr., Prentice, Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOUDHURY, AZIZUL Q
• Application Number:
  US12/317,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Online web conferencing methods implemented in an information handling system are provided that determine and display various savings that result from The methods herein determine and display, among other variables, the total air emissions saved by being able to forego physical transportation of the users on account of being able to meet by an online web conference. Other types of savings that may be determined and displayed include cost savings, productivity savings, environmental savings, and any other type of saving or benefit that results from foregoing transportation of users to a hypothetical meeting location. Users may override default assumptions or estimates to more accurately model the estimated savings. Various transportation modalities may be included as desired. Reports may be generated that summarize the quantities determined by the models of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for online web conferencing implemented in an information handling system comprising:

(a) allowing a plurality of users to join an online meeting via a plurality of computers wherein the plurality of computers are communicatively connected in a network;

(b) allowing one of the users to override a default assumption or default estimate used to determine one or more savings by way of an input dialog box;

(c) determining the one or more savings based in part on hypothetical travel distances of each user to a meeting location wherein the one or more savings is selected from the group consisting of;

an air emission savings, a cost savings, and a productivity savings wherein the determining is accomplished via a microprocessor;

(d) displaying the one or more savings to at least one of the users on a display panel;

determining an IP address of each user;

determining an estimated physical location of each user that corresponds to the IP address of each user; and

determining the hypothetical travel distance as the distance between the estimated physical location and the meeting location;

wherein the one or more savings comprises an air emission savings; and

wherein the air emission savings corresponds to foregoing a transportation of the hypothetical travel distance of each user, wherein the air emission savings is calculated as an automobile emissions calculation when a participant physical location is less than a threshold distance from a session leader physical location and calculated as an aircraft emissions calculation when the participant physical location is greater than the threshold distance.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the hypothetical travel distance of at least one of the users wherein the hypothetical travel distance is the distance between the at least one of the users and the meeting location.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a report that summarizes the one or more savings for the online meeting.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating steps (a)-(d) a plurality of times for a plurality of online meetings;

and generating a report that summarizes the one or more savings for the plurality of online meetings.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more savings comprise an air emission savings;

and wherein the air emission savings comprises a quantity of CO₂ emissions.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more savings comprise an air emission savings;

and wherein the air emission savings comprises a quantity of NO_x emissions.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more savings comprises an air emission savings;

and wherein the air emission savings comprises a quantity of a plurality of air pollutants.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the threshold distance is between about 100 to about 200 miles.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a subset of the plurality of users is excluded from the step of determining one or more savings.