Automatic scheduling and establishment of conferences

• US 8,495,139 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mandalia, Baiju D., Rusnak, Joseph G., Sundstrom, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US11/198,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,909 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

A method of automatically conducting a conference can include determining availability for each of a plurality of conference participants and selecting a date and time for the conference based upon the availability of each of the plurality of conference participants. The method further can include automatically initiating the conference among the conference participants on the date and at approximately the time for the conference.

Claims

1. A method of automatically conducting a conference comprising:

responsive to updating a data store, generating an event indicating an update to the data store has occurred in relation to at least one document within the data store;

responsive detecting the event, identifying each user of a plurality of users subscribed to the event as a conference participant;

determining availability for each of the plurality of conference participants;

selecting a date and time for the conference based upon the availability of each of the plurality of conference participants; and

automatically initiating the conference among the conference participants on the date and at the time corresponding to the conference.

2. The method of claim 1, said step of automatically initiating further comprising:

establishing a communication session with each conference participant; and

joining each communication session to form the conference.

3. The method of claim 1, said step of automatically initiating the conference further comprising sending a notification to each conference participant as a reminder of the conference.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a communication channel over which the notification is sent for at least one conference participant is selected based upon context information for the at least one conference participant.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying each of the plurality of conference participants of the date and time of the conference via a selected communication channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing an entry in an electronic calendar associated with at least one of the plurality of conference participants, wherein each entry indicates the date and time of the conference.

7. The method of claim 1, said step of determining availability further comprising reading scheduling information from an electronic calendar for each of the plurality of conference participants to determine a date and a time when each of the plurality of conference participants is available.

8. The method of claim 1, said step of determining availability further comprising:

establishing a communication session with at least one of the plurality of conference participants over a communication channel;

conducting a dialog regarding availability with the at least one of the plurality of conference participants through the communication session; and

determining availability of the at least one of the plurality of conference participants based upon a response from the at least one of the plurality of conference participants received over the communication channel during the communication session.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting the communication channel from a plurality of communication channels according to context information for the at least one of the plurality of conference participants.

10. A method of automatically conducting a conference comprising:

responsive to updating a data store, generating an event indicating an update to the data store has occurred in relation to at least one document within the data store;

responsive detecting the event, identifying each user of a plurality of users subscribed to the event as a conference participant;

determining availability for each of the plurality of conference participants;

selecting a date and time for the conference based upon the availability of each of the plurality of conference participants;

on the date and at the time corresponding to the conference, automatically establishing a communication session with each of the plurality of conference participants; and

joining each individual communication session to form the conference.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising notifying each of the plurality of conference participants of the date and time of the conference via a communication channel selected from a plurality of communication channels according to context information for each conference participant.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising placing an entry in an electronic calendar associated with at least one of the plurality of conference participants, wherein each entry indicates the date and time of the conference.

13. The method of claim 11, said step of determining availability further comprising reading scheduling information from an electronic calendar for each of the plurality of conference participants to determine a date and a time when each of the plurality of conference participants is available.

14. The method of claim 11, said step of determining availability further comprising:

establishing a communication session with at least one of the plurality of conference participants over a communication channel;

conducting a dialog regarding availability with the at least one of the plurality of conference participants through the communication session; and

determining availability of the at least one of the plurality of conference participants based upon a response from the at least one of the plurality of conference participants received over the communication channel during the communication session.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the communication channel from a plurality of communication channels according to context information for the at least one of the plurality of conference participants.

16. A machine readable storage device, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

responsive to updating a data store, generating an event indicating an update to the data store has occurred in relation to at least one document within the data store;

responsive detecting the event, identifying each user of a plurality of users subscribed to the event as a conference participant;

determining availability for each of the plurality of conference participants;

selecting a date and time for the conference based upon the availability of each of the plurality of conference participants; and

automatically initiating the conference among the conference participants on the date and at approximately the time corresponding to the conference.

17. The machine readable storage device of claim 16, said step of automatically initiating further comprising:

establishing a communication session with each conference participant; and

joining each communication session into the conference.

18. The machine readable storage device of claim 16, said step of automatically initiating the conference further comprising sending a notification to each conference participant as a reminder of the conference.

19. The machine readable storage device of claim 16, said step of determining availability further comprising reading scheduling information from an electronic calendar for each of the plurality of conference participants to determine a date and a time when each of the plurality of conference participants is available.

20. The machine readable storage device of claim 16, said step of determining availability further comprising:

establishing a communication session with at least one of the plurality of conference participants over a communication channel;

conducting a dialog regarding availability with the at least one of the plurality of conference participants through the communication session; and

determining availability of the at least one of the plurality of conference participants based upon a response from the at least one of the plurality of conference participants received over the communication channel during the communication session.