Interface for meeting facilitation and coordination, method and apparatus

• US 8,706,539 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Mohler, Bridget M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansfield, Jr., Thomas L
• Application Number:
  US12/570,933
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.12, 705/7.13
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an overlay interface for facilitating and coordinating meetings. In particular, a central overlay interface tool having access to a plurality of applications is provided for scheduling meetings at dates and times at which desired meeting attendees are available. The tool allows for communications related to the meeting to be automatically generated and sent to participants. In addition, communications may be received and acted on by the tool. The tool may also provide for the identification of materials related to the meeting, and provide access to such materials to attendees. In a further aspect, the overlay interface allows for follow-up and sidebar meetings to be scheduled.

Claims

1. A computational component for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer processor at a first application a list of meeting attendees;

obtaining, by said computer processor and using an electronic calender process accessed through said first application, a schedule for each meeting attendee in said list of meeting attendees;

obtaining, by said computer processor and using said first application, a valid meeting date and time for each of said meeting attendees in said list of meeting attendees;

scheduling, by said computer processor, a meeting at a date and time that is valid for each of said meeting attendees in said list of meeting attendees;

notifying, by said computer processor and using an electronic communication process accessed through said first application, each of said meeting attendees of said scheduled meeting date and time;

placing, by said computer processor and using at least a first communication process, said meeting attendees in communication with one another in said meeting;

assigning, by said computer processor at least some of said meeting attendees to a sidebar meeting during said meeting; and

placing, by said computer processor and using at least one of said first communication process and a second communication process, said meeting attendees assigned to said sidebar meeting in communication with one another.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an identification of at least first information to be available in connection with said meeting, wherein said first information is associated with a first data process; and

providing access to said at least first information by each of said meeting attendees through said first data process accessed through said first application.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

using said first application, associating at least a first security measure with said first information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said security measure comprises encryption of a file associated with said at least first information, and wherein said file is encrypted by an encryption process accessed by said first application.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scheduling a subsequent meeting.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein scheduling a subsequent meeting includes:

entering a list of subsequent meeting attendees using said first application; and

using said electronic calendar process accessed by said first application, obtaining a schedule for each subsequent meeting attendee.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said subsequent meeting is between at least two of said meeting attendees.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for at least a first resource; and

using a resource reservation process accessed by said first application, generating a reservation for said at least a first resource.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining a valid meeting date and time for each of said meeting attendees comprises determining a time zone associated with each of said meeting attendees, wherein said valid meeting date and time is within normal business hours for each of said time zones associated with each of said meeting attendees.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said computational component comprises a computer logic circuit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said computational component comprises a non-transient computer readable storage medium containing instructions for performing the method.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recalling said attendees assigned to said sidebar meeting into said meeting.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the assignment of the meeting attendees to the sidebar meeting is accomplished by a user drawing links between the meeting attendees.

12. An apparatus for scheduling meetings, comprising:

computer application means for interfacing a user and a plurality of processes, said plurality of processes including;

means for receiving input from a meeting initiator, wherein said input includes a list of desired attendees and a selected meeting date and time;

means for polling a calendar associated with each of said attendees;

means for determining at least a first valid meeting date and time; and

means for notifying at least some of said desired attendees of a selected meeting date and time, wherein said selected meeting date and time corresponds to a valid meeting date and time for each of said at least some of said desired attendees;

means for placing, in said meeting and using at least a first communication process, said at least some of attendees in communication with one another;

means for assigning, during said meeting, a subset of said at least some of said meeting attendees to a sidebar meeting; and

means for placing, using at least one of said first communication process and a second communication process, said subset of said at least some of attendees assigned to said sidebar meeting in communication with one another.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said plurality of processes further includes:

means for establishing a communication link between said attendees.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said plurality of processes further includes:

means for distributing information to said meeting attendees.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said input further includes meeting minutes.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said plurality of processes further includes:

means for determining a time zone associated with each of said attendees.