Multi-media conferencing system

• US 10,505,998 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jigsaw Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Jigsaw Meeting, LLC
• Inventors: Ackerman, Ginger, Fleszar, Josette
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuong H
• Application Number:
  US15/379,116
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

A multi-media conferencing system that integrates visual, audio, independent data interaction and modification, collaboration of information, independent video and 3D model viewing and manipulation, and networking among all participants in the meeting. Each participant conference display typically shows two content sectors under the control of the presenter and a selectable number of other content sectors under the control of the participant. The presenter conference display selectively includes a presenter dashboard for managing the presentation. Each content sector on the participant and attendee conference displays may be enlarged to full screen or reduced to a sector display or an icon with a simple command. The system also includes geo-location display functionality, participant monitoring, attendee chat functionality, and a wide range of additional functionality under the control of the conference presenter and attendees.

Claims

1. A method of conducting an electronic meeting for a plurality of meeting participants including at least one meeting presenter and a plurality of attendees through a plurality of computer stations interconnected by a communication network, comprising the steps of:

uploading to a conference server that is coupled to the communication network a plurality of different conference material files, including a plurality of different types of information resources, prior to the electronic meeting;

displaying an attendee conference display on each of a plurality of attendee computer stations so that each attendee conference display includes at least a first presenter-controlled sector and a second presenter-controlled sector;

displaying in two presenter-controlled sectors of each of a plurality of attendee computer stations at least two different sets of information simultaneously under control of the presenter so that identical content is presented in each presenter-controlled sector of each of the plurality of attendee computer stations simultaneously;

displaying in an attendee-controlled sector of each of a plurality of attendee computer stations content selected by an attendee;

permitting each attendee individually to select content in the attendee-controlled sector selected from a plurality of different content options and to manipulate the selected content individually, so that each attendee views content in the attendee-controlled sector independently of each other attendee;

presenting on a presenter display a map showing a physical location of each of the participants;

recording the meeting so as to record each of the information resources displayed during the meeting so as to allow play back of the meeting by one of the attendees after conclusion of the meeting;

recording on a server all of the content viewed by each attendee during the electronic meeting;

receiving an indication from the presenter that allows the attendees to access at least one information resource during a presenter-defined portion of the meeting;

presenting at least one quiz on each attendee conference display, receiving responses from each attendee to the quiz and displaying results of the quiz on the presenter display in real time;

presenting on each attendee conference display an item requiring a response from the attendee within a predetermined time and disconnecting any attendee from the meeting who fails to generate the response within the predetermined time;

maintaining a log indicating activity of each attendee, including;

the name of each of the attendees, how long they are in a meeting, how many times they leave the meeting, when they come &

go, all activities done during the session, performance and test results both after the fact and in real time;

assigning at least two subsets of the plurality of attendee computer stations to a corresponding plurality of breakout sessions, in which attendees assigned to one breakout session can interact only other attendees to that one breakout session wherein the system is further configured to push all data from a main session to each breakout session;

moving data from a breakout session to the main session once the breakout session is closed;

displaying a “

return data”

box, the selection of which by a host causes the data from the breakout session to be transferred to the main session;

recording activity occurring during each of the plurality of breakout sessions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one web cam is in data communication with at least one of the plurality of computer stations, the method further comprising the steps of:

a. means for recording data received from the at least one web cam; and

b. means for playing back data received from the at least one web cam.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

c. presenting a whiteboard on each attendee conference display;

and

d. screen casting electronic information on the whiteboard, the electronic information including information selected from a group consisting of;

a photograph, a video, an audio clip, a text document, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning at least two subsets of the plurality of attendee computer stations to a corresponding plurality of breakout sessions, in which attendees assigned to one breakout session can interact only other attendees to that one breakout session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ending the plurality of breakouts sessions at the end of a predetermined amount of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ending the plurality of breakouts sessions in response to a input from the presenter computer station.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording activity occurring during each of the plurality of breakout sessions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first presenter-controlled sector and the second presenter-controlled sector displays a real time video stream.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different types of information resources are selected from a group of information resources consisting of:

three dimensional models, text documents, graphical images, photos, spreadsheets and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each attendee conference display further includes a second attendee-controlled sector.