Systems and methods for monitoring participant attentiveness within events and group assortments

• US 9,733,333 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shindig, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shindig, Inc.
• Inventors: Gottlieb, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keller, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US14/272,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/802 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8083 determining direction of source
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for monitoring participant attentiveness within events and for group assortments. In some embodiments, communications received from an online participant of an event may be monitored. Based on the monitored communications, a steady state level may be determined. Changes within the monitored communications from the steady state level may be detected and then stored within an event participation log.

Claims

1. A method for assessing participant attentiveness within an interactive online event, the method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of audio signals from a user device, the user device comprising a plurality of microphones arranged in a plurality of directions around the user device, wherein the microphones are located a certain distance away from the user device;

determining, based on the first plurality of audio signals, a steady state sound level of communication, wherein determining a steady state sound level comprises modeling the first plurality of audio signals to determine a maximum likelihood function representative of the steady state sound level;

receiving a second plurality of audio signals from the user device;

determining, based on the second plurality of audio signals, a change from the steady state sound level of the second plurality of audio signals, wherein determining the change from the steady state sound level comprises determining that the change exceeds the steady state sound level by at least two standard deviations;

determining, based on a microphone of the plurality of microphones having a largest contribution to the change, a level of attentiveness associated with the user device;

storing the change in an event participation log; and

providing a participation report corresponding to a determined level of participation and attentiveness of the user during the online event, wherein participation grades may be derived from the report and provided to event attendees.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event participation log is accessible by an administrator of the event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event participation log is useable to grade the online participant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing further comprises:

recording a duration of the change from the steady state level.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive a first plurality of audio signals from a user device, the user device comprising a plurality of microphones arranged in a plurality of directions around the user device, wherein the microphones are located a certain distance away from the user device;

determine, based on the first plurality of audio signals, a steady state sound level of communication, wherein determining a steady state sound level comprises modeling the first plurality of audio signals to determine a maximum likelihood function representative of the steady state sound level;

receive a second plurality of audio signals from the user device;

determine, based on the second plurality of audio signals, a change from the steady state sound level of the second plurality of audio signals, wherein determining the change from the steady state sound level comprises determining that the change exceeds the steady state sound level by at least two standard deviations;

store the change in an event participation log; and

provide a participation report corresponding to a determined level of participation and attentiveness of the user during the online event, wherein participation grades may be derived from the report and provided to event attendees.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the event participation log is accessible by an administrator of the event.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the event participation log is useable to grade the online participant.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein storing further comprises:

recording a duration of the change from the steady state level.