Method and device for managing a conference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11140202-B2
Application number	US-201916452795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Mar 20, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

A method and communication system are disclosed for conducting a conference among conference participants connected by a communication system. This system has at least one conference server and at least one image reproduction unit at each conference environment. The method involves collecting context data concerning at least one of the conference participants at multiple timed intervals; calculating a relationship value from the context data at the timed intervals; determining a relationship status, wherein the relationship status is expressed using one of several categories defined by a threshold value, depending on the calculated relationship value; and displaying the relationship status on at least one image reproduction unit during the conference. The method may be performed at the beginning of the conference and/or when a new participant joins the conference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for conducting a conference among conference participants via a communication system, wherein the method comprises:
collecting context data concerning at least one of the conference participants at a plurality of time intervals, including at least a current time interval that runs up to a time of the conference, and a prior time interval that precedes the current time interval, from a plurality of sources accessible via at least one network connection;
calculating relationship values from the collected context data at ends of the time intervals for different relationship levels, wherein at least a portion of the context data is weighted based on the current time interval or the prior time interval in which the context data is collected and based on at least one of the sources from which the context data is collected;
determining a relationship status based on a weighted combination of the calculated relationship values for the different relationship levels, wherein the relationship status is expressed using one of several categories defined by a threshold value; and
displaying the relationship status on at least one image reproduction unit during the conference.

2. The of claim 1 , wherein the context data are collected from data sources selected from the group consisting of social networks, in-house communications, staff network data banks, and connection data banks of communication providers.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the communication providers comprise e-mail service providers, telephone service providers, VoIP service providers or mobile wireless service providers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context data represent events selected from the group consisting of communication events, friend statuses, messages, likes, comments, blog entries, organizational events, professional collaboration, projects, meetings, joint publications, conference presentations, joint travel, joint events, mutual interests, living in proximity, working in proximity, membership in an association, membership in a society, political party affiliation, membership in a civic organization, and membership in a cultural organization.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the communication events comprise telephone conversations, e-mails, SMS messages or MMS messages.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context data comprises a counted number of events assigned to a selected participant, and wherein the counted number of events used in calculating the relationship value is weighted according to at least one of a length of time before the conference the events happened, type of event, and a circumstance of the event.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the time intervals is one month.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each relationship value is calculated according to the formula:
B ( T )= V×Z ( T )+(1− V )× B ( T− 1)

wherein T is a current time interval, T−1 is a prior time interval that immediately precedes the current time interval, Z is a counted number of events in a respective time interval, Visa factor that simulates having forgotten about events overtime and is expressed by a value between 0 and 1, and B is the relationship value.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein V has a value of 0.4 to 0.8.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different relationship levels comprise: public relationships, private relationships and professional relationships.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relationship status is displayed by one of an audio signal, a background color, a border, a tag, an icon, an emoticon, an image, a graphic, a caricature, a film clip, a music clip, and a jingle.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the relationship status is selected from the group of categories consisting of strong relationship, medium relationship, weak relationship, and no relationship.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the context data, calculating the relationship values from the collected context data, and determining the relationship status are performed at a beginning of the conference.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the context data, calculating the relationship values from the collected context data, and determining the relationship status are performed when a new participant joins the conference.

15. A communication system, comprising:
a processor;
a memory operatively connected to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause:
collecting context data concerning at least one of the conference participants at a plurality of time intervals, including at least a current time interval that runs up to a time of the conference and a prior time interval that precedes the current time interval, from a plurality of sources including social network sources and public media sources accessible via at least one network connection;
calculating relationship values from the collected context data at ends of the time intervals for different relationship levels, wherein at least a portion of the context data is weighted based on the current time interval or the prior time interval in which the context data is collected and based on at least one of the sources from which the context data is collected;
calculating a relationship status based on a weighted combination of the calculated relationship values for the different relationship levels, wherein the relationship status is expressed using at least one of several categories defined by a threshold value, depending on the calculated relationship value; and
displaying the relationship status on at least one image reproduction unit during the conference.

16. The communication system of claim 15 , wherein each relationship value is calculated according to the formula:
B ( T )= V×Z ( T )+(1− V )× B ( T− 1);

where T is a current time interval, T−1 is a prior time interval that immediately precedes the current time interval, Z is a counted number of events in a respective time interval, Vis a factor that simulates having forgotten about events over time and is expressed by a value between 0 and 1, and B is the relationship value.

17. A non-transitory, computer readable medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes:
collecting context data concerning at least one of the conference participants at a plurality of time intervals, including at least a current time interval that runs up to a time of the conference and a prior time interval that precedes the current time interval, from a plurality of sources including social network sources and public media sources accessible via at least one network connection;
calculating relationship values from the collected context data at ends of the time intervals for different relationship levels using one of a low-pass filter function or a median filter function, wherein at least a portion of the context data is weighted based on the current time interval or the prior time interval in which the context data is collected and based on at least one of the sources from which the context data is collected;
calculating a relationship status based on a weighted combination of the calculated relationship values for the different relationship levels, each relationship status being expressed using at least one of several categories that are each defined by a threshold value, depending on the calculated relationship value; and
displaying the relationship status on at least one image reproduction unit during the conference.

18. The non-transitory, computer readable medium o

Assignees

• Ringcentral Inc

Inventors

• Kleiner Patrick
• Klug Karl

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• H04L65/403 Primary

  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 title

• G06Q10/101 Primary

  Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services · CPC title

• H04L65/4038

  with floor control · CPC title

• H04L65/1066

  Session management · CPC title