Program for managing online meeting reservations

Abstract

To provide a program for managing meetings which can be attended in an attendance mode which is either online or offline.SOLUTION: A reservation management process includes: a process S21 in which a reservation request indicating the attendance mode, either online or offline, in which an attendee attends a meeting is received; a process S34 in which a meeting URL indicating the online location at which the meeting is held is received; a process S28 in which whether the attendance mode is online or offline is determined; and a process S35 in which, when the attendance mode is online, information that the attendee attends the meeting online is displayed and also reservation management table information for drawing a reservation management table including a first icon which is linked to the meeting URL is generated, and when the attendance mode is offline, information that the attendee attends the meeting offline is displayed and also reservation management table information for drawing a reservation management table including a second icon which is not linked to the meeting URL is generated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a program for managing online meeting reservations.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a system for reserving online meetings for members distributed among Osaka base, Tokyo base, and the Philippines base. This system grasps the availability of each member's schedule, and further grasps the availability of reservation of meeting rooms at Osaka base, Tokyo base, and the Philippines base. The system searches for a time period when all members' schedules are available and all meeting rooms are available at all bases, and creates a meeting schedule table highlighting the searched time period. The meeting organizer refers to this meeting schedule table and reserves an online meeting at a convenient time for all members.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a schedule reservation server for reserving an online meeting participated by a first person in charge and a second person in charge. The schedule reservation server records the reservation status of the first person in charge. The schedule reservation server provides a list of the reservation status of the first person in charge to the tablet terminal used by the second person in charge. The second person in charge refers to the list of the reservation status of the first person in charge displayed on the tablet terminal and selects the date and time of the online meeting with the first person in charge. The schedule reservation server records the reservation by the second person in charge at the date and time selected by the second person in charge in the list of the reservation status of the first person in charge.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Some participants may request an online meeting, while others may request an offline meeting. To meet the requirements of both parties, the meeting organizer may hold a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms. Patent Documents 1 to 2 disclose a system for reserving a meeting that allows only the online participation form. That is, Patent Documents 1 to 2 do not provide a system for holding a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) The program according to an embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to execute the following processes 1 to 6.

[0007] 1. A process of receiving a meeting reservation request including participation form information indicating whether to participate in the meeting in either an online or offline participation form from a first participant terminal used by a first participant who wishes to participate in a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms in either an online or offline participation form.

[0008] 2. A process of receiving a meeting URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the holding location from an online meeting service provider that provides the online holding location of the meeting to the organizer of the meeting.

[0009] 3. A process of identifying whether the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online or offline.

[0010] 4. When the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online, a process of generating reservation management form information for drawing a reservation management form including the date and time of the meeting and a first icon that indicates that the first participant participates in the meeting online and is linked to the meeting URL. 5. When the participation form indicated in the participation form information is offline, a process of generating reservation management form information for drawing a reservation management form including the date and time of the meeting and a second icon that indicates that the first participant participates in the meeting offline and is not linked to the meeting URL.

[0011] 6. A process of transmitting the reservation management form information to a host terminal used by the host.

[0012] The online participation form means that the first participant participates in the meeting via a first participant terminal that is communicably connected to the host terminal. The offline participation form means that the first participant participates in the meeting by meeting the host directly.

[0013] The participation form information indicates whether to participate in the meeting in the online or offline participation form. The computer determines whether the first participant participates in the meeting in the online or offline participation form based on the participation form information, and transmits reservation management form information corresponding to the participation form of the first participant to the host terminal. The computer enables the host to hold a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms.

[0014] Furthermore, the organizer can start the meeting by manually operating the first icon included in the reservation management table drawn on the organizer's terminal. Specifically, the organizer's terminal draws the reservation management table based on the reservation management table information. The reservation management table includes a first icon linked to the meeting URL. The organizer's terminal receives a manual operation by the organizer on the first icon and accesses the meeting venue indicated by the meeting URL. The online meeting service provider provides an online meeting to the organizer's terminal upon receiving access to the meeting venue by the organizer's terminal.

[0015] The method implemented on a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform the above-described processes 1 to 6.

[0016] A computer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a processor and a memory for storing a program, and the processor may execute the above-described processes 1 to 6 according to the program.

[0017] (2) The meeting reservation request may further include address information indicating the online address of the first participant. The reservation management table may further include a meeting URL transmission icon. The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 7 to 8.

[0018] 7. A process of receiving detection information indicating detection of a manual operation on the meeting URL transmission icon from the organizer's terminal.

[0019] 8. A process of transmitting the meeting URL to the online address of the first participant indicated by the address information upon receiving the detection information.

[0020] The address information includes, for example, an email address, a phone number for using SMS (Short Message Service), and an account for using an instant messenger.

[0021] When the participation form of the first participant is online, the reservation management form includes a meeting URL sending icon in addition to the meeting date and time and the first icon. The first icon receives a manual operation for the organizer to start the meeting. The meeting URL sending icon receives a manual operation for the organizer to send the meeting URL to the first participant.

[0022] The organizer may view the reservation management form including the first icon to start the meeting immediately before the meeting. In such a situation, the organizer may be requested by the first participant to resend the meeting URL immediately before the meeting. For example, when the first participant notices that the meeting URL has been lost immediately before the meeting. The organizer can send the meeting URL to the online address of the first participant only by manually operating the meeting URL icon included in the reservation management form.

[0023] (3) The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 9 to 11.

[0024] 9. A process of checking whether the meeting URL is stored in the database connected to the computer upon receiving the meeting reservation request.

[0025] 10. A process of sending an acquisition request for requesting acquisition of the meeting URL to the database if the meeting URL is stored in the database.

[0026] 11. A process of sending a new issuance request for requesting new issuance of the meeting URL to the online meeting service provider if the meeting URL is not stored in the database.

[0027] The organizer may host a meeting including a plurality of participants. When the first participant is the first person to make a reservation, the computer requests the online meeting service provider to issue a new meeting URL. When the first participant is a person who makes a reservation after the second person, the computer uses the meeting URL stored in the database.

[0028] (4) The meeting reservation request may further include first questionnaire information indicating an answer selected by the first participant from among questions including a plurality of options. The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 12 to 14.

[0029] 12. A process of receiving second questionnaire information indicating an answer selected by a second participant different from the first participant from a database that stores the second questionnaire information.

[0030] 13. A process of statistically analyzing the answer indicated in the first questionnaire information and the answer indicated in the second questionnaire information to generate statistical information regarding the answers to the plurality of options.

[0031] 14. A process of transmitting the statistical information to the organizer terminal.

[0032] Thereby, the organizer can grasp the statistical information of the meeting participants before the meeting date and time. By grasping the statistical information, the organizer can finely adjust the topics of the meeting.

[0033] For example, the meeting may be a seminar on inheritance. The questions may inquire whether the participants are in the position of the heir or the decedent. The statistical information may be the ratio of heirs to decedents. Heirs may show interest in different topics from those of the decedents. The organizer may finely adjust the topics of the meeting according to the ratio of heirs to decedents. The statistical information is not limited to this, and may be, for example, the ratio of men to women, the age distribution, the residence distribution, or the distribution of the purposes of participating in the seminar.

[0034] (5) The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 15 to 16.

[0035] 15. A process of receiving, from the online meeting service provider, organizer access information indicating whether the organizer terminal has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL.

[0036] 16. A process of generating holding information indicating whether the meeting has been held as scheduled based on the organizer access information.

[0037] The organizer may widely recruit participants and hold a meeting that is held only when there are reservations from the participants. If there are no reservations from the participants, the meeting will not be held. The holding information may be disclosed to members other than the organizer approved by the organizer. Members include, for example, the organizer's supervisor or the organizer's colleagues. Thereby, the members can grasp whether the meeting has actually been held.

[0038] (6) The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 17 to 19.

[0039] 17. A process of receiving, from the online meeting service provider, first participant access information indicating whether the first participant terminal has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL.

[0040] 18. A process of receiving, from the online meeting service provider, second participant access information indicating whether a second participant terminal different from the first participant terminal has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL.

[0041] 19. A process of calculating the number of participants in the meeting based on the first participant access information and the second participant access information, and generating participant number information indicating the number of participants.

[0042] Thereby, the organizer can grasp the number of participants in the meeting in real time during the meeting or after the meeting ends.

[0043] (7) The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 20 to 21.

[0044] 20. A process of determining, in response to receiving the meeting reservation request, whether the first participant has already been registered to participate in the meeting.

[0045] 21. A process of discarding the meeting reservation request when the first participant has already been registered to participate in the meeting.

[0046] Thereby, duplicate reservation for the meeting by the first participant can be prevented. The program may further, in response to discarding the meeting reservation request, send a message notifying the first participant terminal of the duplicate reservation for the meeting. (8) The program may further cause the computer to execute the following processes 22 to 24. 22. A process of receiving, from the organizer terminal used by the organizer, address information indicating the actual address where the meeting is held when the participation form indicated in the participation form information is offline. 23. A process of sending the meeting URL to the first participant terminal when the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online. 24. When the participation form shown in the participation form is offline, a process of transmitting the address information to the first participant terminal. (9) A program according to another embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to execute the following processes 25 to 31. 25. A process of receiving login information for accessing an online meeting service provider that provides the host with the online venue of the meeting from a host terminal used by a host who holds a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms. 26. A process of transmitting the login information to the online meeting service provider and receiving a meeting URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the online venue of the meeting from the online meeting service provider that has received the login information. 27. A process of obtaining address information indicating the offline venue of the meeting from the host terminal. 28. A process of receiving a meeting reservation request including participation form information indicating whether to participate in the meeting in either an online or offline participation form from a first participant terminal. 29. A process of specifying whether the participation form shown in the participation form information is online or offline. 30. When the participation form shown in the participation form information is online, a process of transmitting the meeting URL to the first participant terminal. 31. When the participation form shown in the participation form is offline, a process of transmitting the address information to the first participant terminal.

[0047] (10) A program according to still another embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to execute the following processes 32 to 37.

[0048] 32. A process of receiving a meeting reservation request including address information indicating the online address of the first participant from a first participant terminal used by a first participant who wishes to participate in an online meeting.

[0049] 33. A process of receiving a meeting URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the online meeting place from an online meeting service provider that provides the online meeting place to the organizer who hosts the meeting.

[0050] 34. A process of generating reservation management form information for drawing a reservation management form including the date and time of the meeting, a first icon linked to the meeting, and a meeting URL transmission icon.

[0051] 35. A process of transmitting the reservation management form information to an organizer terminal used by the organizer.

[0052] 36. A process of receiving detection information indicating a manual operation on the meeting URL transmission icon from the organizer terminal.

[0053] 37. A process of transmitting the meeting URL to the online address of the first participant indicated by the address information in response to receiving the detection information.

[0054] The reservation management form includes the date and time of the meeting, a first icon, and a meeting URL transmission icon. The first icon accepts a manual operation for the organizer to start the meeting. The meeting URL transmission icon accepts a manual operation for the organizer to transmit the meeting URL to the first participant.

[0055] The organizer may view a reservation management table including a first icon to start the meeting immediately before the meeting. Under such circumstances, the organizer may be requested by the first participant to resend the meeting URL immediately before the meeting. For example, this may be the case where the first participant notices that they have lost the meeting URL immediately before the meeting. The organizer can send the meeting URL to the online address of the first participant simply by manually operating the meeting URL icon included in the reservation management table.

[0056] A computer-implemented method according to another embodiment of the present invention may perform the above-described processes 32 to 37.

[0057] A computer according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a processor and a memory for storing a program, and the processor may execute the above-described processes 32 to 37 according to the program.

Advantages of the Invention

[0058] The computer enables the organizer to hold a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0059]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0060] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 1, a reservation management system 1 includes an online meeting service provider 2 that provides an online meeting service. The online meeting service includes, for example, Zoom (registered trademark), Webex Meetings (registered trademark), Microsoft Teams (registered trademark), and Google meet (registered trademark). The online meeting service provider 2 provides an online meeting service to users registered as members with this provider 2. The online meeting service provider 2 issues a user ID and a user password to registered users. The user can log in to the online meeting service provider 2 using the user ID and the user password.

[0062] The reservation management system 1 further includes a reservation management service provider 3. The reservation management service provider 3 provides a meeting reservation management service to users registered as members with this provider 3. The reservation management service provider 3 may be a different business operator from the online meeting service provider 2. The reservation management service provider 3 issues a customer ID and a customer password to the registered users. The user can log in to the reservation management service provider 3 using the customer ID and the customer password.

[0063] The reservation management system 1 includes a host terminal 4 used by a host who hosts a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms. The host is registered as a member with both the online meeting service provider 2 and the reservation management service provider 3. That is, the host has a user ID and a user password for logging in to the online meeting service provider 2. The host further has a customer ID and a customer password for logging in to the reservation management service provider 3.

[0064] The reservation management service provider 3 receives login information (user ID and user password) for logging in to the online meeting service provider 2 from the host terminal 4 and stores the user ID and the user password. Therefore, the reservation management service provider 3 can log in to the online meeting service provider 2 on behalf of the host. In addition to or instead of the user ID and the user password, the login information may be an access token issued by the online meeting service provider 2 to the host. The access token may be, for example, a JWT (JSON Web Token).

[0065] The reservation management service provider 3 may be a computer including a processor and a memory storing a program. Specifically, the reservation management service provider 3 may include a web server 3a, a member database 3b, and a meeting database 3c. The web server 3a provides a reservation screen (see, for example, FIGS. 6 to 9) for accepting participation reservations for meetings hosted by the organizer on the web, thereby providing the reservation screen to those who wish to participate in the meeting (for example, the first participant terminal 5 and the second participant terminal 6). The web server 3a provides a reservation management table (see, for example, FIG. 10) for centrally managing the meetings received through the reservation screen to the organizer terminal 4 in a non-public manner. The web server 3a may accept customization of the reservation screen by the organizer. For example, the web server 3a may provide the organizer with a basic information input screen for accepting the meeting basic information required for customization.

[0066] The meeting basic information includes, for example, business day information indicating the business days of the organizer, the names of the staff belonging to the organizer, the e-mail addresses of the staff, the workday information of the staff, meeting theme information indicating the theme of the meeting posted on the reservation screen, and questionnaire question item information indicating the questionnaire question items posted on the reservation screen.

[0067] The member database 3b stores the meeting basic information received through the basic information input screen. The member database 3b further stores a user ID and a user password for logging in to the online meeting service provider 2 on behalf of the organizer.

[0068] The meeting database 3c stores meeting information. The meeting information includes, for example, the names of the participants, the genders of the participants, the email addresses of the participants, the phone numbers of the participants, the addresses of the participants, the questionnaire responses of the participants, the prior questions from the participants, the form of participation in the meeting by the participants (online / offline), the names of the staff in charge of the organizer, the email addresses of the staff in charge of the organizer, the theme of the meeting, the date and time of the meeting, the status of the meeting (not held / already held), the meeting URL, the meeting ID, the meeting password, the statistical information regarding the questionnaire responses of the participants, and the participant number information indicating the number of participants in the meeting.

[0069] The organizer terminal 4 is a computer used by the organizer of the meeting. The computer includes, for example, a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet, and a smartphone. The organizer is a member registered with the online meeting service provider 2 and is also a member registered with the reservation management service provider 3. The first participant terminal 5 is a computer used by the first participant in the meeting. The second participant terminal 6 is a computer used by the second participant in the meeting.

[0070] The reservation management system 1 may further include a payment server 7. The organizer may provide a paid meeting. The payment server 7 processes the payment for the participation fee of the paid meeting.

[0071] The reservation management system 1 may further include a client member server 8. The organizer may operate a member organization and may have the first participant as a member thereof. The organizer issues a member ID and a member password to the first participant. The first participant can use the member ID and the member password to log in to the organizer's member organization. The client member server 8 stores the contact information of the first participant together with the member ID and the member password of the first participant. The contact information includes, for example, name, gender, email address, phone number, and address.

[0072] The reservation management service provider 3 may further store the member ID and member password of the first participant in order to log in to the client member server 8 on behalf of the organizer. The reservation management service provider 3 may log in to the client member server 8 and obtain the contact information of the first participant stored in the client member server 8. Based on the obtained contact information of the first participant, the reservation management service provider 3 may automatically fill in, for example, the name field 41, gender field 42, email address field 43, phone number field 44, and address field 45 of the contact input screen shown in FIG. 9.

[0073] FIGS. 2 to 5 show the flow indicating the reservation management process of the present embodiment. The order of processes 11 to 86 shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 is an example and can be interchanged as long as there is no particular contradiction.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 2, the reservation management service provider 3 transmits basic information input screen information for drawing a basic information input screen to the organizer terminal 4 (S11). The basic information input screen receives meeting basic information from the organizer for customizing the reservation screen (FIGS. 6 to 9). The meeting basic information may include, for example, business day information indicating the business days of the organizer, attendance day information of the staff belonging to the organizer, questionnaire information (for example, questions and answer options), meeting theme information, settlement information, and meeting form (online fixed, offline fixed, selectable online / offline).

[0075] The organizer terminal 4 receives the basic information input screen information from the reservation management service provider 3 and draws the basic information input screen (S12). The organizer terminal 4 receives the meeting basic information from the organizer (S13) and transmits the meeting basic information to the reservation management service provider 3 (S14).

[0076] The reservation management service provider 3 receives meeting basic information from the organizer terminal 4 (S15). The reservation management service provider 3 generates reservation screen information for drawing a reservation screen by customizing the reservation screen based on the meeting basic information (S16). For example, the reservation screen 10 shown in FIG. 6 includes meeting menus 11 to 13 each describing a different meeting theme. The meeting theme information is reflected in the meeting menus 11 to 13. The reservation screen 20 shown in FIG. 7 includes a calendar 25 including icons 26 representing the availability for each date. The reservation screen 30 shown in FIG. 8 includes schedules 32 and 33 including icons 34 representing the availability for each time slot. The business day information and the attendance day information are reflected in the calendar 25 and the schedules 32 and 33. The reservation screen 40 shown in FIG. 9 includes a participation purpose column 46. The questionnaire information is reflected in the description of the participation purpose column 46.

[0077] In response to a request from the first participant terminal 5, the reservation management service provider 3 transmits the reservation screen information to the participant terminals 5 and 6 (S17). The first participant terminal 5 receives the reservation screen information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S18) and displays a reservation screen based on the reservation screen information (S19).

[0078] The first participant terminal 5 first displays the reservation screen 10 shown in FIG. 6. The reservation screen 10 includes the meeting menus 11 to 13. Each of the meeting menus 11 to 13 includes a reservation button 14 to 16, respectively. The first participant can select which meeting in the meeting menus 11 to 13 to participate in. The first participant terminal 5 detects a manual operation of any of the reservation buttons 14 to 16 by the first participant and generates meeting selection information indicating the selected meeting.

[0079] Next, the first participant terminal 5 displays a reservation screen 20 shown in FIG. 7. The meeting allows both online and offline participation forms. The reservation screen 20 includes an online button 21 and an offline button 22. The first participant can select whether to participate in the meeting in either the online or offline form. The first participant terminal 5 detects a manual operation by the first participant on either the online button 21 or the offline button 22 and generates participation form information indicating whether to participate in the meeting in the online or offline form.

[0080] The reservation screen 20 includes a calendar 25, an icon 23 for going back to the previous month, and an icon 24 for going forward to the next month. The first participant can select the date on which they wish to have the meeting. The first participant terminal 5 detects a manual operation by the first participant on the icon 26 and generates date information indicating the date of the meeting.

[0081] Next, the first participant terminal 5 displays a reservation screen 30 shown in FIG. 8. The reservation screen 30 includes a date field 31 indicating the selected date, and schedules 32, 33. The first participant can select the time at which they wish to have the meeting. The first participant terminal 5 detects a manual operation by the first participant on the icon 34 and generates time information indicating the time of the meeting.

[0082] Next, the first participant terminal 5 displays a reservation screen 40 shown in FIG. 9. The reservation screen 40 includes a name field 41, a gender field 42, an email address field 43, a phone number field 44, an address field 45, a purpose of participation field 46, and a question field 47. The first participant fills in their name, email address, phone number, address, and question on the reservation screen 40. The first participant can select their gender and purpose of participation. The reservation screen 40 further includes an icon 48 for going back to the previous page and an icon 49 for finalizing the reservation.

[0083] Returning to FIG. 2, the first participant terminal 5 detects a manual operation on the icon 49 by the first participant, generates a meeting reservation request, and transmits the meeting reservation request to the reservation management service provider 3 (S20). The meeting reservation request includes the above-described meeting selection information, participation form information, date information, time information, name, gender, email address, phone number, address, purpose of participation, and questions.

[0084] The reservation management service provider 3 receives the meeting reservation request from the first participant terminal 5 (S21).

[0085] Upon receiving the meeting reservation request, the reservation management service provider 3 determines whether the first participant's participation in the meeting has already been registered in the meeting database 3c (S22). If the first participant's participation in the meeting is not registered, the reservation management service provider 3 registers the meeting selection information, participation form information, date information, time information, name, gender, email address, phone number, address, purpose of participation, and questions included in the meeting reservation request in the meeting database 3c.

[0086] On the other hand, if the first participant's participation in the meeting has already been registered in the meeting database 3c, the reservation management service provider 3 discards the meeting reservation request (S23). In this case, the reservation management service provider 3 generates duplicate reservation information indicating a duplicate reservation for the meeting, and transmits the duplicate reservation information to the first participant terminal (S24). The first participant terminal 5 receives the duplicate reservation information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S25), and displays the duplicate reservation information (S26). The first participant can grasp the duplicate reservation of the meeting by the display of the duplicate reservation information.

[0087] The reservation management service provider 3 may further check whether the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the first participant terminal 5 is listed in the blacklist (S27). If the IP address of the first participant terminal 5 is listed in the blacklist, the meeting reservation request may be discarded. The blacklist may be customized by the organizer.

[0088] The reservation management service provider 3 identifies whether the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online or offline (S28). If the participation form is offline, the first participant terminal 5 and the organizer terminal 4 do not require a meeting URL. If the participation form is online, the first participant terminal 5 and the organizer terminal 4 require a meeting URL to conduct an online meeting.

[0089] Upon receiving a meeting reservation request, the reservation management service provider 3 checks whether the meeting URL is stored in the meeting database 3c (S29). The organizer may host a meeting including a plurality of participants. If the first participant is the first reserver, the meeting URL has not been issued yet and is not stored in the meeting database 3c. On the other hand, if the first participant is a reserver after the second person, the meeting URL has already been issued and is stored in the meeting database 3c.

[0090] If the meeting URL is stored in the meeting database 3c, the reservation management service provider 3 sends an acquisition request for requesting the acquisition of the meeting URL to the meeting database 3c. The reservation management service provider 3 receives the meeting URL from the meeting database 3c.

[0091] On the one hand, if the meeting URL is not stored in the meeting database 3c, the reservation management service provider 3 sends a new issuance request for requesting a new issuance of the meeting URL to the online meeting service provider 2 (S30). The new issuance request includes the host user ID, the host user password, the meeting date information, and the meeting time information. The online meeting service provider 2 receives the new issuance request (S31). The online meeting service provider 2 identifies the meeting date and time based on the date information and the time information, and reserves the meeting venue at the identified date and time. The online meeting service provider 2 further issues a meeting URL, a meeting ID, and a meeting password indicating this venue (S32). The online meeting service provider 2 sends the meeting URL, the meeting ID, and the meeting password to the reservation management service provider 3 (S33). The reservation management service provider 3 receives the meeting URL, the meeting ID, and the meeting password from the online meeting service provider 2 (S34).

[0092] The reservation management service provider 3 generates a reservation management table 60 included in the reservation management screen 50 shown in FIG. 10 (S35).

[0093] The reservation management table 60 displays a list of one or more meetings. Each meeting includes a serial number column 51, a responsible staff column 52, an email address column 53, a meeting participation form column 54, a meeting subject column 55, a meeting date column 56, a meeting time column 57, a meeting status column 58, and an action column 59.

[0094] When the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online, the reservation management service provider 3 displays that the first participant participates in the meeting online and arranges the first icon 61 linked to the meeting URL in the meeting participation form column 54. On the other hand, when the participation form indicated in the participation form information is offline, the reservation management service provider 3 displays that the first participant participates in the meeting offline and arranges the second icon 62 not linked to the meeting URL in the meeting participation form column 54.

[0095] The reservation management service provider 3 transmits reservation management form information for drawing the reservation management form 60 to the organizer terminal 4 (S36). The organizer terminal 4 receives the reservation management form information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S37) and displays a reservation management screen 50 including the reservation management form 60 (S38). The first icon 61 is linked to the meeting URL. The organizer terminal 4 starts the meeting by accessing the meeting URL upon detecting a manual operation by the organizer on the first icon 61.

[0096] The reservation management service provider 3 further transmits the meeting URL to the first participant's email address and the organizer's email address (S39). The organizer terminal 4 receives the meeting URL (S40). The organizer terminal 4 may start the meeting by using the meeting URL received by email address. The first participant terminal 5 receives the meeting URL (S41). The first participant terminal 5 can participate in the meeting by using the meeting URL received by email address.

[0097] The reservation management service provider 3 may further detect the time before a predetermined time of the meeting time (S42), and automatically distribute a reminder to the email address of the organizer and the email address of the first participant (S43). The reminder may include the meeting URL. The organizer terminal 4 and the first participant terminal 5 receive the meeting URL at the email address (S44, S45). The organizer terminal 4 and the first participant terminal 5 may start the meeting by using the meeting URL received in the reminder.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 10, the reservation management table 60 includes a reminder transmission icon 63 in the action column 59 of Meeting No. 1. The reminder transmission icon 63 serves as a meeting URL transmission icon. Returning to FIG. 3, the organizer terminal 4 detects a manual operation by the organizer on the reminder transmission icon 63, and generates detection information indicating the detection of the manual operation on the reminder transmission icon 63 (S46). The organizer terminal 4 transmits the detection information to the reservation management service provider 3 (S47). The reservation management service provider 3 receives the detection information from the organizer terminal 4 (S48). The reservation management service provider 3 transmits the meeting URL to the email address of the first participant upon receiving the detection information (S49). The first participant terminal 5 receives the meeting URL (S50). The first participant terminal 5 can participate in the meeting by using the meeting URL received at the email address.

[0099] The organizer may view the reservation management table 60 including the first icon 61 to start the meeting immediately before the meeting. Under such circumstances, the organizer may be requested by the first participant to retransmit the meeting URL immediately before the meeting. For example, when the first participant notices that the meeting URL has been lost immediately before the meeting. The organizer can transmit the meeting URL to the email address of the first participant only by manually operating the reminder transmission icon included in the reservation management table 60.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 10, the reservation management table 60 includes a reminder sending icon 64 in the action column 59 for Meeting No. 3. The No. 3 meeting is an offline meeting. The reminder sending icon 64 does not serve as a meeting URL sending icon. The reservation management service provider 3 receives detection information indicating a manual operation on the reminder sending icon 64, and sends a message describing the meeting date and time and the venue to the email address of the first participant.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 4, when a plurality of participants (for example, the first participant and the second participant) participate in a meeting, the reservation management service provider 3 may aggregate a pre-meeting questionnaire (S51). As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 registers the meeting selection information, participation form information, date information, time information, name, gender, email address, phone number, address, participation purpose, and questions included in the meeting reservation request in the meeting database 3c. Among these, the gender and participation purpose of the first participant are first questionnaire information indicating the answers selected by the first participant from among questions including a plurality of options. The gender and participation purpose of the second participant are second questionnaire information indicating the answers selected by the second participant from among questions including a plurality of options. The reservation management service provider 3 receives the first questionnaire information and the second questionnaire information from the meeting database 3c. The reservation management service provider 3 statistically analyzes the answers indicated in the first questionnaire information and the answers indicated in the second questionnaire information to generate statistical information regarding the answers to the plurality of options (S52). The statistical information is, for example, the gender ratio and the participation purpose distribution. The reservation management service provider 3 sends the statistical information to the organizer terminal 4 (S53). The organizer terminal 4 receives the statistical information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S54) and displays the statistical information (S55).

[0102] When multiple participants (e.g., the first participant and the second participant) participate in a meeting, the reservation management service provider 3 may tally the number of meeting participants. Specifically, the reservation management service provider 3 requests the first participant access information and the second participant access information from the online meeting service provider 2 (S56). The first participant access information indicates whether the first participant terminal 5 has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL. The second participant access information indicates whether the second participant terminal 6 has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL. The online meeting service provider 2 receives the requests for the first participant access information and the second participant access information (S57), and transmits the first participant access information and the second participant access information to the reservation management service provider 3 (S58). The reservation management service provider 3 receives the first participant access information and the second participant access information from the online meeting service provider 2 (S59). The reservation management service provider 3 calculates the number of meeting participants based on the first participant access information and the second participant access information, and generates participant number information indicating the number of participants (S60). The reservation management service provider 3 transmits the participant number information to the organizer terminal 4 (S61). The organizer terminal 4 receives the participant number information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S62), and displays the participant number information (S63). The reservation management service provider 3 may tally the number of meeting participants in real time during the meeting and transmit participant number information indicating the number of participants to the organizer terminal 4. The reservation management service provider 3 may tally the number of meeting participants before the meeting and transmit participant number information indicating the number of participants to the organizer terminal 4. The reservation management service provider 3 may tally the number of meeting participants after the meeting and transmit participant number information indicating the number of participants to the organizer terminal 4.

[0103] The reservation management service provider 3 may check whether the meeting was held as scheduled. Specifically, the reservation management service provider 3 detects the end time of the meeting (S64), and upon detecting the end time, requests the organizer access information from the online meeting service provider 2 (S65). The organizer access information indicates whether the organizer terminal 4 accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL. The online meeting service provider 2 receives the request for the organizer access information (S66) and transmits the organizer access information to the reservation management service provider 3 (S67). The reservation management service provider 3 receives the organizer access information from the online meeting service provider 2 (S68). The reservation management service provider 3 generates meeting information indicating whether the meeting was held as scheduled based on the organizer access information (S69). The reservation management service provider 3 generates the meeting information for the organizer terminal 4 (S70). The organizer terminal 4 receives the meeting information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S71) and displays the meeting information (S72).

[0104] Furthermore, when a plurality of participants (for example, the first participant and the second participant) participate in the meeting, the reservation management service provider 3 may aggregate the post-meeting questionnaires (S73). For example, the post-meeting questionnaire may be one that allows the evaluation items regarding the meeting to be selected on a 10-point scale. The reservation management service provider 3 statistically analyzes the responses to the post-meeting questionnaire to generate statistical information (S74) and transmits the statistical information to the organizer terminal 4 (S75). The organizer terminal 4 receives the statistical information from the reservation management service provider 3 (S76) and displays the statistical information (S77).

[0105] As shown in FIG. 5, the reservation management service provider 3 may support the settlement process for the meeting participation fees. Specifically, the reservation management service provider 3 creates a settlement screen (S78) and transmits the settlement screen to the first participant terminal 5 (S79). The settlement screen accepts, for example, the input of credit card information. The first participant terminal 5 receives the settlement screen from the reservation management service provider 3 (S80) and displays the settlement screen. The first participant terminal 5 transmits settlement information including credit card information and participation fee information to the settlement server 7 (S81). The settlement server 7 receives the settlement information (S82) and executes a settlement process (S83). After the completion of the settlement process, the settlement server 7 transmits settlement completion information indicating the settlement completion to the organizer terminal 4 (S84). The organizer terminal 4 receives the settlement completion information from the settlement server 7 (S85) and displays the settlement completion information (S86).

[0106] The reservation management service provider 3 may register a plurality of staff with one account.

[0107] The reservation management service provider 3 may have an upper limit on the number of meeting participants. This upper limit is determined, for example, by the organizer. When the reservation management service provider 3 detects that the number of meeting participants has reached the upper limit, it may stop further acceptance of meeting reservations. The reservation management service provider 3 may display the stop of meeting reservation acceptance, for example, by changing the display of the icon 26 shown in FIG. 7 from "〇" to "×".

[0108] Also, the reservation management service provider 3 may have a buffer for the upper limit on the number of meeting participants. Some participants may cancel their participation in the meeting. The buffer may be determined, for example, by the organizer based on the number of cancellations for past meetings.

[0109] The reservation management service provider 3 may provide benefits to the participants who answered the post-event questionnaire. The benefits may be, for example, the provision of the materials used in the meeting.

[0110] As described above, the organizer may have a plurality of staff members. Each of the plurality of staff members may individually have an account of the online meeting service and an access token for logging in to the online meeting service provider 2. The following exemplifies the process in which the reservation management service provider 2 acquires the access tokens of each of the plurality of staff members.

[0111] For example, the reservation management service provider 3 may provide the account setting screen 70 shown in FIG. 11 to the organizer terminal 4. The account setting screen 70 includes a staff column 71 and an access token column 72. The organizer has, for example, four staff members. The organizer enters the access tokens of each of the four staff members into the access token column 72. The organizer terminal 4 receives the access tokens of the four staff members and transmits them to the reservation management service provider 2. The reservation management service provider 2 acquires the access tokens of each of the four staff members and stores them.

[0112] As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 generates reservation screen information for drawing a reservation screen (S16). As shown in FIG. 6, the reservation screen may be a list of meeting topics. However, it is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 12, the reservation screen may be a list of staff. The reservation screen 80 shown in FIG. 12 includes staff menus 81 to 84 introducing different staff members. The staff menus 81 to 84 each include a reservation button 85. This reservation screen 80 is displayed on the first participant terminal 5. The reservation management service provider 3 generates the reservation screen 20 shown in FIG. 7 upon receiving the pressing of the reservation button 85 in any of the staff menus by the first participant. Thereafter, according to the response of the first participant, the reservation screen 30 shown in FIG. 8 and the reservation screen 40 shown in FIG. 9 are sequentially generated to accept the reservation of the meeting by the first participant.

[0113] As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 receives a meeting reservation request and sends a request for issuing a new meeting URL to the online meeting service provider 2 (S30). Also, as described above, the request for issuing a new one includes a user ID, a user password (or instead of the user ID and the user password, the user's access token), the date information of the meeting, and the time information of the meeting. In addition to these, the request for issuing a new one may include the email address of the staff in charge of the meeting among a plurality of staff members.

[0114] In a certain case, the online meeting service provider 2 requests both the access token and the email address of a certain staff member to reserve a meeting using the account of that staff member. The reservation management service provider 3 can reserve a meeting using the account of that staff member by sending a request for issuing a new one including both the access token and the email address of the staff member to the online meeting service provider 2.

[0115] As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 may tally the number of meeting participants during or after the meeting (S56 to S61). As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 may inquire of the online meeting service provider 2 whether the first participant terminal 5 and the second participant terminal 6 have each accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL in order to tally the number of participants. However, the method for tallying the number of participants is not limited to this. The reservation management service provider 3 may independently determine whether the first participant terminal 5 and the second participant terminal 6 have each accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL without inquiring of the online meeting service provider 2.

[0116] For example, the reservation management service provider 3 may tally the number of participants by determining whether the participant terminal has accessed the relay URL specific to each participant. Specifically, the reservation management service provider 3 receives a meeting reservation request from the first participant terminal 5, creates a first relay URL for redirecting to the meeting URL, and transmits the first relay URL to the first participant terminal 5. In addition, the reservation management service provider 3 receives a meeting reservation request from the second participant terminal 6, creates a second relay URL for redirecting to the meeting URL, and transmits the second relay URL to the second participant terminal 6. The meeting URL is unique to the meeting. The relay URL is unique to the participant. Therefore, the second relay URL is different from the first relay URL.

[0117] For example, the reservation management service provider 3 creates individual messages from the message template 90 shown in FIG. 13 for the first participant terminal 5 and the second participant terminal 6. The message template 90 includes a meeting link field 91 for entering a relay URL. The reservation management service provider 3 enters the first relay URL into the meeting link field 91 of the message template 90 for the first participant terminal 5. The reservation management service provider 3 enters the second relay URL into the meeting link field 91 of the message template 90 for the second participant terminal 6.

[0118] When the first participant terminal 5 accesses the first relay URL, it can access the meeting venue indicated by the meeting URL by redialing. When the second participant terminal 6 accesses the second relay URL, it can access the meeting venue indicated by the meeting URL by redialing. The reservation management service provider 3 monitors access to the first relay URL and the second relay URL. If the reservation management service provider 3 detects access to the first relay URL, it determines that the first participant terminal 5 has accessed the meeting venue indicated by the meeting URL. If the reservation management service provider 3 detects access to the second relay URL, it determines that the second participant terminal 6 has accessed the meeting venue indicated by the meeting URL.

[0119] As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 transmits the participant number information to the organizer terminal 4 (S61). The organizer terminal 4 displays the participant number information (S63). The participant number information may be, for example, the attendance list 100 shown in FIG. 14. The attendance list 100 includes, for example, an attendance field 101 indicating the attendance of participants at a certain seminar at a certain opening time on a certain opening day. The organizer can grasp the number of participants by viewing the attendance list 100.

[0120] As described above, the reservation management service provider 3 transmits the basic information input screen information for drawing the basic information input screen to the organizer terminal 4 (S11). FIG. 15 illustrates the basic information input screen. The basic information input screen 110 accepts the staff name, meeting name, staff's telephone number, staff's e-mail, venue, meeting form 111, charging type, maximum number of participants, and the deadline for change / cancellation from the organizer. The venue is the actual address (e.g., address or store) when an offline meeting is selected by the organizer or participants. The meeting form 111 includes buttons for selecting offline fixed, buttons for selecting online fixed, and buttons for selecting the selectability of offline / online. The organizer can select the meeting form 111 by clicking the button.

[0121] When the selectability of offline / online is selected by the organizer, the reservation management service provider 3 may provide the participant with a reservation screen that can accept the selection of offline / online. For example, the reservation management service provider 3 includes an online button 21 and an offline button 22 in the reservation screen 20 shown in FIG. 7. The participant can select either an offline or online meeting form. When online is selected by the participant, the reservation management service provider 3 may obtain the meeting URL with the account linked to the staff name and transmit this meeting URL to the participant terminal. On the other hand, when offline is selected by the participant, the reservation management service provider 3 may transmit the address information indicating the address entered in the venue to the participant terminal.

[0122] When offline fixed or online fixed is selected by the organizer, the reservation management service provider 3 may provide the participant with a reservation screen that cannot accept the selection of offline / online. For example, the reservation management service provider 3 may provide the participant with a reservation screen without the online button 21 and the offline button 22.

Description of Signs

[0123] 1: Reservation management system, 2: Online meeting service provider, 3: Reservation management service provider, 4: Organizer terminal, 5: First participant terminal, 6: Second participant terminal, 7: Payment server, 8: Client member server

Claims

1. A process of receiving, from a first participant terminal used by a first participant who wishes to participate in a meeting in either an online or offline participation form, a meeting reservation request including participation form information indicating whether to participate in the meeting in an online or offline participation form, for a meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms; A process of receiving, from an online meeting service provider that provides an online venue for holding the meeting to the organizer who hosts the meeting, a meeting URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the venue; A process of identifying whether the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online or offline; When the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online, a process of generating reservation management form information for drawing a reservation management form including the date and time of the meeting and a first icon that displays that the first participant participates in the meeting online and is linked to the meeting URL; When the participation form indicated in the participation form information is offline, a process of generating reservation management form information for drawing a reservation management form including the date and time of the meeting and a second icon that displays that the first participant participates in the meeting offline and is not linked to the meeting URL; A process of transmitting the reservation management form information to a host terminal used by the organizer; A program for causing a computer to execute.

2. The meeting reservation request further includes address information indicating the online address of the first participant; The reservation management form further includes a meeting URL transmission icon; A process of receiving, from the host terminal, detection information indicating a manual operation on the meeting URL transmission icon; A process of transmitting the meeting URL to the online address of the first participant indicated by the address information in response to the reception of the detection information; The program according to claim 1, further for causing a computer to execute.

3. A process of checking whether the meeting URL is stored in a database connected to the computer after receiving the meeting reservation request; If the meeting URL is stored in the database, perform a process of sending an acquisition request for acquiring the meeting URL to the database; If the meeting URL is not stored in the database, perform a process of sending a new issuance request for newly issuing the meeting URL to the online meeting service provider; The program according to claim 1 or 2, further causing a computer to execute.

4. The meeting reservation request further includes first questionnaire information indicating an answer selected by the first participant from among questions including a plurality of options; A process of receiving the second questionnaire information from a database that stores second questionnaire information indicating an answer selected by a second participant different from the first participant from among the questions including the plurality of options; A process of statistically analyzing the answer indicated by the first questionnaire information and the answer indicated by the second questionnaire information to generate statistical information regarding the answers to the plurality of options; A process of sending the statistical information to the organizer terminal; The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further causing a computer to execute.

5. A process of receiving organizer access information indicating whether the organizer terminal has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL from the online meeting service provider; A process of generating holding information indicating whether the meeting has been held as scheduled based on the organizer access information; The program according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further causing a computer to execute.

6. A process of receiving first participant access information indicating whether the first participant terminal has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL from the online meeting service provider; A process of receiving second participant access information indicating whether a second participant terminal different from the first participant terminal has accessed the venue indicated by the meeting URL from the online meeting service provider; A process of calculating the number of participants in the meeting based on the first participant access information and the second participant access information and generating participant number information indicating the number of participants; The program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further causing a computer to execute it.

7. A process of determining whether the first participant has already been registered to participate in the meeting upon receiving the meeting reservation request; A process of discarding the meeting reservation request when the first participant has already been registered to participate in the meeting; The program according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further causing a computer to execute it.

8. A process of receiving address information indicating the actual address where the meeting will be held from the organizer terminal used by the organizer when the participation form indicated in the participation form information is offline; A process of transmitting the meeting URL to the first participant terminal when the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online; A process of transmitting the address information to the first participant terminal when the participation form indicated in the participation form is offline; The program according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further causing a computer to execute it.

9. A process of receiving login information for accessing an online meeting service provider that provides the organizer of the meeting that allows both online and offline participation forms with the online venue of the meeting from the organizer terminal used by the organizer; Transmitting the login information to the online meeting service provider, and receiving a meeting URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the online venue of the meeting from the online meeting service provider that has received the login information; A process of obtaining address information indicating the offline venue of the meeting from the organizer terminal; A process of receiving a meeting reservation request including participation form information indicating whether to participate in the meeting in either an online or offline form from the first participant terminal; A process of specifying whether the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online or offline; A process of transmitting the meeting URL to the first participant terminal when the participation form indicated in the participation form information is online; When the participation form shown in the participation form is offline, the process of transmitting the address information to the first participant terminal, and A program that causes a computer to execute.

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