Conference Control Server Calendar Integration for Automated Call Setup

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Video conferencing setups often require complex and time-consuming procedures, and existing systems lack efficient methods for automatically initiating scheduled calls, especially when specialized resources are involved.

Innovation Solution

A conference control server integrates with a calendar server to identify scheduled calls and automatically set up connections by registering conferencing resources, receiving update notifications, and providing necessary meeting information to initiate calls at the scheduled time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If video conference connections are established manually with specialized equipment, then call quality and resource availability are ensured, but setup complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall establishment reliabilityVSAvoidsetup procedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically reserving conferencing resources (rooms, equipment, bandwidth) in advance based on calendar schedule information. The conference control server proactively sets up resource allocations before the scheduled call time, eliminating the need for manual setup while ensuring resource availability and call reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The conference control server implements self-service by automatically monitoring calendar schedules, identifying scheduled calls, and initiating resource reservation and connection setup procedures without human intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously managing the complex setup process, reducing setup complexity while maintaining reliable call establishment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If calendar servers are queried frequently for scheduled calls, then call initiation accuracy is improved, but system performance and privacy are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduled call identification accuracyVSAvoidcalendaring application performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The conference control server implements a feedback mechanism by registering with the calendar server to receive update notifications whenever calendar data changes. Instead of continuously querying the calendar server, the system receives push notifications that trigger call initiation only when relevant schedule changes occur, maintaining high identification accuracy while minimizing calendar server load and preserving system performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses an intermediary approach where the conference control server acts as a mediator between the calendar server and call initiation processes. The server registers with the calendar server for update notifications, creating an efficient communication channel that provides accurate scheduled call information without requiring frequent direct queries, thus maintaining productivity of the calendaring application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If manual resource reservation is performed for scheduled calls, then resource availability is ensured, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource availabilityVSAvoidorganizer workload
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The conference control server implements self-service by automatically monitoring calendar schedules, identifying scheduled calls, and initiating resource reservation procedures without human intervention. The system autonomously ensures resource availability for conferencing resources based on calendar data, eliminating the need for manual resource reservation while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary resource reservation actions based on scheduled call information from the calendar server. By proactively reserving conferencing resources in advance before the scheduled call time, the system ensures resource availability while removing the operational burden from organizers, making the process easier to operate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2014071B1Accessing a calendar server to facilitate initiation of a scheduled call
Publication Date: 2018.09.12 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP2014071B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2014071B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2014071B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A conference control server (22) accesses a calendar server (18) in order to identify calls scheduled by an organizer and to facilitate initiation of the calls at the scheduled time.