Conference Management System Group-Based Participant Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conference management systems lack efficient methods to manage participant interactions based on group membership, leading to difficulties in enforcing corporate policies and maintaining order during conferences, especially when multiple participants with varying priority levels speak simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that determines group associations of conference participants and prioritizes actions based on these associations, allowing moderators to create conference profiles that enforce policies such as muting lower-priority participants when higher-priority speakers are active, using a conference management system that integrates with external information sources like LDAP directories and social networks to automatically populate and validate participant groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If per-participant management is used, then individual control is achieved, but system complexity increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple participant management operations into group-based actions. Instead of managing each participant individually, the system allows moderators to perform actions (mute, unmute, kick, etc.) on entire groups simultaneously. This merging approach reduces the number of individual operations needed and simplifies the management interface while maintaining fine-grained control through group associations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments participants into hierarchical groups with different priority levels. Participants are organized in a tree structure where groups can contain sub-groups, allowing granular control at multiple levels. This segmentation enables efficient management by allowing moderators to target specific segments (groups) rather than individual participants, while still providing the ability to drill down to individual control when needed.
2Productivity
If group-based management is implemented, then management efficiency improves, but control precision over individual participants decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic group associations where participants can be moved between groups, and group structures can be modified during the conference. The system dynamically determines which group actions apply to which participants based on current associations. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing conference needs while maintaining both group-level efficiency and individual-level precision when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different management approaches to different local contexts (groups). Each group can have its own priority level, and actions are applied with local precision based on group membership. The system allows moderators to apply actions to specific groups or individuals depending on the local situation, providing both broad group-level control and fine-grained individual control where needed.
3Productivity
If multiple participants speak simultaneously, then conference activity increases, but order and policy enforcement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes group priority associations before conference activities begin. Moderators pre-configure which groups have higher or lower priorities, and the system automatically enforces these priorities when conflicts occur. This preliminary action allows the system to maintain order during simultaneous activities without requiring real-time intervention, as the enforcement rules are already in place based on pre-established group hierarchies.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a method for administering an online conference. The method includes receiving an electronic communication from a conference participant. A group is determined to be associated with the conference participant. An action is performed on the conference participant based on the group association.