Automatic Conference Initiation via Presence Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

In presence-based communication systems, users face inefficiencies when trying to initiate conferences as they need to manually track and wait for all required participants to become available, leading to wasted time and inefficiencies in scheduling.

Innovation Solution

An automatic conference initiation system that allows users to set up conferences to start when a specified minimum number of participants become available, with options to choose the required participants and notification methods, enabling the conference to begin automatically once the selected participants are available.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual tracking and waiting for all required participants is used to initiate conferences, then conference initiation accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconference initiation accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring conference parameters including participant lists, minimum participant thresholds, and notification preferences before the conference initiation process begins. This allows the automatic initiation system to execute the conference setup without requiring real-time manual intervention when participants become available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically monitoring presence information of participants, determining when the minimum threshold is met, and initiating the conference without requiring continuous manual tracking or waiting by the user. The automatic initiation system independently manages the entire process from configuration to execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If manual tracking and waiting for all required participants is used to initiate conferences, then conference initiation accuracy is improved, but operational efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconference initiation accuracyVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by automatically monitoring presence information of participants, determining when the minimum threshold is met, and initiating the conference without requiring continuous manual tracking or waiting by the user. The automatic initiation system independently manages the entire process from configuration to execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring presence information of participants and automatically comparing it against the minimum participant threshold. When the threshold is met, the system provides feedback through notification methods (visual, audio, or message) to confirm readiness for conference initiation, enabling efficient automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of time

If automatic conference initiation is implemented, then time consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime consumptionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic initiation system functions as an intermediary layer between the user and the conference initiation process. It receives user preferences and parameters, automatically monitors presence information, determines when thresholds are met, and executes the conference setup. This intermediary handles the complexity of real-time monitoring and decision logic, shielding the user from these complexities while enabling automated time-efficient initiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If automatic conference initiation is implemented, then operational efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic initiation system functions as an intermediary layer between the user and the conference initiation process. It receives user preferences and parameters, automatically monitors presence information, determines when thresholds are met, and executes the conference setup. This intermediary handles the complexity of real-time monitoring and decision logic, shielding the user from these complexities while enabling automated time-efficient initiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2064857B1Apparatus and method for automatic conference initiation
Publication Date: 2018.04.18 UNIFY INC
  • EP2064857B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2064857B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2064857B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In some embodiments, an automatic conference initiator system (700) may include one or more of the following features: (a) a memory (103) characterized by, (i) an automatic conference initiator program (800) that initiates a conference when conferees (702B-H) are determined available based upon presence information (704), and (b) a processor (550) coupled to the memory (103) that executes the automatic conference initiator program (800).