Conference Server Automating Location-Based Room Setup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Convening scheduled conferences, especially audio and audiovisual conferences, is inefficient due to the need for comprehensive research to determine the location of conference participants and available network resources, leading to significant time consumption and effort.

Innovation Solution

A method that automatically determines the geographical location of conference participants and conference areas using communication networks, allowing for automated notification and setup of conference connections, utilizing a conference server that manages URL addresses, presence information, and conference room availability to streamline the conference initialization process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If comprehensive research is conducted to determine participant locations and network resources, then conference setup accuracy is improved, but time consumption and effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation determination accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption for conference setup

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining up-to-date location information and resource availability data before conferences are requested. Presence information is continuously updated, and resource availability is pre-checked, so when a conference is convened, the information is already ready and no extensive research is needed at the moment of setup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves itself by automatically determining participant locations and resource availability without requiring manual intervention. The conference server autonomously queries presence information and resource status, eliminating the need for organizers to conduct comprehensive research manually.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If manual determination of conference participant locations is performed, then information accuracy is improved, but operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticipant location information accuracyVSAvoidease of conference convening

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines participant locations by querying presence information from the communication network without requiring manual input from organizers. Conference participants' locations are self-reported through presence information, eliminating manual determination steps while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms where presence information is continuously updated and fed back to the conference server. This real-time feedback ensures accurate location information is available without manual intervention, as the system automatically receives and processes location updates from participants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If automated determination of conference areas is implemented, then setup time is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconference setup speedVSAvoidsystem complexity for location determination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conference server acts as an intermediary that simplifies the automated determination process. Instead of complex direct interactions between multiple systems, the conference server mediates by automatically querying presence information and resource availability, then processing this information to determine appropriate conference areas, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If comprehensive resource research is conducted, then conference setup reliability is improved, but time and effort requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconference setup reliabilityVSAvoidtime for resource allocation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary resource availability checks and maintains updated information about network resources and conference equipment before conferences are requested. This preliminary action ensures reliable resource allocation when conferences are convened, eliminating the need for extensive research at the moment of setup while maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10020950B2Method and conference server for initializing scheduled conferences

Publication Date: 2018.07.10 RINGCENTRAL INC

AI summary

Conference participants are selected via a network element in a network, the geographical area locations, for example, buildings of an enterprise, of the conference participants are determined and depending on the determined locations a geographical conference area, for example a conference room is determined for each conference participant. The conference area together with the conference information is communicated to the conference participants. The availability of the conference participants can be checked for the communication.