Web Conferencing Emissions Tracking System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack the ability to effectively quantify and display air emissions savings from using online web conferencing instead of traditional transportation modes, making it difficult for companies and individuals to demonstrate environmental responsibility and make informed choices.
Innovation Solution
A computer system method that determines air emissions savings by calculating distances between participants and a session leader using IP addresses, estimating physical locations, and displaying the corresponding emissions savings on a user interface, allowing for customized reports on emissions reductions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If companies and individuals use traditional transportation modes for meetings and conferences, then face-to-face interaction and collaboration are improved, but air emissions and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes physical transportation (mechanical movement of people) with electronic communication systems (web conferencing platforms). By replacing the mechanical system of traveling with digital communication infrastructure, the patent eliminates air emissions while maintaining communication functionality through video conferencing, screen sharing, and virtual meeting rooms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of physical meeting environments through web conferencing systems. Instead of people physically traveling to a location, the system replicates the meeting experience digitally through video streams, virtual meeting spaces, and online collaboration tools, allowing face-to-face interaction without physical displacement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If companies choose web conferencing over physical transportation, then air emissions are reduced, but the ability to quantify and demonstrate environmental impact is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that automatically calculate, track, and report air emissions savings from web conferencing usage. The system collects data on meeting duration, participant locations, and alternative transportation scenarios to generate quantitative emissions avoidance metrics, providing continuous feedback to organizations about their environmental impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational system that bridges web conferencing usage and environmental impact quantification. This intermediary automatically processes meeting data, calculates emissions savings compared to alternative transportation, and generates reports, eliminating the need for manual tracking and ensuring accurate environmental impact documentation.
3Reliability
If companies implement environmental tracking systems, then environmental responsibility is demonstrated, but system complexity and implementation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the tracking system to automatically self-configure and self-report environmental impact data. The system autonomously collects meeting information, calculates emissions savings, generates reports, and updates dashboards without requiring manual intervention or complex configuration by users, thereby demonstrating environmental responsibility while minimizing implementation burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional system that simultaneously provides web conferencing capabilities, emissions calculation, data tracking, report generation, and dashboard visualization. By consolidating these functions into a single integrated platform, the patent reduces overall system complexity while comprehensively demonstrating environmental stewardship through multiple operational dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
Participants and session leaders (i.e. users) are allowed to join online web conferences, online meetings, or online classes. The methods herein determine, among other variables, the total air emissions saved by being able to forego physical transportation of the users on account of being able to meet by an online web conference. In certain embodiments, the amount of CO2 air emissions is determined. The air emission savings are then displayed on a user interface for one or more online web conferences. Aggregate air emission savings may also determined for a group of online web conferences. Advantages of the methods of the present invention include, among others, the ability to quantify the air emission savings from the use of online meeting technology and the ability to generate individualized and aggregated air emission reports based on one or more online web conferences or classes and/or company-wide air emission savings.