Patent ID: 9733333
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: G01S,H04L,H04R

Claim:
1. A method for assessing participant attentiveness within an interactive online event, the method comprising: receiving a first plurality of audio signals from a user device, the user device comprising a plurality of microphones arranged in a plurality of directions around the user device, wherein the microphones are located a certain distance away from the user device; determining, based on the first plurality of audio signals, a steady state sound level of communication, wherein determining a steady state sound level comprises modeling the first plurality of audio signals to determine a maximum likelihood function representative of the steady state sound level; receiving a second plurality of audio signals from the user device; determining, based on the second plurality of audio signals, a change from the steady state sound level of the second plurality of audio signals, wherein determining the change from the steady state sound level comprises determining that the change exceeds the steady state sound level by at least two standard deviations; determining, based on a microphone of the plurality of microphones having a largest contribution to the change, a level of attentiveness associated with the user device; storing the change in an event participation log; and providing a participation report corresponding to a determined level of participation and attentiveness of the user during the online event, wherein participation grades may be derived from the report and provided to event attendees.