Abstract:
A system, method and program product for delivering to an invitee of a teleconference an electronic file attached to or referenced by a meeting notice for the teleconference. The teleconference hosted by a server computer, the invitee has a telephone to call-in to the teleconference via a telephone connection, and an invitee computer downloads the electronic file from the server computer via a first network in response to selection by the invitee of a representation of the electronic file from the meeting notice. The server computer receives a notification that a predetermined combination of keys has been pressed by the invitee on the telephone. In response, the server computer determines an e-mail address or instant message address for the invitee. The server computer attaches and sends the electronic file to an e-mail or instant message with the attached electronic file to the e-mail address or instant message address.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to teleconferencing and more specifically to delivery of presentation materials to invitees of a teleconference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Teleconference meetings through the use of a telephone and a computing device are common today. In a known audio/visual teleconference meeting, a host of the meeting posts documents in a meeting notice, generated at a host&#39;s server computer, and allows the invitees to download the documents to their computer and page through the documents at will. A known Lotus™ Notes program can be used to schedule an audio/visual teleconference meetings, identify the call-in telephone number, designate and notify the invitees and post the documents. In response to the scheduling of the meeting, the Lotus™ Notes program sends meeting notices to the invitees, activates the call-in telephone number, and makes the posted documents available for download to the invitees. The invitees open the meeting notice and “click-on” an icon for the posted documents. These documents provide pertinent information to the invitees as well as allow the invitees to follow along with the presentation during the conference call. At the date and time scheduled for the meeting, each invitee calls-in to a shared telephone number through a telephone for oral communication, and can access and view the posted documents via the invitee&#39;s computing device by “clicking-on” icons for the posted documents displayed in the meeting notice. Upon such selection of the icons for the posted documents, the host&#39;s server downloads the selected documents to the invitee&#39;s computer via a network determined by the host&#39;s server. During a typical teleconference, the host typically presents orally the material displayed in the posted documents and orally notifies the invitees as to which document and page(s) to view, but invitees controls what documents and pages of the document to view on the screens of their computing devices. 
         [0003]    The computing devices can be mobile or stationary, and the telephone and computing device can be integrated together. The telephone can be a conventional “plain old telephone system (&#39;POTS”) or a Voice over Internet Protocol system. Examples of known mobile computers are smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and computer tablets, where some of these devices include integrated telephone capability. Examples of known stationary computing devices are desk top computers and other workstations. 
         [0004]    It was known for the telephone call of the teleconference to occur through a Voice over Internet Protocol network. In some instances the same communications network provides connectivity for the transfer of both the telephone conference call and the sending and receiving of data related to the presentation materials. However, in other instances, the teleconferencing sessions occur through different networks. In the situation where multiple networks are used, typically the audio portion of the session is carried by a separate network than the network that supports the delivery of the documents related to the teleconference. 
         [0005]    During known teleconferences, a problem occasionally occurs where the invitee calls-in to the teleconference call, via a telephone, but cannot access the posted documents by “clicking-on” the documents&#39; icons for the posted documents due to failure of the designated network used to send the documents to the computing device of the invitee. 
         [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide the documents to an invitee of a teleconference when the invitee can call-in to the teleconference call, but cannot access the documents by clicking on the icons for the posted documents. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Aspects of the present invention disclose a method, computer system, and computer program product for delivery of presentation materials to invitees of a teleconference. 
         [0008]    A system, method and program product for delivering to an invitee of a teleconference an electronic file attached to or referenced by a teleconference meeting notice for the teleconference. The teleconference hosted by a server computer, the invitee has a telephone to call-in to the teleconference via a telephone connection, and an invitee&#39;s computer downloads the electronic file from the server computer via a first network in response to selection by the invitee of a representation of the electronic file from the meeting notice. The server computer receives a notification that a predetermined combination of keys has been pressed by the invitee on the telephone. In response, the server computer determines an e-mail address or instant message address for the invitee. The server computer attaches the electronic file to an e-mail or instant message and sending the e-mail or instant message with the attached electronic file to the e-mail address or instant message address. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  depicts a presentation material managing retrieval system according to an embodiment of the present invention for managing the retrieval of presentation materials with a communication device coupled to a network during a teleconference. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  depicts a presentation material managing retrieval system according to another embodiment of the present invention for managing the retrieval of presentation materials with a communication device coupled to a network during a teleconference. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a program installed in a computer of  FIG. 1  for operating a teleconference. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a program installed in the computer of  FIG. 1  for operating a teleconference. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a program installed in the computer of  FIG. 1  for retrieving data related to presentation materials to a device coupled to one or more networks during a teleconference. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of components of computers of  FIGS. 1 and 2  (such as a mobile device, electronic device, or server computer) depicted in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates as teleconferencing system generally designated  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0017]    System  100  includes a host computer  110  and host telephone  112  and multiple invitee computers  160   a,b  each with a respective invitee telephone  162   a,b  for a respective user (not shown). The host computer  110  includes an audio/visual teleconference meeting host program  120  with a scheduling program function  121  which allows a host (person) to schedule a meeting by selecting invitees and a date and time for the meeting, and posting an electronic document in a meeting notice (or elsewhere available to the invitees) sent to the invitees. Every invitee computer includes a teleconferencing invitee program  170  which allows each invitee to accept or reject the meeting, and after acceptance, select the posted document to download the document to the invitee computer  160  (for example, by clicking-on an icon for the document posted in the meeting notice) and open and page through the document at will. At the scheduled time for the meeting, the host and invitees call-in to a telephone conference number listed in the meeting notice through which they all can communicate. Typically, the host leads the discussion and references different pages in the document at different points in the discussion. In the illustrated embodiment, the telephone communication between the host and the invitees occurs via a telephony network  140 , and the documents are downloaded to the invitees via a digital network  150  upon selection of the posted document. Occasionally, the digital network  150  is unavailable either due to failure, overload, latency problems, or binding of traffic at ports, and one or more invitees cannot download the document selected directly from the meeting notice via the digital network  150  or one or more invitees choose not to download the document directly via the meeting notice. 
         [0018]    In such a case, according to the present invention, the invitee presses a predetermined sequence of characters on his her invitee telephone  162  used for the conference call. The invitee&#39;s telephone  162  is coupled to the teleconference host program  120  via the networks  140  and  150 . A retrieve program function  122  in the teleconference host program  120  recognizes the predetermined sequence of characters as a request for the document via an e-mail and also recognizes the associated telephone number. In response, the retrieve program function  122  accesses a configuration file or telephone/e-mail directory for employees (including the meeting invitees) of a corporation which lists the e-mail address for the telephone number, attaches the document to an e-mail and sends the e-mail to the e-mail address listed in the configuration file. Typically, the e-mail traverses an alternative network path  152  than for the direct download of the document selected via the meeting notice. (The teleconference host program  120  previously acquired the configuration information from the telephone directory or by prior registration of the invitees with the teleconference host program  120 .) The invitee receives the e-mail and opens the document attached to the e-mail. Thus, the invitee obtains the document even though the network path  151  for direct download of the document via the meeting notice was not available or the invitee chose not to download the document selected via the meeting notice. 
         [0019]    Any number of invitee preferences may be stored for the alternative manner of receiving the posted document. In one example, associated with a telephone number is data for a user name, web address, e-mail address, chat tool user identification, such as Lotus Sametime®, an option for how the invitee prefers data for presentation files to be sent to computer or device, a mode for how the invitee prefers data for presentation files to be sent to computer or device, a format for how the invitee prefers data for presentation files to be sent to computer or device, etc. 
         [0020]    There are many different possible modes for how the invitee can register to receive the posted documents from server computer  110  to computer  160  when unavailable by selecting the icon for the posted document. In other examples, the mode may be multimedia messaging services (MMS), short message service (SMS), instant messaging, videotelephony, or any other form of possible communication. 
         [0021]    Furthermore, the invitee may be able to select and store in a database (not shown) or other location, a format for how the invitee prefers the posted documents to be sent to the invitee&#39;s computing device through a default or alternative network path  151  and  152 . In some examples, the format may be a Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentation, .pdf, .gif, .jpg, .png, etc. In some cases the invitee has a default setting of preferred format of delivery for any chosen computer  160  used. For example, an invitee data for presentation files sent over an alternate network  150  to the computer  160  is delivered in PowerPoint format for an e-mail, or in the alternative in .jpeg format for a different device, such as a smartphone. 
         [0022]    Many different options for how the invitee prefers data for presentation files to be sent to computer  160  through a default or alternative network path  151  and  152  may be used. In one example, the option is to send the user the current screen discussed during the teleconference. Another option may be to send a range of pages of the teleconference presentation file. The entire teleconference presentation file may be sent in another embodiment. Furthermore, in some scenarios, an option is to send all presentation files stored on a server computer  110  may be sent to a user if multiple teleconference files are uploaded for the entire teleconference. Other forms of options may be used, depending on the desired characteristics of the users. 
         [0023]    In some instances, the user selects an option, mode and/or format where computer  160  does not have the capability to open and display the data of the presentation file sent by the server computer  110 . In this scenario, the computer  160  alerts the invitee with an error message and/or suggests what formats are compatible with their computer  160 . The invitee chooses another format option, mode, and/or format for their computer when an error message appears. 
         [0024]    In an alternative embodiment, the invitee has the option to override their preselected preferences. In one scenario, the computer  110  prompts and/or allows the invitee with the option to use preselected preferences or to input new preferences when signing up for the teleconference. This may be beneficial because the invitee may not have accessibility to their preselected computer  160  when traveling, or the invitee may not actually be the owner of the device where the preferences are saved. 
         [0025]    In some scenarios, more than one number from more than one computer  160  may be associated to a single invitee and/or the invitee data and preferences. In one example, an invitee has both a mobile number and a land-line office number. If the invitee calls from either the mobile or office number and requests that data of presentation file be sent, the program  120  sends the presentation file according to the same invitee data and preferences. 
         [0026]    When signing up for the teleconference, the teleconference program  120  provides the invitee with a sign up notice that provides instructions on how the invitee retrieves the data of the presentation materials if connectivity is lost from the server computer  110  to computer  160  through the default network path  151 . The instructions include a number and/or symbol combination to press the keypad (not shown) of their telephone  162   a,b  to provide the connectivity through an alternative network path  152  by the server computer  110 . In one example, the invitee dials (*123) on the keypad of their telephone  162   a,b.  Typically, but not necessarily, the number and/or symbol combination used is not too simplistic to avoid inadvertent dialing of the number when the user is participating in the teleconference. In one example, the sign up notice provided in conjunction with the teleconference is provided to the invitee at multiple different times, including the initial sign-up for the presentation, when the invitee signs into the teleconference, once the teleconference begins, during the teleconference, etc. 
         [0027]    Alternatively,  FIG. 2  illustrates a teleconferencing system generally designated  200  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]    System  200  includes a host computer  210  and host telephone  212  and multiple invitee mobile devices  260   a,b.  Each mobile device is capable of performing computing functions, along with support telephony functions. The host computer  210  includes an audio/visual teleconference meeting host program  220  with a scheduling program function  221  which allows a host (person) to schedule a meeting by selecting invitees and a date and time for the meeting, and posting an electronic document in a meeting notice (or elsewhere available to the invitees) sent to the invitees. Invitees&#39; mobile devices include a teleconferencing invitee program  270  which allows them to accept or reject the meeting, and after acceptance, to select the posted document to download to their mobile device  260  and to open the document at will. At the scheduled time for the meeting, the host and invitees call-in to a telephone conference number listed in the meeting notice through which they all can communicate. Typically, the host leads the discussion and references different pages in the document at different points in the discussion. Invitees can view the documents they previously downloaded. In the illustrated embodiment, the telephone communication between the host and the invitees occurs via a first path  251  of a digital network  250 , and the documents are downloaded to the invitees, via a second path  252  of the digital network  250 . Occasionally, the second path  252  of the digital network  250  is unavailable either due to failure, overload, latency problems, or binding of traffic at ports, and one or more invitees cannot download the document directly from the meeting notice via the digital network  250 . 
         [0029]    In such a case, according to the present invention, the invitee presses a predetermined sequence of characters on his or her mobile device  260  that is used for the conference call. The invitee&#39;s mobile device  260  is coupled to the teleconference host program  220  via the digital network  250 . A retrieve program function  222  in the teleconference host program  220  recognizes the predetermined sequence of characters as a request for the document via a MMS and also recognizes the associated telephone number. In response, the retrieve program function  222  accesses a configuration file which lists the telephone number, and sends the MMS to the telephone number to the e-mail address listed in the configuration file. Typically, the MMS traverses the third network path  253 . (The teleconference host program  220  previously acquired the configuration information from a telephone directory or by prior registration of the invitee with the teleconference host program  220 .) The invitee receives the MMS and opens MMS. Thus, the invitee obtains the presentation information even though the second network path  252  for direct download of the document via the meeting notice was not available or the invitee chooses not to download the document via the meeting notice. 
         [0030]    In some examples, the mobile device  260  for computing and/or communicating with server computer  210  may be, for example, the invitee&#39;s computer system such as a personal computer, a notebook, a netbook, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld device or smart-phone, a thin client, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of communicating with a system  200 , such as server computer  210 , through a network. For example, the device  260  may include devices such as a personal computer (e.g., desktop, laptop, palm, tablet, etc.) or a handheld device (e.g., cellular telephone, smart-phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), e-mail device, music recording or playback device, etc.), or any other device capable of processing information. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of the teleconferencing host program  120 . In Step  302 , the teleconferencing host program  120  receives schedule information from the host (person), such as time and date, length of teleconference, sign-in information, etc. The scheduling function  121  can be the prior art scheduling function found in IBM Sametime® where the host (person) selects the date, time, and invitees, and the teleconferencing host program  120  obtains the contact information for the invitees from a prior art directory such as a user profile in a company&#39;s intranet system. In step  304 , the teleconference program  120  receives from the host via a network a document to post in the meeting notice. The document can be a word processor type file, a video file, presentation slides, links to web tours, polls and surveys, etc. During, before and after the teleconference, the documents are accessible by the users. In step  306 , the teleconference program receives documents from the host&#39;s computer via a network of the foregoing parameters and functionality of the teleconference. In some scenarios, the host may select the invitees that are able to access the teleconference. In step  308 , the teleconference program receives from the host via a network a request to distribute invitations to potential invitees through e-mail, MMS, SMS, or other types of communication. In response to the request to distribute invitations, in step  310  the teleconference program sends out invitations through e-mail, MMS, SMS, or forms of communication. 
         [0032]    After the teleconference has been scheduled, in step  312  the teleconference program  170  of the invitees receives a request for the invitee to sign up for the teleconference. The invitees may have individual accounts and/or profiles, such as a company profile linked with a program suite, which store their desired preferences. 
         [0033]    Once the desired date and time has arrived, in step  330 , the server computer  110  starts the teleconference session according to known procedures. In step  332 , the server computer  110  connects through a digital network  150  to one or more invitee computers  160  of invitees. In step  334 , the server computer  110  receives a request from the host inputting a number on the keypad of the host telephone  112  to connect with the teleconference through a telephony network  140 . In step  336 , the server computer  110  receives a request from the invitee inputting a number on the keypad of the invitee telephone  162   a,b  to connect with the teleconference through a telephony network  140 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an embodiment of a retrieving program function  120  for retrieving teleconference presentation files for a user and delivers data over an alternative network path  151  to an invitee computer  160 . 
         [0035]    Once the teleconference has begun, the invitee decides if the computer  160  has sufficient connectivity through the default network  140  to the server computer  110  so that the invitee can download and view the presentation materials used in the teleconference on the computer  160 . If the invitee finds that the connectivity of the computer  160  to the server computer  110  is sufficient through the first path  151  of the digital network  150 , in step  402 , the server computer  110  proceeds sending the presentation of the teleconference materials on device  160  through the first path  151 . 
         [0036]    However, sometimes when connecting to a teleconference or when the teleconference is running, a mobile or stationary invitee loses connection through the first path  151  of the digital network, and no longer has access to the presentation materials of the teleconference. Although the teleconference is typically set-up to operate in a traditional fashion, there may be an alternative path  152  of the digital network  150  connected to the server computer  110  to send data of the presentation files to computer  160  of users who lose connectivity through the first path  151  of the digital network  150 . 
         [0037]    When the invitee of computer  160  finds that connectivity to the server computer  110  through the first path  151  is disrupted or limited, in step  404 , the server computer receives a request from the invitee to connect computer  160  to the server computer  110  through an alternative path  152  of the digital network  150 . The invitee&#39;s telephone  162  is coupled to the teleconference host program  120  via the networks  140  and  150 . In step  406 , the computer recognizes the predetermined sequence of characters as a request for the document via an e-mail and also recognizes the associated telephone number. In step  408 , in response, the computer accesses a configuration file which lists the e-mail address for the telephone number. In step  410 , the computer attaches the document to an e-mail and sends the e-mail to the e-mail address listed in the configuration file through an alternative path  152  of the digital network. 
         [0038]    Computers  110  and  160  and device  260  may include respective sets of internal components  800   a,b,c,d  and external components  900   a,b,c,d  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Each of the sets of internal components  800   a,b,c,d  includes one or more processors  820 , one or more computer-readable RAMs  822  and one or more computer-readable ROMs  824  on one or more buses  826 , and one or more operating systems  828  and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices  830 . The one or more operating systems  828  and programs  120 ,  170 ,  220  and  270  (in computers  110  and/or  160  and/or device  260 ) are stored on one or more of the respective computer-readable tangible storage devices  830  for execution by one or more of the respective processors  820  via one or more of the respective RAMs  822  (which typically include cache memory). In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6 , each of the computer-readable tangible storage devices  830  is a magnetic disk storage device of an internal hard drive. Alternatively, each of the computer-readable tangible storage devices  830  is a semiconductor storage device such as ROM  824 , EPROM, flash memory or any other computer-readable tangible storage device that can store a computer program and digital information. 
         [0039]    Each set of internal components  800   a,b,c,d  also includes a R/W drive or interface  832  to read from and write to one or more portable computer-readable tangible storage devices  936  such as a CD-ROM, DVD, memory stick, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, optical disk or semiconductor storage device. The programs  120 ,  170 ,  220  and  270  (in computers  110  and/or computer  160  and/or device  260 ) can be stored on one or more of the respective portable computer-readable tangible storage devices  936 , read via the respective R/W drive or interface  832  and loaded into the respective hard drive  830 . 
         [0040]    Each set of internal components  800   a,b,c,d  also includes a network adapter or interface  836  such as a TCP/IP adapter card. The programs  120 ,  170 ,  220  and  270  can be downloaded to respective computer  110  and/or computer  160  and/or device  260 , from an external computer via a network (for example, the Internet, a local area network or other, wide area network) and respective network adapter or interface  836 . From the network adapter or interface  836 , the programs  120 ,  170 ,  220  and  270  are loaded into the respective hard drive  830 . The network may comprise copper wires, optical fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. 
         [0041]    Each of the sets of external components  900   a,b,c,d  includes a computer display monitor  920 , a keyboard  930 , and a computer mouse  934 . Each of the sets of internal components  800   a,b,c,d  also includes device drivers  840  to interface to computer display monitor  920 , keyboard  930  and computer mouse  934 . The device drivers  840 , R/W drive or interface  832  and network adapter or interface  836  comprise hardware and software (stored in storage device  830  and/or ROM  824 ). 
         [0042]    Programs  120 ,  170 ,  220  and  270  can be written in various programming languages (such as Java, C+, etc.) including low-level, high-level, object-oriented or non object-oriented languages. Alternatively, the functions of programs  120 ,  170 ,  220  and  270  can be implemented in whole or in part by computer circuits and other hardware (not shown). 
         [0043]    Based on the foregoing, computer system, method and program product have been disclosed for retrieving a presentation materials to a communication device coupled to one or more networks during a teleconference. However, numerous modifications and substitutions can be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention has been disclosed by way of example and not limitation.