Patent Publication Number: US-2004059785-A1

Title: System and method for creating and managing persistent group representation for meetings

Description:
Technical Field  
       [0001] The technical field relates to computer software systems, and, in particular, to systems for creating and managing persistent group representations for meetings.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Business and technical meetings range from formal arranged meetings in conference rooms to spontaneous encounters in hallways. During and after such meetings, meeting participants often use computers to exchange files, send emails, and/or deliver follow-up documents to one another. However, the laptop and handheld computers brought to meetings generally have little capacity for supporting these meetings. Specifically, the laptop and handheld computers lack a mechanism for creating persistent electronic representations of the meetings. Without such persistent representation, it is difficult to preserve the context of the meetings or to effectively extend the meetings through the exchange of follow-up emails and documents. For example, the meeting participants typically have to collect email addresses from all attendees and have to manually track the documents associated with a meeting for post-meeting communications.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003] A method for creating and managing persistent group representations for meetings includes establishing a meeting, which includes creating a meeting identification for a meeting and inviting and enrolling meeting participants for the meeting. The method further includes tracking meeting artifacts and managing searches and accesses of the meeting artifacts by the meeting participants. The meeting artifacts include meeting documents, and optionally meeting emails and recordings of meeting proceedings.  
       [0004] The method uses a meeting memory manager (MMM) to create and manage the persistent meeting representations. The MMM includes a meeting identification generator that generates the meeting identification and, in some implementations, tags the meeting artifacts with the meeting identification. The MMM also includes an enrollment and management facility that invites and enrolls the meeting participants. The MMM further includes a user interface that enables the meeting participants to search and access the meeting artifacts.  
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0005] The preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus for creating and managing persistent group representations for meetings will be described in detail with reference to the following figures, in which like numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:  
     [0006]FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary software components of a meeting memory manager (MMM) that creates and manages persistent representations for meetings;  
     [0007]FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary hardware components of a computer that may be used in connection with the MMM;  
     [0008]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an exemplary procedure for initiating a MMM meeting by a user; and  
     [0009] FIGS.  5 - 8  are flow charts illustrating an exemplary method for creating and managing persistent group representations for meetings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0010] Business and technical meetings may take a variety of forms. For example, the meetings may be formal events in conference rooms or casual hallway encounters. Described here is a system and method for creating and managing an electronic group representation for meetings using a software module, referred to as a meeting memory manager (MMM). The electronic group representation created by the MMM, i.e., the MMM meeting, is a persistent representation of meeting participants, along with important artifacts associated with the meeting. The MMM typically collects and maintains the meeting artifacts so that the meeting artifacts can be easily accessed by the meeting participants.  
     [0011] Using the MMM meeting representation, a presenter or any meeting participant can send updated documents to other meeting participants by communicating with the meeting group, without having to collect email addresses from the attendees or having to enter email addresses individually. For example, to email a document to all other meeting participants, one participant may send the email to a meeting-email-alias generated by the MMM for the meeting. Therefore, the MMM offers greater ease of communication with the meeting participants and less book keeping of email addresses and documents.  
     [0012]FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary software components of a MMM  100  that creates and manages persistent group representations for meetings. The MMM  100  includes a meeting identification generator  110  that generates an identification (ID) for a meeting and, in some implementations, tags meeting artifacts with the meeting ID. The MMM  100  uses a member enrollment and management facility  120  to invite and enroll meeting participants. The member enrollment and management facility  120  may include a MMM service  160 , which typically runs as a background process on each computer that participates in the meetings managed by the MMM  100 . The MMM service  160  typically interacts with other MMM services  160  on the other meeting participants&#39; computers for initiating and managing the MMM meeting. The MMM service  160  typically idles in the background awaiting a notice or signal (described in detail later) to begin a meeting. The notice or signal may be initiated by a meeting participant (i.e., a user) or a computer.  
     [0013] The MMM  100  further uses a network-accessible storage  130  to store the meeting artifacts for the meeting participants. The meeting artifacts may include a list of meeting attendees, meeting-related documents that are shared at the meeting, email or file documents that are derived from the meeting-related documents, the time and location of the meeting, snapshots of whiteboards from the conference room, and audio/video records of the proceedings. The MMM  100  further includes a user interface (UI)  140  that enables the meeting participants to search, access and manipulate the meeting artifacts. The UI  140  may be created by a MMM application  170 . The MMM application  170  may also interact with the MMM service  160  for initiating a MMM meeting. Until a MMM meeting is deleted, the MMM  100  manages and maintains the meeting artifacts for the meeting participants.  
     [0014] The MMM software typically runs on a network-connected computer. The software may be compiled for different computer systems in order that versions of the software may run in any electronic devices, such as a personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a cellular telephone.  
     [0015]FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary hardware components of a computer  200  that may be used in connection with the MMM  100 . The computer  200  includes a connection with a network  218  such as the Internet or other type of computer or telephone networks. The computer  200  typically includes a memory  202 , a secondary storage device  212 , a processor  214 , an input device  216 , a display device  210 , and an output device  208 .  
     [0016] The memory  202  may include random access memory (RAM) or similar types of memory. The secondary storage device  212  may include a hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, CD-ROM drive, or other types of non-volatile data storage, and may correspond with various databases or other resources. The processor  214  may execute information stored in the memory  202 , the secondary storage  212 , or received from the Internet or other network  218 . The input device  216  may include any device for entering data into the computer  200 , such as a keyboard, keypad, cursor-control device, touch-screen (possibly with a stylus), or microphone. The display device  210  may include any type of device for presenting visual image, such as, for example, a computer monitor, flat-screen display, or display panel. The output device  208  may include any type of device for presenting data in hard copy format, such as a printer, and other types of output devices including speakers or any device for providing data in audio form. The computer  200  can possibly include multiple input devices, output devices, and display devices.  
     [0017] Although the computer  200  is depicted with various components, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer  200  can contain additional or different components. In addition, although aspects of an implementation consistent with the method for creating and managing persistent group representations for meeting are described as being stored in memory, one skilled in the art will appreciate that these aspects can also be stored on or read from other types of computer program products or computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, including hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM; a carrier wave from the Internet or other network; or other forms of RAM or ROM. The computer-readable media may include instructions for controlling the computer  200  to perform a particular method.  
     [0018] As noted above, a meeting may be initiated by a user or a computer. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate an exemplary procedure for initiating a MMM meeting by a user. The user may be a system administrator or a meeting participant. The user (initiator) first launches a MMM application  170  (block  310 ). The MMM application  170  then connects to (or starts) a MMM service  160  on the local computer  200  the initiator is using (block  320 ). The initiator may specify a name for the meeting and a list of invitees using a UI  140  created by the MMM application  170  (block  330 ). The MMM application  170  then generates a meeting ID (block  340 ). The meeting ID may be identical to the name specified by the initiator or may have additional elements, such as time and date. Next, the MMM application  170  passes the meeting ID and invitation list to the MMM service  160  on the local computer  200 , which invites other meeting participants, i.e., invitees, (block  360 ) by passing a message to the MMM services  160  on the invitees&#39; computers  200 .  
     [0019] Referring to FIG. 4, the MMM service  160  on the invitee&#39;s computer  200  receives a message that may include the initiator&#39;s name and the meeting ID (block  410 ). The MMM service  160  on the invitee&#39;s computer  200  then launches a MMM application  170  to provide a UI  140  with which the invitee interacts (block  420 ). The MMM application  170  then creates the UI  140  through which the invitee may accept or decline the invitation to the meeting (block  430 ).  
     [0020] The exemplary procedure described in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is for illustration only. One skilled in the art will appreciate that other software components may be used to implement the meeting initiation procedure. Similarly, the order of the steps is for demonstration only. For example, the MMM application  170  may start the MMM service  160  on the local computer  200  after the initiator has specified a meeting name. Likewise, the initiator may invite other participants before specifying a meeting ID.  
     [0021] In the exemplary procedure illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the MMM meeting is initiated by a user. Alternatively, MMM meetings may be initiated by a computer  200 . For example, conference rooms may be equipped with devices that can wirelessly communicate with multiple nearby computers  200 . A hosting computer  200  in a room may detect the presence of other wirelessly networked participating computers  200 . A pre-established policy may specify that a MMM meeting may be initiated whenever two or more wirelessly networked computers  200  enter a room. The hosting computer  200  in the room may be programmed to send a signal, such as a Meeting-Start signal, to a corresponding software module running on the other participating computers  200 . The signal may activate the MMM  100  and start a MMM meeting.  
     [0022] FIGS.  5 - 8  are flow charts illustrating an exemplary method for creating and managing persistent group representations for meetings. FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary steps of establishing a MMM meeting (block  510 ), tracking meeting artifacts (block  520 ), and deleting the MMM meeting (block  530 ).  
     [0023]FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary steps for establishing the MMM meeting (block  510 ). Referring to FIG. 6, an initiator (either a user or a computer) typically launches a MMM application  170  to establish a MMM meeting (block  610 ). The MMM  100  then creates a meeting ID (block  620 ). If the initiator establishes the meeting, the MMM typically asks the initiator for a name that can be used to generate the ID (block  622 ). Alternatively, the MMM  100  generates an automatic ID (block  624 ). An exemplary scheme for generating an automatic ID is to use the meeting time, the meeting location, and/or the participants in the meeting. For example, a meeting ID based on meeting-start-time and meeting location can be: Executive-aisle;Bldg-6;3:30 PM. Alternatively or in addition to the previous scheme, the meeting group may be named using apparent subject matter of the meeting, which may be derived from documents being exchanged at the meeting. For example, if a document titled FY2002 Budget is distributed to the participants of the meeting, the MMM  100  may include the name FY2002 BudgetMeeting as all or part of the meeting ID.  
     [0024] Besides the meeting ID, the MMM  100  may generate by-products, such as an email alias for the MMM meeting that permits the meeting participants to easily send emails to all other participants of the meeting (block  630 ). The email alias name may be the same as the meeting ID or may be derived from the meeting ID. The MMM  100  may create email folders for automatic routing of email. The MMM  100  may also create regular file folders in network accessible storage for storing non-mail meeting documents.  
     [0025] One or more meeting participants may later rename the meeting. Once renamed, each meeting participant&#39;s computer  200  is notified of the name change and updates the local copy of the meeting appropriately. The initiator of a meeting (if a human) is typically designated by the MMM  100  as the meeting leader. The leader may have special privileges with respect to managing the meeting. For example, the MMM  100  may maintain a policy that only the meeting leader can rename or delete a meeting.  
     [0026] After the meeting is established, the MMM  100  invites and enrolls meeting participants (block  640 ). Invitation may be explicit or implicit. Explicit invitation by an initiator is described above with respect to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The initiator may invite other users by name. Alternatively, the initiator may specify invitees within a group such as “everyone in shipping and receiving.” Invitations may also be extended to those within a certain physical proximity, for example, “everyone on Aisle  9 .”  
     [0027] Though attendees are typically invited at the beginning of a meeting, the meeting membership can be extended by the invited participants at any time - even after the physical meeting ends. Therefore, an absentee or supervisor who has supervision responsibility for the activity at the meeting can track the meeting documents at any time.  
     [0028] Inviting meeting participants provides one example of communication among different MMM services  160 . The communication may be point-to-point, or it may involve a central server. Point-to-point communication is typically used by MMM services  160  on computers  200  that are in close physical proximity. For example, the initiator&#39;s computer  200  may send an invitation signal to all other computers  200  in the local area using an infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) local signaling protocol (IRDA® or Bluetooth®, for example). The local computers  200  that are equipped to receive such wireless transmissions and are running a MMM service  160  may then accept the invitation and participate in the meeting. Alternately, the invitation and enrollment process may be accomplished by connecting the initiator&#39;s MMM service  160  to a central MMM service  160  that redirects the invitation to other computers  200 . The redirection may be accomplished in various ways. For example, invitations may be redirected based on email addresses of invitees or to all computers running a MMM service  160  in close proximity (physical or organizational) to the meeting initiator.  
     [0029] After an invitee accepts the invitation, the invitee is enrolled and becomes a meeting participant. A person may also be enrolled without being invited if the person or the inviting entity, such as the computer in the conference room, has sufficient privilege. In other words, the MMM  100  may have a policy of enrolling all people that bring computers  200  into a conference room for a meeting. The MMM  100  may also automatically enroll a supervisor whether the supervisor is physically present or not.  
     [0030]FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary steps for tracking the meeting artifacts (block  520 ). Upon creating a meeting ID, the MMM  100  may establish storage for the meeting artifacts (block  705 ). The meeting artifacts are typically stored on a network-based computer  200  that is accessible to all the participants of the meeting. Typically, only meeting participants are given privileges and permissions to access the meeting documents. Non-participants may be barred from accessing the meeting documents, or may be given read-only privileges, for example.  
     [0031] Next, the MMM  100  may use the meeting ID to tag documents created or used in the meeting (block  710 ). The tag may be added to a file to identify the file as a meeting document. The tag may also be added to emails so that specially installed email filters can route meeting emails to folders that are specially created to hold meeting related correspondence. Alternatively or in addition to tagging meeting document files, the MMM  100  may maintain a list of pointers to where the meeting documents can be found (block  720 ).  
     [0032] One of the key elements to be stored is a meeting master record, which includes a participant list, a document list, and the time and location of the meeting. The document list may contain the actual documents of the meeting, or alternatively, the location of the documents. The designated documents of the meeting may be copied to a central location, which may be the same location that stores the meeting master record. Alternatively, the documents may be kept on the network in a distributed fashion. After storage, the MMM  100  maintains the meeting artifacts for the meeting participants (block  740 ), and provides a user interface  140  to manage searches and accesses by the meeting participants (block  750 ).  
     [0033] In one embodiment, the user interface  140  includes an option menu  142  (also referred to as a combo-box), a text box  144 , and a list control  146  (shown in FIG. 1). The option menu  142  may list all available meetings currently being managed by the MMM  100 . The user can select one of the listed meetings or can type the name of a meeting ID into the text box  144 . If a meeting ID is entered, the MMM  100  may then search for the named meeting. Upon finding a meeting, meeting documents are displayed in the list control  146 . Attributes of the documents may also be displayed in the list control  146 . Such attributes may include: creation time, time last used, initiator, and read or write privileges. Subject to access privileges that may be in effect, the user can select a document for viewing and/or editing.  
     [0034]FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary methods for deleting the MMM meeting (block  530 ). The MMM  100  typically retains meeting artifacts until the meeting artifacts are explicitly deleted by a meeting participant (block  810 ,  812 ). Alternatively, the MMM  100  deletes the meeting artifacts after a period of disuse (block  814 ) or after a set amount of time (block  816 ). The length of time associated with the artifact retention policies can be set by default or by user intervention. Deletion initiated by the MMM  100  can optionally be confirmed by one or more meeting participants. For example, if the files associated with a MMM meeting are not used for weeks, the MMM meeting may be purged from the computers  200  of all participants, typically after confirming the pending deletion with someone designated as the meeting leader. Conversely, if a MMM meeting is heavily used at some point in its lifetime, the MMM meeting may remain extant even if dormant for long periods. However, meeting participants can always designate a MMM meeting as permanent regardless of usage pattern. Further, meeting documents need not be deleted all at once. Some documents can be retained while the less relevant once are deleted. One skilled in the art will appreciate that many other meeting artifacts and meeting retention policies can be devised.  
     [0035] The MMM  100  may delete meeting artifacts by literally removing a document from the storage  130 . Alternatively, the MMM  100  may remove the reference to the document from the meeting record&#39;s document list.  
     [0036] While the method and apparatus for creating and managing persistent group representations for meeting have been described in connection with an exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art will understand that many modifications in light of these teachings are possible, and this application is intended to cover any variations thereof.