WO2002041165A1

WO2002041165A1 - Time independent, data conferencing system

Info

Publication number: WO2002041165A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/043085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Kozikowski
Original assignee: Joseph Kozikowski
Priority date: 2000-11-14
Filing date: 2001-11-14
Publication date: 2002-05-23
Also published as: AU2002217769A1

Abstract

A method of conducting a conference includes recording a discussion in a computer system for later viewing and commenting. Various data input devices (20, 21, 22, 23) are to be connected to a central (10) database. The central database receives individual elements of the discussion and archives them along with various labels for indexing the data. Later users have the ability to recreate all or portions of the discussion and add new comments. The central database of the invention is directed to contact the original presenter when a later user makes comments directed to his/her original input.

Description

TIME INDEPENDENT, DATA CONFERENCING SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of conducting a conference between two or more individuals wherein conferencing data is organized and maintained on a computer system. The contents of the conference are made accessible by individuals who were not present at the original conference for both review and presentation of additional, related material.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Over time, advances in technology have allowed people to share ideas in new and more efficient methods. Prior to the telephone and other nineteenth century developments, individuals were forced to be in the same location in order to discuss important topics. However, the telephone, telegraph, and later the radio, first gave people the freedom to exchange information without being at the same location. Although these inventions represent significant advances in the art, they had their limitations and could not completely replace face to face communications. For instance, while conversations could be conducted over great distances, these conversations were limited to basically, voice data transfers. Individuals could not see each other nor share data such as drawings or other visual or textual information.

Further technological advancements brought us the television. Now, visual information such as charts, graphs and demonstrations could be added to the audio that was available with the telephone and radio. Individuals could be seen to better present ideas and other information. However, television essentially represents a one way-communication system. Therefore, once an initial presentation was completed, the only records remaining would be those of the host and any participants/guests with the host. Soon after the television, video tape was developed, which permitted the archival of a wide range of information, including presentations and other meetings, for later review. People who were not present at the time of the taping could, at a later date, fully absorb the contents without having to rely on written notes or recollections from the participants of the taping.

Regardless of these advancements, certain problems relating to conferencing still existed. For instance, an individual who was not present at a meeting could not participate and was essentially excluded from the discussion. That is, the individual could watch a video tape from the meeting, listen to an audio recording of the conversation, even read any available transcripts or the like, but he could not actively participate. Therefore, it was essentially impossible for the individual to add further information, which may include valuable insights in the form of comments, or even documents. In addition, it was challenging, and nearly implausible, to ensure that the presenter of the original concept, to which the later viewer wished to comment, received the later comments.

U.S. Patent No. 5,870,744, issued to Sprague, presents an attempt to address some of the above problems in a multi-media bulletin board system. Therein, a virtual people network is created wherein a central computer is used to link various individuals into a large bulletin board system, each on a computer which is, in turn, networked with the central computer. When information, such as audio messages, visual messages and text, is posted on the central computer, the central computer labels the information with a stamp which identifies the individual who posted the information. Included with the posted information may be a link or other information which makes the identity of the poster available to later readers. If those later viewers wish to post comments to the original poster, the new information can be tagged for such identification. When the original poster returns to the bulletin board, he is able to retrieve those posts. In addition, a later reader and a prior poster may conduct an interactive chat session in real time, without recording of their conversation.

Although this solution does address certain drawbacks associated with the prior methods of collecting and compiling data, various problems still remain. Primarily, the data initially compiled by the cenfral computer is not the result of an interaction between two or more individuals, i.e., one person creates the original data in voice or other data formats and, only once a second person views the original data and then submits new data, does the cenfral computer really contain what could be classified as a discussion. However, the only time an interactive discussion takes place is when both the original presenter and a later viewer decide to have a real time chat session. Therefore, the data compiled by the cenfral computer essentially takes the form of postings on a bulletin board, rather than an interactive conferencing system.

Generally, discussions are conversations between at least two individuals with the intent of sharing ideas. Modern discussions are commonly conducted over great distances where the individuals need not be present at the same location. The ideas are therefore shared over electronic means, e.g. by television, local or long distance telephone.

These ideas often take the form of words or verbal expressions.

However, it is frequently useful to include other forms of expression along with the verbal expressions to better convey those ideas. These other forms may include charts, graphs, video or other computer generated information.

In any event, there exists a need for a conferencing system which is capable of archiving the contents of a multi-person discussion into a format which is accessible by later users, and in which later comments and input, in various media forms, can be automatically directed to the original presenters for rebuttal and/or further commenting. This will allow collaboration to continue although the later users were not part of the original discussion. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is particularly directed to a method for recording the content of a discussion, which is a sharing of ideas between at least two persons, utilizing an electronic device capable of acting as both a client system for receiving and storing data elements and a server system for providing electronic access to the data elements of the discussion. The conferencing system is capable of residing on a computer which is part of a computer network, but may also be part of a system acting as a gateway between an electronic cenfral database and the internet, with access provided through the World Wide Web. The cenfral database may include a memory device for storing the data elements, e.g. a rewriteable storage (a so-called erasable storage) such as a semiconductor memory device, a magnetic tape device, a disk device, or a non-rewriteable storage (a so-called non-erasable storage) such an optical disk device.

The conferencing system of this invention includes a cenfral database unit and various data input devices. When a discussion takes place, the various data input devices generate data which is sent to a cenfral database. The cenfral database collects and stores the various data inputs and labels them to be sorted, indexed, stored and later reviewed by other individuals who were either present or not present at the original discussion. Because the data input devices can include remote devices such as telephones, computers and the like which are connected to the cenfral database, all the participants of the original discussion need not be at the same location. Hence teleconferencing is possible via this invention. The cenfral database takes all of the labels and sorts the data. The data may be sorted by content, data input device, presenter and/or date and time of presentation such that individuals who were not present at the original discussion may examine the data in various formats. Often, it is impossible to organize discussions to allow each important person to be present at the correct time. Therefore the cenfral database unit sorts the data such that a later user can quickly and accurately participate in the overall discussion, or just a selected portion of the discussion, without being forced to be present or available at the time the conference took place. The cenfral database unit allows a later user to select different criteria to sort the various data inputs from the original, gathered information. If a later user decides to make comments or add additional data, the cenfral database unit will receive the data as if the later user had been present during the original discussion. Along with adding the later comments to the database with the appropriate labels, the cenfral database preferably notifies the individual(s) who presented the original data. In this way, an effective collaboration and interaction between the various time independent participants can take place.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 diagramatically depicts of a conferencing system constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 represents a flow chart of an initial data conference scenario in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 3 is a flow chart of a post conferencing data review and input scenario in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Figure 1 depicts a conferencing system 1 used with the method of the invention. Generally, conferencing system 1 includes a cenfral processing unit (CPU) or database 10 which is provided to control the operation of various, interconnected data input elements 20-26. The data input elements 20-26 are shown as including a microphone 20, a telephone 21, a scanner 22 for text and graphics, a video camera 23, and one or more computers. Although this Figure depicts the conferencing system 1 of the invention with certain data input devices, it is within the scope of the invention to vary the number and type of data input devices, as long as at least one is present. For example, with respect to the computers discussed above, it is possible to include a local computer 24, which is directly connected to cenfral database 10, an internet or other large computer network 25, which can be either locally or a remotely located as part of conferencing system 1, and/or a remote computer 26 which is connected through a telephone line 28 or other connection to the central database 10. The scanner 22 may, in fact, be incorporated in or be associated with a conventional facsimile machine, and the computer network 25 may optionally include handheld computers, such as personal data assistants. As long as each data input device 20-26 is capable of transmitting data input to cenfral database 10, the number, order, location and connection architecture of the data input devices 20-26 are irrelevant.

In accordance with the invention, a conference is lead by a discussion leader or moderator who sets the agenda for the discussion and directs the content of the discussion. As represented in Figure 2, before the discussion actually begins, the moderator first identifies a discussion topic at 75. The cenfral database 10 then receives (step 80) and labels (step 85) each of the resulting comments as part of that discussion topic. Primarily, the data elements will be voice or other audio data which is received by the cenfral database 10. However the data elements may be other type of data such as text documents from scanner 22 or computers 24-26, video inputs at 23, or any other type of data transferring device. As further data is received by the cenfral database 10, the cenfral database 10 includes the discussion topic as one of the data elements with which the data is labeled. The label also includes the identity of the presenter, preferably along with the time of presentation.

When the discussion topic changes, either by direction of the moderator or simply because the discussion moves in another direction at

95, the moderator identifies the new discussion topic at 75 to the cenfral database 10 (see path 100). In a preferred form of the invention, central database 10 reaches the end of a topic discussion at 110 and then proceeds either back to topic identifying step 75 or onward as will be discussed more fully below. The cenfral database 10 preferably treats each data element as a single piece of information, regardless of the type of data (e.g. voice, text, video), the source of the data, the particular type of data input device 20-26 used, or the location, local or remote, of the source, as the data is labeled and stored at 115. As such, a complete record is made of the discussion to reach the conclusion of the conference at 120. It is also possible, to have the data parsed into discussion topics at the completion of the discussion, either in lieu of ongoing parsing, or into expanded discussion topics. The discussion topics could, alternatively, be identified for another round of commenting before the discussion is closed.

The complete record of the overall discussions is considered to be particularly useful for people who could not be present during the conference but who may desire to study the conference data or even add data comments. Such a later participant first needs to decide what and how he/she would like to observe from the original discussion, such as a certain topic in chronological order (see steps 150 and 155 in Figure 3). The discussion can then be sorted by, for example, sub-topic or keyword, through which the later participant may search. After viewing a data element in step 160, if the later participant decides to comment, he/she simply generates a comment step 165 in the form of a new data element and the cenfral database 10 adds the new data to the original topic information in step 170. The cenfral database 10 labels this new data element with the same discussion topic as the original comment, just as if the later comment had been part of the original discussion (step 175). The cenfral database also may label the new data element with additional topics, subtopics, or indices that may also relate to other parts of the discussion. Therefore, although a new data element has a primary label associating it with a topic, it may also have a series of secondary labels which associate the new data elements with additional topics.

Preferably, the cenfral database 10 also searches the labels of the original comment to identify the original presenter or presenters, as the new data element may be directed to an individual or a group. Therefore, in accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the cenfral database 10 is programmed to notify the original presenter or presenters (step 180) of the existence and content of the new comment. Because the cenfral database 10 is preferably linked to a computer network (e.g. intranet or internet), the contents of the new data element can be electronically mailed to the original presenter to which the later participant is responding. This also allows the original presenter to submit additional comments/informational data back to the cenfral database 10. Alternatively, instead of electronically mailing the contents of the new data element to the original presenter, it is possible to simply alert the original presenter of the existence of a new data element, thereby prompting the original presenter to review the discussion. This arrangement effectively permits the later participant to continue the conference and the sharing of ideas, as the new data element becomes part of the discussion. After inputting the additional data, the system 1 returns to step 165, and allows the addition of further data. Once the participants have completed adding data for a specific existing data element, the system 1 of the invention moves to the next data element, according to the sort criteria selected in step 155. To do so, the system 1 checks to see if any data elements are left to be reviewed (step 185). The system proceeds until there are no remaining data elements, or until, for convenience, the discussion is otherwise terminated, postponed or the like. At that point, the system 1 reaches step 190, and the review is complete. Although the steps of Figures 2 and 3 have been illusfrated in specific loops, those loops may be broken or redefined for the sake of convenience.

It is also possible, through the conferencing system 1 of this invention, to conduct later discussions and have them added to the database just as if the later discussion was an additional data element made by a single later user. The later discussion need only include a moderator or topic selector and at least one additional participant, along with at least one data input device 20-26, which is connected to the cenfral database 10. To begin a later discussion, the moderator identifies to the cenfral database 10 that the forthcoming data elements are part of an earlier discussion. However, a moderator is not necessary for this later discussion because a later discussion participant can himself, independently, identify a topic and comment. The later discussion proceeds just as the original discussion did, with the moderator identifying the later discussion topics to the cenfral database 10. Each subsequent data element is labeled with the appropriate discussion topic in a manner directly corresponding to that described above until this latter conference is complete.

The conferencing system of the present invention is well suited to be used at a large meetings or symposia, such as a medical conference, For example, certain pre-registered doctors can be gathered on a stage with a number of persons in an audience. The input devices for such a discussion may include microphone 20 for capturing verbal data elements and video camera 23 for capturing non-verbal data elements. The cenfral database 10, in this example, is part of a computer system to which the data input devices 20-26 are connected. The moderator is present to control the computer, but need not be the person who is guiding the meeting or even on the panel. The moderator establishes the first discussion topic in the cenfral database through, for example, a verbal or text input. Then the first doctor identifies himself/herself and begins the presentation. This presentation may include, for example, a speech, charts and graphs, textual documents, and/or video clips outlining, for example, a new drug therapy. Additionally, the conferencing system of the present invention is designed to be useful in smaller meetings, such as a focus group or market research.

It is important to select the correct types of data input devices to correspond to the types of data elements to be generated during the discussion. If the doctors were to change the discussion topic during the speech, the moderator has the ability to signal the cenfral database of the change and the identity of the new discussion topic. Each data element is stored along with its associated labels, which are can be added by the moderator or automatically by the cenfral database. The resulting database will include the various audio and video data elements, each stored in the cenfral database 10 along with the appropriate labels. Preferably after the conference is completed, the cenfral database 10 sorts the data elements presented during the discussions by a variety of criteria, each of which is one of the labels, e.g. doctor, time of presentation, discussion topic etc. Such criteria would simply constitute selectable headings from a software program.

Doctors who could not be present at the medical conference could simply access the cenfral database 10 to survey the proceedings of the conference and possibly make a later comment. Because the computer on which the data elements are stored has indexed the data elements, the later viewer can choose the method in which the data elements are presented, e.g. doctor, time of presentation, discussion topic, keyword, etc. Additionally, it is possible for the central database 10 to store franslated versions of any data element containing audio or other data elements, for simplified searching via keywords. If a later doctor wishes to partake in the conference by making additional comments (Figure 3), he identifies to the cenfral database 10 to which data element he is responding, along with his identity. His later comments are input to the cenfral database through a data input device 20-26, which is connected to the cenfral database 10 and need not be the same as one of the data input devices 20-26 used during the initial meeting. This later comment is also labeled with the same discussion topic as the data element to which he is responding. Once the later comment is complete and stored in the cenfral database 10, the central database 10 searches the labels of the data element to which the later comment relates and notifies the original doctor of the existence of the later comment and its contents. This advantageously affords the original presenter an opportunity to respond to the additional comment/data.

The conferencing system 1 of the present invention is also well designed to be used in a teleconference with presenters at multiple locations. In such a scenario, the data input elements will usually include microphone 20, at least one telephone 21, and possibly computers 24-26 at each location to assist in the storage of the data elements. Just as in the panel meeting, the moderator need not be an active participant in the discussion, but would have access to the cenfral database 10. For a teleconference, the data input devices 20-26 must each be connected to the cenfral database 10, but not necessarily directly. For example, a microphone 20 and video camera 23 may be directly connected to the cenfral database 10, while at another location, a different microphone 20, telephone 21 , and a scanner 22 may be connected through a remote computer 26. Therefore, it may really only be the remote computer 26 which is connected to the cenfral database 10 for one participant. In addition, the connection between the remote computer 26 and the cenfral database 10 may be through the internet or any other computer connection device such that computer 26 serves as a node which is both connected to various data input devices 20-23 and to the cenfral database 10.

Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should readily understood that various changes and/or modifications could be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, although Figure 2 depicts the structuring step 115 only after the discussion has been completed, it is within the scope of this invention that the sorting and the like of step 115 could be performed continuously during the conference, i.e., before each new discussion topic or simply once each data element has been labeled (step 85). Although each of the embodiments discussed above has been described as including a moderator, it should be realized that a moderator is not required. For example, each presenter may input the discussion topic into the cenfral database 10, or the cenfral database 10 may include functionality to automatically determine the topic, or alternatively, the cenfral database 10 may simply store each of the data elements to be divided into discussion topics later. In any event, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A method of conferencing comprising the steps of: a) interconnecting a plurality of electronic data input devices with a data collecting unit; b) receiving a plurality of discussion data elements from participants of a conference as part of a discussion through said data input devices, each discussion data element having an associated source; c) storing said discussion data elements in said data collecting unit; d) repeating steps b) and c) until the discussion of the conference is complete; e) structuring said discussion data elements; f) subsequent to the conference, accessing at least one said discussion data elements stored in said data collecting unit; g) receiving at least one additional data element, following completion of said conference, which relates to said at least one of said discussion data elements; and h) storing said additional data element in said data collection device unit for later access by either the participants or non-participants of the conference.

2. A method of conferencing comprising the steps of: a) interconnecting a plurality of electronic data input devices with a data collecting unit; b) receiving a plurality of discussion data elements from participants of a conference as part of a discussion through said data input devices, each discussion data element having an associated source; c) storing said discussion data elements in said data collecting unit; d) repeating steps b) and c) until the discussion of the conference is complete; e) subsequent to the conference, accessing at least one of said discussion data elements; f) receiving at least one additional data element, following completing of said conference, which relates to one of said discussion data elements; and g) storing said additional data element in said data collection unit for later access by either the participants or non-participants of the conference.

3. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: h) determining the source of said discussion data elements to which said at least one additional data element relates; and i) electronically notifying the associated source of said discussion data element as to the existence of said additional data element.

4. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, wherein the notification in step i, includes contents of said additional data element.

5. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, further comprising: after step a, the step of: during a discussion, establishing discussion topics.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: structuring the discussion data elements received by the data collecting unit.

7. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, wherein a portion of said discussion data elements constitutes video data.

8. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, wherein a portion of said discussion data elements constitutes text.

9. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, wherein a portion of said discussion data elements constitutes voice data.

10. The method of conferencing accordmg to claim 2, wherein a portion of said discussion data elements constitutes graphic data.

11. The method of conferencing according to claim 2, wherein a portion of said discussion data elements is received from a remote computer.

12. A method of conferencing comprising: a) interconnecting a plurality of electronic data input devices with a data collecting unit; b) receiving a plurality of discussion data elements from participants of a conference as part of a discussion through said data input devices, each discussion data element having an associated source; c) storing said discussion data elements in said data collecting unit; d) repeating steps b) and c) until the discussion of the conference is complete; and e) structuring said discussion data elements within said data collecting device for later access by either the participants or non-participants of the conference.

13. The method of conferencing according to claim 12, further comprising the step of: immediately after step a and before step b during the conference, establishing discussion topics.

14. The method of conferencing according to claim 12, wherein said structuring includes arranging said discussion data elements by said discussion topics.

15. The method of conferencing, according to claim 12, wherein a portion of said data elements constitutes video data.

16. The method of conferencing according to claim 12, wherein a portion of said data elements constitutes text.

17. The method of conferencing accordmg to claim 12, wherein a portion of said data elements constitutes voice data.

18. The method of conferencing according to claim 12, wherein a portion of said data elements constitutes graphic data.

19. The method of conferencing according to claim 12, wherein a portion of said discussion data elements is received from a remote computer.