Patent Application
20070288291
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Referring to
The scheduling system 110 may include various modules, including a scheduling module 112, an equipment usage module 114, a time range module 116, a notification module 118, and the like. The scheduling module 112 may be configured such that a meeting room user is able to input requests for resources for a period of time, that period of time having a start time and an end time. These resources may include a plurality of meeting rooms 130A, 130B, 130N as well as various sets of meeting room equipment 132A, 132B, 132N. Meeting room equipment 132 may include computers, projectors, video equipment, white boards, dry erase markers, and the like. For those meetings where meeting room equipment 132 is requested, the scheduling system 112 may be configured to schedule the time required to shut down the meeting room equipment 132 such that other meeting room users cannot schedule into that time.
The equipment usage module 114 may be configured to determine the meeting room equipment 132 that may be requested, or required, for scheduled meetings. The equipment usage module 114 may pull requests that were input into the scheduling module 112 for meeting room equipment 132 for a meeting room 130. The equipment usage module 114 may also be configured to detect certain meeting room equipment 132 being used in a given meeting room 130, such as a projector being in use, a laptop being connected to the network, and the like.
The time range module 116 may be configured to receive, or query, meeting start and end times from the scheduling module 112 and determine if the end time of one meeting and the start time of a subsequent meeting in the same meeting room 130 are within a predetermined time range. The time range module 116 may also be configured to pull requested sets of meeting room equipment 132 from the scheduling module 112 for the first or second meetings or pull data from the equipment usage module 114 to determine if any meeting room equipment 132 is currently being used in the meeting room 130. The amount of meeting room equipment 132 requested for use or currently being used in the meeting room 130 may cause the predetermined time range to be adjusted. For example, if no meeting room equipment 132 is requested during the first meeting or is being used currently in the second, prior meeting, the predetermined time range will be minimal. If meeting room equipment 132 is only scheduled during the first meeting, the predetermined time range may be longer. If the meeting room equipment 132 is requested to be used or is currently being used during the second meeting and not the first meeting, the predetermined time range may be longer yet. If meeting room equipment 132 is requested for the first meeting and was requested or is being used for the second meeting, the predetermined time range may be a maximum. It is contemplated that if the end time of one meeting and the start time of the subsequent meeting are within the predetermined time range, the scheduling system 110 may be configured to alter the start time of the first meeting as a function of the predetermined time range. This may be dependent upon if the earlier meeting was already scheduled.
The notification module 118 may be configured to receive, or query, the time range module 116 for scheduled meetings in a meeting room 130 that have an end time and a start time within the predetermined time range or for scheduled meetings that currently have meeting room users in the meeting room within the predetermined time range who may not have scheduled a meeting. If it is determined that one of these conditions exists, the notification module 118 may trigger a notification system 134 to provide notification in the meeting room 130. The notification system 134 may be triggered using a driver circuit 119, such as drivers for electrical equipment. Exemplary driver circuits are known in the art. Each notification system 134A, 134B, 134N in each meeting room 130A, 130B, 130N may be a specific alarm for notification, an automated phone message, a phone ring, flashing of the room lights, a specific notification light, an indication projected upon the screen if the projector is in use, an e-mail to detected laptops being used in the room, and the like. The notification system 134 may be triggered once or even multiple times. For example, if it is determined that meeting room equipment 132 is being used in the meeting room 130, a notification may be given to meeting room users that their meeting ends, or that a subsequent meeting begins, in 10 minutes. A second notification may also be given at 5 minutes. A third notification may also be given at one minute. These additional notifications may be provided after determining that the meeting room equipment 132 is still being used. If it is determined that the meeting room equipment 132 has been shut down, then the notification at 5 minutes may not be given, but merely a notification at 1 minute prior to the end time to vacate the meeting room 130. These additional notifications may also be dependent upon determining whether meeting room users are still in the meeting room 130. It is noted that various other combinations of notice types and times may be used as well.
Referring to
If a second meeting is not scheduled prior to the first meeting, the time range module 116 may try to pull information to determine if there is a second meeting room user in the meeting room 130 prior to the first meeting (step 215). If neither of these conditions exist, then no notification is needed (step 220). If one or both of these conditions exist, then the time range module 116 may pull information from the scheduling module 112 or the equipment usage module 114 to determine if a second set of meeting room equipment 132 was scheduled to be used or is currently being used (step 225). The time range module 116 may then determine the necessary time required to shut down the second set of meeting room equipment 132 and the time required to start up the first set of meeting room equipment 132 (step 230).
The time range module 116 may then determine a predetermined time range for stopping the second meeting and beginning the first meeting (step 240). The notification module 118 may then determine if the time between the end of the second meeting and the start of the first meeting is within the predetermined time range (step 250). If the time between the meetings is not within the predetermined time range, no notification is needed (step 255). If the time between the meetings is within the predetermined time range, then the notification module 118 may trigger the notification system 134 to provide at least one automatic notification in the meeting room signaling the end of the second meeting, or the start of the first meeting, as a function of the predetermined time range (step 260).
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the system and method of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.
