Using data analysis to optimize microphone enablement in a group electronic communication

A system to optimize input component enablement for a plurality of communication devices each having an input component associated with at least one participant in an electronic group meeting, which comprises:

• a computer system comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:
• identify a plurality of communication devices, each having an audio input component, said audio input components each being associated with at least one of a plurality of a group of participants, wherein at least one of said participants is characterized by an identification attribute;
• receive an audio input from a first of said audio input components;
• measure preselected qualitative attributes of said audio input to provide a set of quality metrics;
• determine whether said set of quality metrics exceeds a threshold for quality;
• place into an active speaking mode said first audio input component when said set of quality metrics exceeds said threshold for quality;
• evaluate content of said audio input to identify a concept of focus;
• and
• place into an active speaking mode any audio input component associated with one of said participants characterized by said identification attribute when said identification attribute corresponds to said identified concept of focus.

A computer program product to optimize input component enablement for a plurality of participants in an electronic group meeting, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

• identify a plurality of communication devices, each having an audio input component, said audio input components each being associated with at least one of a plurality of group participants, wherein at least one of said participants is characterized by an identification attribute;
• receive an audio input from one of said audio input components;
• measure content and preselected qualitative attributes of said audio input to provide, respectively, a concept of focus and a set of quality metrics;
• determine whether said set of quality metrics exceeds a threshold for quality;
• and
• place into an active speaking mode any audio input component that is associated with one of said participants having an identification attribute that corresponds to said concept of focus or for which said set of quality metrics exceeds said threshold for quality.