Network conferencing system, attendance authentication method and presentation method

A conference management server connected with an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation and a plurality of attendant electronic equipments via a communication network, each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other attendant electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,

• wherein processing to give one of the authority to be a presenter terminal having the presentation function, the authority to be a chairman terminal having the authentication function, the equipment management function and the proceedings control function, and the authority to be an attendant terminal having the presentation contents browsing function is carried out on the basis of conference attendance requests from the attendant electronic equipments.

An attendant electronic equipment operated by a user attending a conference for transmitting/receiving information via a communication network to/from a conference management server which is connected with an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation and which transmits/receives information to/from the output electronic equipment via the communication network, the attendant electronic equipment comprising:

• an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the conference management server;
• a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment;
• a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment;
• an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, at a conference;
• an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network;
• a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function;
• and
• a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,
• wherein one of the authority to be a presenter terminal having the presentation function, the authority to be a chairman terminal having the authentication function, the equipment management function and the proceedings control function, and the authority to be an attendant terminal having the presentation contents browsing function, is acquired.

A network conferencing system in which an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation, a plurality of attendant electronic equipments operated by users attending a conference, and a conference management server connected with the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments so as to transmit and receive information to and from the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments, are connected via a communication network,

• each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the conference management server, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,
• wherein when the authority to be a chairman terminal having the information input/output function, the authentication function, the equipment management function, the display function and the proceedings control function is provided,
• the authentication function obtains conference attendance requests including personal data related to the other attendant electronic equipments from the conference management server and prepares attendance permission information or attendance non-permission information for the other attendant electronic equipments in accordance with the operation by the user based on the personal data.

An attendance authentication method for a network conferencing system in which an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation, a plurality of attendant electronic equipments, and a conference management server connected with the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments so as to transmit and receive information to and from the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments, are connected via a communication network, each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,

• wherein the authentication function of a chairman terminal having the information input/output function, the authentication function, the equipment management function, the display function and the proceedings control function is
• to input conference attendance requests including personal data related to the other attendant electronic equipments from the other attendant electronic equipments via the conference management server and
• to prepare attendance permission information or attendance non-permission information for the other attendant electronic equipments in accordance with the operation by the user based on the personal data, thus authenticating the attendance.

A conference management server connected with an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation and a plurality of attendant electronic equipments via a communication network, each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other attendant electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function, the conference management server comprising:

• input/output means for outputting a conference attendance request including personal data related to the attendant electronic equipment from the attendant electronic equipment to the other attendant electronic equipments, and inputting the result of attendance authentication in accordance with the conference attendance request;
• and
• attendance management means for preparing an attendance information file for managing the plurality of attendant electronic equipments attending a conference by using the personal data and the result of attendance authentication obtained by the input/output means, and preparing attendant equipment display information for displaying, as an icon, the personal data of each attendant electronic equipment managed as the attendance information file in accordance with the result of attendance authentication.

An attendance authentication method for a conference management server connected with an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation and a plurality of attendant electronic equipments via a communication network, each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other attendant electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected t&the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function, the method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a conference attendance request including personal data related to the attendant electronic equipment from the attendant electronic equipment;
• outputting the conference attendance request to the other attendant electronic equipments;
• inputting the result of attendance authentication in accordance with the conference attendance request;
• preparing an attendance information file for managing the plurality of attendant electronic equipments attending a conference by using the personal data and the result of attendance authentication;
• and
• preparing attendant equipment display information for displaying, as an icon, the personal data of each attendant electronic equipment managed as the attendance information file in accordance with the result of attendance authentication.

An attendant electronic equipment operated by a user attending a conference for transmitting/receiving information via a communication network to/from a conference management server which is connected with an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation and which transmits/receives information to/from the output electronic equipment via the communication network, the attendant electronic equipment comprising

• an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the conference management server, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,
• wherein when the authority to be a chairman terminal having the information input/output function, the authentication function, the equipment management function, the display function and the proceedings control function is provided,
• the authentication function obtains conference attendance requests including personal data related to the other attendant electronic equipments from the conference management server and prepares attendance permission information or attendance non-permission information for the other attendant electronic equipments in accordance with the operation by the user based on the personal data.

A network conferencing system in which an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation, a plurality of attendant electronic equipments operated by users attending a conference, and a conference management server connected with the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments so as to transmit and receive information 10 and from the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments, are connected via a communication network. In the network conferencing system,

• each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,
• wherein when the presentation function transfers the contents of presentation to the output electronic equipment or the attendant electronic equipment via the conference management server, the contents of presentation and supplementary contents related to the contents of presentation are displayed by the display function.

A presentation method for a network conferencing system in which an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation, a plurality of attendant electronic equipments operated by users attending a conference, and a conference management server connected with the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments so as to transmit and receive information to and from the output electronic equipment and the attendant electronic equipments, are connected via a communication network, each of the attendant electronic equipments comprising an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,

• wherein when transferring the contents of presentation to the output electronic equipment or the attendant electronic equipment via the conference management server by the presentation function,
• the contents of presentation and supplementary contents related to the contents of presentation are displayed by the display function.

An attendant electronic equipment operated by a user attending a conference for transmitting/receiving information via a communication network to/from a conference management server which is connected with an output electronic equipment for presenting the contents of presentation and which transmits/receives information to/from the output electronic equipment via the communication network, the attendant electronic equipment comprising

• an information input/output function for inputting and outputting information from and to the other attendant electronic equipments and the output electronic equipment via the communication network, a presentation function for presenting the contents of presentation by using the output electronic equipment, a presentation contents browsing function for browsing the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function of the other attendant electronic equipments using the output electronic equipment, an authentication function for carrying out authentication of attendance of the other electronic equipments at a conference, an equipment management function for managing the state of each electronic equipment connected to the communication network, a display function for displaying, as icons, the other attendant electronic equipments with their attendance authenticated by the authentication function and the electronic equipment managed by the equipment management function, and a proceedings control function for controlling preparation of the proceedings by using the contents of presentation presented by the presentation function,
• wherein when the presentation function transfers the contents of presentation to the output electronic equipment or the attendant electronic equipment via the conference management server, the contents of presentation and supplementary contents related to the contents of presentation are displayed by the display function.