JP2002132837A - System and method for conference management - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To actualize a paperless conference by eliminating the need to attach conference materials to a note of conference invitation and the minutes of the conference and enables a conference participant to refer to the contents of the conference and all the conference materials any time by accessing a server. SOLUTION: A storage device 5 on a server 2 which allows terminals 3A and 3B of at least conference participants and a terminal 4 for presentation installed at a conference held place to gain access through a network 1 is stored with the hyperlinked minutes of the conference in the storage addresses of all the conference materials needed for the conference. This storage device is further stored with the conference materials as well.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a conference management system and a conference management method suitable for a procedure such as guidance for holding a conference and distribution of conference materials in a company or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when a meeting is held on a certain theme in a company or the like, a meeting guide is first sent from a meeting organizer to meeting participants. Each meeting participant creates meeting materials assigned in advance and sends them to the meeting organizer. Meeting materials delivered to the meeting organizer before distributing the meeting guide may be distributed to the meeting participants in advance with the meeting guide. On the day of the meeting, the meeting materials from the meeting participants to the meeting organizer by that date are copied,
Distributed to all conference participants. In addition, a conference participant who brings the conference material on the day of the conference will distribute a copy of the conference material prepared by himself to other conference participants.

In this way, each conference participant obtains necessary conference materials and participates in the conference. After the meeting, the organizer issues the minutes. The minutes of the meeting will include the meeting materials delivered by the date of the meeting and the meeting materials distributed on the day. Then, the minutes are circulated and distributed to relevant departments. In recent years, computer software for presentations has been widely used, and color printers and color copies have become available at low cost, so that various conference materials have been distributed in large quantities.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems to be solved. Usually, most of the meeting materials are created by a computer operated by a meeting participant. Therefore, these materials are often delivered to the meeting organizer not in the form of printed matter but in the form of digitized data. The meeting organizer collectively attaches the data to a meeting invitation mail and transmits the data to each meeting participant.

[0005] However, each conference participant usually prints out the received conference guide and conference materials on paper, and participates in the conference with the printed information. At the conference hall, conference participants copy their materials to paper instead of electronic data and distribute them to each conference participant. That is, a large amount of paper is used in any case for holding a conference. Also, depending on the content of the conference, a large amount of materials remains at each conference participant.

[0006] As described above, the work of the conference organizer to transmit in advance the necessary conference materials to the conference participants together with the mail becomes more complicated as the number of conference materials increases. Also, meeting materials are not always delivered to the meeting organizer by the time the meeting information is sent. Therefore, it is often required to perform a complicated process of transmitting the meeting material to the meeting participants by e-mail each time the meeting material reaches the meeting organizer. This puts a heavy burden on the meeting organizer.

[0007] On the other hand, a conference participant must read the conference materials distributed before the date of the conference in advance, print out the conference materials and bring them to the conference hall. If this is neglected, useless copying may occur, such as receiving a copy of the relevant material from the meeting organizer again at the meeting place. Furthermore, if there is a large amount of conference materials, it is necessary to confirm that all necessary materials have been distributed to each conference participant. These cumbersome tasks placed a heavy burden on the meeting organizer. Also, the work of the meeting organizer to distribute and circulate various meeting materials together with the minutes after the meeting is a heavy burden on the meeting organizer. In addition, when the minutes are to be distributed to the parties concerned immediately, a large number of copies of the same meeting materials must be prepared and sent, which further increases the burden.

[0008]

The present invention employs the following structure to solve the above problems. <Structure 1> A storage device of a server that permits access to at least a terminal of a conference participant and a presentation terminal installed at a conference venue through a network, and a storage address of all conference materials necessary for the conference. A conference management system characterized by storing a hyperlinked conference catalog.

[0009] The storage device of the server stores a meeting list that can be read out with a single click on all meeting materials necessary for the meeting. The meeting materials may be stored anywhere as long as the meeting materials can be immediately read out by the hyperlink of the meeting list. If at least the meeting participants can access the meeting catalog through the terminals of the meeting participants and the presentation terminal installed at the meeting place, the meeting participants can freely refer to the materials necessary for the meeting anytime and anywhere. In addition, a presentation can be made at a meeting place without distributing meeting materials.

<Structure 2> At least a conference participant's terminal and a presentation terminal installed at the conference venue are stored in a storage device of a server which permits access through a network. A conference management system characterized by storing a conference catalog in which hyperlinks are provided to these conference materials.

[0011] In this example, all conference materials are transferred from related parties and stored in the storage device of the server. Since the meeting material is often uncertain before the meeting is held, the method of Configuration 1 in which the meeting material is prepared by the person in charge of creating the material is suitable. Centralized management of such data is preferred for storing records after the meeting.

<Structure 3> In the meeting management system according to structure 1 or 2, the meeting list includes a list of minutes, and each of the listed minutes has a hyperlink to a storage address of the meeting material. A meeting management system comprising a document indicating the contents of a meeting.

For example, the minutes of all conferences held at one research institute are listed in one conference catalog. If each of the listed minutes is a document indicating the contents of a meeting with a hyperlink attached to the storage address of the meeting material, the related parties can easily refer to the contents of the meeting of any meeting and related materials.

<Configuration 4> In the conference management system according to configuration 1 or 2, the mail server that transmits the conference guide to the conference participants should include the storage address of the conference catalog in the conference guide but not the conference materials. Conference management system characterized by the following.

The work of attaching meeting materials to a meeting guide transmitted by e-mail before the meeting is held is complicated. Therefore,
This e-mail should be only the storage address of the meeting catalog.

<Structure 5> A meeting list in which hyperlinks are provided to storage addresses of all meeting materials necessary for the meeting is stored in the storage device of the server, and is installed at least at the terminals of the meeting participants and at the meeting place. A conference management method, comprising controlling a presentation terminal to allow access to the storage device through a network.

This is a method of operating the system of configuration 1.

<Structure 6> All meeting materials necessary for the meeting and a meeting list in which hyperlinks are provided to these meeting materials are stored in the storage device of the server, and are installed at least at the terminals of the meeting participants and at the meeting place. A conference management method that controls the given presentation terminal to allow access to the storage device through a network.

This is an operation method of the system of the second configuration.

<Structure 7> In the meeting management method according to structure 5 or 6, the list of minutes is included in the list of meetings, and each of the listed minutes is a meeting with a hyperlink to the storage address of the meeting material. A meeting management method characterized by using a document indicating the content.

The operation method of the system of the configuration 3 is as follows.

<Structure 8> In the meeting management method described in Structure 5 or 6, the mail server for transmitting the meeting guide for the meeting participants includes the meeting guide including the storage address of the meeting catalog and not including the meeting material. A unique conference management system.

This is a method of operating the system of Configuration 4.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below using specific examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the conference management system of the present invention. In the figure, a network 1 includes a server 2 for managing the network 1, a terminal 3 of a conference host, and a terminal 3A of a conference participant A.
And the terminal 3B of the conference participant B and the presentation terminal 4 provided at the conference venue.
The storage device 5 connected to the server 2 stores meeting-related materials to be described, that is, meeting catalogs 7 and various meeting materials as necessary. The presentation terminal 4 is connected to a liquid crystal projector 6 for explaining the contents of materials to conference participants in a conference, for example. Also,
A terminal 10 is connected to the presentation terminal 4 so that each conference participant can refer to the materials at the conference location.

The meeting organizer operates the terminal 3 of the organizer to create a meeting list 7 and store the meeting list 7 in the storage device 5 of the server 2. In addition, the conference participant A has a conference material a
Is created and stored in the terminal 3A, transmitted to the server 2 as necessary, and stored in the storage device 5. The conference participant B creates the conference material b and stores it in the terminal 3B, and if necessary, the storage device 5 of the server 2
To memorize.

In this example, terminals 10 for each conference participant to browse and operate the materials are provided at the conference place for the number of conference participants. However, for example, in an environment where each conference participant can refer to a screen for monitoring conference materials jointly, it is not always necessary to prepare the terminal 10 for each. Next, a method of operating the system as shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of handling meeting information and meeting materials before a meeting is held. Also,
FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of handling minutes and meeting materials after the meeting. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a link state between a meeting guide and meeting materials. First, when the date of the conference is determined, the conference organizer transmits a conference guide 9 to each conference participant, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the meeting guide 9 includes a guide message such as "The following meeting will be held. Please gather.", The organizer of the meeting, the theme of the meeting, the meeting participants, and the date and time when the meeting is held. The place where the meeting is held is entered.

Further, in the conference guide 9, a list of conference materials distributed before the conference is held is entered. This conference material list is one in which a hyperlink is set in the title portion of the conference material. That is, when the conference material b is stored in the terminal 3B of the conference participant B shown in FIG. 1, a hyperlink is established using the URL. The meeting materials distributed before the meeting may be completed before sending the meeting guide, or may not be completed yet. In either case, in this case, the conference participant B allows the conference participant to refer to the conference material b with the conference material b stored in his / her terminal 3B so that the conference guide can be issued earlier. . In this case, the terminals of the conference participants are terminals having a server function that can be constantly accessed through a network. Of course, from the beginning, the storage device 5 through the server 2
The conference material b may be stored in the storage device 5 so that all conference participants can refer to all the conference materials stored in the storage device 5.

In order to operate the above-mentioned system comfortably, the storage device 5 of the server 2 accesses at least the terminal of the conference participant and the presentation terminal 4 installed at the conference venue through the network 1. Is allowed as a system. For example, if the contents of the storage device 5 can be referred to by using a user code or a password, unrelated third parties will not be able to browse the meeting materials.

Whether the conference material b is stored in the storage device 5 of the server 2 or the terminal 3B of the conference participant B at the time of sending out the conference guide depends on the data amount and other circumstances. And arbitrarily selected. The conference participant B gives the organizer the UR of the location where the conference material b is stored.
It is enough to notify L. FIG. 2 (b) will be described later.
Used for explanation when sending the minutes.

As described above, in the system shown in FIG. 1, the meeting guide 9 displays only the items necessary to convey the information on the holding of the meeting, and the meeting material is displayed by the hyperlink, so that the attachment fee is unnecessary. Is in the form. Therefore, the communication load becomes very light, and the meeting organizer only needs to create a guide with the contents shown in the figure, and there is no problem of forgetting to attach a file to be distributed. The conference participant who has received the conference guide 9 as shown in FIG. 3 may refer to the corresponding conference material b using the hyperlink 7b of the conference material list as needed.

Next, handling on the day of the conference will be described.
First, when the conference is held, the conference organizer operates the presentation terminal 4 shown in FIG. 1 to take out various conference materials stored in the storage device 5 of the server 2 and use the liquid crystal projector 6 On the screen (not shown) of the venue. Of course, if necessary, the conference material stored in the terminal of the conference participant linked by the hyperlink in the conference guidance can be referred to.

At the conference venue, for example, each conference participant freely refers to the conference materials using the terminal 10 operated by himself / herself. That is, in this system, the conference participant does not need to bring a copy of the conference material to the conference venue. The conference material is always stored in the storage device 5 of the server 2 or the terminals 3A and 3B of the conference participants. At the meeting place, these materials can be freely referred to using the terminal 10, and there is no need to distribute or copy printed meeting materials at all. In addition, when a meeting participant creates a material to be distributed on the day, the material can be used on the day if the material is stored in the storage device 5 of the server 2 by the day before. In addition, terminal 1 of the meeting place on the day
0 may be used to store the material in the storage device 5 of the server 2. As a result, the same effect as distributing materials on the spot can be obtained.

Next, handling after the end of the conference will be described. The meeting catalog 7 shown in FIG. 4 is a list of the names of the minutes of all the meetings held at the research institute, for example. When you click on the name of each minutes, hyperlink 7
8, the corresponding minutes 8 can be referred to. The storage device 5 of the server 2 stores the meeting list 7 and the minutes 8 and the meeting material distributed at each meeting and finally used, for example, the meeting material b. The minutes 8 prepared by the meeting organizer simply record the contents of the proceedings.

The material names used in the proceedings are linked to specific conference materials by a hyperlink 7b. Therefore, by referring to the minutes 8 and clicking the title of the relevant minutes, necessary materials can be referred to. That is, after the meeting, the meeting organizer sends the minutes 8 shown in the figure to the meeting participants by e-mail. Meeting participants can click on parts of the minutes to view meeting materials, if necessary. Meeting materials including these minutes 8 are all stored in the storage device 5 of the server 2. This allows conference participants to go back in time and refer to all of the conference content and conference materials.
For this reason, each conference participant does not need to bring back the conference materials, and does not need to store the data of the conference materials on his or her terminal. There is no need to attach a large amount of meeting materials to the minutes. Therefore, a large amount of paper for copying the conference materials is saved, and the storage area of the storage device of each terminal can be used efficiently.

In FIG. 2A, the conference information 9 is
The hyperlinks r1 to r5 link the conference participants 11 to 15 to the conference materials freely stored, respectively. As a result, the meeting guide 9 has been improved with only a simple mail and a list of meeting materials. FIG. 2 (b)
As shown in FIG.
Minutes 8 and meeting materials 11 to 15 according to 11 to r17
And 18 to 19 are linked, so that the minutes of unnecessary simple contents of the attached material are obtained. Minutes do not need to take into account attachments, as well as the meeting guide. Also,
Since the meeting materials after the meeting can be centrally collected and managed in the storage device of the server 2, the meeting participants can freely refer to the contents at any time. Of course, the special meeting material may be stored in the terminal of the meeting participant or in any specified server storage device instead of the server side.

The computer program for realizing the present invention as described above can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, installed, and used. It can also be downloaded and used in the memory of a computer via a network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a specific example of a conference management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram illustrating handling of meeting guidance. (B) is an explanatory view for explaining handling of minutes.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a meeting guide and meeting materials.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship among a meeting list, minutes, and meeting materials.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network 2 Server 3 Host's terminal 3A Terminal of conference participant A 3B Terminal of conference participant B 4 Presentation terminal 5 Storage device 6 Liquid crystal projector 7 Conference catalog

Claims (8)

[Claims] Claims 1. At least a terminal of a conference participant and a presentation terminal installed at a conference venue are provided.
A conference management system, wherein a conference list in which hyperlinks are provided to storage addresses of all conference materials necessary for the conference is stored in a storage device of a server permitted to access through a network. 2. At least a terminal of a conference participant and a terminal for a presentation installed at a conference place,
A meeting management system, wherein all meeting materials necessary for the meeting and a meeting list in which hyperlinks are provided to these meeting materials are stored in a storage device of a server permitted to access through a network. 3. The meeting management system according to claim 1, wherein the meeting list includes a list of minutes, and each of the listed minutes is hyperlinked to a storage address of the meeting material. A meeting management system comprising a document showing the contents of a meeting. 4. The conference management system according to claim 1, wherein the mail server that transmits the conference guide to the conference participants includes the storage address of the conference catalog in the conference guide and does not include the conference material. A unique conference management system. 5. A storage device of the server stores a meeting list in which hyperlinks are provided to storage addresses of all meeting materials necessary for the meeting, and at least a terminal of a meeting participant and a presentation installed at a meeting place. A conference management method, comprising: controlling a terminal to permit access to the storage device through a network. 6. The storage device of the server stores all meeting materials necessary for the meeting and a meeting list in which hyperlinks are provided to these meeting materials, and is installed at least at the terminals of the meeting participants and at the meeting place. A conference management method, which controls a presentation terminal to permit access to the storage device via a network. 7. The meeting management method according to claim 5, wherein a list of minutes is included in the list of meetings, and each listed minute is hyperlinked to a storage address of the meeting material. A meeting management method characterized in that the document is a document indicating the following. 8. The conference management method according to claim 5, wherein the mail server for transmitting the conference guide to the conference participants includes the conference catalog storage address in the conference guide and does not include the conference material. Meeting management method.