WO2014187897A1

WO2014187897A1 - A system and method for booking a videoconference meeting

Info

Publication number: WO2014187897A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/060538
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chris Marnix COLPAERT; Glenn Jenny Robert Jan WASTYN; Erwin Henri Julia MAES
Original assignee: Global Videoconferencing Network Nv
Priority date: 2013-05-22
Filing date: 2014-05-22
Publication date: 2014-11-27

Abstract

A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting, comprising: - a room database (101) storing room information; - a client interface receiving from a user date and time information (201, 202, 203) and location information (211, 212) defining destination locations (301, 302) involved in the videoconference meeting; and - a search engine (103) to search and select in the room database (101) for each destination location (301, 302) one or more rooms (311, 321) available during the preferred timeslot. The client interface (102) is adapted to display for each selected room (311, 321) an array (313, 323) visualizing availability in the preferred timeslot and in time intersects before and after the preferred timeslot. The client interface (102) is further adapted to display an interactive user interface object (314, 324) movable and/or extendable to enable the user to change the begin time and/or end time of the videoconference meeting.

Description

A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BOOKING A VIDEOCONFERENCE MEETING

Field of the Invention

[01] The present invention generally relates to scheduling and booking a videoconference meeting. A videoconference meeting in the context of the present invention is a virtual meeting between people that are at different locations, the so called destination locations. People participate to the videoconference meeting from a room that is equipped with video conference facilities and that is preferably located at or near the destination location where they reside.

Background of the Invention

[02] Scheduling and booking a videoconference meeting using existing videoconference systems is a challenging, complex and time consuming job for the user of such systems. [03] Sabre Virtual Meetings for instance is such an existing system for booking a videoconference meeting that allows the user to find and make reservations for public and private rooms equipped with videoconference facilities and pre-registered in a room database. Sabre Virtual Meetings also enables to integrate a company travel policy. In other words, Sabre Virtual Meetings takes into account a company's preferences when employees or members of that company participate in a videoconference meeting.

[04] The system from Sabre is disadvantageous in that it only checks availability of rooms in or near the destination locations at the preferred timeslot for the videoconference. As a consequence, it does not inform the user about convenient alternatives, e.g. x hours before the preferred timeslot or x hours after the preferred timeslot. Sabre Virtual Meetings in other words is limited in offering the user possibilities for scheduling or re-scheduling a videoconference meeting at a timeslot that slightly differs from the preferred timeslot. [05] The system from Sabre has additional limitations. It does not enable the user to invite non -registered attendants to participate to a videoconference meeting, at cost of the user or at cost of the attendant. Sabre Virtual Meetings also does not inform the user on the costs per person attending to a videoconference meeting at a certain destination location as a result of which it does not allow the user to conveniently decide if certain participants better travel and avoid the hassle of virtually participating to a meeting. The system from Sabre further offers no or limited view on room services and videoconference services that could enhance the virtual meeting experience for users participating e.g. from remote locations, in different languages, etc.

[06] It is an objective of the present invention to disclose a system and method for booking a videoconference meeting that overcomes one or several of the above identified shortcomings of existing videoconference scheduling systems. More precisely, it is an aim of the present invention to disclose a videoconference meeting booking tool that provides enhanced visibility to the user on the availability of rooms and that enables the user to intuitively re-schedule a videoconference meeting even at times that slightly differ from the preferred timeslot. It is an additional objective of the present invention to enhance the user experience when booking a videoconference meeting through improved visibility on the availability of room services, videoconference services, and costs per person. The present invention further aims at disclosing advantageous implementations of user preference and travel policy integration.

Summary of the Invention

[07] According to the present invention, the above identified objectives are realized by the system for booking a videoconference meeting defined in claim 1 , the system comprising:

- a room database adapted to store room information comprising a room location and price information;

- a client interface adapted to receive from a user date and time information defining a preferred timeslot for the videoconference meeting, and adapted to receive from the user location information defining one or more destination locations involved in the videoconference meeting;

- a search engine configured to search and select in the room database for each destination location of the one or more destination locations one or more rooms located in or near the destination location, the one or more rooms being available or being available on request during the preferred timeslot;

- the client interface being adapted to display for each selected room an array visualizing availability of the selected room in the preferred timeslot and in time intersects before and after the preferred timeslot; and

- the client interface further being adapted to display an interactive user interface object that coincides with the preferred timeslot, the interactive user interface object being movable and/or extendable to enable the user to change a begin time and/or end time of the videoconference meeting. [08] Thus, the system according to the present invention not only checks the availability of rooms in or near the destination locations at the requested preferred timeslot, but also checks the availability at time intersects preceding and following the preferred timeslot. The system according to the present invention may for instance check the availability of rooms in time intersects of 15 minutes, up to 4 hours prior to the preferred timeslot and up to 4 hours following the preferred timeslot. The system then displays one or more selected rooms for each one of the destination locations. As an example, the system may select 3 rooms for each one of the destination locations. For each of the selected rooms an array is displayed that visualizes the availability of that room during the preferred timeslot and in time intersects prior to and following the preferred timeslot. The selected rooms are available or at least available on request in the preferred timeslot. When the room is available on request, its availability in the timeslot must be checked offline. In accordance with the present invention, the system further displays an interactive user interface object, e.g. a canvas element or semi- transparent shaded area that initially covers the portion of the room arrays that coincides with the preferred timeslot, but the boundaries of which can be moved or extended through simple user interface actions such as drag-and-drop mouse clicks on client devices equipped with a computer mouse, or finger touch on client devices equipped with a touch-sensitive display. As a result, the user can conveniently and flexibly change the start time and end time of a videoconference meeting with visibility on the availability of selected rooms for the different destination locations. This way, user frustration is avoided when attempting to re-schedule a videoconference meeting to a slightly different timeslot. [09] Optionally, as defined by claim 2, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the search engine is further adapted to determine from the price information in the room database for each selected room a price for usage during the videoconference meeting; and

- the client interface is further adapted to display the price for each selected room.

[10] Thus, the price per room is maintained in the room database. The price may be dependent on the time of the day, resulting for instance in a different price for business hours, early hours, late hours, night time, etc. for a single room. The price for using a selected room during the preferred timeslot is visualized by the client interface. Preferably, the client interface also visualizes additional relevant information, such as the distance from the room to the destination address, i.e. the address of the destination location for which the room has been selected, the type of videoconferencing equipment, the cancellation conditions, etc.

[11] Further optionally, as defined by claim 3, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the client interface is further adapted to receive from the user for each destination location of the one or more destination locations an amount of persons that will participate in the videoconference meeting at that destination location;

- the room database is further adapted to store as part of the price information a price per reserved seat; and

- the client interface is further adapted to display an average price per person for each selected room.

[12] Indeed, in a preferred embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the room database maintains a price per seat for each registered room. The price may differ for additional seats. For instance, the price for the second seat may be below the price for the first seat, the price for the third seat may be below the price for the second seat, ... The price may also be identical for certain seats. For instance, the 6th to 10th seat in a room may have the same price. Obviously, the price of a seat may also vary depending on the time of the day: a different price may for instance be applicable for business hours, early hours, late hours, night hours. In this preferred embodiment of the system, the user is requested to specify the amount of participants to the videoconference meeting for each destination location. From the price information in the room database and the amount of participants specified by the user, the search engine can calculate the average price per person attending to the videoconference from that destination location. This average price is then displayed to the user, enabling the user to more easily decide when participants from a certain destination location better travel instead of virtually attending the meeting from the destination location.

[13] Further optionally, as defined by claim 4, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the search engine is further adapted upon instruction from the user to re-search and re-select in the room database for each destination location of the one or more destination locations one or more rooms located in or near the destination location in response to the interactive user interface object being moved and/or extended; and - the client interface is further adapted to re-display for each selected room an array visualizing availability of the selected room in a moved or extended timeslot and in time intersects before and after the moved or extended timeslot.

[14] Indeed, preferably, the search engine automatically or upon request of the user, e.g. after clicking a button, re-runs the search and selection process of rooms and updates the list of selected rooms displayed for each destination location, as well as any accompanying information such as the price, the price per person, the distance to the destination address, etc. This way, the system according to the invention automatically adapts the selection of rooms to the new timeslot, i.e. the moved or extended timeslot. Alternatively, the search engine may be configured to leave the selection of rooms for each destination location unaltered and to adapt only the accompanying information, e.g. the price and price per person, in view of the new timeslot. [15] Still optionally, as defined by claim 5, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the client interface is further adapted to receive from the user a lead time zone for the preferred timeslot; and

- the search engine is further adapted to calculate from the lead time zone and the preferred timeslot corresponding local timeslots for the one or more destination locations in order to be able to search and select the one or more rooms being available or being available on request in the preferred timeslot.

[16] Indeed, the videoconference booking system according to the present invention requests the user to specify the date and time of the start and end of the videoconference that the user intends to organise. The start and end times specified by the user will be linked to the lead time zone that the user also has to specify. The lead time zone may for instance be the time zone of one of the destination locations involved in the videoconference meeting. The corresponding times and timeslots at the other destination locations involved in the videoconference meeting will then be calculated automatically and will be used by the search engine in searching rooms in or near those destination locations that are available or available on request within the preferred timeslot for the videoconference. In calculating the corresponding local timeslots, the search engine preferably also takes into account summer and winter time, as well as the transition between summer time and winter time which may take place at different dates for different destination locations.

[17] Further optionally, as defined by claim 6, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the room database is further adapted to store room information on pre- registered private rooms of the user or its company, pre-registered private rooms of affiliated or linked companies, pre-registered public rooms of a room owner, and non- registered private and public rooms identified by the user while booking the videoconference meeting and accompanied by a contact person identification.

[18] Thus, in addition to private rooms, e.g. rooms owned by the user or his company that are pre-registered in the system, and public rooms, e.g. rooms owned by a hotel, conference centre or other room owner that are pre-registered in the system, the user can also add non -registered rooms while booking a video conference meeting. Since such non-registered room is not known by the system, the identity and coordinates of a contact person for the non -registered room must be entered. The system may for instance request the user to enter the name, telephone number and e-mail address of a contact person for the non -registered private or public room. The flexibility in selecting rooms at destination locations that participate in the videoconference meeting is herewith further enhanced.

[19] According to another optional aspect, defined by claim 7, the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the invention further comprises:

- a user database adapted to store user preferences;

and:

- the search engine is further adapted to sort selected rooms for a destination location involved in the videoconference meeting in accordance with the user preferences.

[20] Indeed, user preferences are preferably maintained and used in the system for selecting rooms at or near a destination location involved in the videoconference meeting. These user preferences may be as simple as "the closest to the destination address" or "the cheapest within a maximum distance from the destination address" or "the highest quality", but the system also may allow to configure more complex user preferences or to select pre-configured user preferences from a list, e.g. "the cheapest", "the closest", etc. The user preferences form part of the user profile. A user can add one or more rules to his/her user preferences, can delete, amend or change the order of rules. Such a rule always consists of an order or priority, a criterion (e.g. the distance, the price, the hotel chain, ...), a function (e.g. smaller than, larger than, contains, ...) and a value (e.g. 15 km, 200 USD, "Marriot", ...). The rules that define the user preferences are used by the search engine to select rooms, i.e. to filter and prioritize the rooms during the search process.

[21] Further optionally, as defined by claim 8, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the user database is further adapted to link a user to a company and/or to link a user to a travel agency and/or to link a company to a travel agency; and - the user database is further adapted to store company preferences for the company and/or to store travel agency preferences for the travel agency; and

- the search engine is further adapted to sort selected rooms for a destination location involved in the videoconference meeting in cascaded order in accordance with:

a. the company preferences;

b. the user preferences;

c. the travel agency preferences; and

d. system preferences.

[22] This way, by enabling also companies and travel agencies to define preferences as part of their profiles, and by linking a user to a company and a company to a travel agency, it is possible to implement a travel policy. The search engine takes into account all preferences but uses a predefined priority: for a registered user, the company preferences - if existing - have the highest priority, followed by the user preferences, followed by the travel agency preferences - if existing - and followed by the system preferences, i.e. a standard set of preferences predefined in the system and always present. Thanks to cascading the different preferences, multiple travel policies can be implemented as a large set of smaller, cascaded rules.

[23] Still optionally, as defined by claim 9, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the client interface is further adapted to receive from the user an e-mail address or nickname linked to an e-mail address of an attendant;

and the system further comprises:

- an e-mail module adapted to invite the attendant by e-mail to participate to the videoconference meeting at a destination location of the one or more destination locations and at cost of the user. [24] Indeed, per room the user has the ability to specify the attendants. One or several attendants can be invited to participate from a single location. In case the attendant is a registered user, the system automatically retrieves the e-mail address of the attendant. In case the attendant is not a registered user, the user booking the videoconference meeting has to enter the e-mail address of the attendant. The system then informs the attendants by e-mail on the videoconference meeting.

[25] Alternatively or complementary, as defined by claim 10, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the client interface is further adapted to receive from the user an e-mail address of an attendant;

and the system further comprises:

- an e-mail module adapted to invite the attendant by e-mail to participate to the videoconference meeting at a destination location of the one or more destination locations that is selected, ordered and paid for by the attendant.

[26] Hence, a preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention enables the user to also invite attendants to participate to the videoconference meeting at their destination location of their own preference and at their own costs. The process for inviting an attendant at his/her own costs is comparable to the process of inviting other attendants: the invited attendant must be identified through his name and e-mail address. The system then invites the attendant by e-mail to participate to the videoconference meeting and gives the invited attendant the possibility to specify his/her preferred destination location for participating to the videoconference meeting.

[27] In accordance with a further optional aspect, defined by claim 1 1 , the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the invention further comprises:

- a videoconference database wherein start time, end time, one or more destination locations, selected rooms at the one or more destination locations and pricing information for the videoconference meeting are temporarily stored and kept available for acceptance by the user up to a predetermined maximum acceptance time.

[28] Thus, the user who has scheduled a videoconference meeting, can temporarily save the scheduled videoconference meeting, before accepting and definitively booking the videoconference meeting. This may be advantageous in situations where the user scheduling a videoconference meeting has to obtain approval, e.g. from his company or travel agency, to book the meeting and make the costs. To avoid that rooms stay unavailable for other bookings, the maximum acceptance time during which a scheduled videoconference meeting stays stored may be limited, for instance to 24 hours or 48 hours. Alternatively, the system may not allocate the rooms as a result of which no availability of the rooms will be guaranteed during the acceptance time. [29] Optionally, as defined by claim 12, in the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention:

- the room database is further adapted to store for a registered room a list of room services available in the registered room and corresponding price information for the room services.

[30] Preferably, the system stores and maintains a list of available room services in relation to each registered room. The room services are entered by the room owner that registers his room in the system. These room services include for example the availability of a flip chart, a projector, parking, catering services like coffee or drinks, etc. The room services are payable and consequently the price must be entered by the room owner when adding a room service to his/her room. Once a room is selected for participation to a videoconference meeting, the user booking the videoconference meeting is given visibility on the available room services, and is given the ability to specify which room services will be used during that scheduled videoconference meeting. Only room services that are linked to a specific room can be selected by the user.

[31] Further optionally, as defined by claim 13, the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention comprises:

- a service database adapted to store one or more video conference meeting services of one or more service owners, the one or more services not being linked to a specific room and being available during videoconference meetings booked via the system, the service database further being adapted to store corresponding price information for said videoconference meeting services.

[32] Thus, similar to the room services, the system according to the present invention preferably enables to store and maintain a list of videoconference meeting services, i.e. services like simultaneous translations, recording the videoconference, etc., that are offered by a third party service provider and not linked to a particular room or destination location. The service owner must register the videoconference meeting service and also specify the price of the videoconference meeting service. When scheduling a videoconference meeting, the user will then be given the possibility to specify which videoconference meeting services will be used during that videoconference meeting. The user can only select videoconference meeting services that are registered in the system by service providers. The system automatically orders all room services and videoconference meeting services that are requested by the user scheduling the videoconference meeting. [33] According to yet another optional aspect, defined by claim 14, the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the current invention further comprises:

- a recurring videoconference database wherein the one or more destination locations and selected rooms at the one or more destination locations for the videoconference meeting are stored for recurrent use at later dates or times.

[34] Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user can maintain a list of recurring videoconference meeting records. A recurring videoconference meeting record at least contains a set of videoconference rooms at the different destination locations, but may on top of that also contain a list of participants per location, room services and/or additional videoconference meeting services. A recurring videoconference meeting record can be given a name and the record may be linked to the user's profile. The recurring videoconference meeting records can be supplemented with a quick search functionality, i.e. a list wherein the recurring videoconference meeting records linked to a user are collected by name, enabling the user that has to book multiple identical or similar videoconference meetings to perform this task within seconds without repeatedly having to enter the same configuration.

[35] In addition to a system as defined by claim 1 , the present invention relates to a corresponding computer-implemented method for booking a videoconference meeting, as defined by claim 15, the method comprising:

- storing room information comprising a room location and price information in a room database; - receiving from a user date and time information defining a preferred timeslot for the videoconference meeting, and receiving from the user location information defining one or more destination locations involved in the videoconference meeting;

- searching and selecting in the room database for each destination location of the one or more destination locations one or more rooms located in or near the destination location, the one or more rooms being available or being available on request during the preferred timeslot;

- displaying for each selected room an array visualizing availability of the selected room in the preferred timeslot and in time intersects before and after the preferred timeslot; and

- displaying an interactive user interface object that coincides with the preferred timeslot, the interactive user interface object being movable and/or extendable to enable the user to change a begin time and/or end time of the videoconference meeting.

[36] Further, as defined by claim 16, the present invention also relates to a corresponding computer program comprising software code adapted to perform the method according to the present invention. [37] As further specified by claim 17, the present invention relates to a corresponding computer readable storage medium storing the computer program according to the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[38] Fig. 1 is a functional block scheme of an embodiment of the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention; [39] Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to receive date, time and destination location information from a user; [40] Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to inform a user on selected available rooms; [41] Fig. 4 illustrates moving the interactive user interface object displayed by the client interface in Fig. 3 thereby enabling the user to change a begin time and end time of a videoconference meeting;

[42] Fig. 5 illustrates extending an interactive user interface object displayed by the client interface in Fig. 3 thereby enabling the user to change a begin time or end time of a videoconference meeting;

[43] Fig. 6 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a user to add a non-registered room;

[44] Fig. 7 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a user to select pre-defined user preferences for searching and sorting available rooms;

[45] Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a user to configure user preferences for searching and sorting available rooms;

[46] Fig. 9A diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable linking a user to a company;

[47] Fig. 9B diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable linking a company to a daughter company, a mother company, another company or to enable linking the company to a travel agency; [48] Fig. 10 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a user to invite attendants to a videoconference meeting at own cost;

[49] Fig. 1 1 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to deliver to a room owner an overview of his rooms; [50] Fig. 12 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a room owner to manage a room;

[51] Fig. 13 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a room owner to specify room services for one of his rooms; and

[52] Fig. 14 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to deliver to a service provider an overview of his services.

Detailed Description of Embodiment(s) [53] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment 100 of the system for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention. The system 100 consists of an application server 104 hosting a search engine 103, a client interface 102 and a number of databases: a rooms database 101 , a users database 105, a video conferencing database 106 and a services database 107. The databases 101 , 105, 106, 107 obviously can be integrated into a single database residing on a single database server. A user, registered in the users database 105, interacts with the client interface 102 to book a videoconference meeting. Once the basic information such as timeslot and destination locations involved in the videoconference meeting has been obtained by the client interface, this information is shared with the search engine 103 in order to enable the search engine to search available rooms for the videoconference meeting in the rooms database 101 . The results of the search, i.e. a list of available rooms per destination location, are presented by the client interface 102 to the user in an order that corresponds with the user's preference(s). These preferences either form part of the user's profile in the users database 105, or they are specified by the user together with the basic information for the videoconference meeting. The user thereupon must choose a room for each of the destination locations, and optionally select the room services and/or additional services he likes to enjoy at the different destination locations. Information on available room services is obtained from the rooms database 101 whereas information on additional videoconference services such as translations, etc. is obtained from the services database 107. The selection of rooms and services finally can be stored in the videoconference database 106 in order to enable the user to seek approval, e.g. from his company or travel agency, before definitively booking the videoconference meeting. In the following paragraphs, the operation of system 100 will be described in more detail.

[54] Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows a visual 200 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention in order to receive date, time and destination location information from a user. The visual 200 is displayed when the user arrives at the start page of the videoconference meeting booking tool and it contains a central window where the user needs to fill out essential information to allow the tool to start looking for videoconferencing rooms that match the user's search criteria and/or preferences. [55] In fields 201 , 202 and 203 of visual 200 the user must fill out the date, starting hour and ending hour of a videoconference meeting that he/she intends to organize. The start and end times received from the user respectively in fields 202 and 203 are local times linked to the lead time zone that is selected via the radio buttons 231 , 232. Thus, in the example of Fig. 2, a videoconference meeting will be organized on 9 May 2014 with start time and end time that represent local times of the first destination location 21 1 , e.g. Gent (Belgium). The times of all other destination locations 212-213 are converted automatically by the system 100, more precisely by search engine 103, and linked to the local time of the lead time zone. The search engine 103 also takes into account summer and winter time, and the transition between summer and winter time when searching rooms that are available or available on request for the videoconference meeting.

[56] The visual 200 produced by the client interface 102 contains two destination location fields, 21 1 and 212, to be filled out by the user, but extra destination locations can be added via button 213. The user can also remove destinations through button clicks and end up with only one destination location. Minimum one destination location must be specified for the videoconference meeting . A destination location is an address of the location around which the user desires to search for availability of videoconferencing facilities, e.g. "Gent (Belgium)" or "New York City (US)". The user also is requested to enter for each destination location 21 1 , 212 the number of participants 221 , 222 at that destination location 21 1 , 212.

[57] The search engine 102 is an essential element of the videoconference meeting booking tool 100. The search engine 102 sorts and filters rooms based on a preference that is selected by the user via drop down list 241 in Fig. 2. For a registered user, i.e. a user that is known in the system 100, the user preference is pre-stored in the user profile on the user database 105. For such user, the search engine 103 collects the user preference(s) from this user profile in the user database 105 instead of from drop list 241 in Fig. 2.

[58] Once the input of the user is completed via user interface screen 200 and the user presses the SEARCH button 261 , the collected parameters are sent from the client interface 102 to the application server 104. The software running on the application server 104, i.e. the search engine 103, will first check for each destination location 21 1 , 212, 213 which of the rooms are located within an area of X km around the given destination locations. It is noticed that the collection of all possible rooms is stored in room database 101 , which is accessible via the search engine 103 running on the application server, as indicated in Fig. 1 . The result of the search and selection process is a bucket of videoconferencing rooms per given destination location. This collection of rooms is then sorted based on the user preference (s), either selected via drop list 241 or via the pre-stored user profile. The user preference can be as simple as "the closest to the destination address" or "the cheapest within a maximum distance from the destination address" or "highest quality", but the system 100 also allows to select a configurable preference. More details on configuring user preference(s) are given below. Thanks to the configurable user preference(s), it becomes possible to implement a travel policy of a company into the videoconference meeting booking tool 100 according to the present invention.

[59] Optionally, the client interface 102 may produce in the screen 200 besides the basic information described here above also promotion codes for the user. In additional fields not shown in Fig. 2, the user may be requested to fill out the promo code that the user or the company that employs the user has received from the room owner or from the travel agency or from the system operator. Based on this code the system 100 may calculate a price discount for booking a room that the user is entitled to.

[60] A user can register himself/herself in the user database 105 of the system 100. The system 100 then creates a user profile in the user database 105 and the user becomes uniquely identified through his/her e-mail address, username and password. Once registered in the system 100 the registered user can store information in relation to certain recurring videoconference meetings into his user profile. Such a recurring meeting contains a set of videoconference rooms, but can on top of also contain specific participants, room services or additional services. Recurring meetings are identified by a name. The collection of the recurring meetings of a user is accessible through a quick search button or drop list 251 . If a registered users logs into the system 100, the user can select a recurring meeting from the quick search drop down list 251 . The info on a recurring meeting can be retrieved, such that the user doesn't have to fill out destination locations, number of participants, etc., anymore.

[61] Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows a visual 300 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment of the system according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 in order to inform a user on the selected available rooms. [62] Once the search engine 103 running on application server 104 has finished the search and sorting process based on the input parameters received from the user in response to screen 200, the search engine 103 calculates per room the price for the selected timeslot 314. The selected timeslot starts at start time 202, e.g. 17:00, and ends at end time 203, e.g. 18:00. The price information per room is retrieved from room database 101 where the room owner has entered this price information. It is noticed that there may be different prices per room, e.g. depending on the day, depending on the time (early hours, business hours, late hours, night time, ... ), depending on the number of participants, etc. Thus, the search engine 103 also takes into account the occupancy of the room, i.e. prices of the room depend on the amount of people in the room, and converts the price information if needed to another currency. In addition to the price, the search engine 103 also calculates for each selected room the distance between the room address and the destination address filled out in 21 1 , 212. Next to that, the search engine 103 checks with the use of web services in a database server per room the availability of rooms in the vicinity of the destination address and selects and displays for each destination location 21 1 -213 the top three rooms, ranked according to the user's preferences 241 . The latter availability server always contains the latest up to date availability information. In the example of Fig. 3, the first destination location 301 is Gent with two participants, and the second destination location 302 is New York with two participants. The videoconference meeting will take place on 9 May 2014 with preferable start time at 17:00 and expected end time at 18:00, local Gent time. The user is looking for the cheapest rooms, as indicated in 241 . The search engine 103 not only checks the availability of rooms in the requested timeslot 17:00-18:00, but also checks the availability of the rooms x hours before and x hours after this preferred timeslot. For each selected room 31 1 at the first destination location 301 , and for each selected room 321 at the second destination location 302, an array 313, 323 is produced and visualized in visual 300. The array 313, 323 contains per intersect of 15 minutes information that identifies if the room is free or available, available on request, busy or closed. This container of information for all selected rooms at all destination locations is then pushed to the client interface 102 which visualizes the arrays 313, 323 as part of screen 300 to the user in order to enable the user to interact and make his/her room selection.

[63] For each of the destination locations 301 , 302, screen 300 enables the user to indicate that information on more rooms in the vicinity of the destination location is desired, e.g. by clicking a button 312 for destination location 301 or clicking a button 322 for destination location 302. Thus, the client interface 102 shows standard the top three locations for each destination location. The search engine 103 however sends more information to the client interface 102 if the user wants to obtain information on more than the standard three rooms.

[64] For each selected room 31 1 , 321 , the client interface 102 shows the price of the room, the average price of the room per person and the distance from the room to the destination address. The first selected room for destination location Gent, is for instance located at address 1 , costs 200 USD or 100 USD per participant for the videoconference meeting on 9 May 2014 from 17:00 till 18:00, and is located at 3,2 km from the destination address 21 1 in Gent. Similar information is displayed in screen 300 for the second and third selected room for destination location Gent, and for the three selected rooms for destination location New York. The selected rooms 31 1 and 321 are shown in screen 300 in sorting order determined by the previous sorting process of the search engine 103, i.e. in sorting order determined by the user preferences 241 . In the example of Fig. 3, the selected rooms are ordered according to price, starting from the cheapest.

[65] For each selected room 31 1 , 321 , the room availability is shown in screen 300 from a couple of hours before to a couple of hours after the requested timeslot. The preferred time slot of the user is identified via an interactive user interface element 314, 324 in overlay of the arrays 313, 323. The interactive user interface element 314, 324 in screen 300 is a canvas element whose surface coincides with the preferred timeslot of the videoconference meeting and whose surface is shaded transparently.

[66] The room status can be free or available, available on request (i.e. the availability needs to be checked offline), booked or closed (e.g. for maintenance reasons). This room status is visualized for each time intersect via the arrays 313, 323. The user cannot book a room that is already busy or closed. The user can only book rooms that are free or available on request. In order to book a videoconference meeting, the user must choose a selected room per location destination. In screen 300, this is made possible through tick boxes displayed in front of the selected rooms 31 1 , 321 .

[67] It is noticed that an alternative embodiment of the system according to the invention may enable the user to insist booking a specific room even if this room shows busy in the requested timeslot. In such embodiment, the user can choose a busy room and ask the search engine 103 to look for a free timeslot of this room in the nearest time possible. The system 100 anyhow requires a room per destination location, so the user needs to select a room per destination location before pressing the "NEXT" button in screen 300.

[68] The list of selected rooms 31 1 , 312 contains both public and private rooms registered in room database 101 . Via button 331 , also non registered rooms can be added to the videoconference meeting.

[69] Fig. 4 illustrates moving the interactive user interface object 314, 324 displayed by the client interface 102 in screen 300 of Fig. 3 thereby enabling the user to change the begin time and end time of the videoconference meeting. [70] The screen 300' indicates that the user can manually change the preferred timeslot of the videoconference meeting by shifting or moving the canvas element 314, 324 to a new position 314', 324' in overlay of the arrays. The user in other words can intuitively interact with the shaded area surrounded by the canvas element 314, 324. If the user uses a regular screen, the user can use his/her mouse, keyboard or touchpad to select the canvas element 314, 324 and move its full area to earlier or later hours. In this case the duration of the videoconference meeting is not changed. If the user's device is equipped with a touch screen, similar actions are possible through a finger or stylus selecting the canvas element and moving the canvas element to a different position 314', 324'. Once the user changes the timeslot of the videoconference meeting by moving the canvas element 314, 324, the search engine 103 will recalculate the pricing and modify if required the price information displayed on the screen.

[71] In an advanced embodiment of the system 100, the search engine 103 will automatically or on request of the user (e.g. clicking a button) rerun the search and sorting process after the user changes the timeslot to reevaluate all possibilities based on the new timeslot. The system 100 will then of course also reprioritize the room selection. [72] Fig. 5 illustrates extending the interactive canvas element 314, 324 displayed by the client interface 102 in Fig. 3 thereby enabling the user to change a begin time or end time of the videoconference meeting. [73] Indeed, if the user clicks on one of the sides of the canvas element 314, 324 in screen 300, then the user can change only the begin time or only end time of the videoconference meeting. In case the user modifies one side, the other side of the canvas element 314, 314' remains fixed. The procedure can be repeated at the respective other side and as such it is possible to move both ends of the canvas 314 separately. The screen 300" indicates that the user has manually change the preferred timeslot of the videoconference session. In this example the canvas element 314", 324" is expanded and consequently the preferred timeslot for the videoconference meeting has been extended. Again, pricing information is adapted automatically, and in an advanced embodiment of system 100, search engine 103 automatically or on request of the user reruns the room search and selection process for the extended timeslot.

[74] Fig. 6 diagrammatically shows a visual produced and displayed by the client interface in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a user to add a non-registered room.

[75] The list of selected rooms 31 1 , 312 in screen 300 contains both public and private rooms registered in room database 101 . As already mentioned here above, via button 331 , also non -registered rooms can be added to the videoconference meeting. The standard way for a user of choosing registered rooms in the system is by going to the procedure explained in the above paragraphs: the user fills out the basic parameters for the videoconference meeting in screen 200 and instructs the system 100 to come up with a selection of rooms that matches as good as possible the user preferences. In addition to selecting registered rooms from the database 101 , the user can also instruct the system 100 to add a non -registered room. Since such non- registered room is not known to the system 100, the system 100 shall request the user to enter the coordinates of a contact person for the non -registered room, i.e. the name, the phone number and the e-mail address of a person. This is shown in Fig. 6. [76] The user also has to inform the system 100 via field 332 if he/she will be responsible for taking care of connecting all videoconferencing rooms, i.e. the process called bridging. If the user elects that the system must take care, then the system 100 will send once the booking is finished the information of the contact person to a bridging company that takes care of connecting all chosen rooms. If the user elects in field 332 that the customer will take care, then the system 100 will send once the booking is finished the information of the chosen rooms booked by the user to the contact person, so that the contact person can call and connect all rooms. [77] Fig. 7 diagrammatically shows a visual 700 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment of the system 100 according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 , in order to enable a user to select pre-defined user preferences for searching and sorting available rooms. [78] Screen 700 is produced by the client interface 102 in case a user is logged into the system 100 as a registered user. The user is completing or changing his/her user profile. In screen 700 the user changes the user preference(s). The user defines his/her preferences 701 by selecting the preferences from a list 702 of predefined preferences: the cheapest, the closest, the highest quality, etc. In Fig. 7, the user for instance has defined that his/her current preference for selecting rooms corresponds with the cheapest. The selected preference(s) will be used by the search engine 103 to filter and prioritize the rooms during the search process. It is noticed that the user can also select to configure the preference(s) himself by selecting "Configurable" from the drop list 702. The user will than be presented configuration screen 800 to configure his/her own preference(s).

[79] Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 800 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention of Fig. 1 , in order to enable a user to configure user preferences for searching and sorting available rooms.

[80] Indeed, once the user has selected "Configurable" in screen 700, the system 100 collects the existing user preferences linked to the user profile from the user database 105 and pushes the information to the client interface 102. The client interface 102 displays the existing rules of the preferences of that user in field 801 of screen 800. The user can remove certain rules, or move certain rules up or down in the priority list via buttons. [81] Via field 802 in screen 800, the user can also add one or more rules to his/her user preference(s) and consequently also to his/her user profile as stored in the user database 105. A rule is built by selecting an order/priority, a criterion (e.g. distance, price, hotel chain, ...) from a first drop down list in field 802, a function or operator (e.g. smaller than, bigger than, contains, ... ) from a second drop down list in field 802, and by entering a value (e.g. 15 km, 200 $, ...) or text (e.g. "Marriot", "HD", ... ). Once the rule is designed in field 802 of screen 800, the rule is propagated to the set of existing rules 801 of the user preference by pressing the "INSERT" button in field 802.

[82] Fig. 9A diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 900 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 , in order to enable linking a user to a company.

[83] Screen 900 of Fig. 9A is produced by the client interface 102 in case a user is logged into the system, i.e. a registered user that is completing or changing his/her user profile. Through screen 900 the registered user sends a request to be linked to a company. The system 100 collects all the roles that are assigned to a user from the user database 105: the user can be a registered user and/or a travel coordinator (a representative), and/or a key company contact, and/or a key travel agency contact, and/or a travel agent, and/or a room owner, and/or a service provider, and/or a system administrator. Depending on his/her roles, more or less options become available to the user.

[84] As a registered user only, the user can in addition to changing his/her personal information (e.g. name, address, date of birth, ... ) also link to a company. The registered user can select via drop list 901 what company he/she wants to link to. Being linked to a company has advantages, e.g. for doing payments, or to implement a travel policy via preferences that are inherited as will be explained further below. In order to connect to a company, the user must send a request. By clicking button 91 1 , the system 100 is instructed to send a connectivity request to the key company contact of the company selected in 901 . The key company contact still needs to accept the request before the user is linked to a company in system 100.

[85] In case the registered user desires to link to a company that does not yet exist in the system 100, the user can create and register this company. He/she then becomes the key company contact per definition.

[86] Similarly, a registered user can send a request to be linked to a travel agency. However, if a user has already selected a company to be linked to, then only the company can select a travel agency to be linked to for all of its employees, and the user cannot make an alternate selection of travel agency anymore. Being linked to a travel agency brings advantages for getting online or offline support from travel agents in making a booking on the user's, doing payments, consolidating invoices on a monthly basis, and implementing a travel policy via preferences that are inherited as will be explained further below. In order to connect to a travel agency, the user must send a connectivity request and the travel agency still needs to accept the request before the user is linked to a travel agency.

[87] Fig. 9B diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 900' produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 , in order to enable linking a company to another company, e.g. the mother company, a daughter company, another company or a travel agency. [88] The screen 900' is produced by client interface 102 in case a user is logged into the system 100 as a key company contact. He/she is completing or changing the company's profile. Through screen 900' the key company contact sends a request to be linked to another company or to a travel agency. The key company contact has the authority to act on behalf of the company. The key company contact can besides changing the company's profile information, e.g. name, address, registration number, ... , also link the company to another company selected via drop list 901 or to a travel agency selected via drop list 902. [89] A company can link itself to another company, being the mother company via button 912, being the daughter company via button 913, or to another external company via button 914. A request will be sent when one of the buttons 912, 913 or 914 is clicked. To establish the link, the other company needs to approve. Only then the two company profiles will be linked to each other in the database server. Linked companies have the advantage they can see each others videoconference rooms and the availability thereof. Mother-daughter links further also may be exploited for cascaded reporting.

[90] As mentioned here above, a company can also request to link to a travel agency. Also here, the travel agency needs to be selected via drop down list 902 and a request needs to be sent to the travel agency by clicking button 921 . To establish the link, the travel agency needs to approve. Once the company is linked to a travel agency, all linked employees of that company are linked to this travel agency.

[91] User preferences can be defined for a user, but also a company or a travel agency can define its preferences as part of its profile. The same methodology applies as for a user: multiple rules can be defined, new rules can be built , existing rules can be removed, and the priority of the rules can be changed by moving them up or down as described here above with reference to Fig. 8.

[92] The system 100 thus allows multiple preferences: user preferences, company preferences, travel agency preferences, system preferences and even preferences entered by an unregistered user. The search engine 102 takes into account all these preferences, but uses a well-defined priority: for a registered user the company preference(s) - if existing - have the highest priority, followed by the user preference(s), followed by the travel agency preference(s) - if existing - and at last followed by the system preference(s). By cascading the different preferences, travel policies can be implemented and consolidated as a larger set of small rules. For an unregistered user the user preference(s) have priority over the system preference(s). Obviously, alternative priority setting can be considered. For instance, in an alternative embodiment of the system according to the present invention, travel agency preference(s) may be given priority over user preference(s) for registered users. [93] Fig. 10 diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 1000 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a user to invite attendants to a videoconference meeting at the attendants own cost.

[94] Fig. 10 illustrates how the client interface 102 requests information from the user interface on the participants of the videoconference meeting. The user has indicated in screen 200 how many participants will be invited per destination location. Through screen 1000, the user is being requested to fill out the email addresses or names of the participants. Per destination location 1001 , 1004 it is possible to fill out the participants 1002, 1005. The system 1000 requires that one person is selected as main responsible per destination location: the lead participant for that location, selected via the tick boxes 1003, 1006. This lead person gets, once the bookings are finished, an invitation with extra information, e.g. the room owner contact information . Through screen 1000, the system 100 demands email addresses of the participants, but in case the user is a registered user and he/she has added other registered users to his/her contacts, then a name may be sufficient as well. The system 100 will convert the name into an email address afterwards during the processing of the data. [95] As is indicated by 1007, the system 100 also allows to inform persons about the videoconference meeting such that these persons can book their own room at their own cost and link to the videoconference meeting they are informed about. Such invited participants are also identified to the system 100 by their e-mail address 1008. Once these invited participants book their room using a unique key, all rooms will be connected in the same videoconference meeting.

[96] Fig. 1 1 diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 1 100 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 in order to deliver to a room owner an overview of his rooms.

[97] The screen 1 100 is produced by the client interface 102 in case a user is logged into the system as a room owner. The user can then manage his room(s) and room services. The client interface 102 collects and displays existing information of all rooms owned by the use / room owner. The information is retrieved from room database 101 . The user consequently gets a view on all rooms he is responsible for. In the example of Fig. 1 1 , the room owner is managing a room in Brussels and a second room in Madrid. The user can review or manage generic room information such as the room's name, the maximum number or participants, etc. by clicking the button 1 101 or 1 1 1 1 . The user can review or manage the room services information by clicking the button

1 102 or 1 1 12. The user can change the room contact information by clicking the button

1 103 or 1 1 13. Each of the buttons shall result in a new window popping up with fields enabling to change the information. The room owner at last also can activate or deactivate a room via the tick boxes 1 104, 1 1 14.

[98] Fig. 12 diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 1200 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention in order to enable a room owner to manage a single room.

[99] Screen 1200 is also produced by the client interface 102 in case the user is logged into the system 100 as a room owner. Through screen 1200, the user can manage a single room and store the new room profile in the room database 101 . The room owner is informed on the room he/she is reviewing. The user can for instance change the start times 1202 and end times 1203 of operational time intervals 1201 , and the price per seat 1204, 1205 applicable for that room within these time intervals . Once the changes are made the room owner presses the button "UPDATE" in order to have the system 100 save the new room info to the room database 101 . This way, the new information will be considered by the search engine when selecting rooms at destination locations for newly booked videoconference meetings.

[100] Fig. 13 diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 1300 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 in order to enable a room owner to specify room services for one of his rooms.

[101] Screen 1300 is also produced by the client interface 102 in case a user is logged into the system 100 as a room owner. Screen 1300 allows the user to manage the room services for a single room and to store the new room profile in the room database 101 . The user first selects the room he wishes to review or change the room services of. In the example of Fig. 13, this is a room in Brussels. The room owner is informed on the room he/she is reviewing. He/she can review the room services 1301 available in that room and change the price 1302 applicable for the room services. The user can also remove room service when they are for instance no longer available. The room owner can also add a new room service. He/she then gets a list of certified room services to pick from. Once a room service is selected, the price needs to be filled out. The new room services then appears into the list 1301 . Once changes are made the room owner presses the button "UPDATE ROOM SERVICE" in order to have the system 100 then save the new room service information into the room database 101 .

[102] Fig. 14 diagrammatically shows a visual or screen 1400 produced and displayed by the client interface 102 in the embodiment 100 of the system according to the present invention illustrated by Fig. 1 in order to deliver to a service provider an overview of his services.

[103] Screen 1400 is produced by the client interface 102 in case a user is logged into the system as a service owner. The user can manage his videoconference services and store the new service profile in the services database 107. When a service owner logs into the system, client interface 102 will collect and display existing information on the videoconference services owned by that service owner. The information is collected from the services database 107. The service owner is informed on the videoconference services he/she possesses through list 1401 . He/she can review and change the unit price of a service in 1402. The user can also decide to deactivate or remove a service via the buttons 1403. The service owner can also add a new videoconference service. He/she then gets a list of certified videoconference services to pick from. Once the service is selected, the price information on that service needs to be filled out. The newly added service then appears in the list 1401 . Once all changes are made, the room owner presses the button "UPDATE ADDITIONAL SERVICE" to have the system 100 save the new room info into the services database 107.

[104] When booking rooms for a videoconference meeting, the user can add room services, e.g. water, breakfast, parking, after having chosen the rooms for each destination location, by selecting one or more of the room services available for the respective chosen room from a drop down and eventual the quantity via an additional quantity field. The price per room service is automatically shown once the room service is selected. It is noticed that he user can only select room services that are linked to the chosen room by the room owner as described here above with reference to Fig. 13. For the entire videoconference meeting the user can also add videoconference services, e.g. recording, translation, ... It is possible to add one or several videoconference service. Also here, it is noticed that the user can only select videoconference services that are registered in the system by service owners through the procedure described here above with reference to Fig. 14. Once the user has selected the desired room services and videoconference services - it is noticed that adding such services is optional - he/she can instruct the system 100 to continue with the booking of the videoconference meeting. As a result, the room services and videoconference services are automatically ordered by the system 100.

[105] The method for booking a videoconference meeting according to the present invention shall typically be computer-implemented to run on a data processing system or computing device. A data processing system or computing device that is operated according to the present invention can include a workstation, a server, a laptop, a desktop, a hand-held device, a mobile device, a tablet computer, or other computing device, as would be understood by those of skill in the art.

[106] The data processing system or computing device can include a bus or network for connectivity between several components, directly or indirectly, a memory or database, one or more processors, input/output ports, a power supply, etc. One of skill in the art will appreciate that the bus or network can include one or more busses, such as an address bus, a data bus, or any combination thereof, or can include one or more network links. One of skill in the art additionally will appreciate that, depending on the intended applications and uses of a particular embodiment, multiple of these components can be implemented by a single device. Similarly, in some instances, a single component can be implemented by multiple devices.

[107] The data processing system or computing device can include or interact with a variety of computer-readable media. For example, computer-readable media can include Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, CDROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical or holographic media, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices that can be used to encode information and can be accessed by the data processing system or computing device.

[108] The memory can include computer-storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory may be removable, non-removable, or any combination thereof. Exemplary hardware devices are devices such as hard drives, solid-state memory, optical-disc drives, or the like. The data processing system or computing device can include one or more processors that read data from components such as the memory, the various I/O components, etc. [109] The I/O ports can allow the data processing system or computing device to be logically coupled to other devices, such as I/O components. Some of the I/O components can be built into the computing device. Examples of such I/O components include a microphone, joystick, recording device, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, wireless device, networking device, or the like.

[110] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. In other words, it is contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words "comprising" or "comprise" do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor, or another integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms "first", "second", third", "a", "b", "c", and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms "top", "bottom", "over", "under", and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.

Claims

1 . A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting, said system (100) comprising:

- a room database (101 ) adapted to store room information comprising a room location and price information;

- a client interface adapted to receive from a user date and time information (201 , 202, 203) defining a preferred timeslot for said videoconference meeting, and adapted to receive from said user location information (21 1 , 212) defining one or more destination locations (301 , 302) involved in said videoconference meeting;

- a search engine (103) configured to search and select in said room database (101 ) for each destination location (301 , 302) of said one or more destination locations one or more rooms (31 1 , 321 ) located in or near said destination location, said one or more rooms (31 1 , 321 ) being available or being available on request during said preferred timeslot;

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

- said client interface (102) is adapted to display for each selected room (31 1 , 321 ) an array (313, 323) visualizing availability of said selected room in said preferred timeslot and in time intersects before and after said preferred timeslot; and

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to display an interactive user interface object (314, 324) that coincides with said preferred timeslot, said interactive user interface object (314, 324) being movable and/or extendable to enable said user to change a begin time and/or end time of said videoconference meeting.

2. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to claim 1 , wherein:

- said search engine (103) is further adapted to determine from said price information in said room database (101 ) for each selected room (31 1 , 321 ) a price for usage during said videoconference meeting; and

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to display said price for each selected room (31 1 , 321 ).

3. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to claim 2, wherein: - said client interface (102) is further adapted to receive from said user for each destination location (21 1 , 212; 301 , 302) of said one or more destination locations an amount of persons (221 , 222) that will participate in said videoconference meeting at said destination location;

- said room database (101 ) is further adapted to store as part of said price information a price per reserved seat; and

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to display an average price per person for each selected room (31 1 , 321 ).

4. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said search engine (103) is further adapted upon instruction from said user to re-search and re-select in said room database (101 ) for each destination location (301 , 302) of said one or more destination locations one or more rooms located in or near said destination location in response to said interactive user interface object (314, 324; 314', 324'; 314", 324") being moved and/or extended; and

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to re-display for each selected room (31 1 , 321 ) an array visualizing availability of said selected room in a moved or extended timeslot and in time intersects before and after said moved or extended timeslot.

5. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to receive from said user a lead time zone (231 , 232) for said preferred timeslot; and

- said search engine (103) is further adapted to calculate from said lead time zone (231 ) and said preferred timeslot corresponding local timeslots for said one or more destination locations in order to be able to search and select said one or more rooms being available or being available on request in said preferred timeslot.

6. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said room database (101 ) is further adapted to store room information on pre- registered private rooms of said user or its company, pre-registered private rooms of affiliated or linked companies, pre-registered public rooms of a room owner, and non- registered private and public rooms identified by said user while booking said videoconference meeting and accompanied by a contact person identification.

7. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising:

- a user database (105) adapted to store user preferences (241 ; 701 );

and wherein:

- said search engine (103) is further adapted to sort selected rooms (31 1 , 321 ) for a destination location (301 , 302) involved in said videoconference meeting in accordance with said user preferences (241 ; 701 ).

8. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to claim 7, wherein:

- said user database (105) is further adapted to link a user to a company (901 ) and/or to link a user to a travel agency and/or to link a company to another company (901 ) or a travel agency (902); and

- said user database (105) is further adapted to store company preferences for said company and/or to store travel agency preferences for said travel agency; and

- said search engine (103) is further adapted to sort selected rooms (31 1 , 321 ) for a destination location (301 , 302) involved in said videoconference meeting in cascaded order in accordance with:

a. said company preferences;

b. said user preferences;

c. said travel agency preferences; and

d. system preferences.

9. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to receive from said user an e-mail address or nickname linked to an e-mail address of an attendant;

said system (100) further comprising: - an e-mail module adapted to invite said attendant by e-mail to participate to said videoconference meeting at a destination location (301 , 302) of said one or more destination locations and at cost of said user.

10. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said client interface (102) is further adapted to receive from said user an e-mail address (1008) or nickname linked to an e-mail address of an attendant;

said system (100) further comprising:

- an e-mail module adapted to invite said attendant by e-mail to participate to said videoconference meeting at a destination location (301 , 302) of said one or more destination locations that is selected, ordered and paid for by said attendant.

1 1 . A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, said system (100) further comprising:

- a videoconference database (106) wherein start time (202), end time (203), one or more destination locations (21 1 , 212; 301 , 302) , selected rooms (31 1 , 321 ) at said one or more destination locations and pricing information for said videoconference meeting are temporarily stored and kept available for acceptance by said user up to a predetermined maximum acceptance time.

12. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said room database (101 ) is further adapted to store for a registered room (1 101 , 1 1 1 1 ) a list of room services (1301 ) available at said registered room (1 101 , 1 1 1 1 ) and corresponding price information (1302) for said room services (1301 ).

13. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising:

- a service database (107) adapted to store one or more video conference meeting services (1401 ) of one or more service owners, said one or more services (1401 ) not being linked to a specific room and being available during videoconference meetings booked via said system (100), said service database (107) further being adapted to store corresponding price information (1402) for said videoconference meeting services (1401 ).

14. A system (100) for booking a videoconference meeting according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising:

- a recurring videoconference database wherein said one or more destination locations (301 , 302) and selected rooms (31 1 , 321 ) at said one or more destination locations (301 , 302) for said videoconference meeting are stored for recurrent use at later dates or times.

15. A computer-implemented method for booking a videoconference meeting, said method comprising:

- storing room information (1 101 , 1 1 1 1 ) comprising a room location and price information (1204, 1205) in a room database (101 );

- receiving from a user date and time information (201 , 202, 203) defining a preferred timeslot for said videoconference meeting, and receiving from said user location information (21 1 , 212) defining one or more destination locations (301 , 302) involved in said videoconference meeting;

- searching and selecting in said room database (101 ) for each destination location (301 , 302) of said one or more destination locations one or more rooms (31 1 ,

321 ) located in or near said destination location (301 , 302), said one or more rooms (31 1 , 321 ) being available or being available on request during said preferred timeslot;

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said method further comprises:

- displaying for each selected room (31 1 , 321 ) an array (313, 323) visualizing availability of said selected room (31 1 , 321 ) in said preferred timeslot and in time intersects before and after said preferred timeslot; and

- displaying an interactive user interface object (314, 324) that coincides with said preferred timeslot, said interactive user interface object (314, 324) being movable and/or extendable to enable said user to change a begin time and/or end time of said videoconference meeting.

16. A computer program comprising software code adapted to perform the method of claim 15.

17. A computer readable storage medium comprising the computer program of claim 16.