Method and system for enhancing collaboration

Abstract

In order to enhance collaborations, the system responds to a trigger event to determine the nature of any collaboration which should be assembled in response to the trigger, and determines the requirements needed to respond to the event. These requirements set out the type of resources (personnel, equipment, information systems, etc) that are needed. The system then identifies a subset of specific resources based on a criteria, and invites the specified resources to collaborate to respond to the event. The criteria can include the availability of the specific resource. According to an embodiment, the system evaluates responses from the invited resources and then convenes the collaboration, for example by establishing one or more communication sessions. According to an embodiment, the system evaluates responses from the invited resources to ensure that the requirements are satisfied, and if not, determines other resources to invite.

1 . A system for marshalling resources to respond to an event, the system comprising:
 an event detector configured to detect at least one predetermined event;   a telemetry device configured to provide information relevant to the at least one predetermined event; and   at least one processor configured, responsive to detection of the at least one predetermined event:
 to identify a plurality of resources suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event, at least one of the plurality of resources being at least one personnel resource; 
 to alert the at least one personnel resource of the at least one predetermined event; and 
 to provide to the at least one personnel resource at least some of the information relevant to the at least one predetermined event provided by the telemetry device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the event detector comprises a communication device operable by a human to indicate an occurrence of the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the event detector comprises a sensor configured to detect and indicate an occurrence of the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the telemetry device is further configured to provide dynamic information relevant to the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the telemetry device is integrated with the event detector. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify the plurality of resources suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event by:
 identifying resources having qualifications needed to respond to the at least one predetermined event; and   identifying which of the resources having qualifications needed to respond to the at least one predetermined event are available to respond to the at least one predetermined event.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a presence database, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify which of the resources having the qualifications are available to respond to the detected event using the presence database. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the presence database associates a respective location with each resource having the qualifications, and the at least one processor is further configured to identify which of the resources having the qualifications have the respective location near to a location of the detected event. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one predetermined event has a respective event type; and   the at least one processor is further configured to identify the plurality of resources suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event by identifying resources suitable for responding to an event of the respective event type.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 a first respective set of qualifications is associated with each of a plurality of event types;   a second respective set of qualifications is associated with each of a plurality of resources; and   the at least one processor is configured to identify the plurality of resources suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event by identifying resources having the second respective set of qualifications and having at least one qualification which is in the first respective set of qualifications.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify the plurality of resources suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event by:
 identifying the resources having the second respective set of qualifications and having at least one qualification which is in the first respective set of qualifications; and   identifying resources being available to respond to the at least one predetermined event.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to alert the at least one personnel resource of the at least one predetermined event by sending a communication inviting the at least one personnel resource to a collaboration pertaining to the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to evaluate a communication from the at least one personnel resource responsive to the communication inviting the at least one personnel resource to the collaboration pertaining to the at least one predetermined event to determine availability of the at least one personnel resource for responding to the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to evaluate the communication from the at least one personnel resource responsive to the communication inviting the at least one personnel resource to the collaboration to identify at least one other personnel resource suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the communication from the at least one personnel resource identifies the at least one other personnel resource suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to convene a collaboration of the suitable resources to respond to the at least one predetermined event. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the collaboration is a group communication session. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured responsive to detection of the at least one predetermined event to identify the plurality of resources suitable for responding to the at least one predetermined event, at least one of the plurality of resources being at least one non-personnel resource. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one non-personnel resource comprises a piece of equipment. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one non-personnel resource comprises a room.