IP Library Granted Patent US 12,477,015
Granted Patent B2
US 12,477,015 · App. 17/571,007 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Apparatus, methods, and program products for monitoring the behavior of attendees of a video conference

Inventors: Dane Hixson (Eden, UT); Matthew Fardig (Boonville, IN); Faisal Mohamed (Mebane, NC); Lindsay Nelson (Highlands Ranch, CO)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04L65/1083G06V40/20G09B5/14G10L25/57G10L25/63
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,477,015
App. No.
17/571,007
Filed
Jan 7, 2022
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2692
USPC
348/14.08
Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and computer program products for monitoring the behavior of attendees of a video conference are disclosed. One apparatus includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to monitor behavior exhibited by each attendee of a video conference, determine, in real-time, that the behavior exhibited by one or more source attendees include one or more inappropriate behaviors that are directed to a target attendee, and transmit a notification to a moderator in response to determining that the behavior exhibited by the source attendee(s) include the inappropriate behavior(s) directed to the target attendee. In some apparatus, the notification identifies each source attendee, the target attendee, and each inappropriate behavior exhibited by each source attendee. Methods and computer program products that include and/or perform the operations and/or functions of the apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims (82)

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to store code executable by the processor to:

monitor analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee of a plurality of analog human attendees of a video conference, wherein the video conference includes a live video conference and each analog human attendee of the plurality of analog human attendees of the video conference remotely participates in the video via a respective live stream of their actual analog self via a respective computing device including a respective display including a respective layout of the video conference on their respective display and in which a plurality of analog source human attendees include different display positions of an analog target human attendee on their respective layouts, the analog target human attendee including an intended human recipient of one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors performed by the plurality of analog source human attendees,

track the eyes of each analog human attendee of the video conference relative to their respective layouts being displayed on their respective displays to determine a direction each analog human attendee is looking during the video conference,

based on a direction where each analog source human attendee's eyes are focused, map the respective direction of a focus of each analog source human attendee's eyes on their respective different layouts over time and cross reference each respective mapped direction with each other to identify which analog human attendee of the video conference is the intended human recipient of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors performed by the plurality of analog source human attendees,

determine, in real-time, that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference as transmitted within their respective live stream includes the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors that are directed to the intended human recipient and identify the analog target human attendee of the video conference based thereon, and

transmit a notification to a moderator of the video conference in response to determining that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference as transmitted within their respective live stream includes the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors directed to the analog target human attendee, wherein the notification identifies each analog source human attendee, the analog target human attendee, and each inappropriate analog human to human behavior exhibited by each analog source human attendee via their respective live stream that is intended for and directed to the analog target human attendee.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the video conference includes a virtual classroom;

the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors within the respective stream of the plurality of analog source human attendees includes bullying directly from one or more first students aimed at one or more second students in the virtual classroom; and

the moderator comprises a teacher or an adult in the virtual classroom.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

the code executable by the processor further causes the processor to track over time the analog human behaviors exhibited by each analog source attendee of the virtual classroom; and

bullying comprises the analog target human attendee being the intended human recipient of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees on one or more previous occasions during the tracked time.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

determining that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference include the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors that are directed to the intended human recipient and identify the analog target human attendee of the video conference comprises:

observing each analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee during the video conference,

comparing each analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee during the video conference to a set of inappropriate analog human to human behaviors to determine a match, and

identifying each inappropriate analog human to human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee of the video conference based on each particular analog human behavior exhibited by each particular analog human attendee matching a corresponding inappropriate analog human behavior; and

the code executable by the processor further causes the processor to identify each analog source human attendee based on at least one analog human behavior exhibited by an analog human attendee of the video conference matching the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:

the code executable by the processor further causes the processor to identify the analog target human attendee;

identifying the analog target human attendee comprises determining the analog human target of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

identifying the analog target human of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors comprises:

determining a respective direction of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee, and

mapping and cross referencing each respective direction of the plurality of analog human to human inappropriate behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee to a particular analog human attendee of the video conference; and

the analog target human attendee is the particular analog human attendee of the video conference to which the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee are intended and directed.

6 . A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a processor, analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee of a plurality of analog human attendees of a video conference, wherein the video conference includes a live video conference and each analog human attendee of the plurality of analog human attendees of the video conference remotely participates in the video conference via a respective live stream of their actual self via a respective computing device including a respective display including a respective layout of the video conference on their respective display and in which a plurality of analog source human attendees include different display positions of an analog target human attendee on their respective layouts, the analog target human attendee including an intended human recipient of one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors performed by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

tracking the eyes of each analog human attendee of the video conference relative to their respective layouts being displayed on their respective displays to determine a direction each analog human attendee is looking during the video conference;

based on a direction where each analog source human attendee's eyes are focused, mapping the respective direction of a focus of each analog source human attendee's eyes on their respective different layouts over time and cross reference each respective mapped direction with each other to identify which analog human attendee of the video conference is the intended human recipient of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors performed by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

determining, in real-time, that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference within their respective live stream includes the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors that are directed to the intended human recipient and identify the analog target human attendee of the video conference based thereon; and

transmitting a notification to a moderator of the video conference in response to determining that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference within their respective live stream includes the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors directed to the analog target human attendee,

wherein the notification identifies each analog source human attendee, the analog target human attendee, and each inappropriate analog human to human behavior exhibited by each analog source human attendee via their respective live stream that is intended for and directed to the analog target human attendee.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the video conference includes a virtual classroom;

the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors within the respective stream of the plurality of analog source human attendees includes bullying directly from one or more first students aimed at one or more second students in the virtual classroom; and

the moderator comprises a teacher or an adult in the virtual classroom.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the method further comprises tracking over time the analog human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee of the virtual classroom; and

bullying comprises the analog target human attendee being the intended human recipient of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees on one or more previous occasions during the tracked time.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

determining that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference include the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors that are directed to the intended human recipient and identify the analog target human attendee of the video conference comprises:

observing each analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee during the video conference,

comparing each analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee during the video conference to a set of inappropriate analog human to human behaviors to determine a match, and

identifying each inappropriate analog human to human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee of the video conference based on each particular analog human behavior exhibited by each particular analog human attendee matching a corresponding inappropriate analog human behavior; and

the method further comprises identifying each analog source human attendee based on at least one analog human behavior exhibited by an analog human attendee of the video conference matching the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the method further comprises identifying the analog target human attendee;

identifying the analog target human attendee comprises determining an analog human target of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

determining the analog human target of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors comprises:

determining a respective direction of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee, and

mapping each respective direction of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee to a particular analog human attendee of the video conference; and

the analog target human attendee is the particular analog human attendee of the video conference to which the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee are intended and directed.

11 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium including code embodied therewith, the code executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

monitor analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee of a plurality of analog human attendees of a video conference, wherein video conference includes a live video conference and each analog human attendee of the plurality of analog human attendees of the video conference remotely participates in the video conference via a respective live stream of their actual self via a respective computing device including a respective display including a respective layout of the video conference on their respective display and in which a plurality of analog source human attendees include different display positions of an analog target human attendee on their respective layouts, the analog target human attendee including an intended human recipient of one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors performed by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

track the eyes of each analog human attendee of the video conference relative to their respective layouts being displayed on their respective displays to determine a direction each analog human attendee is looking during the video conference;

based on a direction where each analog source human attendee's eyes are focused, map the respective direction of a focus of each analog source human attendee's eyes on their respective different layouts and cross reference each respective mapped direction with each other to identify which analog human attendee of the video conference is the intended human recipient of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors performed by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

determine, in real-time, that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference within their respective live stream includes the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors that are directed to the intended human recipient and identify the analog target human attendee of the video conference based thereon; and

transmit a notification to a moderator of the video conference in response to determining that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference within their respective live stream includes the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors directed to the analog target human attendee,

wherein the notification identifies each analog source human attendee, the analog target human attendee, and each inappropriate analog human to human behavior exhibited by each analog source human attendee via their respective live stream that is intended for and directed to the analog target human attendee.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein:

the video conference includes a virtual classroom;

the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors within the respective stream of the plurality of analog source human attendees includes bullying directly from one or more first students aimed at one or more second students in the virtual classroom; and

the moderator comprises a teacher or an adult in the virtual classroom.

13 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein:

the code further causes the processor to track over time the analog human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee of the virtual classroom; and

bullying comprises the analog target human attendee being the intended human recipient of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees on one or more previous occasions during the tracked time.

14 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein:

the code that causes the processor to determine that the analog human behavior exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees of the video conference include the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors that are directed to the intended human recipient and identify the analog target human attendee of the video conference comprises code that causes the processor to:

observe each analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee during the video conference,

compare each analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee during the video conference to a set of inappropriate analog human to human behaviors to determine a match, and

identify each inappropriate analog human behavior exhibited by each analog human attendee of the video conference based on each particular analog human behavior exhibited by each particular analog human attendee matching a corresponding inappropriate analog human behavior; and

the code further causes the processor to identify each analog source human attendee based on at least one analog human behavior exhibited by an analog human attendee of the video conference matching the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors.

15 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein:

the code further causes the processor to identify the analog target human attendee;

identifying the analog target human attendee comprises determining an analog human target of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by the plurality of analog source human attendees;

identifying the analog human target of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors comprises:

determining a respective direction of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee, and

mapping and cross referencing each respective direction of the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee to a particular analog human attendee of the video conference; and

the analog target human attendee is the particular analog human attendee of the video conference to which the one or more inappropriate analog human to human behaviors exhibited by each analog source human attendee are intended and directed.