Participant Authentication via a Conference User Interface

1 . A method for authenticating a participant in an online conference via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

determining a conference event requesting authentication of a participant by a conferencing system hosting a conference via a communication network;

in response to the conference event, presenting a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface;

monitoring location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area;

converting the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature;

determining that the participant electronic signature matches a stored electronic signature associated with the participant; and

in response to determining the match, authenticating the participant for the conference event.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the conference event requesting authentication of the participant comprises presenting a log-in screen to the participant in the conference interface, and wherein the signature capture area is presented in the log-in screen.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the conference event requesting authentication of the participant comprises presenting a participant vote screen for receiving a vote on an issue related to the conference, and wherein the signature capture area is presented in the participant vote screen.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the conference event requesting authentication of the participant comprises receiving a request to distribute an information source to the participant.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conference event comprises one of a participant log-in event, a participant approval event, and a secure distribution event.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the location coordinates of the input device comprises detecting a trace pattern.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the signature capture area is presented with a reference grid comprising a plurality of nodes, and the detecting the trace pattern comprises receiving a node-to-node trace sequence.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input device comprises one of a touchscreen device and a cursor associated with the graphical user interface.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the participant electronic signature matches the stored electronic signature comprises:

sending the participant electronic signature and a corresponding participant identifier to the conferencing system;

the conferencing system determining the stored electronic signature associated with the participant identifier;

the conferencing system comparing the participant electronic signature to the stored electronic signature;

the conferencing system authenticating the participant for the conference event; and

the conferencing system enabling the conference event via the conference interface.

10 . A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium and executable by a processor, the computer program for authenticating a participant in an online conference via a graphical user interface, the computer program comprising logic configured to:

receive a request from a conferencing system via a communication network to authenticate a participant for a conference event;

in response to the request, present a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface;

monitor location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area;

convert the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature;

provide the participant electronic signature with a corresponding participant identifier to the conferencing system; and

receive an authentication response from the conferencing system that the participant electronic signature matches a stored electronic signature associated with the participant identifier.

11 . The computer program of claim 10 , wherein the logic configured to present the signature capture area further comprises logic configured to present the signature capture area in a log-in screen.

12 . The computer program of claim 10 , wherein the wherein the logic configured to present the signature capture area further comprises logic configured to present the signature capture area in a participant vote screen for receiving a vote from the participant on an issue related to the conference.

13 . The computer program of claim 10 , wherein further comprising logic configured to distribute a document to the participant in response to the authentication response.

14 . The computer program of claim 10 , wherein the logic configured to monitor the location coordinates of the input device comprises detecting a trace pattern.

15 . The computer program of claim 14 , wherein the signature capture area is presented with a reference grid comprising a plurality of nodes, and the logic configured to detect the trace pattern comprises logic configured to capture a node-to-node trace sequence.

16 . The computer program of claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises one of a touchscreen device and a cursor associated with the graphical user interface.

17 . A computer system for providing an online conference, the computer system comprising:

a conferencing system for establishing a conference between a plurality of participants via a communication network; and

a client device in communication with the conferencing system via the communication network, the client device comprising a memory, a processor and a participant authentication module embodied in the memory and executed by the processor, the participant authentication module for authenticating one of the participants for a conference event, the participant authentication module comprising logic configured to:

in response to a conference event requesting authentication of the participant, present a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface;

monitor location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area;

convert the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature; and

authenticate the participant by matching the participant electronic signature to a stored electronic signature associated with the participant identifier.

18 . The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the logic configured to present the signature capture area further comprises logic configured to present the signature capture area in one of a log-in screen and a participant vote screen.

19 . The computer system of claim 17 , further comprising logic configured to: distribute a document to the participant in response to the authentication.

20 . The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the logic configured to monitor the location coordinates of the input device comprises detecting a trace pattern, and wherein the signature capture area is presented with a reference grid comprising a plurality of nodes, and the logic configured to detect the trace pattern comprises logic configured to capture a node-to-node trace sequence.