Systems and methods for automating post communications activity

1. A computer implemented method of automating post-communications activity resulting from a synchronous communication between first and second participants, comprising:

receiving, with at least one processor, media of the synchronous communication between the first participant and the second participant;

performing an operation upon the media to obtain metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication; and

making at least one item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant, wherein the making step comprises:

preparing a draft asynchronous communication that includes an item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication, wherein the draft asynchronous communication is a draft email message, a draft text message or a draft electronic meeting invitation; and

providing, by the at least one processor and via a data network, the first participant with the draft asynchronous communication so that the asynchronous communication can be sent from the first participant to the second participant.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing an operation upon the media to obtain metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication comprises:

obtaining, with at least one processor, a transcription of at least a portion of the synchronous communication; and

analyzing the transcription to obtain the metadata or other information.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the analyzing step comprises analyzing the transcription to identify a request made by the second participant during the synchronous communication, wherein the method further comprises obtaining information relevant to that request, and wherein the making step comprises making the obtained information available to the first participant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the making step further comprises sending location information to the first participant or a software application associated with the first participant, the location information identifying where the at least one item of metadata or other information is stored for retrieval.

5. The method of claim 1 , where content of the draft asynchronous communication includes information requested by the second participant during the synchronous communication.

6. The method of claim 1 , where content of the draft asynchronous communication includes information that the first participant provided to the second participant during the synchronous communication.

7. The method of claim 1 , where content of the draft asynchronous communication includes information that the first participant indicated would be sent to the second participant during the synchronous communication.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the making step comprises providing the first participant with a draft electronic meeting invitation for a future communication or meeting between the first participant and the second participant, and wherein at least one aspect of the draft electronic meeting invitation is based on the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the making step further comprises providing the first participant with a summary of at least some aspects of the synchronous communication.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the making step further comprises making at least one pre-existing document that is relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the metadata comprises topics or subjects that were discussed between the first and second participants during the synchronous communication, wherein the method further comprises identifying at least one pre-existing document that is relevant to the topics or subjects discussed between the first and second participants during the synchronous communication, and wherein the making step comprises making the at least one pre-existing document available to the first participant.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the metadata comprises an information request made by the second participant during the synchronous communication, wherein the method further comprises identifying at least one pre-existing document that is relevant to the information request made by the second participant, and wherein the making step comprises making the at least one pre-existing document available to the first participant.

13. A system for automating post-communications activity resulting from a synchronous communication between first and second participants, comprising:

means for receiving, with at least one processor, media of the synchronous communication between the first participant and the second participant;

means for performing an operation upon the media to obtain metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication; and

means for making at least one item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant, wherein making at least one item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant comprises:

preparing a draft asynchronous communication that includes an item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication, wherein the draft asynchronous communication is a draft email message, a draft text message or a draft electronic meeting invitation; and

providing, by the at least one processor and via a data network, the first participant with the draft asynchronous communication so that the asynchronous communication can be sent from the first participant to the second participant.

14. A system for automating post-communications activity resulting from a synchronous communication between first and second participants, comprising:

a media capture and storage unit comprising at least one processor that receives media of the synchronous communication between the first participant and the second participant;

an analysis unit that performs an operation upon the media or a transcription of the media to obtain metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication; and

a reporting unit that makes at least one item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant, wherein the reporting unit:

prepares a draft asynchronous communication that includes an item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication, wherein the draft asynchronous communication is a draft email message, a draft text message or a draft electronic meeting invitation; and

provides, by the at least one processor and via a data network, the first participant with the draft asynchronous communication so that the asynchronous communication can be sent from the first participant to the second participant.

15. The system of claim 14 , where content of the draft asynchronous communication includes information requested by the second participant during the synchronous communication.

16. The system of claim 14 , where content of the draft asynchronous communication includes information that the first participant provided to the second participant during the synchronous communication.

17. The system of claim 14 , where content of the draft asynchronous communication includes information that the first participant indicated would be sent to the second participant during the synchronous communication.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the reporting unit makes the at least one item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant only after the synchronous communication has ended.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the making step comprises making the at least one item of the metadata or other information relevant to the synchronous communication available to the first participant only after the synchronous communication has ended.