Mute control deactivation in online conference

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an information handling device, context data associated with one or more participants engaged in an online conference, wherein each of the one or more participants is initially muted;

identifying, using a processor, an instance in the online conference where participation is invited from a subset of the one or more participants;

determining, based on the context data, the subset of the one or more participants; and

deactivating, based on the determining, a mute control for the subset of the one or more participants.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context data is selected from the group consisting of: participant identity data, location data, physical characteristic data, attention level data, participant behavior data, and conferencing capability data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the instance comprises:

monitoring speech input of a moderator of the online conference; and

detecting, within the speech input, a trigger phrase indicating a desire by the moderator to receive voice input from the subset.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the instance comprises:

monitoring progress of a presentation occurring during the online conference; and

detecting a portion of the presentation that corresponds to an audio input responsibility of at least one of the subset.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the instance comprises:

receiving a video feed of each of the one or more participants in the online conference; and

detecting, within the video feed, an action from at least one of the one or more participants indicating a desire to participate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deactivating comprises dynamically deactivating without receiving manual user input.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reactivating the mute control responsive to identifying a predetermined event.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined event is one of: an expiration of a predetermined time period and a detection of voice input from at least one of the subset.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing, at a point near the end of the predetermined time period, an alert notification that the predetermined time period is expiring.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from a participant of the one or more participants, a request to provide input when the mute control is active; and

informing the participant of a designated portion of the online conference at which the mute control for the participant may be deactivated.

11. An information handling device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

receive context data associated with one or more participants engaged in an online conference, wherein each of the one or more participants is initially muted;

identify an instance in the online conference where participation is invited from a subset of the one or more participants;

determine, based on the context data, the subset of the one or more participants; and

deactivate, based on the determining, a mute control for the subset of the one or more participants.

12. The information handling device of claim 1 , wherein the context data is selected from the group consisting of: participant identity data, location data, physical characteristic data, attention level data, participant behavior data, and conferencing capability data.

13. The information handling device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to identify the instance comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

monitor speech input of a moderator of the online conference; and

detect, within the speech input, a trigger phrase indicating a desire by the moderator to receive voice input from the subset.

14. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to identify the instance comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

monitor progress of a presentation occurring during the online conference; and

detect a portion of the presentation that corresponds to an audio input responsibility of at least one of the subset.

15. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to identify the instance comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

receive a video feed of each of the one or more participants in the online conference; and

detect, within the video feed, an action from at least one of the one or more participants indicating a desire to participate.

16. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to reactivate the mute control responsive to identifying a predetermined event.

17. The information handling device of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined event is one of: an expiration of a predetermined time period and a detection of voice input from at least one of the subset.

18. The information handling device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to provide, at a point near the end of the predetermined time period, an alert notification that the predetermined time period is expiring.

19. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive, from a participant of the one or more participants, a request to provide input when the mute control is active; and

inform the participant of a designated portion of the online conference at which the mute control for the participant may be deactivated.

20. A product, comprising:

a storage device that stores code, the code being executable by a processor and comprising:

code that receives context data associated with one or more participants engaged in an online conference, wherein each of the one or more participants is initially muted;

code that identifies an instance in the online conference where participation is invited from a subset of the one or more participants;

code that determines, based on the context data, the subset of the one or more participants; and

code that deactivates, based on the determining, a mute control for the subset of the one or more participants.