1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for managing computer operations, and more specifically to a system and method for managing computer operations according to stored user preferences.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers are often employed by users to manage events such as real-time collaborative activities. Examples of real-time collaborative activities commonly managing by computers are presentations, meetings, and teleconferences. These real-time collaborative activities require computers to simultaneously managing slideshows, audio teleconferences, interactive whiteboards, video displays, and other complex applications.
However, during real time collaborative activities, the computer is also managing normal computer operations in addition to managing the operations required by the real-time collaborative activities. Thus, it is highly possible that a program operating in the background of the activity but having no relationship to the activity may issue an alert interrupting the activity or begin a certain process which hinders the effective management of the activity.
Program alerts are often designed to require attention from the computer user. Such an alert would be issued on an on-screen display or over the loudspeakers of the computer and, thus, would be known by others involved in the activity. Such an alert may significantly distract and interrupt the computer user, the other groups involved, and a flow and progress of the activity.
Program processes often require a significant amount of computer resources to operate effectively. Such a process may significantly slow operation of an on-screen display being used to facilitate a collaborative activity, distort the rendering of sound with respect to the the collaborative activity, and cause distraction and interruption for the computer user, the audience, and a flow and progress of the activity.
One example of such a program is an anti-virus program. The anti-virus program can initiate an alert in the form of an operating system window, start scanning directories and files for viruses, and start displaying its status and the names of directories being scanned. These ocurrences may lead to a system being less responsive and slow and the aforementioned interruptions and distractions.
Another example of such a program is a back up software program. The back-up software program may start working and start copying files in the middle of an activity utilizing an on-screeen display. This may also lead to a system being less responsive and slow and the aforementioned interruptions and distractions.
Another example of such a program is an instant message program. The instant message program may provide a pop-up window with a message in the middle of an activity and clearly represented on an on-screen display. The contents of the message that is displayed may be either confidential or not appropriate in the given context to the given audience. This may also lead to a system being less responsive and slow and the aforementioned interruptions and distractions.
A further example of such a program is an audio alarm program. The audio alarm program may automatically activate and a window may be displayed with a reminder text and some sort of sound. The audio alarm program may also be used to indicate that a new email message has arrived into a mailbox in the same fashion. In addition, the audio alarm may indicate new software or software updates are available in the same fashion. Further examples include indication that new wireless networks have been detected or that a voice mail message has been received. This may also lead to a system being less responsive and slow and the aforementioned interruptions and distractions.
Further examples of such programs are Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone programs or other various programs that are specifically audio enabled. The display or sound may indicate that a party is calling over VoIP in the middle of the activity. Certain communication programs may attempt to automatically initiate during an activity. Again, this may also lead to a system being less responsive and slow and the aforementioned interruptions and distractions.
The different distractions and interruptions that may occur are numerous and range from audible distractions to visual distractions and interruptions. These programs may also lead to a system being slowed down due to CPU, disk, or memory activities and subsequently interfere with other computer operations, which, in turn, can cause operations belonging to real-time collaborative activities to have a reduced effectiveness.
Some specific programs or applications allow the suppression and disablement of interruptions and processes designed to run in the background. However, this suppression or disablement can normally only be done manually by the user and on a program-by-program basis. Even then, many programs or applications still fail to provide a suppression or disablement feature.
Since programs or applications normally must be addressed on an individual basis, an attempt to perform this suppression or disablement of the interruptions and distractions shortly prior to a real-time collaborative activity can be an error prone effort. Often, it is hard to determine whether a program has actually been disabled or suppressed. In addition, enablement of all the programs with the interruptions and distractions after the activity has ended is also accomplished manually and individually. This, too, is a process which is extremely cumbersome and error prone.
In certain circumstances, two screens can be used to address the occurrence of program alerts during real-time collaborative activities, with a slide show, white board, or the like being shown on one screen and speaker notes and previously mentioned alerts being directed to a screen only visible to the operator of the activity. However, this solution fails to completely solve the problem. Program alerts often result block the view of speaker notes and change the “window focus” from the collaborative activity to the program issuing the alert. To return focus to the activity, the operator of the activity having access to the non-public display has to react quickly and dismiss the alert window. This has the tendency to cause a hesitation in the operator's behavior which causes a distraction and interruption to both operator and those involved in the activity.
It is also extremely well known that cellular phones can act as interruptions and distractions when activated by either a telephone call, a text message, or a low battery alert during any activity, including real-time collaborative activites. It is common place for those administering or actively involved in real-time collaborative activities to forget to switch their cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or pagers to a mode designed to minimize interruption and distraction.
While some program alerts and processes cause interruptions that are unwanted and unnecessarily deplete computer resources, other program alerts and processes must be attended to immediately regardless of what activity is occurring or the computer resources that the process might deplete. For example, it is essential for the administrator of the activity to know if battery power on the display device or the computer is low in order for steps to be taken to provide a power source immediately to avoid any loss of attention from those involved in the activity. Also, certain other emergencies may rise to a level that warrants the interruption or distraction of an activity.
In attempt to control computer processes during real-time collaborative activities, a message prioritization method at a host server side has been disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0150545 A1. However, that method does not provide a solution in a broad sense and is limited to messages routed through a central messaging server.
It is important to recognize the effect that an interruption or a distraction has on human behavior. It is documented that people are easily distracted and are not good at managing and moving on from distractions (http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1121114). Also, interruptions and stress go hand in hand and prevent one from getting work done efficiently (http://www2.vhi.ie/topic/stressclass2). The effect of interruptions is not restricted to internal manifestations, as the effects of interruptions have also been determined by tracking an individual's eyes (http://www.cs.cmu.edu/˜kraut/RKraut.site.files/articles/dabbish04_interruptions_team_v2.9-names.pdf).
Thus, the distractions and interruptions which occur during real-time collaborative activities are proven to greatly reduce productivity and concentration and potentially leak confidential and proprietary information. These hindrances have the ability to make a administrator or presented look unprofessional and ruin images of individuals and groups. Thus, it becomes extremely important to minimize or eliminate distractions and interruptions to the highest extent possible.
Hence, an effective and adaptive solution for managing distractions and interruptions during real-time collaborative activities, including presentations, meetings, audio presentations, and the like, is needed so that unnecessary interruptions can be avoided.