Community moderated information

• US 10,083,420 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sermo, Inc. (Worldone Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sermo, Inc. (Worldone Incorporated)
• Inventors: Palestrant, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ouellette, Jonathan P
• Application Number:
  US12/275,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,595 Days
• Field of Search: 705 11-912
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

According to one aspect, an approach is provided that assists in presenting the right information within the ecosystem. The approach involves associating information sources (ads, sponsored information, research requests, debate notices, seminars, education opportunities, peer generated information, etc) with a feedback mechanism. In one embodiment, the feedback mechanism includes a scoring feature, where individual participants within the ecosystem rate the relevancy and/or importance of the information provided. In one example, a user is notified that a potentially relevant information source is available. The notification is typically displayed unobtrusively within a browser or interface window that the user is navigating. In one implementation, the user must perform some affirmative action to reach information associated with the information opportunity. In one example, requiring an affirmative action serves as a shield from pop-ups, banner-ads, and other distracting form of advertising. It is also realized that allowing the user to select the information opportunity rather than display it immediately permits the user to decide explore the opportunity. In one example, permitting the user to decide to explore the opportunity increases the user'"'"'s receptivity to the information opportunity. In one embodiment, information associated with the information opportunity is displayed in response to user selection. The information associated with the information opportunity describes the information opportunity available. The user is provided with the opportunity to evaluate the information opportunity without being required to visit it and/or review it in its entirety. The information associated with the information opportunity may also be displayed with user feedback.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for introducing information sources into an ecosystem, the method comprising the acts of:

limiting access to an online ecosystem, hosted on a distributed computer system, wherein the online ecosystem comprises at least a plurality of registered users, wherein at least some of the plurality of registered users dynamically create content within the ecosystem through user submission of respective observations generated by respective users and user submission of respective opinions generated by respective users regarding the respective observations, wherein the dynamically created content includes tickets submitted by respective users;

accepting, the submission of at least one external information source within the online ecosystem from at least one user of the online ecosystem in addition to the dynamically created content, the at least one external information source including digital content originating from an online source of digital content outside of the online ecosystem, wherein the act of accepting submission of the at least one external information source includes accepting definition, from the at least one user, of the at least one external information source in a user interface displayed to the at least one user of the online ecosystem, and wherein the definition of the at least one external information source includes a computer executable link to the at least one external information source and a user generated description of the content of the at least one external information source;

storing, by the distributed computer system, the definition of the external information source and the user generated description of the content;

registering, by the distributed computer system, the plurality of users, wherein the act of registering the plurality of users includes capturing profile information for the plurality of users;

displaying a visual indicator for the at least one external information source to at least some of the plurality of registered users of the ecosystem, wherein the act displaying the visual indicator includes an act of adding the visual indicator into a content display of at least some of the dynamic content available within the ecosystem, wherein the at least some of the dynamic content comprises at least the user generated observations and respective opinions on the user generated observations;

providing for the at least some of the plurality of users to submit feedback on the digital content of the at least one external information source, wherein the act of providing for the at least some of the plurality of users to submit feedback on the digital content of the at least one external information source includes an act of providing access to a summary view of the external information source;

displaying the summary view of the at least one external information source within the online community in response to selection of the visual indicator in the user interface, wherein the summary view includes the computer executable link to the at least one external information source and the user generated description of the content of the at least one external information source;

displaying the feedback in the summary view of the external information source, wherein the feedback is further configured to permit evaluation of the digital content of the at least one external information source prior to selection of the computer executable link, and wherein selection of the computer executable link causes a transition from within the online community to the online source of the digital content outside of the online ecosystem; and

matching contextually activity within the ecosystem to the at least one external information source, wherein the act of matching contextually activity within the online ecosystem includes;

processing, by the distributed computer system, navigation operations performed by at least one user within the ecosystem,

matching results returned from the dynamically generated content in response to the navigation operations by the distributed computer system to the at least one external information source, and

wherein the act of displaying the visual indicator for the at least one external information source includes an act of integrating the visual indicator of the external information source into a display of the results returned in response to the navigation operations.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of selecting, by the distributed computer system, the at least one external information source from a plurality of external information sources in response to the act of matching contextually.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the visual indicator conveys a type of the external information source available.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising an act of requiring an affirmative action by a user to display the external information source.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the affirmative action comprises at least one of moving a pointer over the visual indicator, clicking the visual indicator, and triggering the visual indicator.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of external information source comprises at least one of an earn opportunity, a learn opportunity, and a general opportunity.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of external information source is an earn opportunity, wherein the earn opportunity further comprises stated remuneration for participating in designated activity.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the designated activity comprises participation in at least one of a survey, poll, research task, professional opinion solicitation, professional practice, debate, seminar, and peer review.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the designated activity comprises participation in a drug related survey, epidemiology research, medical informatics, patient research, rendering medical opinion, medical diagnosis, laboratory analysis, medical peer review, medical journal submission, and medical practice.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of external information source is a learn opportunity, and wherein the learn opportunity comprises a presentation of at least one of medical practice information, continuing medical education, seminar information, medical collaboration, medical research information, and medical practice advancements.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of external information source is a learn opportunity, wherein the learn opportunity comprises at least one of a presentation of professional education opportunity, professional practice issues, peer generated information, leading professional theory, and advancement in professional practice.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises a rank associated with the at least one external information source.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises comments submitted by at least one user.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of restricting display of the at least one indicator of an information source based on the feedback.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of establishing a display threshold for the visual indicator.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising an act of determining the display threshold has not been exceeded.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of filtering the at least one external information source based on demographic information.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the act of filtering the at least one information source based on demographic information includes filtering based on at least one of professional qualification, professional specialty, area of interest, ethnicity, sex, age, education, residence, and geographical location.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the summary view comprises at least one of a light box, a partially transparent browser window, a new browser window, and a display overlay.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the summary view further comprises a rank for the at least one external information source.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the rank is generated from user feedback.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the summary view further comprises a display indicating user review of the at least one external information source.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the indication of user review comprises comment by at least one user.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the summary view provides an indication of a reputation of the at least one user.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the indication of reputation includes at least one of a reputational ranking for at least one user, an indication of at least one user'"'"'s credentials, and an indication of requirements for displayed commentary.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of directing at least one user to an external source for the at least one information source in response to user selection in the summary view.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising an act of notifying the at least one user of the direction to an external source.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of matching, contextually, the at least one information source to activity within an ecosystem further comprises matching the at least one information source to user activity.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the user activity comprises at least one of searching within the environment, keyword identification, navigation, communication, and historical usage.

30. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of permitting a user to opt out of receiving the at least one indicator of an external information source.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of displaying the at least one indicator of an external information source to the plurality of users of the ecosystem occurs in response to user action.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein user action comprises at least one of searches in the ecosystem and navigation to a section of the ecosystem organizing information sources.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for introducing information sources to an ecosystem, wherein the method comprises the acts of:

limiting access to an online ecosystem, hosted on a distributed computer system, wherein the online ecosystem comprises at least a plurality of registered users, wherein at least some of the plurality of registered users dynamically create content within the ecosystem through user submission of respective observations generated by respective users and user submission of respective opinions generated by respective users regarding the respective observations, wherein the dynamically created content includes tickets submitted by respective users;

accepting, the submission of at least one external information source within the online ecosystem from at least one user of the online ecosystem in addition to the dynamically created content, the at least one external information source including digital content originating from an online source of digital content outside of the online ecosystem, wherein the act of accepting submission of the at least one external information source includes accepting definition, from the at least one user, of the at least one external information source in a user interface displayed to the at least one user of the online ecosystem, and wherein the definition of the at least one external information source includes a computer executable link to the at least one external information source and a user generated description of the content of the at least one external information source;

storing, by the distributed computer system, the definition of the external information source and the user generated description of the content;

registering, by the distributed computer system, the plurality of users, wherein the act of registering the plurality of users includes capturing profile information for the plurality of users;

displaying a visual indicator for the at least one external information source to at least some of the plurality of registered users of the ecosystem, wherein the act displaying the visual indicator includes an act of adding the visual indicator into a content display of at least some of the dynamic content available within the ecosystem, wherein the at least some of the dynamic content comprises at least the user generated observations and respective opinions on the user generated observations;

providing for the at least some of the plurality of users to submit feedback on the digital content of the at least one external information source, wherein the act of providing for the at least some of the plurality of users to submit feedback on the digital content of the at least one external information source includes an act of providing access to a summary view of the external information source;

displaying the summary view of the at least one external information source within the online community in response to selection of the visual indicator in the user interface, wherein the summary view includes the computer executable link to the at least one external information source and the user generated description of the content of the at least one external information source;

displaying the feedback in the summary view of the external information source, wherein the feedback is further configured to permit evaluation of the digital content of the at least one external information source prior to selection of the computer executable link, and wherein selection of the computer executable link causes a transition from within the online community to the online source of the digital content outside of the online ecosystem; and

matching contextually activity within the ecosystem to the at least one external information source, wherein the act of matching contextually activity within the online ecosystem includes;

processing, by the distributed computer system, navigation operations performed by at least one user within the ecosystem,

matching results returned from the dynamically generated content in response to the navigation operations by the distributed computer system to the at least one external information source, and

wherein the act of displaying the visual indicator for the at least one external information source includes an act of integrating the visual indicator of the external information source into a display of the results returned in response to the navigation operations.

34. A system, including at least one processor operatively connected to memory, for displaying indicators of information sources to an ecosystem comprising a plurality of users, the system comprising:

an access component configured to limit access to an online ecosystem wherein the online ecosystem comprises at least a plurality of registered users, wherein at least some of the plurality of registered users dynamically create content within the ecosystem through user submission of respective observations generated by respective users and user submission of respective opinions generated by respective users regarding the respective observations, wherein the dynamically created content includes tickets submitted by respective users;

a submission component adapted to accept submission of information associated with an external information source in addition to submission of the dynamically created content from at least one user of the online system, wherein the external information source includes digital content originating from an online source of digital content outside of the online ecosystem, wherein the information associated with the external information source includes a computer executable link to the external information source and a user generated description of the content of the external information source;

a storage component configured to store the received information associated with the external information source;

a registration component adapted to register a plurality of users, wherein the registration component is further adapted to capture profile information for the plurality of users;

a display component adapted to display at least one visual indicator associated with an external information source within a display for the ecosystem, wherein the display component is further adapted to add the visual indicator into a content display of at least some of the dynamic content available within the ecosystem, wherein the at least some of the dynamic content comprises at least the user generated observations and respective opinions on the user generated observations, and wherein the display component is further adapted to display a summary view of the external information source including the computer executable link in response to selection of the visual indicator and the user generated description of the content of the at least one external information source, and wherein the display component is further adapted to display feedback on the digital content of the at least one external information source within the summary view, wherein the feedback is further configured to permit evaluation of the digital content of the at least one external information source prior to selection of the computer executable link, and wherein selection of the computer executable link causes a transition from within the online community to the online source of the digital content outside of the online ecosystem;

a feedback interface adapted to accept feedback from at least one user of the ecosystem on the digital content of the external information source; and

an analysis component adapted to match contextually activity within the ecosystem to the at least one external information source.

35. The system according to claim 34, further comprising an analysis component adapted to filter a plurality of received at least one external information sources according to feedback, wherein filtered external information sources are not displayed within the online ecosystem.