Method and apparatus for conducting an information brokering service
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for generating a consensus regarding a future event in an online ecosystem, the method comprising acts of:
- permitting access to the online ecosystem, hosted by a distributed computer system through a web based interface to registered users, wherein the registered users of the online ecosystem include content generating users, and the content generating users dynamically create content for the online ecosystem, wherein the dynamic content includes respective opinions submitted by the content generating users, and wherein the respective opinions include respective opinions regarding defined predictions;
permitting, in the web based interface displayed on a host computer system, at least one registered user to define a prediction of an event;
defining, in the online ecosystem, a trigger by at least one other user, the trigger being activated by at least one parameter associated with the prediction of the event defined by the at least one registered user, wherein the at least one other user is at least one content generating user;
monitoring the online ecosystem to detect the creation of the prediction of the event including the at least one parameter;
providing an indication to the at least one other user that the trigger was activated;
accepting, in the web based interface displayed on another host computer system, from at least one other user, an opinion regarding the defined prediction, wherein the act of accepting the opinion regarding the defined prediction includes an act of providing the at least one other user free access to the online ecosystem and free access to the defined prediction;
ranking, by the distributed computer system, the at least one content generating user, wherein the act of ranking includes determining a level of participation in the online ecosystem, calculating a value determined from opinions submitted by other content generating users of the online ecosystem regarding the at least one content generating user'"'"'s participation in the online ecosystem, and combining the determined level of participation and the value determined from opinions submitted by the other content generating users to determine the at least one content generating user'"'"'s rank;
generating, by the distributed computer system, a consensus regarding the defined prediction based on at least the opinion regarding the defined prediction and the rank of the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion regarding the defined prediction; and
compensating, by the distributed computer system, the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion based on at least the rank of the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion;
control access by information consumer users to the created prediction, the opinion regarding the defined prediction, and the consensus regarding the defined prediction; and
restricting access by information consumer users to the plurality of accepted opinions, wherein the act of restricting access includes permitting access by at least one information consumer to the plurality of accepted opinions in response to receiving payment from the at least one information consumer for access;
wherein the act of compensating is executed automatically by the system using the payment received from the at least one information consumer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided that provides an early indication of consensus of opinion among a number of users regarding an event or observation indicated by a user. The opinion can be interesting to an information consumer, for determining the outcome of the consensus relating to the event or observation, or for performing surveillance or survey of a particular issue or subject. Such recognition of early events or observations can be useful in different areas, such as healthcare, finance, etc., where initial observations, if provided early, allow resulting decisions to be made much earlier. The opinion can, for instance, be used as an early indicator of problem with a product, company, etc. that would permit an information consumer to perform an action at a much earlier point than if he/she relied on traditional sources of information. Thus, such opinion information can be invaluable as a tool for monitoring events.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for generating a consensus regarding a future event in an online ecosystem, the method comprising acts of:
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permitting access to the online ecosystem, hosted by a distributed computer system through a web based interface to registered users, wherein the registered users of the online ecosystem include content generating users, and the content generating users dynamically create content for the online ecosystem, wherein the dynamic content includes respective opinions submitted by the content generating users, and wherein the respective opinions include respective opinions regarding defined predictions; permitting, in the web based interface displayed on a host computer system, at least one registered user to define a prediction of an event; defining, in the online ecosystem, a trigger by at least one other user, the trigger being activated by at least one parameter associated with the prediction of the event defined by the at least one registered user, wherein the at least one other user is at least one content generating user; monitoring the online ecosystem to detect the creation of the prediction of the event including the at least one parameter; providing an indication to the at least one other user that the trigger was activated;
accepting, in the web based interface displayed on another host computer system, from at least one other user, an opinion regarding the defined prediction, wherein the act of accepting the opinion regarding the defined prediction includes an act of providing the at least one other user free access to the online ecosystem and free access to the defined prediction;ranking, by the distributed computer system, the at least one content generating user, wherein the act of ranking includes determining a level of participation in the online ecosystem, calculating a value determined from opinions submitted by other content generating users of the online ecosystem regarding the at least one content generating user'"'"'s participation in the online ecosystem, and combining the determined level of participation and the value determined from opinions submitted by the other content generating users to determine the at least one content generating user'"'"'s rank; generating, by the distributed computer system, a consensus regarding the defined prediction based on at least the opinion regarding the defined prediction and the rank of the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion regarding the defined prediction; and compensating, by the distributed computer system, the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion based on at least the rank of the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion; control access by information consumer users to the created prediction, the opinion regarding the defined prediction, and the consensus regarding the defined prediction; and restricting access by information consumer users to the plurality of accepted opinions, wherein the act of restricting access includes permitting access by at least one information consumer to the plurality of accepted opinions in response to receiving payment from the at least one information consumer for access; wherein the act of compensating is executed automatically by the system using the payment received from the at least one information consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 21)
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12. A system for generating a consensus regarding a future event in an online ecosystem, the system comprising:
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at least one processor; a computer interface component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to permit access to an online ecosystem by a plurality of registered users in a display, wherein the plurality of registered users are comprised of content generating users; a generation component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to permit, in a user interface, at least one content generating user to define a prediction of an event; a trigger component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to permit at least one other user to define a trigger, the trigger being activated by at least one parameter associated with the prediction of the event defined by the at least one content generating user, wherein the at least one other user is at least one content generating user, and further configured to monitor the online ecosystem to detect the creation of the prediction of the event including the at least one parameter; a notification component configured to provide an indication to the at least one other user that the trigger was activated; an access component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to permit at least one other content generating user free access to the defined prediction of the event and the online ecosystem; a collection component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to accept from the at least one other content generating user, an opinion regarding the defined prediction; a ranking component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to rank at least one content generating user at least in part by determining a level of participation in the online ecosystem, calculating a value determined from opinions submitted by other content generating users of the online ecosystem regarding the at least one content generating user'"'"'s participation in the online ecosystem, and combining the determined level of participation and the value determined from opinions submitted by the other content generating users to determine the at least one content generating user'"'"'s rank; a consensus component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to generate a consensus regarding the defined prediction based on at least the opinion regarding the defined prediction and the rank of the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion regarding the defined prediction; and a compensation component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to compensate the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion based on at least the rank of the at least one content generating user that submitted the opinion; wherein the system is further configured to; control access by information consumer users to the created prediction, the opinion regarding the defined prediction, and the consensus regarding the defined prediction; and restrict access by information consumer users to the plurality of accepted opinions, wherein the act of restricting access includes permitting access by at least one information consumer to the plurality of accepted opinions in response to receiving payment from the at least one information consumer for access; and wherein the execution of compensation functions is executed automatically by the system using the payments received from the at least one information consumer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification