Asynchronous network collaboration method and apparatus

• US 20020095392A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apex Investment Fund V LP (Apex Venture Partners), Star Bay Associates Fund LP (Levensohn Venture Partners LLC), Star Bay Technology Ventures IV LP (Levensohn Venture Partners LLC), Star Gas Partners LP (Levensohn Venture Partners LLC), New Enterprise Associates 12, L.P., Nokia Ventures LP (NV I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Recipio, Inc.
• Inventors: Ferguson, Bradley, Clemenson, Gregory D., Pinillia, Jose Miguel
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for a computer system including a memory includes storing a plurality of statements in the memory, selecting a first subset of statements from the plurality of statements, sending the first subset of statements to a first user at a computer client, receiving a first selection of statements, the first selection of statement selected from the first subset of statements by the first user, selecting a second subset of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user, sending the second subset of statements to a second user at a computer client, receiving a second selection of statements, the second selection of statement selected from the second subset of statements by the second user, determining a proposed selection of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and to the second selection of statements by the second user, sending the proposed selection of statements to a third user.

Claims

1. A method for a computer system including a memory, comprising:

storing a plurality of statements in the memory;

selecting a first subset of statements from the plurality of statements;

sending the first subset of statements to a first user at a computer client;

receiving a first selection of statements, the first selection of statements selected from the first subset of statements by the first user;

selecting a second subset of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user;

sending the second subset of statements to a second user at a computer client;

receiving a second selection of statements, the second selection of statement selected from the second subset of statements by the second user;

determining a proposed selection of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and to the second selection of statements by the second user; and

sending the proposed selection of statements to a third user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second subset of statements includes the first selection of statements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second subset of statements includes a subset of the first selection of statements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second subset of statements includes a statement not within the first selection of statements.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a new statement from the first user; and

adding the new statement to the plurality of statements in the memory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second selection of statements includes the new statement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the proposed selection of statements comprises:

selecting statements from the first selection of statements and the second selection of statements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the proposed selection of statements comprises:

selecting statements that are both within the first selection of statements and the second selection of statements.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the statements comprise text.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the statements comprise data being one or more of images, audio, and video.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a ranking is associated, by the first user, with each statement in the first selection of statements.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the second subset comprises:

selecting the second subset of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and based at least partially on the ranking associated with each statement.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a ranking is associated, by the second user, with each statement in the second selection of statements.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the proposed selection comprises:

determining the proposed selection of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and to the second selection of statements by the second user, and based at least partially on the ranking associated with each statement.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a weight is associated, by the first user, with each statement in the first selection of statements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the weight is adjusted according to demographic information of the first user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a weight is associated, by the second user, with each statement in the second selection of statements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the weight is adjusted according to demographic information of the second user.

20. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the second subset of statements includes the first selection of statements.

21. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the second subset of statements includes a subset of the first selection of statements.

22. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the second subset of statements includes a statement not within the first selection of statements.

23. The computer program of claim 19, further comprising:

a code segment receiving a new statement from the first user; and

a code segment adding the new statement to the plurality of statements in the memory.

24. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the second selection of statements includes the new statement.

25. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the code segment determining the proposed selection of statements comprises:

a code segment selecting statements from the first selection of statements and the second selection of statements.

26. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the code segment determining the proposed selection of statements comprises:

a code segment selecting statements that are bo th within the first selection of statements and the second selection of statements.

27. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the statements comprise text.

28. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the statements comprise data being one or more of images, audio, and video.

29. The computer program of claim 19, wherein a ranking is associated, by the first user, with each statement in the first selection of statements.

30. The computer program of claim 29, wherein the code segment selecting the second subset comprises:

a code segment selecting the second subset of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and based at least partially on the ranking associated with each statement.

31. The computer program of claim 19, wherein a ranking is associated, by the second user, with each statement in the second selection of statements.

32. The computer program of claim 31, wherein the code segment determining the proposed selection comprises:

a code segment determining the proposed selection of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and to the second selection of statements by the second user, and based at least partially on the ranking associated with each statement.

33. The computer program of claim 19, wherein a weight is associated, by the first user, with each statement in the first selection of statements.

34. The computer program of claim 33, wherein the weight is adjusted according to demographic information of the first user.

35. The computer program of claim 19, wherein a weight is associated, by the second user, with each statement in the second selection of statements.

36. The computer program of claim 35, wherein the weight is adjusted according to demographic information of the second user.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium and operative to control a computer system, the computer system including a memory, the computer program comprising:

a code segment storing a plurality of statements in the memory;

a code segment selecting a first subset of statements from the plurality of statements;

a code segment sending the first subset of statements to a first user at a computer client;

a code segment receiving a first selection of statements, the first selection of statements selected from the first subset of statements by the first user;

a code segment selecting a second subset of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user;

a code segment sending the second subset of statements to a second user at a computer client;

a code segment receiving a second selection of statements, the second selection of statement selected from the second subset of statements by the second user;

a code segment determining a proposed selection of statements from the plurality of statements in response to the first selection of statements by the first user and to the second selection of statements by the second user; and

a code segment sending the proposed selection of statements to a third user.