Skipping messages on message boards

• US 20030018706A1
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 6,963,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A computer system includes a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory with a plurality of messages and a message agent stored therein. The message agent generates a time score for each message based on how long visitors interact with the message. The message agent also generates a skip score for each message based on whether visitors skip the message. In response to a request to view one or more messages, the message agent creates a filtered set of messages by using a minimum time score and/or a maximum skip score to omit, from the requested messages, any messages having time scores and/or skip scores less or greater than the minimum time score and/or maximum skip score, respectively. The message agent then sends the filtered set of messages to the visitor for viewing. A visitor may set a minimum time score and/or maximum skip score according to preference.

Claims

1. In a computer system comprising a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory with a plurality of messages and a message agent stored therein, a method performed by said message agent, said method comprising:

for each of said messages with which at least one visitor interacts, generating a generated time score associated with the message, the generated time score being based on how long said at least one visitor interacts with the message;

receiving, from a discriminating visitor via the network, a request to view one or more of said plurality of messages;

accessing, from said at least one memory, a minimum time score;

creating, from said one or more messages, a filtered set of messages by omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated time score less than said minimum time score; and

sending, to said discriminating visitor via the network, said filtered set of messages for viewing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said minimum time score.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least one of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least two of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said message agent weighs a first type of interaction differently from a second type of interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in said at least one memory, the generated time score.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said minimum time score.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more messages are embodied in one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each of said plurality of messages available to one or more visitors, generating a generated skip score associated with the message, the generated skip score being based on whether said one or more visitors read the message;

accessing, from said at least one memory, a maximum skip score; and

further omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated skip score greater than said maximum skip score.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said minimum skip score.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when the message is stored in said at least one memory.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when a hyperlink to the message is sent via the network to said one or more visitors.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when at least a portion of the message is sent via the network to said one or more visitors.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing, in said at least one memory, the generated skip score.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said maximum skip score.

16. The method of claim 9, where in said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said maximum skip score.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when the message is stored in said at least one memory.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when a hyperlink to the message is sent via the network to said one or more visitors.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when at least a portion of the message is sent via the network to said one or more visitors.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing, in said at least memory, the generated skip score.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said maximum skip score.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said message agent is further adapted to receive, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said minimum time score.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least one of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least two of, reads the message, reads a reply to the message and writes a reply to the message.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said message agent weighs a first type of interaction differently from a second type of interaction.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein said message agent is further adapted to store, in said at least one memory, the generated time score.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein said message agent is further adapted to store, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said minimum time score.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein said message agent is further adapted to generate, for each of said plurality of messages available to one or more visitors, a generated skip score associated with the message, the generated skip score being based on whether said one or more visitors read the message, to access, from said at least one memory, a maximum skip score, and to create said filtered set of messages by further omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated skip score greater than said maximum skip score.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said message agent is further adapted to receive, from the discriminating visitor via the network, said maximum skip score.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least one of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least two of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said message agent weighs a first type of interaction differently from a second type of interaction.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein said message agent is further adapted to store, in said at least one memory, the generated time score.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein said message agent is further adapted to store, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said minimum time score.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

17. In a computer system comprising a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory with a plurality of messages and a message agent stored therein, a method performed by said message agent, said method comprising:

for each of said plurality of messages available to one or more visitors, generating a generated skip score associated with the message, the generated skip score being based on whether said one or more visitors read the message;

receiving, from a discriminating visitor via the network, a request to view one or more of said plurality of messages;

accessing, from said at least one memory, a maximum skip score;

creating, from said one or more messages, a filtered set of messages by omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated skip score greater than said maximum skip score; and

sending, to said discriminating visitor via the network, said filtered set of messages for viewing.

25. A computer system, said system comprising:

a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory;

a plurality of messages stored in said at least one memory; and

a message agent stored in said at least one memory, wherein said message agent is adapted to generate, for each of said plurality of messages with which at least one visitor interacts, a generated time score associated with the message, the generated time score being based on how long said at least one visitor interacts with the message, to receive, from a discriminating visitor via the network, a request to view one or more of said plurality of messages, to access, from said at least one memory, a minimum time score, to create, from said one or more messages, a filtered set of messages by omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated time score less than said minimum time score, and to send, to he discriminating visitor via the network, said filtered set of messages for viewing.

41. A computer system, said system comprising:

a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory;

a plurality of messages stored in said at least one memory; and

a message agent stored in said at least one memory,

wherein said message agent is adapted to generate, for each of said messages available to one or more visitors, a generated skip score associated the message, said generated skip score being based on whether said one or more visitors read the message, to receive, from a discriminating visitor via the network, a request to view one or more of said plurality of messages, to access, from said at least one memory, a maximum skip score, to create, from said one or more messages, a filtered set of messages by omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated skip score greater than said maximum skip score, and to send, to said discriminating visitor via the network, said filtered set of messages for viewing.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said message agent is further adapted to receive, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said maximum skip score.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least one of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least two of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said message agent is further adapted to weigh a first type of visitor interaction differently from a second type of visitor interaction.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein said message agent is further adapted to store, in said at least one memory, the generated time score.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein said message agent is further adapted to store, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said minimum time score.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

50. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said minimum time score.

51. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least one of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

52. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said at least one visitor interacts with the message by, at least two of, reading the message, reading a reply to the message and writing a reply to the message.

53. The article of manufacture of claim 52, wherein said message agent is further adapted to weigh a first type of visitor interaction differently from a second type of visitor interaction.

54. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said method further comprises:

storing, in said at least one memory, the generated time score.

55. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said method further comprises:

storing, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said minimum time score.

56. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

57. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein said method further comprises:

for each of said plurality of messages available to one or more visitors, generating a generated skip score associated with the message, the generated skip score being based on whether said one or more visitors read the message;

accessing, from said at least one memory, a maximum skip score; and

further omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated skip score greater than said maximum skip score.

58. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said minimum time score.

59. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when the message is stored in said at least one memory.

60. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when a hyperlink to the message is sent to said one or more visitors.

61. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when at least a portion of the message is sent to said one or more visitors.

62. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein said method further comprises:

storing, in said at least one memory, the generated skip score.

63. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein said method further comprises:

storing, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said maximum skip score.

64. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.

49. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory with a plurality of messages stored therein, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method, said method comprising:

for each of said messages with which at least one visitor interacts, generating a generated time score associated with the message, the generated time score being based on how long said at least one visitor interacts with the message;

receiving, from a discriminating visitor via the network, a request to view one or more of said plurality of messages;

accessing, from said at least one memory, a minimum time score;

creating, from said one or more messages, a filtered set of messages by omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated time score less than said minimum time score; and

sending, to said discriminating visitor via the network, said filtered set of messages for viewing.

65. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer, operatively connected to a network, and having at least one memory with a plurality of messages stored therein, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method, said method comprising:

for each of said plurality of messages available to one or more visitors, generating a generated skip score associated with the message, the generated skip score being based on whether said one or more visitors read the message;

receiving, from a discriminating visitor via the network, a request to view one or more of said plurality of messages;

accessing, from said at least one memory, a maximum skip score;

creating, from said one or more messages, a filtered set of messages by omitting, from said one or more messages, messages having an associated skip score greater than said maximum skip score; and

sending, to said discriminating visitor via the network, said filtered set of messages for viewing.

66. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, from said discriminating visitor via the network, said maximum skip score.

67. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when the message is stored in said at least one memory.

68. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when a hyperlink to the message is sent to said one or more visitors.

69. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein each of said plurality of messages is available to said one or more visitors when at least a portion of the message is sent to said one or more visitors.

70. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein said method further comprises:

storing, in said at least memory, the generated skip score.

71. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein said method further comprises:

storing, in one of said at least one memory and a cookie, said maximum skip score.

72. The article of manufacture of claim 65, wherein said one or more messages are one of a thread, a search result and a message group.