System for categorizing and displaying reply messages in computer facilitated discussions
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for managing a discussion, the method comprising, at a server connected to a communications network:
- receiving by way of the communications network a first message from a message originator, receiving from the message originator information specifying a group of two or more response categories with which reply messages responsive to the first message should be associated and associating the group of two or more response categories with the first message;
receiving by way of the communication network, one or more reply messages in response to the first message each of the one or more reply messages associated with a user-selected one of the two or more response categories, storing the reply messages and storing information associating each reply message with the corresponding user-selected one of the two or more response categories; and
, in response to a request received from a user, forwarding to the user on the communication network data for a display comprising an element representing the first message and elements representing one or more of the reply messages, the display indicating the one of the two or more response categories with which each of the one or more reply messages is associated.
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Abstract
A system for operating news groups or discussion groups requires a user who posts a message to specify two or more categories for reply messages. The system associates the categories with the message. The system requires a user who posts a reply to a message to categorize the reply into one of the categories. When the system displays a message thread the system displays messages in each category differently. In a preferred embodiment there are two categories and reply messages in a first one of the categories are displayed on a first side of a display and reply messages in a second one of the categories are displayed on a second side of the display. A user can see the general point of view of reply messages without reading the text of the reply messages. The system may be applied in a manner which permits users to see a graphical display which indicates which reply messages to a posting agree with the point of view expressed in the posting and which reply messages disagree with the expressed point of view.
88 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for managing a discussion, the method comprising, at a server connected to a communications network:
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receiving by way of the communications network a first message from a message originator, receiving from the message originator information specifying a group of two or more response categories with which reply messages responsive to the first message should be associated and associating the group of two or more response categories with the first message;
receiving by way of the communication network, one or more reply messages in response to the first message each of the one or more reply messages associated with a user-selected one of the two or more response categories, storing the reply messages and storing information associating each reply message with the corresponding user-selected one of the two or more response categories; and
,in response to a request received from a user, forwarding to the user on the communication network data for a display comprising an element representing the first message and elements representing one or more of the reply messages, the display indicating the one of the two or more response categories with which each of the one or more reply messages is associated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 32)
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20. A method for retrieving and displaying messages in a discussion group, the method comprising, in a programmed computer:
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receiving from a server by way of a communications network a first message, one or more reply messages in reply to the first message, data specifying two or more user-supplied response categories, the response categories associated with the first message and specified by an originator of the first message, and data indicating one of the two or more response categories with which each of the reply messages is associated;
displaying on a display associated with the computer a representation of the first message and representations of a plurality of the reply messages;
wherein displaying the representations of each of the plurality of the reply messages comprises visually marking the representation of the reply message so as to indicate which one of the user-supplied response categories the reply message is associated with. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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33. A data structure stored in a computer readable medium, the data structure comprising:
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a) at least one originating record corresponding to a first message posted by a user, the originating record comprising fields indicating at least two reply categories for messages in reply to the first message; and
,b) a plurality of reply records each corresponding to a reply message posted by a user in reply to the first message, each of the reply records including a data item identifying the originating record and a data item indicating one of the at least two reply categories with which the reply message is associated. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification