Computer-implemented method and system for collaborative product evaluation
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating at least one product that has a plurality of features, the method comprising:
- interacting with a plurality of users to assign user-supplied ratings each corresponding to a particular feature of a particular product;
associating moderation scores to the user-supplied ratings;
interacting with a given user to specify a threshold moderation score that defines a first range of acceptable moderation scores;
computing a composite rating for at least one product based upon a set of user-supplied ratings for the at least one product, wherein each user-supplied rating within the set is associated with a moderation score that falls within the first range of acceptable moderation scores, thereby omitting from the composite rating contributions of user-supplied ratings for the at least one product whose associated moderation scores fall outside the first range of acceptable moderation scores; and
outputting the composite rating for communication to the given user.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-implemented methods and systems provide for user collaboration in evaluating complex products over a public network. Product capabilities are preferably represented as a hierarchical taxonomy of features. Users can assign ratings and comments to the features of a product. User-submitted ratings can be qualified (or moderated) by other users. Such moderation is accomplished on a per-rating basis by user selection of one label from a set of labels that represent different levels of perceived credibility of the user that submitted the rating. A moderation score for a rating/comment is derived from the user-selected moderation labels pertaining to the rating/comment. Registered users preferably can assign weights to features, the weights representing the importance of that feature to the particular user. The user-supplied ratings as well as the moderation scores and/or weights corresponding thereto are used to compute composite ratings for user-selected product features that are communicated to the users for evaluation of the user-selected product features. Preferably, a distributed moderation process is executed that automatically grants a select subset of the user community the opportunity to moderate the ratings of other users.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating at least one product that has a plurality of features, the method comprising:
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interacting with a plurality of users to assign user-supplied ratings each corresponding to a particular feature of a particular product;
associating moderation scores to the user-supplied ratings;
interacting with a given user to specify a threshold moderation score that defines a first range of acceptable moderation scores;
computing a composite rating for at least one product based upon a set of user-supplied ratings for the at least one product, wherein each user-supplied rating within the set is associated with a moderation score that falls within the first range of acceptable moderation scores, thereby omitting from the composite rating contributions of user-supplied ratings for the at least one product whose associated moderation scores fall outside the first range of acceptable moderation scores; and
outputting the composite rating for communication to the given user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 34)
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20. A computer-implemented method for evaluating at least one product that has a plurality of features, the method comprising:
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interacting with a plurality of users to assign user-supplied ratings each corresponding to a particular feature of a particular product;
executing an automatic process that enables selected users to provide feedback related to the user-supplied ratings based upon moderation points earned by the selected users, the feedback selected from one of a plurality of labels that represent different levels of perceived credibility of the user that submitted the rating associated therewith; and
in response to a request by a given user, computing a composite rating for at least one product based upon the user-supplied ratings for the at least one product and the feedback corresponding to the user-supplied ratings for the at least one product, and outputting the composite rating for communication to the given user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification