Voting on claims pertaining to a resource

• US 20080262906A1
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCullough, Jason, Martin, Benjamin Daniel, Pamell, Korby Shane, Mahlberg, Eric, Rebholz, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/182 Alternative dispute resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 13/00 Voting apparatus

Abstract

A credibility card contains a claim about a resource, a way to identify the claimant, and a set of choices to be voted on about the claim. A resource can be information content, a product, or another item about which a claim can be made, and it may be associated with a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI). Information (e.g., a web page) that contains or describes the resource includes the credibility card, and a user viewing the information is given the chance to vote on the claims, such as by indicating agreement or disagreement with the claim. The votes are stored in a repository, which may protect the votes from being deleted. Users can view the tally of votes in order to judge the credibility of the claim or the claimant.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions to perform a method of obtaining an evaluation of a resource, the method comprising:

receiving, from an entity, a first claim about the resource and an identification of said entity, said first claim being based on said claim'"'"'s pertinence to said resource;

receiving, from one or more consumers of the resource, a vote indicating selection from a set of choices that comprises;

agreement with said first claim; and

disagreement with said first claim;

storing said vote in a repository;

making said vote available to be viewed or received by users; and

resisting deletion of said vote from said repository.

2. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein said set of choices further comprises:

an indication that said first claim is unsuitable.

3. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

resisting any voter from voting on said first claim more than once.

4. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein said making of said vote publicly available comprises:

providing verbal expressions that are selected based on prevalence of different members of the set of choices, as indicated by votes of said one or more consumers.

5. The one or more computer-readable storage media claim 1, wherein said resource comprises a content item, and wherein said entity is a publisher or creator of the content item.

6. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein said resource comprises a product, and wherein said entity is a reviewer, vendor, or manufacturer of said product.

7. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from said one or more consumers, a tag indicating that said first claim is to be treated as synonymous with a second claim.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from said one or more consumers, a comment pertaining to said claim; and

storing said comment in said repository.

9. A method of obtaining an evaluation of a first resource, the method comprising:

receiving, from an entity, a claim about the first resource and an identification of said entity, the first resource being associated with a first Uniform Resource Indicator;

binding said claim to said first Uniform Resource Indicator;

communicating, to one or more consumers of the first resource, (a) first information that comprises or relates to the first resource, (b) said claim, and (c) a set of choices that comprises;

agreement with said claim; and

disagreement with said claim;

receiving, from said one or more consumers, a vote indicating selection from said set of choices;

making said vote available to be viewed or received by users; and

resisting use of said claim and said vote with a second resource associated with a second Uniform Resource Indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said set of choices further comprises:

an indication that said claim is unsuitable.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said resource comprises a content item, and wherein said entity is a publisher or creator of said content item.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said resource comprises a product, and wherein said entity is a reviewer, vendor, or manufacturer of said product.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing second information indicative of a tally of said votes, said second information comprising verbal expressions that are selected based on prevalence of different members of the set of choices, as indicated by votes of said one or more consumers.

14. A system for providing a claim concerning a resource, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more data remembrance devices;

a software component that is stored in at least one of said one or more data remembrance devices and that is executable on at least one of said one or more processors, said software component receiving information that constitutes or describes the resource, and that publishes a displayable page that comprises;

(a) said information, and (b) a card that comprises;

(b1) a claim that pertains to said resource, (b2) an identification of an entity that makes said claim, and (b3) a control that receives, from a viewer of said claim, a vote from a set of choices that comprises;

agreement with said claim; and

disagreement with said claim;

said control causing said vote to be stored in a repository that resists deletion of said vote.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said set of choices further comprises:

an indication that said claim is unsuitable.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said control resists any voter from voting on said claim more than once.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said information is received from said entity, and wherein said software component initiates creation of a said card and solicits said claim from said entity.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said software component provides an incentive for said entity to choose said claim from one or more pre-existing claims.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said resource comprises a content item, and wherein said entity is a publisher or creator of the content item.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said resource comprises a product, and wherein said entity is a reviewer, vendor, or manufacturer of said product.