SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTO-GENERATING THREADS ON WEB FORUMS

• US 20090199103A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Zitiao Network Technology Company Limited (ByteDance Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Muller, John K., Brantley, Kimberly A., Dewar, Ami H., Leah, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

Methods and systems for auto-generating threads on web forums are described. Comments are received on web content contained on a web page within a web site, where the web site further includes a web forum. The comments can be monitored to determine if a comment threshold is reached, and a web content thread can be auto-generated in the web forum when the comment threshold is reached.

Claims

1. A method for auto-generating threads on web forums, comprising:

receiving comments on web content contained on a web page within a web site, wherein the web site further comprises a web forum;

monitoring the comments to determine if a comment threshold is reached; and

auto-generating a web content thread in the web forum when the comment threshold is reached.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the comment threshold is derived from at least one of the number of the comments, the number of unique users providing the comments, average time between the comments, the total word count of all of the comments, the average word count for each of the comments, the number of occurrences of certain keywords within the comments, the lapsed time between the posting of the two most recent comments, and characteristics of the comment text.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising auto-seeding the web content thread with the comments.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a web link on the web page containing the web content thread that links to the web content.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a web link on the web page containing the web content that links to the web content thread.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising closing the web content to additional commenting after the comment threshold is reached.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a visual indicator on the web page containing the web content indicating progress towards reaching the comment threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the visual indicator comprises a web link linking to the web content thread when the comment threshold is reached.

9. A system for auto-generating threads on web forums, comprising:

at least one server, wherein the server comprises;

at least one web site, wherein the at least one web site comprises web content contained on a web page, wherein the web content comprises comments, and a web forum; and

a comment store configured to store the comments; and

a monitoring application, wherein the monitoring application is configured to monitor the comments to determine if a comment threshold is reached and to auto-generate a web content thread in the web forum when the comment threshold is reached.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the comment threshold is derived from at least one of the number of the comments, the number of unique users providing the comments, average time between the comments, the total word count of all of the comments, the average word count for each of the comments, the number of occurrences of certain keywords within the comments, the lapsed time between the posting of the two most recent comments, and characteristics of the comment text.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the monitoring application is further configured to auto-seed the web content thread with the comments.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the monitoring application is further configured to provide a web link on the web page containing the web content thread that links to the web content.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the monitoring application is further configured to provide a web link on the web page containing the web content that links to the web content thread.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the monitoring application is further configured to close the web content to additional commenting after the comment threshold is reached.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the web site further comprises a visual indicator on the web page containing the web content indicating progress towards reaching the comment threshold.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the visual indicator comprises a web link linking to the web content thread when the comment threshold is reached.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the monitoring application is located on the server.

18. A program product stored on a computer-readable medium containing program instructions for auto-generating threads on web forums, the program instructions for:

receiving comments on web content contained on a web page within a web site, wherein the web site further comprises a web forum;

monitoring the comments to determine if a comment threshold is reached; and

auto-generating a web content thread in the web forum when the comment threshold is reached.

19. The program product of claim 18 wherein the comment threshold is derived from at least one of the number of the comments, the number of unique users providing the comments, average time between the comments, the total word count of all of the comments, the average word count for each of the comments, the number of occurrences of certain keywords within the comments, the lapsed time between the posting of the two most recent comments, and characteristics of the comment text.

20. The program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions for auto-seeding the web content thread with the comments.

21. The program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions for providing a web link on the web page containing the web content thread that links to the web content.

22. The program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions for providing a web link on the web page containing the web content that links to the web content thread.

23. The program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions for closing the web content to additional commenting after the comment threshold is reached.

24. The program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions for providing a visual indicator on the web page containing the web content indicating progress towards reaching the comment threshold.

25. The program product of claim 24 wherein the visual indicator comprises a web link linking to the web content thread when the comment threshold is reached.