ONLINE STORY COLLABORATION

• US 20100325558A1
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clay Harvey Fisher, Eric Edwards, Kurt Jonach, Neal Jacob Manowitz
• Original Assignee: Clay Harvey Fisher, Eric Edwards, Kurt Jonach, Neal Jacob Manowitz
• Inventors: Manowitz, Neal Jacob, Edwards, Eric, Fisher, Clay Harvey, Jonach, Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An online collaborative story system allows multiple people to collaborate on creating a story by contributing content of various types to a server computer, where it is voted on by the collaborators or a designated editor to create the finished story. Additionally, one or more of the collaborators can be rewarded for their participation in the story.

Claims

1. A computerized method for creating a story by a plurality of collaborators each capable of supplying story content associated with a story concept over a network, comprising:

making the story concept available for access over the network to enable the plurality of collaborators to submit competing story content related to at least one element in the story concept;

accepting the competing story content associated with the story concept from the plurality of collaborators if the received competing story content meets a first predetermined criteria;

determining a selected story content from the competing story content submitted from each of the plurality of collaborators, the selected story content being approved for inclusion in the story based on communications over the network; and

creating the story from the selected story content that is approved.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the selected story content is conducted by online voting conducted over the network.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

deleting the accepted competing story content other than the selected story content.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the accepted competing story content other than the selected story content is deleted automatically without user intervention.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein prior to making the story concept available for access, the method further comprises receiving the story concept for the story, the story concept including an indication of one or more editors that are selected to edit the story.

6. The computerized method of claim 5, wherein after receiving the story concept and prior to making the story concept available for access, the method further comprises determining whether the story concept includes content that meets a second predetermined criteria set by a party separate from the plurality of collaborators and deleting the story concept if the story concept fails to meet the second predetermined criteria.

7. The computerized method of claim 6, where the first predetermined criteria is identical to the second predetermined criteria.

8. The computerized method of claim 5 further comprising:

notifying the at least one or more editors when the story content from the plurality of collaborators is accepted and posted for review.

9. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

publishing the story for viewing over the network.

10. The computerized method of claim 2, wherein the on-line voting is performed by one or more editors and at least one of the plurality of collaborators.

11. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the story content received from a first collaborator of the plurality of collaborators is of a different type than story content received from a second collaborator of the plurality of collaborators.

12. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the story concept is a fictional story concept.

13. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a reward for a collaborator of the plurality of collaborators submitting the selected story content.

14. The computerized method of claim 1 being performed by an electronic device comprising a memory that stores software and a processor executing the software to perform operations for creating the story.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a server computer to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a fictional story concept includes content that meets a predetermined criteria set by a party different than a plurality of collaborators being users supplying the content associated with the fictional story concept over a network;

deleting the fictional story concept if the content of the fictional story concept fails to meet the predetermined criteria;

if the content of the fictional story concept meets the predetermined criteria, making the fictional story concept available for access to enable the plurality of collaborators to electronically submit competing story content related to an element in the fictional story concept;

accepting the received competing story content associated with the fictional story concept from the plurality of collaborators if the received competing story content meets the predetermined criteria;

receiving votes over the network from one or more editors in charge of editing a fictional story based on the fictional story concept; and

including a story content being part of the competing story content if the received votes indicate that the story content is approved.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 having computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the server computer to:

delete portions of the competing story content that failed to receive votes for approval; and

publish the fictional story when all content forming the fictional story, including the story concept, is approved.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 having computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the server computer to determine a reward for one or more of the plurality of collaborators.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the reward is based on votes from viewers of the fictional story accessed over the network.

19. A computerized system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory to store information that, when processed by processor, assists in (i) determining whether a fictional story concept includes content that meets a predetermined criteria, (ii) deleting the fictional story concept if the content of the fictional story concept fails to meet the predetermined criteria, (iii) making the fictional story concept available for access over a network if the content of the fictional story concept meets the predetermined criteria so as to enable electronic submission of competing story content related to an element in the fictional story concept, and (iv) monitoring voting conducted over the network so as to include a story content from the competing story content if received votes indicate that the story content is approved or delete the story content if the received votes fail to approve the story content.

20. The computerized system of claim 19, wherein the memory further comprises information that, when processed by the processor, causes the story to be published for public access over the network.

21. The computerized system of claim 19, wherein the memory further comprises information that, when processed by the processor, causes issuance of a request for votes from viewers of the story that have access to the network and to determine a reward based on votes received in response to the request.

22. A networked server system comprising:

means for posting a fictional concept for a story in a story concept area for access by a plurality of collaborators being networked users supplying the content associated with the fictional story concept, the fictional story concept including an indication of one or more editors that are selected to edit the story by an originator of the fictional story concept;

means for reviewing the fictional story concept prior to posting the concept in the story concept area and deleting the fictional story concept if the concept fails to meet a predetermined criteria set by a site administrator;

means for posting competing story content associated with elements in the fictional story concept in a working content area, the competing story content being received from the plurality of collaborators;

means for determining selected story content from the accepted competing story content submitted from each of the plurality of collaborators that is approved for inclusion in the story;

means for voting over a network connection by the one or more editors and at least one of the plurality of collaborators on the content in the working content area, wherein votes selected between the competing story content that is approved for publishing;

means for publishing the selected story content approved by the means for voting in a published story area to create the story; and

means for deleting the competing story content if not approved by the means for voting.

23. The networked server system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for collecting votes from viewers of the story; and

means for awarding one or more of the plurality of collaborators for the story based on the votes collected by the means for collecting.