Method, System, and Computer Readable Medium Useful in Managing a Computer-Based System for Servicing User Initiated Tasks

• US 20110066462A1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Thomas E., Jones, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US12/951,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066462A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function

Abstract

A method for determining whether secondary activities (activities that can be executed during system “down time”) should be executed at a time, and executing at least one of the secondary activities according to a priority or interrupt scheme. The invention monitors a threshold, which can be based on several factors, to determine when system conditions are such that secondary activities should be conducted. When system conditions are such that secondary activities should occur, the invention conducts secondary activities according to an interrupt scheme.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing an information exchange, comprising:

monitoring, using a search computer system, a primary activity level of a user of the information exchange;

determining whether to propose a secondary activity from the search computer system in accordance with said monitoring; and

facilitating the secondary activity when accepted by the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a priority level to the secondary activity.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning the priority level to at least one additional secondary activity.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

proposing the at least one additional secondary activity for a specified number of offers among a total number of offers for the priority level.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the secondary activity includes at least one of interactive query search training, video training, podcast training, polling, software testing, and transcription.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining includes ranking the user for a category of the secondary activity.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the ranking is based on a primary activity of the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the primary activity is chosen by the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether the user provides a first accepted response for the secondary activity.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the priority level assigned to the secondary activity is adjusted to achieve a target which is dependent on the secondary activity.

11. A system for managing an information exchange comprising:

a user system performing activities;

a server system;

monitoring a level a primary activity;

determining whether to propose a secondary activity to the user system in accordance with said monitoring;

facilitating the secondary activity when accepted;

assigning the secondary activity a priority level;

offering the secondary activity for a percentage of offers associated with the priority level; and

determining which of at least two users provides a first accepted response for the secondary activity.

12. A computer-implemented method for managing activities in an information exchange, comprising:

presenting a secondary activity, from an exchange computer system, to a user of the exchange, the secondary activity including at least one of polling, software testing, translation, and transcription;

where the secondary activity is selected according to a priority level assigned to the secondary activity; and

determining which of at least two users provides a first acceptance response.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

assigning the priority level to at least two secondary activities; and

selecting the secondary activity based on a ratio of acceptance of the secondary activity to acceptance of the at least two secondary activities.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring a primary activity of the user; and

identifying the user to participate in the secondary activity.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying the user based on a category associated with the user and the secondary activity.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the secondary activity includes at least two secondary activities assigned the same priority level.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

assigning the priority of the secondary activity based on a category associated with the user.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

facilitating the secondary activity for the user determined to have produced the first acceptance response.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

modifying the priority level associated with the secondary activity when determining that the exchange computer system has detected a change in inventory of the secondary activity.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for controlling a computer to perform a process of managing an electronic task marketplace, comprising:

monitoring a primary activity level of a user of the marketplace;

determining whether to propose a compensated secondary activity to the user in accordance with said monitoring and facilitating the secondary activity when accepted by the user; and

determining which of at least two users produces a first acceptance response.