Regulating users of online forums
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, performed on a computer system, of regulating an active user of a computer-based service, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving input at the computer system about a first active user from at least one other active user of the computer-based service;
(b) determining at the computer system, and without human intervention, a degree to which the at least one other active user can influence a parameter associated with the first active user;
(c) modifying at the computer system, and without human intervention, the first active user'"'"'s parameter based on the received input and the determined degree of influence.
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Abstract
Regulating a user of a computer-based service includes receiving input about a first user from at least one other user of the computer-based service, determining a degree to which the at least one other user can influence a parameter associated with the first user, and modifying the first user'"'"'s parameter based on the received input and the determined degree of influence. The first user'"'"'s parameter, for example, can relate to the first user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service.
174 Citations
92 Claims
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1. A method, performed on a computer system, of regulating an active user of a computer-based service, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving input at the computer system about a first active user from at least one other active user of the computer-based service;
(b) determining at the computer system, and without human intervention, a degree to which the at least one other active user can influence a parameter associated with the first active user;
(c) modifying at the computer system, and without human intervention, the first active user'"'"'s parameter based on the received input and the determined degree of influence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
(d) displaying information related to a current state of the first active user'"'"'s modified parameter.
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35. The method of claim 1, in which determining the degree of influence comprises considering an interpersonal context between the first active user and the at least one other active user.
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36. The method of claim 34, in which considering the interpersonal context comprises applying a function based on an ordering of events during an interaction of the first active user and the at least one other active user.
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37. The method of claim 1, in which modifying a parameter associated with the first active user comprises temporarily limiting the first active user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service if the input received from the at least one other active user constitutes a first occurrence of input about the first active user.
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38. The method of claim 37, in which the temporary limitation on the first active user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service comprises a short-term limitation.
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40. The method of claim 37, in which the capping of the degree of influence comprises applying a function based on an elapsed time since an occurrence of an action engaged in by the first active user that caused the at least one other active user to provide input.
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41. The computer program of claim 37, in which the instructions to determine the degree of influence comprise instructions to consider a type of action engaged in by the first active user that caused the at least one other active user to provide input.
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42. The computer program of claim 37, in which the instructions determine that the at least one other active user can have a high degree of influence on the first active user'"'"'s parameter when the type of action engaged in by the first active user that caused the at least one other active user to provide input was personally directed at the other active user.
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43. The method of claim 1, in which determining the degree of influence comprises considering an interpersonal context between the first active user and the at least one other active user.
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44. The method of claim 43, in which considering the interpersonal context comprises applying a function based on an ordering of events during an interaction of the first active user and the at least one other active user.
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45. The method of claim 1, in which modifying a parameter associated with the first active user comprises temporarily limiting the first active user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service if the input received from the at least one other active user constitutes a first occurrence of input about the first active user.
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46. The method of claim 45, in which the temporary limitation on the first active user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service comprises a short-term limitation.
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39. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for regulating an active user of a computer-based service, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform the following operations:
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(a) receive input about a first active user from at least one other active user of the computer-based service;
(b) determine a degree to which the at least one other active user can influence a parameter associated with the first active user;
(c) modify the first active user'"'"'s parameter based on the received input and the determined degree of influence.
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47. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for regulating an active user of a computer-based service, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform the following operations:
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(a) receive input about a first active user from at least one other active user of the computer-based service;
(b) determine a degree to which the at least one other active user can influence a parameter associated with the first active user;
(c) modify the first active user'"'"'s parameter based on the received input and the, determined degree of influence. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
(d) display information related to a current state of the first active user'"'"'s modified parameter.
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81. The computer program of claim 80, in which the instructions for displaying information comprise instructions for updating a state of a graphical abstraction.
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82. The computer program of claim 81, in which the graphical abstraction comprises a power bar.
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83. The computer program of claim 47, in which the instructions for determining the degree of influence comprise instructions for capping the degree of influence to a maximum amount.
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84. The computer program of claim 83, in which the instructions for capping the degree of influence comprise instructions for applying a ceiling function.
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85. The computer program of claim 83, in which the instructions for capping the degree of influence comprise instructions for applying a time-out function.
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86. The computer program of claim 83, in which the instructions for capping the degree of influence comprise instructions for applying a function based on an elapsed time since an occurrence of an action engaged in by the first active user that caused the at least one other active user to provide input.
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87. The computer program of claim 83, in which the instructions for capping the degree of influence comprise instructions for applying a temporally based function.
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88. The computer program of claim 83, in which the instructions for capping the degree of influence comprise instructions for applying a quantitatively based function.
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89. The computer program of claim 47, in which the instructions for determining the degree of influence comprise instructions for considering an interpersonal context between the first active user and the at least one other active user.
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90. The computer program of claim 89, in which the instructions for considering the interpersonal context comprise instructions for applying a function based on an ordering of events during an interaction of the first active user and the at least one other active user.
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91. The computer program of claim 47, in which the instructions for modifying a parameter associated with the first active user comprise instructions for temporarily limiting the first active user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service if the input received from the at least one other active user constitutes a first occurrence of input about the first active user.
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92. The computer program of claim 91, in which the temporary limitation on the first active user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service comprises a short-term limitation.
Specification