Online content provider system and method

• US 6,721,748 B1
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CXT Systems, Inc. (Quest Patent Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maquis Techtrix LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Knight, Timothy O., Gross, J. Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Debbie M.
• Application Number:
  US10/144,395
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

An intelligent data content provider system and method for subscriber postings and queries are monitored and evaluated to determine what types of content to retrieve, how to organize such content, and how to present the same. A series of community and customized software robots are used by the subscribers (and automatically in some cases by the system) to locate, retrieve and sort general interest and/or customized content from other online sources. By studying subscriber query and message traffic, the system can self-tune itself automatically to constantly adjust content retrieval, storage and presentation in response to changing community interests, desires, and the like. Because subscriber feedback is accounted for and incorporated into the design of the message board system, this enhances the experience for online users, resulting in increased system usage, subscriber retention characteristics, etc.

Claims

1. An electronic content provider system for use by a community of subscribers, which system operates in part on an online server, said system comprising:

a first routine running on the online server for retrieving general interest content accessible by all of the community of subscribers; and

a second routine running on the online server for retrieving customized content compiled by the electronic content provider system on behalf of a particular subscriber in the community of subscribers in response to one or more custom content interests identified in requests provided by said particular subscriber over a network to the electronic content provider system, said customized content being made accessible by the electronic provider system over the network only to said particular subscriber and other subscribers requesting said customized content;

a third routine running on the server for processing at least said general interest content at predetermined intervals to construct searchable collections of said general interest content, said searchable collections being arranged into a set of predefined query parameters; and

a fourth routine running on the server for interacting with a web browser program executing at subscriber computer systems remote from the online server, said fourth routine being adapted for handling subscriber queries to both said general interest content and customized content, such that said subscriber queries for said general interest content are based on said set of predefined query parameters so that said fourth routine uses said searchable collections for responding to subscriber queries made to the general interest content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said fourth routine monitors queries from said subscribers to generate statistical information regarding subject matter and/or authorship information for said entries.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a fifth routine for receiving message postings from the community of subscribers, and for processing said message postings in accordance with said set of predefined query parameters.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein subscriber profile information is stored by said system, including data relating to predefined query parameters previously used by a subscriber for formulating queries.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a subscriber can perform searching, listing and reviewing operations associated with entries retrieved in response to said subscriber queries, said searching, listing and reviewing operations occuring simultaneously within a single window of said integrated interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the community of subscribers can peruse said general interest content in logical groupings based on the system performing an analysis of said general interest content.

7. A system for sharing information between a community of subscribers, the system comprising:

an online server having a storage routine for storing messages from the community of subscribers relating to a set of subjects, as well as additional content derived from at least one separate online source that also relates to said set of subjects;

said online server further having a sorting routine for classifying said messages and said additional content based on a rule set that is defined at least in part by feedback derived from analyzing online activity of the entire community of subscribers, said sorting routine operating to create collections of said messages and said additional content that are searchable by at least some of the community of subscribers based on a set of query parameters; and

said online server further having a query processing routine for handling subscriber queries to said messages and said additional content, said queries being based on said set of query parameters so that said query processing routine uses said collections of said messages and said additional content for responding to said subscriber queries; and

a query formulation routine adapted to coordinate with said query processing routine and to be executed within web browser programs used by such subscribers, said query formulation routine being capable of generating said subscriber queries so that the query formulation routine can retrieve selected messages and/or selected content from said collections of messages and said additional content using said query parameters;

a posting routine adapted to coordinate with said online server and to be executed within said web browser programs, said posting routine being capable of generating subscriber messages that can be communicated over a network from said web browser programs and posted to said online server in accordance with said rule set.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said feedback includes parameters contained in or inferred from said subscriber messages posted to said online server so that said collections of said messages and said additional content are automatically generated by the system by analyzing materials authored by the community of subscribers.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said feedback includes parameters contained in or inferred from said subscriber queries so that said collections of said messages and said additional content are automatically generated by the system by analyzing materials read by the community of subscribers.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the subscribers can perform searching, listing and reviewing operations associated with said selected messages and/or said selected content within a single window of an interface for said query formulation routine, said reviewing operations including a presentation to the subscriber of all substantive information for at least one message entry and/or for at least one item of additional content.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein in considering different subscriber requests the query formulation routine prioritizes requests for retrieving selected messages and/or selected content based on different status levels associated with said different subscribers including any subscription fees paid by said different subscribers.

12. An electronic content provider system comprising:

a first routine for retrieving first information, including multi-media content, accessible to subscribers of the content provider system in accordance with a variable filtering mechanism, and which filtering mechanism is based on first information categories of interest to subscribers to the content provider system; and

a second routine for sorting said first information and storing it in a form searchable by said first information categories by all of said subscribers;

a third routine for handling a first type of subscriber query to said first information based on predefined query parameters so that said first information categories are used for responding to said first type of subscriber query; and

a fourth routine for retrieving second information accessible by only a selected group of said subscribers of the content provider system; and

a fifth routine for sorting said second information and storing it in a form searchable by second information categories;

wherein said second information categories constitute logical customized compilations of content collected and maintained based on specific subscriber requests;

a sixth routine for handling a second type of subscriber query to said second information so that said second information categories are used for responding to said second type of subscriber query; and

wherein said first information is retrieved and configured as first information categories selectable individually within a subscriber content selection interface automatically and before any first type of subscriber query is made to such first information categories;

further wherein said second information is retrieved by the content provider system and presented as second information categories within said subscriber content selection interface only after a second subscriber query is made within a search field associated with the subscriber content selection interface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said first information categories are created in part automatically by the content provider system by examining said first information retrieved with said variable filtering mechanism.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said third routine tabulates said predefined query parameters as used by subscribers in said first type of subscriber query to create a numerical ranking of frequency of usage for said predefined query parameters such that said subscribers can identify which first information categories are most frequently reviewed by subscribers.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said fourth routine tabulates identifying parameters as used by subscribers in postings of message information to create a numerical ranking of frequency of usage for said identifying parameters such that said subscribers can identify which first information categories are most frequently posted to by subscribers.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein subscriber profile information is maintained in the system, including information pertaining to first information categories queried and/or posted to by each of such subscribers.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said third and sixth routines prioritize a response to a subscriber based on a status level of said subscriber.

18. A method of operating an electronic message board system used by a community of subscribers, and which system operates in part on an online server, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing message data on the online server; and

(b) constructing searchable collections of said message data, said searchable collections being generated and updated automatically by the system based on a set of predefined query parameters such that at least a first set of said message data is accessible to all of the community of subscribers; and

(c) handling subscriber queries to said first set of message data by interacting with a web browser program executing at a subscriber computer system remote from the online server, said queries being based on said predefined query parameters; and

(d) configuring an integrated interface for permitting said subscriber to formulate said queries, said integrated interface including;

i) a first display region for providing a visible display of a message list of at least some of any message entries retrieved in response to said queries, said list including at least some identifying parameters for each of said message entries; and

ii) a second display region for providing a visible display of at least some substantive information for a subscriber-selected one of said message entries, said substantive information being simultaneously visible with said message list displayed in said first display region;

wherein message entries, including the content for the same, are transmitted to the subscriber computer system during a first online session in advance of the subscriber requesting such entries based on monitoring subscriber queries during said first online session and predicting which message entries a subscriber is likely to request.

19. The method of claim 18, further including a step (e):

monitoring queries from the community of subscribers to generate statistical information regarding subject matter and/or authorship information for said message entries.

20. The method of claim 18, further including a step (e):

receiving message postings from the community of subscribers, and processing said message postings in accordance with said predefined query parameters.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said integrated interface is configured so that the subscriber can perform searching, listing and reviewing operations associated with said message entries simultaneously within a single window of said integrated interface, said reviewing operations including a presentation to the subscriber of all substantive information for at least one of said message entries.

22. A method of sharing information between a community of subscribers, said system comprising:

(a) storing messages from such subscribers from the community of subscribers relating to a set of subjects, as well as additional content derived from at least one separate online source that also relates to said set of subjects; and

(b) classifying said messages and said additional content based on a rule set that is defined at least in part by feedback derived from analyzing online activity of the entire community of subscribers, such that collections of said messages and said additional content are created that are searchable by at least some of the community of subscribers based on a set of query parameters; and

(c) handling subscriber queries to said messages, said queries being based on said query parameters so that said query processing routine uses said collections of said messages for responding to said subscriber queries; and

(d) interacting with a query formulation routine executing within one or more web browser programs used by such subscribers, said query formulation routine being capable of generating said subscriber queries so that the subscribers can retrieve selected messages and/or selected content from said collections of messages and additional content using said query parameters;

(e) interacting with a posting routine also executing within said web browser programs, said posting routine being capable of generating subscriber messages that can be communicated over a network from said web browser programs and posted to said online server in accordance with said rule set.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said feedback includes parameters contained in or inferred from said subscriber messages posted to said online server so that said collections of said messages and said additional content are automatically generated by the system by analyzing materials authored by the community of subscribers.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said feedback includes parameters contained in or inferred from said subscriber queries so that said collections of said messages and said additional content are automatically generated by the system by analyzing materials read by the community of subscribers.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the subscribers can perform searching, listing and reviewing operations associated with said selected messages and/or said selected content within a single window of an interface for said query formulation routine, said reviewing operations including a presentation to the subscriber of all substantive information for at least one message entry and/or for at least one item of additional content.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein subscriber queries and subscriber messages for different subscribers are processed with a priority based on different status levels associated with said different subscribers, including any subscription fees paid by said different subscribers.

27. A method of operating an electronic content provider system comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving first information accessible to subscribers of the content provider system in accordance with a variable filtering mechanism including multi-media content, which filtering mechanism is based on first information categories of interest to said subscribers; and

(b) sorting said first information and storing it in a form searchable by said first information categories by all of said subscribers;

(c) handling a first type of subscriber query to said first information, based on predefined query parameters so that said first information categories are used for responding to said first type of subscriber query; and

(d) retrieving second information accessible by only a selected group of said subscribers of the content provider system; and

(e) sorting said second information and storing it in a form searchable by second information categories; and

wherein said second information categories constitute logical customized compilations of content collected and maintained based on specific subscriber requests;

(f) handling a second type of subscriber query to said second information so that said second information categories are used for responding to said second type of subscriber query

wherein said first information is retrieved and configured as first information categories selectable individually within a subscriber content selection interface automatically and before any first type of subscriber query is made to such first information categories;

further wherein said second information is retrieved by the content provider system and presented as second information categories within said subscriber content selection interface only after a second subscriber query is made within a search field associated with the subscriber content selection interface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said first information categories are created in part automatically by the content provider system by examining said first information retrieved in accordance with said variable filtering mechanism.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said predefined query parameters as used by subscribers in said first type of subscriber query are tabulated to create a numerical ranking of frequency of usage for said predefined query parameters such that said subscribers can identify which first information categories are most frequently reviewed by subscribers.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said identifying parameters as used by subscribers in postings of message information are tabulated to create a numerical ranking of frequency of usage for said identifying parameters such that said subscribers can identify which first information categories are most frequently posted to by subscribers.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein a user interface used by said subscribers is also modified automatically by evaluating which first information categories are queried and/or posted to by said subscribers.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein queries and message postings are performed with a priority based on status levels of subscribers.

33. An online electronic content provider system for use by online subscribers, the system comprising:

a first routine for retrieving and organizing community content, said community content being organized into information categories designated and controlled by an operator of the content provider system; and

a second routine for processing queries from the online subscribers to said community content; and

wherein said community content is made accessible to all of the online subscribers;

a third routine for processing a customized query from a particular online subscriber for customized content that is separate from said community content;

a fourth routine for retrieving and organizing said customized content in response to said customized query;

wherein said customized content is made accessible to said particular online subscriber in addition to said community content;

a fifth routine for generating one or more additional content filters based on an evaluation of postings and/or queries made by the online subscribers to said community content and/or said customized content, said one or more additional content filters being adapted for use by the first routine to supplement said community content and said information categories with additional content of interest to the online subscribers.

34. The system of claim 33, further including a sixth routine for prioritizing a sequence and frequency of retrieval and organization of content by said first routine, said fourth routine and said fifth routine.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said first routine operates in accordance with an ordering specified for searching online content sites.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein said one or more additional content filters are identified to said operator to assist in designating and controlling said community content.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein at least some of said one or more additional content filters are used by the online electronic provider system to automatically supplement said community content without intervention of said operator.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein said community content includes message postings from online newsgroups.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein said community content includes message postings relating to stocks retrieved periodically from online message boards separate from the online provider system.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein said customized content is constructed by dedicated search robots whose number is restricted in accordance with processing capacity available to the content provider system.

41. The system of claim 33, wherein said customized content is extracted by search robots from said community content.

42. The system of claim 33, wherein said first routine is used to construct an initial content base for the community content of the content provider system, and is used subsequently to fine tune said community content by modifying the same based on monitoring queries and postings of the subscribers.