Automatic participant evaluation in computer mediated persistent conversations
First Claim
1. In a computer mediated persistent conversation system having one or more computers with which each of multiple users author and post messages in one or more conversations, the system including a computer-readable medium that stores computer software instructions for operating the system, the instructions comprising:
- obtaining selected information from the one or more conversations;
storing the selected information and forming from it aggregated conversation data that includes aggregations according to time, conversation, and authoring user;
tagging the messages when they are posted by authoring users, wherein tagging a message comprises inserting a tag into the message, wherein the tag identifies the message as being of one or more selected message types comprising a Question message type indicating that a message is a question and an Answer message type indicating that a message is an answer to a Question message type, whereby the tagged messages allow said users to decide whether a conversation is likely to provide useful information; and
providing the aggregated conversation data and message type tags to users of the computer mediated persistent conversation system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Information is provided about the histories of authors in a computer mediated persistent conversation such as a newsgroup. The information may include any or all of how long an author has been active in the group, in what other newsgroups the author participates, to what other threads of conversation the author contributes, and which other participants the author most often engages in discussion. This information may be obtained as an aggregation of data obtained from the groups or communities automatically. The information about any selected user or group is then made available or otherwise provided to any other users so that they can decide whether the selected user or group is likely to provide helpful or useful information. Also, particular message type indicators may be applied to messages when they are posted by users. The message type indicators may also be obtained as an aggregation of data obtained from the groups or communities automatically.
82 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a computer mediated persistent conversation system having one or more computers with which each of multiple users author and post messages in one or more conversations, the system including a computer-readable medium that stores computer software instructions for operating the system, the instructions comprising:
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obtaining selected information from the one or more conversations; storing the selected information and forming from it aggregated conversation data that includes aggregations according to time, conversation, and authoring user; tagging the messages when they are posted by authoring users, wherein tagging a message comprises inserting a tag into the message, wherein the tag identifies the message as being of one or more selected message types comprising a Question message type indicating that a message is a question and an Answer message type indicating that a message is an answer to a Question message type, whereby the tagged messages allow said users to decide whether a conversation is likely to provide useful information; and providing the aggregated conversation data and message type tags to users of the computer mediated persistent conversation system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for mediating persistent conversations between multiple people who author and post messages in one or more of the conversations comprising the actions of:
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obtaining selected information from the one or more conversations; storing the selected information and forming from it aggregated conversation data that includes aggregations according to time, conversation, and authoring person; tagging the messages when they are posted by authoring people, wherein tagging a message comprises inserting a tag into the message, wherein the tag identifies the message as being of one or more selected message types, comprising a Question message type indicating that a message is a question and an Answer message type indicating that a message is an answer to a Question message type, whereby the tagged messages allow said people to decide whether a conversation is likely to provide useful information; and providing the aggregated conversation data and tags identifying the message type to the people. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for mediating one or more persistent conversations between multiple people who author and post messages in one or more of the conversations comprising process actions for:
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obtaining selected information from each conversation; storing and aggregating the selected information in different ways including aggregations according to time, conversation, and authoring person; tagging the messages when they are posted by authoring people, wherein tagging a message comprises inserting a tag into the message, wherein a the tag identifies the message as being of one or more selected message types, comprising a Question message type indicating that a message is a question and an Answer message type indicating that a message is an answer to a Question message type, whereby the tagged messages allow said people to decide whether a conversation is likely to provide useful information; providing the aggregated information and message type tags to the people. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification