Method and apparatus for conducting an information brokering service
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for conducting an online information brokering service, the method comprising acts of:
- permitting, by a computer system, a creation of a plurality of respective observations generated by a plurality of users, the plurality of users including at least content generating users and information consumer users;
presenting, by a computer system, at least one of the plurality of respective observations to a plurality of other users; and
accepting, by the computer system from at least one of the plurality of other users, a respective opinion of the at least one other user regarding the at least one of the plurality of respective observations; and
controlling, by the computer system, access to at least one of the plurality respective observation and any associated respective opinions, wherein the act of controlling includes;
restricting access by at least one information consumer to at least one of the plurality of respective observations generated by the plurality of users and any of the associated respective opinions; and
permitting access to the at least one information consumer to at least one of the plurality of respective observations generated by the plurality of users and any of the respective opinions regarding the at least one of the plurality of respective observations, the act of permitting access being responsive to receiving payment from the at least one information consumer for access.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided that provides an early indication of consensus of opinion among a number of users regarding an event or observation indicated by a user. Such an opinion may be interesting to an information consumer, who may be interested in determining the outcome of the consensus relating to the event or observation, or may otherwise desire to perform surveillance or survey of a particular issue or subject. Such recognition of early events or observations may be useful in different areas, such as healthcare, finance, etc., where initial observations, if provided early, allow resulting decisions to be made much earlier. The opinion may, for instance, be used as an early indicator of problem with a product, company, etc. that would permit an information consumer to perform an action at a much earlier point than if he/she relied on traditional sources of information. Thus, such opinion information may be invaluable as a tool for monitoring events.
190 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for conducting an online information brokering service, the method comprising acts of:
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permitting, by a computer system, a creation of a plurality of respective observations generated by a plurality of users, the plurality of users including at least content generating users and information consumer users; presenting, by a computer system, at least one of the plurality of respective observations to a plurality of other users; and accepting, by the computer system from at least one of the plurality of other users, a respective opinion of the at least one other user regarding the at least one of the plurality of respective observations; and controlling, by the computer system, access to at least one of the plurality respective observation and any associated respective opinions, wherein the act of controlling includes; restricting access by at least one information consumer to at least one of the plurality of respective observations generated by the plurality of users and any of the associated respective opinions; and permitting access to the at least one information consumer to at least one of the plurality of respective observations generated by the plurality of users and any of the respective opinions regarding the at least one of the plurality of respective observations, the act of permitting access being responsive to receiving payment from the at least one information consumer for access. - 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)
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25. A system for conducting an online information service, the system comprising:
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at least one processor operatively connected to a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute system components from the memory; a generation component configured to permit a creation of at least one respective observation generated by at least one respective user from a plurality of users, wherein the plurality of users include at least content generating users and information consumer users; a display component configured to display to at least one other user the at least one observation; a collection component configured to accept an opinion of the at least one other user regarding the at least one observation submitted by the at least one user; and a control component configured to control access to at least one of the at least one observation generated by the at least one user and any collected opinions regarding the at least one observation, wherein the control component is further configured to; restrict access by at least one information consumer to at least one of the at least one observation generated by the at least one user and any of the collected opinions regarding the at least one observation; and permit access by the at least one information consumer to at least one of the at least one observation generated by the at least one user and any of the collected opinions in response to receiving payment from the at least one information consumer for access.
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Specification