Social news gathering, prioritizing, tagging, searching and syndication

• US 8,719,176 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Search and Social Media Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Search and Social Media Partners LLC
• Inventors: Harrison, Jr., Shelton E.
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/583,109
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A “URLIT” identifier is assigned to a URL and embedded in an HTML document located at the URL. Transactions are conducted through a Universal Toolbar Utility. A search method allows user-definition of search algorithms and includes a ranking method that assigns relevancy scores to documents by polling users. A user-generated news service allows users to syndicate news. A user-generated resource allows users to create, approve and disapprove of submissions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, said computer-implemented method comprising the following:

providing for receiving at a first computer, via a computer network, first information, said first information comprising at least (i) first user account information, (ii) first word or phrase information, or (iii) first approval or disapproval information;

providing for storing at least some of said first information in a first database;

providing for associating a first item with a first status, said first item comprising or relating to said first information;

providing for associating a second item with said first status;

providing for determining a first measure of community approval, said providing for determining said first measure of community approval comprising at least providing for counting a first plurality of submissions, said first plurality of submissions pertaining to said first item;

providing for comparing said first measure of community approval to a second measure of community approval;

providing for associating said first item with a second status, said second status being different from said first status, the associating said first item with said second status being performed at least partly according to an outcome of said providing for comparing said first measure of community approval to said second measure of community approval;

providing for comparing a third measure of community approval to a fourth measure of community approval;

providing for removing a third item from said second status, the removing said third item from said second status being performed at least partly according to an outcome of said providing for comparing said third measure of community approval to said fourth measure of community approval; and

providing a plurality of real-time newsfeeds or tickers, said plurality of real-time newsfeeds or tickers comprising at least a first real-time newsfeed or ticker, said first real-time newsfeed or ticker comprising at least a first news item, said first news item being related to said first information.

2. The method in claim 1 additionally comprising the following:

providing a first web browser bar function, said providing said first web browser bar function comprising at least one of the following;

(i) providing for at least partly causing display of an alternately expandable and collapsible web browser bar, said alternately expandable and collapsible web browser bar conveying real-time, user-generated content;

(ii) providing for at least partly causing display of first indicia in a web browser bar when a first domain or URL is being requested, said first indicia indicating at least a first real-time quantity that pertains specifically to said first domain or URL; and

(iii) providing for at least partly causing display of said first news item in a web browser bar.

3. The method in claim 1 additionally comprising the following:

providing for recommending a first user to a second user, said providing for recommending said first user to said second user comprising providing for determining that at least one of said first user and said second user matches at least one criterion.

4. The method in claim 1 additionally comprising the following:

providing a first search engine, said providing said first search engine comprising at least receiving a first query and providing at least a first plurality of URLs in response to said first query; and

providing a first financial service, said first financial service being selected from the group consisting of;

(i) processing of a first user-to-user payment;

(ii) processing of a first user-to-user sale;

(iii) processing of a first charitable donation or contribution; and

(iv) indicating of a first financial condition of a user.

5. The method in claim 1 wherein said providing for determining said first measure of community approval additionally comprises the following:

providing for determining whether a first time criterion has been met; and

providing for calculating a first user authority.

6. A computer-implemented method, said computer-implemented method comprising the following:

receiving at a first computer system, via a computer network, first information, said first computer system comprising at least a processor and a memory;

registering a first account;

receiving, via said computer network, second information, said second information indicating or comprising at least a first approval, said first approval pertaining to said first information;

determining, by computer, a first measure of popularity, said first measure of popularity pertaining to said first information and being based at least in part on said second information;

at least partly causing, by computer, display of first indicia, said first indicia indicating said first measure of popularity; and

promoting, by computer, said first information from a first status to a second status, said second status being different from said first status, the promoting said first information from said first status to said second status being performed at least partly according to said first measure of popularity;

wherein;

said first account is associated with at least a first real-time newsfeed or ticker for conveying a plurality of real-time news items, said plurality of real-time news items comprising at least a first news item, said first news item being related to said first account.

7. The method in claim 6 additionally comprising:

receiving, via said computer network, second information;

receiving, via said computer network, a first tag, said first tag identifying at least a topic to which said second information pertains;

associating said second information with said topic;

receiving, via said computer network, a second news item; and

including said second news item in said plurality of real-time news items.

8. The method in claim 6 wherein said first status entails that said first information is in a pending or upcoming status and said second status entails that said first information is in an approved or popular status.

9. The method in claim 6 wherein said second status entails inclusion in a first real-time resource and said first status entails exclusion from said first real-time resource.

10. The method in claim 6 wherein one of said first status and said second status entails that said first information has attained a degree of collective acceptance or popularity and the other of said first status and said second status does not entail.

11. The method in claim 6 wherein the promoting said first information from said first status to said second status is performed also at least partly according to a second measure of popularity, said first measure of popularity being based at least partly on a first plurality of approvals and said second measure of popularity being based at least partly on a second plurality of approvals, wherein one of said first plurality of approvals and said second plurality of approvals comprises at least one approval that the other of said first plurality of approvals and said second plurality of approvals does not comprise.

12. The method in claim 6 wherein said first real-time newsfeed or ticker pertains to a first organization, said first account being associated with said first organization, said first organization being selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a second organization, said second organization pertaining to a religion;

(ii) a third organization, said third organization pertaining to an academic entity; and

(iii) a fourth organization, said fourth organization pertaining to a club; and

wherein the method additionally comprises;

verifying a first organizational status or affiliation.

13. The method in claim 6 additionally comprising:

receiving, from a first phone, a first query;

organizing, by computer, a plurality of results in response to said first query; and

providing, to said phone, at least some of said plurality of results.

14. A system comprising:

a first computer system communicatively coupled to a computer network, said first computer system comprising at least a processor and memory;

a registration component, said registration component being configured for registering a first user or account;

a publication component, said publication component being configured for;

receiving a first submission, said first submission being associated with said first user or account;

determining a first quantity, said first quantity being based at least in part on how many users like said first submission; and

publishing said first submission in a first manner when said first quantity satisfies a first criterion; and

a news feed or ticker component, said news feed or ticker component configured for providing a plurality of real-time news feeds or tickers, said plurality of real-time news feeds or tickers comprising at least a first real-time news feed or ticker, said first real-time news feed or ticker configured for providing a plurality of real-time news items, said plurality of real-time news items comprising at least a first news item, said first news item being related to said first user or account.

15. The system in claim 14 wherein:

said first criterion pertains to attaining a degree of popularity or approval among users; and

said publishing said first submission in said first manner signifies that said first submission has attained a degree of popularity or approval among users.

16. The system in claim 14 additionally comprising:

a security component, said security component being configured for at least one of;

(i) validating at least one of (a) a first resource and (b) a first URL; and

(ii) verifying a first relationship, said first relationship pertaining to at least one of

(a) an affiliation with an organization and (b) a demonstration of access to a second resource.

17. The system in claim 14 wherein said publication component is further configured for at least one of:

(i) determining a first authority, said first authority being based at least partly upon said first quantity; and

(ii) receiving a first comment on said first submission and providing said first comment to at least some users.

18. The system in claim 14 wherein said publication component is further configured for:

(i) receiving a first edit of said first submission; and

(ii) after said receiving said first edit, treating said first submission as an edited submission.

19. The system in claim 14 wherein said publication component is further configured for at least partly causing display of first indicia, said first indicia conveying at least a measure of how popular said first submission is.

20. The system in claim 14 additionally comprising an aggregation component, said said aggregation component being configured for:

requesting, by way of said computer network, and obtaining data from a first plurality of external resources;

determining at least a second quantity, said second quantity being based at least in part on said data; and

providing at least said second quantity.

21. A computer-implemented method, said computer comprising at least a processor and a memory and being connected to a first computer network, said memory comprising at least a first news database for storing a plurality of news submissions, the method comprising:

registering a first user account;

receiving, via said first computer network, a URL and a first term, said first term comprising a word or phrase;

providing, via said first computer network, at least one of said URL and said first term to a community of users;

determining, by computer, a first score, said first score pertaining to at least one of said URL and said first term, said first score being based at least partly on a measurement of popularity; and

at least partly causing, via said first computer network, display of a first real-time news feed or ticker, said first real-time news feed or ticker comprising or conveying a plurality of real-time news items, said plurality of real-time news items comprising at least a first item, said first item relating to said first user account.

22. The method in claim 21 additionally comprising:

providing, via first said computer network, a resource from which are excluded items that have not attained a degree of popularity; and

alternately including a second item in said resource or excluding said second item from said resource, the alternately including or excluding said second item being performed at least partly according to a second score.

23. The method in claim 21 additionally comprising:

at least partly causing, by computer, display of first indicia, said first indicia indicating a quantity that is at least partly based on said measurement of popularity.

24. The method in claim 21 wherein the determining said first score is performed at least partly according to a first freshness criterion or time requirement.

25. The method in claim 21 additionally comprising:

receiving, from a first phone, a first query; and

providing, to said first phone, a first plurality of results in response to said first query, said first plurality of results being arranged according to a first ranking criterion.

26. The method in claim 21 additionally comprising:

at least partly causing, via said first computer network, display of a second term; and

at least partly causing, via said first computer network, display of a first advertisement when at least partly causing display of said second term.

27. A system comprising:

a first computer system connected to a computer network, said first computer system comprising at least a processor and a memory;

a first component, said first component being configured for;

registering a first user account in said memory;

a second component, said second component being configured for;

receiving, by way of said computer network, (i) a URL and (ii) first content, said first content being related to said URL;

providing, by way of said computer network, at least one of said URL and said first content to a first community; and

determining, by computer, a first quantity, said first quantity pertaining to an opinion of said first community, said opinion of said first community pertaining to at least one of said URL and said first content; and

a third component, said third component being configured for;

providing a plurality of real-time news feeds or tickers, said plurality of real-time news feeds or tickers comprising at least a first real-time news feed or ticker, said first real-time news feed or ticker comprising or conveying a plurality of real-time news items, said plurality of real-time news items comprising at least a first news item, said first news item being related to said first user account.

28. The system in claim 27 wherein:

the determining said first quantity comprises at least counting, by computer, a first plurality of submissions received from said first community, said first plurality of submissions comprising at least a first submission, said first submission comprising or indicating a first opinion of a first community member and being selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a positive opinion, or approval; and

(ii) a negative opinion, or disapproval.

29. The system in claim 27 additionally comprising:

a fourth component, said fourth component being configured for;

performing a security check;

a fifth component, said fifth component being configured for;

receiving, from or by way of a first phone, a first request; and

providing a response to said first request;

a sixth component, said sixth component being configured for;

providing a first search engine; and

a seventh component, said seventh component being configured for;

at least partly causing, by computer, display of a first advertisement.

30. The system in claim 27 additionally comprising:

a fourth component, said fourth component being configured for;

changing an item from a first status to a second status, said second status being different from said first status;

a fifth component, said fifth component being configured for;

providing a first search engine; and

a sixth component, said sixth component being configured for;

at least partly causing display of first indicia, said first indicia pertaining to a second quantity, said second quantity pertaining to popularity of an item.