Pseudonaming anonymous participants

• US 9,135,356 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Schleifer, Jason E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US12/630,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 715/758, 715/753, 715/733, 715/751
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed herein for assigning familiar pseudonames to anonymous user members in a shared online environment. Creation of a name pool is provided for using a programmed processor disposed in a computing device. The name pool includes familiar names that may be contextually relevant to a group of user members in the shared online environment. A name from the name pool is provided for assignment to an anonymous user member in the shared online environment, where assignment of the name is, at least in part, based on characteristics of the anonymous user member relative to the shared online environment.

Claims

1. A method, implemented at least in part via a processing unit, comprising:

automatically selecting a contextually relevant name pool from a database comprising a plurality of name pools based upon a characteristic of an online environment;

automatically assigning a contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to a member of the online environment based upon a developed characteristic of the member relative to the online environment, the developed characteristic of the member developed based upon a discussion associated with the member relative to the online environment; and

automatically assigning a second contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to a second member of the online environment based upon a second developed characteristic of the second member relative to the online environment, the second developed characteristic of the second member developed based upon a second discussion associated with the second member relative to the online environment.

2. The method of claim 1, the automatically assigning a second contextually relevant name comprising assigning the second contextually relevant name based upon a third developed characteristic of the second member relative to the online environment.

3. The method of claim 2, the third developed characteristic of the second member developed based upon a third discussion associated with the second member.

4. The method of claim 1, the automatically assigning a contextually relevant name comprising assigning the contextually relevant name to the member when the member is anonymous in the online environment.

5. The method of claim 1, the selected name pool comprising a plurality of names.

6. The method of claim 1, the automatically assigning a second contextually relevant name comprising assigning the second contextually relevant name to the second member when the second member is anonymous in the online environment.

7. The method of claim 1, the automatically assigning a contextually relevant name comprising assigning the contextually relevant name to the member based upon a rank of the contextually relevant name and an order of an entrance of the member to the online environment.

8. The method of claim 1, the online environment comprising a shared online environment.

9. A system, implemented at least in part via a processing unit, comprising:

a selection component configured to automatically select a contextually relevant name pool from a plurality of name pools based upon a characteristic of an online environment; and

an assignment component configured to;

automatically assign a contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to a member of the online environment based upon a developed characteristic of the member relative to the online environment, the developed characteristic of the member developed based upon a discussion associated with the member relative to the online environment; and

automatically assign a second contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to a second member of the online environment based upon a second developed characteristic of the second member relative to the online environment, the second developed characteristic of the second member developed based upon a second discussion associated with the second member relative to the online environment.

10. The system of claim 9, the assignment component configured to automatically assign the second contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to the second member of the online environment based upon a third developed characteristic of the second member relative to the online environment.

11. The system of claim 10, the third developed characteristic of the second member developed based upon a third discussion associated with the second member.

12. The system of claim 9, the assignment component configured to automatically assign the contextually relevant name to the member when the member is anonymous in the online environment.

13. The system of claim 9, the selected name pool comprising a plurality of names.

14. The system of claim 9, the assignment component configured to automatically assign the contextually relevant name to the member based upon a rank of the contextually relevant name and an order of an entrance of the member to the online environment.

15. The system of claim 9, the online environment comprising a shared online environment.

16. The system of claim 9, the online environment comprising a shared online collaboration environment.

17. A method, implemented at least in part via a processing unit, comprising:

selecting a contextually relevant name pool comprising a plurality of names from a plurality of name pools based upon a characteristic of an online environment;

assigning a contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to a member of the online environment based upon a developed characteristic of the member relative to the online environment, the developed characteristic of the member developed based upon a discussion associated with the member relative to the online environment; and

assigning a second contextually relevant name from the selected name pool to a second member of the online environment based upon a second developed characteristic of the second member relative to the online environment, the second developed characteristic of the second member developed based upon a second discussion associated with the second member relative to the online environment, the online environment comprising a shared online environment.

18. The method of claim 17, the assigning a second contextually relevant name comprising assigning the second contextually relevant name based upon a third developed characteristic of the second member relative to the online environment.

19. The method of claim 18, the third developed characteristic of the second member developed based upon a third discussion associated with the second member.

20. The method of claim 17, the assigning a contextually relevant name comprising assigning the contextually relevant name to the member automatically when the member is anonymous in the online environment.