Message distribution system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a networked computer system that passes messages between source devices and destination devices based on source selections made by users of the destination devices, a method of providing a destination user datastream to the destination user'"'"'s device, comprising:
- a. monitoring and identifying, with the networked computing system, a first information contribution of first content provided by a first content source during a first time period that contributed to the destination user datastream;
b. monitoring and identifying, with the networked computing system, a second information contribution of second content provided by a second content source that contributed to the destination user datastream during said first time period; and
c. comparing said first content source to said second content source as candidate source selections for the destination user by comparing their respective content outputs at least during an information comparison time window, including by calculating an amount of content overlap between said first information contribution from said first content source and said second information contribution from the second source;
d. causing the networked computing system to select from said candidate source selections and control the destination user datastream to include data from only one of the first content source and the second content source during a second time period after the first time period when said amount of content overlap measured in step (c) between the first information contribution and the second information contribution exceeds a first threshold.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A networked computer system passes messages between source devices and destination devices based on source selections made by users of the destination devices. The source selections are based on taking into content contributed by the users. Overlap and duplication of content can be reduced in a datastream to enhance a user experience.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. In a networked computer system that passes messages between source devices and destination devices based on source selections made by users of the destination devices, a method of providing a destination user datastream to the destination user'"'"'s device, comprising:
-
a. monitoring and identifying, with the networked computing system, a first information contribution of first content provided by a first content source during a first time period that contributed to the destination user datastream; b. monitoring and identifying, with the networked computing system, a second information contribution of second content provided by a second content source that contributed to the destination user datastream during said first time period; and c. comparing said first content source to said second content source as candidate source selections for the destination user by comparing their respective content outputs at least during an information comparison time window, including by calculating an amount of content overlap between said first information contribution from said first content source and said second information contribution from the second source; d. causing the networked computing system to select from said candidate source selections and control the destination user datastream to include data from only one of the first content source and the second content source during a second time period after the first time period when said amount of content overlap measured in step (c) between the first information contribution and the second information contribution exceeds a first threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of providing a user datastream over an online network with a networked computing system comprising:
-
a. identifying an information contribution provided by each of a plurality of content contributing entities with the networked computing system with respect to a first topic during a first time window; wherein a plurality of individual information contribution values are determined for the plurality of separate content contributing entities; b. comparing each of said plurality of separate content contributing entities to each other based on their individual information contribution value for said first topic; c. identifying a first topic coverage value to be achieved by content contributing entities for said first topic in the user datastream; d. selecting with the networked computing system an optimized subset of one or more of such entities from the plurality of content contribution entities which achieve said first topic coverage value for inclusion as sources to be published within the user datastream for said first topic; e. wherein the optimized set is determined with the networked computing system by removing a first subset of the plurality of content contributing entities which duplicate at least a first calculated amount of content contributed by the optimized set. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. In connection with a messaging computing system wherein a plurality of sources generate messages and a plurality of destinations obtain the messages, the messages being electronically represented and conveyed between source devices and destination devices based on electronically stored destination user subscription lists indicating which sources are provided to a destination user, thus forming a user datastream, a method of recommending sources to the destination user for inclusion as content contributors for the datastream, comprising:
-
a. identifying, with the messaging computing system, an information contribution provided on a first topic by each of a subscribed set of sources selected by the destination user; b. calculating with the messaging computing system a first topic coverage value achieved by said subscribed set of sources for said first topic in the datastream; c. in response to a destination user indication of an interest in altering the subscribed set, obtaining an indication of an additional content source associated with publishing content on said first topic; d. comparing with the messaging computing system content of messages from the content sources of the subscribed set directed to said first topic to content of messages associated with the additional content source directed to said first topic; and e. calculating with the messaging computing system a change in said first topic coverage value achieved by including said additional content source as part of said subscribed set of sources for said first topic in the datastream; f. recommending to the destination user, with the messaging computing system, that the additional content source be included or excluded from the subscribed set based on said change value measured in step (e). - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. In connection with a messaging system wherein a plurality of sources generate messages and a plurality of destinations obtain the messages, the messages being electronically represented and conveyed between source devices and destination devices based on electronically stored destination user subscription lists indicating which sources are provided to a destination user, thus forming a user datastream, a method of recommending sources to the destination user for inclusion as content contributors for the datastream, comprising:
-
a. identifying, with the messaging system, an information contribution provided by each of a subscribed set of sources selected by the destination user; b. in response to a destination user indication of an interest in altering the subscribed set, obtaining an indication of an additional first content source; c. comparing content of messages from the content sources of the subscribed set to content of messages associated with the additional first content source; and d. recommending to the destination user, with the messaging system, that the additional first content source be included or excluded from the subscribed set based on a measured overlap in information content between the messages of the additional first content source and the messages of the subscribed set; e. automatically and separately from step (b) recommending entities periodically to said destination user for inclusion as additional second content sources for a first topic in the datastream based on; i. automatically identifying with the networked computing system an information contribution for said first topic provided by each of a first topic base set of content contributing entities selected by the destination user in a white list for such first topic; ii. in response to a destination user request for suggestions for an additional second content contributing entity for inclusion on said white list for said first topic, automatically comparing content of said first topic base set of content contributing entities with a plurality of candidate additional second content contributing entities; f. automatically recommending to said user with the networked computing system that one or more of said plurality of candidate additional second content contributing entities be included or excluded from said white list for such topic; g. wherein step (f) is based on a measured overlap in information content between said first topic base set of content contributing entities on said white list and said one or more of said plurality of additional second candidate content contributing entities.
-
Specification