Content System

• US 20070282874A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rapid Replay Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rapid Intelligence Pty Limited
• Inventors: Metcalfe, Luke
• Application Number:
  US10/568,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A method of controlling the presentation of content instances using a processing system. The method involves causing the processing system to present one or more content instances to the user in accordance with a content network. The processing system then determines one or more responses provided by the user in response to the presentation of the content instance, before using the responses to evaluate the content in accordance with predetermined criteria. Following the evaluation the processing system modifies the content network to thereby vary the content presented in future.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the presentation of content, the method including, in a processing system:

(a) presenting content to a user in accordance with a content definition, the content definition including a number of parameters used to define the content to be presented; and

,

(b) causing the content definition to be modified to thereby selectively modify content to be presented, the content definition being modified by modifying the parameters in accordance with weightings, the weightings being indicative of the ability of content defined by the parameters to meet predetermined objectives.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the content definition includes at least one of:

(a) a content network; and

,

(b) a content indication.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes:

(a) determining if a respective modification results in the respective content being more successful at meeting predefined objectives; and

,

(b) increasing the frequency of presentation of the respective content in response to a successful determination.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the content definition includes a content network having a number of nodes interconnected via a number of links, the links being used to define the content to be presented, and wherein the method includes modifying the content definition by modifying weightings associated with at least one the links.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes presenting content in accordance with input commands from the user, the commands including an indication of the selection of content to be presented.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes modifying the content definition at least one of:

(a) randomly;

(b) in accordance with user responses; and

,

(c) so as to increase the likelihood of the presented content meeting predefined objectives.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes iteratively modifying the content presented over time.

6. (canceled)

9. A system for controlling the presentation of content, the system including a processing system for:

(a) Presenting content to a user in accordance with a content definition, the content definition including a number of parameters used to define the content to be presented; and

,

(b) Selectively modifying the content definition to thereby selectively modify content to be presented, the content definition being modified by modifying the parameters in accordance with weightings, the weightings being indicative of the ability of content defined by the parameters to meet predetermined objectives.

10. (canceled)

11. A method of controlling the presentation of content instances using a processing system, the method including causing the processing system to:

(a) present at least one of the content instances to the user in accordance with a content network, the content network including;

(i) a plurality of nodes, each node being associated with at least one of the content instances;

(ii) a plurality of links for interconnecting the plurality of nodes to define sequences of content instances; and

,

(b) determine at least one responses provided by the user in response to the presentation of the at least one of the content instances;

(c) evaluate at least one responses in accordance with predetermined criteria to thereby determine the ability of the at least one presented content instances to satisfy predefined objectives; and

,

(d) modify the content network in accordance with the results of the evaluation.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the predefined objectives include the effectiveness of a content instance sequence at retaining a user'"'"'s interest, and wherein the method includes at least one of:

(a) repeatedly modifying the content network such that content instances that are determined to be more able to satisfy the predetermined objectives are presented; and

,

(b) modifying the content network iteratively to thereby optimise the content network such that the ability of the content network to satisfy the predetermined objectives is improved.

15. A method according to claim 11, each node including an indication of a presentation instance, each presentation instance being associated with at least one content instances, and each content instance being associated with a number of presentation instances, the content network including a weighting associated with each link, and the method including causing the processing system, to modify the content network by modifying the weightings in accordance with the at least one response.

23. A method according to claim 11, the method including causing the processing system to modify the content network by modifying the links, the modifications including at least one of:

(a) removing a respective link;

(b) creating a new link; and

(c) moving a link from one presentation instance to another presentation instance.

24. A method according to claim 23, each link having a weighting and the method including causing the processing system to compare at least one of the weightings to a predetermined threshold and perform the modification in accordance with the results of the comparison.

26. A method according to claim 24, the method including causing the processing system to:

(a) create a new link if at least one of;

(i) the weighting of at least one existing link is below a lower threshold;

(ii) the weighting of at least one existing link is above an upper threshold; and

(iii) a rating of at least one content instance is below a lower threshold;

(iv) a rating of at least one presentation instance is below a lower threshold;

(v) a rating of at least one content instance is above an upper threshold; and

,

(vi) a rating if at least one presentation instance is above an upper threshold; and

,

(b) remove a link if at least one of;

(i) the weighting of the link is below a lower threshold; and

,

(ii) a presentation instance to which the link is associated is removed.

28. A method according to claim 11, the method including causing the processing system, to update the content network by:

(a) determining at least one new presentation instance in accordance with ratings associated with at least one of;

(i) at least one content instance; and

(ii) at least one presentation instance; and

,

(b) creating at least one links associated with each new presentation instance, each link linking each new presentation instance to at least one existing or new presentation instances.

36. A method according to claim 11, the method of including causing the processing system to:

(a) evaluate each response in accordance with predetermined criteria;

(b) determine a rating modification in accordance with the results of the evaluation; and

,

(c) apply the rating modification to a rating associated with at least one of;

(i) a content instance;

(ii) a presentation instance;

(iii) a link; and

(iv) a content instance combination.

39. A method according to claim 11, the method including causing the processing system to determines from at least one response, at least one of:

(a) a rating provided in response to the presentation of at least one content instance, the rating being provided by the user;

(b) an indication of the length of time the user spent observing at least one content instance;

(c) an indication of whether the presentation of at least one content instance to the user caused by a predetermined event.

41. A method according to claim 11, the processing system being coupled to an end station via a communication network, the method including the processing system to:

(a) transfer at least one content instance to be presented to the end of the station via the communications network, the end station being adapted to present at least one content instance to the user; and

(b) receive at least one response generated by the end station via the communications network.

13-14. -14. (canceled)

16-18. -18. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

31-35. -35. (canceled)

37-38. -38. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

42-43. -43. (canceled)

44. Apparatus for controlling the presentation of the content instances, the apparatus including a processing system adapted to:

(a) present at least one of the content instances to the user in accordance with a content network, the content network including;

(i) a plurality of nodes, each node being associated with at least one of the content instances;

(ii) a plurality of links for interconnecting the plurality of nodes to define sequences of content instances; and

,

(b) determine at least one response provided by the user in response to the presentation of the at least one of the content instances;

(c) evaluate the at least one response in accordance with predetermined criteria to thereby determine the ability of the at least one presented content instance to satisfy predefined objectives; and

,

(d) modify the content network in accordance with the results of the evaluation.

45-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A method of controlling the presentation of content to a user using a processing system, the method including causing the processing system to:

(a) receive a content indication representing content to be displayed;

(b) present the content in accordance with the content indication; and

,

(c) selectively distribute the content indication to at least one of;

(i) other processing systems; and

,

(ii) other users; and

,

(d) selectively modify the content indication in accordance with predetermined mutation rules prior to at least one of;

(i) presenting the content; and

,

(ii) distributing the content.

50. A method according to claim 49, the content indication being at least one of:

(a) the content, the method including selectively modifying the content indication by modifying the content; and

,

(b) a content specification defining the content to be presented, the method including selectively modifying the content indication by modifying the content specification to there by modify the content presented.

55. A method according to claim 49, the content being a content collection, the content collection including at least one content instances.

60. A method according to claim 49, the content being in the form of a web-page, the content indication being a URL, the method including causing the processing system to:

(a) modify the URL; and

,

(b) using a re-direct process to present a web-page in accordance with modified URL.

61. A method according to claim 49, the method of modifying the content indication including;

(a) transferring the content indication to the processing system using a form; and

(b) causing the processing system to;

(i) receive the form;

(ii) modify the content indication; and

,

(iii) distribute the modified content indication.

63. A method according to claim 49, the mutation rules defining at least one of:

(a) whether the content indication is to be modified; and

,

(b) the nature of any modification to be performed.

64. A method according to claim 49, the method including causing the processing system to determine the mutation rules from at least one of:

(a) a store coupled to the processing system; and

,

(b) the content indication.

65. A method according to claim 49, the mutation rules being used to modify parameters associated with the content indication at least one of:

(a) randomly;

(b) by selecting alternative parameters from a predetermined list;

(c) in accordance with input commands received from a user; and

,

(d) by modifying the parameters in accordance with predetermined rules.

66. A method according to claim 49, the method including causing the processing system to:

(a) maintain a log, the log indicating previous presentation of the respective content, the content log being maintained in at least one of;

(i) a store; and

(ii) the content specification; and

,

(b) modify the content indication in accordance with the respective log.

69. A method according to claim 49, the processing system including a base station coupled to at least one of end stations via a communication network, the method including:

(a) causing the end station to;

(i) receive the content indication from another end station; and

,

(ii) transfer at least a portion of the content indication;

(b) causing the base station to;

(i) receive the content indication portion from the end station;

(ii) determine the content for presentation in accordance with the content indication portion;

(iii) transfer the selected content to the end station via the communications network; and

,

(c) causing the end station to display the selected content.

74. A method according to claim 49, the method including causing the processing system to:

(a) receive input commands from a user; and

,

(b) define a user defined content indication in accordance with input commands, the user defined content indication being adapted to cause content selected by the user to be presented.

79. A method according to claim 49, the content including web pages, the web pages having at least one links to other web pages, the method including modifying the content by modifying the links based on the number of times each page is viewed.

51-54. -54. (canceled)

56. The content instances including at least one of:

(a) images;

(b) textual information;

(c) audio information;

(d) executable code;

(e) display code;

(f) data objects;

(g) links to other content; and

,

(h) multimedia objects.

57. A method according to claim 56, the method including causing the processing system to present the content instances in accordance with a template, the template being determined in accordance with the content indication.

58-59. -59. (canceled)

62. (canceled)

67-68. -68. (canceled)

70-73. -73. (canceled)

75-76. -76. (canceled)

78. (canceled)

80-82. -82. (canceled)

83. Apparatus for controlling the presentation of content to a user, the apparatus including a processing system adapted to:

(a) receive a content indication representing content to be displayed;

(b) present the content in accordance with the content indication; and

(c) selectively distributing the content indication to at least one of;

(i) other processing systems; and

,

(ii) other users;

(d) selectively modify the content indication in accordance with predetermined mutation rules prior to at least one of;

(i) presenting the content; and

,

(ii) distributing the content.

84-91. -91. (canceled)