System and method for group choice making

• US 6,457,045 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MetricStream, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zaplet, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Axe, Brian, Hanson, Michael, Miller, Graham, Evans, Steven Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/483,361
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/222, 709/206, 709/224, 709/230, 705/10, 705/14, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A method and system are described that can be used to support making choices, such as in a schedule, invitation, or poll, among a group of participants connected to a network. A participant creates an electronic form specifying the subject matter of a choice topic and a list of network addresses corresponding to other choosing participants. A server receives the form and includes resources for delivering an electronic mail message associated with an electronic medium providing various choices. When the participant opens the message, an electronic medium is produced by the server that includes static and dynamic regions. The participant can input a choice using an interaction region. The dynamic regions are asynchronously updated in the server and indicate the current content of the electronic medium that can be accessed by other participants in the group.

Claims

1. A network system for making choices among a group of participants, comprising:

a server having an associated database and adapted to be used in the network,

means in the server for generating and sending an electronic message to the participants,

means in the server for generating an electronic medium stored in the database and associated with the electronic message to at least one of the participants in response to a first open action of the electronic message by the at least one participant, the electronic medium containing choices to be selected and all then-current updates received at the server from any other participants;

an interface in the electronic medium for communicating input from the participants to the electronic medium in the server, the input being associated with the choices;

a plurality of dynamic content regions in the electronic medium, each of the dynamic content regions having dynamic content associated therewith in the database; and

logic in communication with the database to asynchronously dynamically update the electronic medium in the database in response to said input and to dynamically retrieve the dynamic content of the electronic medium stored in the database including all then-current updates in response to said input, each of the dynamic content regions being updated with the dynamic content and the dynamic content including one of the selected choices and the input from the participants.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein the choices comprise one of schedule, poll, survey, election, RSVP, task allocation, wish list, donation confirmation, approval, recruitment vote, group seating selection, game next move selection, sporting event pool, payment authorization, purchase selection, and purchase authorization.

3. The network system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic content comprises graphics representative of the selected choices.

4. The network system of claim 3, wherein the graphics comprise one of a pie chart, a bar graph, line graph, histogram, table, thermometer indicator, shopping basket, venue seating chart, game board, and text.

5. The network system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic content comprises concatenated text corresponding to the input from the participants.

6. The network system of claim 1, further comprising an external source in data communication with the server, the external source delivering data to the dynamic content regions.

7. The network system of claim 1, wherein the electronic medium further comprises a forwarding region, the forwarding region being enabled to increase the number of the participants.

8. The network system of claim 1, wherein the electronic medium is adapted for use with an electronic mail protocol.

9. The network system of claim 1, wherein the network system is adapted to support one of an Internet and an electronic mail protocol.

10. The network system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to send the electronic message after receiving an electronic form.

11. The network system of claim 1, wherein the electronic form includes a list of the choices and network addresses for each of the selected participants.

12. The network system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to send a then current dynamic content from the database in response to a second open action.

13. A method for making choices among a group of participants, comprising:

generating an electronic form having a plurality of network addresses associated with the participants, and specifying one or more choices to be selected;

receiving the electronic form at a server,

sending an electronic message to at least one of the participants from the server and associated with the electronic form;

in response to an open action by the at least one participant, sending to the at least one participant, from an electronic medium associated with the electronic form and the electronic message and having dynamic content regions in response to the open action stored in the server and including all updates thereto, the electronic medium being stored in the server, the then current dynamic content representative of the selected choices;

receiving one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the choices by any of the participants; and

asynchronously dynamically updating and dynamically retrieving the selected choices from the server based on the one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the choices by any of the participants.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the updated dynamic content stored in the server in response to another open action by any of the participants.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the choices comprise one of schedule, poll, survey, election, RSVP, task allocation, wish list, donation confirmation, approval, recruitment vote, group seating selection, game next move selection, sporting event pool, payment authorization, or purchase authorization.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the updating step further comprises displaying graphics representative of the selected choices in one of the dynamic content regions.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the updating step further comprises aggregating the input from any of the participants in one of the dynamic content regions.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic medium further comprises a forwarding region and the method further comprises enabling the forwarding region to increase the number of participants.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the dynamic content regions with data from an external source in data communication with the server.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring the server to support one of an electronic mail and an Internet protocol.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

22. A method for scheduling an event among a group of participants, comprising:

generating an electronic form having a plurality of network addresses associated with the participants, and specifying one or more schedule choices to be selected;

receiving the electronic form at a server,

sending an electronic message to at least one of the participants from the server and associated with the electronic form;

in response to an open action by the at least one participant, sending to the at least one participant, from an electronic medium associated with the electronic form and the electronic message and having dynamic content regions in response to the open action stored in the server and including all updates thereto, the electronic medium being stored in the server, the then current dynamic content representative of the schedule choices selected by any of the participants;

receiving one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the choices by any of the participants; and

asynchronously dynamically updating and dynamically retrieving the selected schedule choices from the server based on the one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the schedule choices by any of the participants.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the generating step further comprises inputting a description of the scheduled event into the electronic form.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the updating step further comprises updating the dynamic content regions to include graphics representative of the selected schedule choices.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the electronic medium further comprises an electronic medium and the updating step further comprises accepting the input at the server from the interface and updating the dynamic content to reflect the input.

26. A method for polling among a group of participants, comprising:

generating an electronic form having a plurality of network addresses associated with the participants, and specifying one or more poll choices to be selected;

receiving the electronic form at a server,

sending an electronic message to at least one of the participants from the server and associated with the electronic form;

in response to an open action by the at least one participant, sending to the at least one participant, from an electronic medium associated with the electronic form and the electronic message and having dynamic content regions in response to the open action stored in the server and including all updates thereto, the electronic medium being stored in the server, the then current dynamic content representative of the poll choices selected by any of the participants;

receiving one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the choices by any of the participants; and

asynchronously dynamically updating and dynamically retrieving the selected schedule choices from the server based on the one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the poll choices by any of the participants.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the generating step further comprises inputting a description of the poll into the electronic form.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the updating step further comprises updating the dynamic content regions to include graphics representative of the selected poll choices.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the electronic medium further comprises an electronic medium and the updating step further comprises accepting the input at the server from the interface and updating the dynamic content to reflect the input.

30. A method for inviting a group of participants to an event, comprising:

generating an electronic form having a plurality of network addresses associated with the participants invited to the event, and specifying one or more invitation choices to be selected;

receiving the electronic form at a server,

sending an electronic message to at least one of the participants from the server and associated with the electronic form;

in response to an open action by the at least one participant, sending to the at least one participant, from an electronic medium associated with the electronic form and the electronic message and having dynamic content regions in response to the open action stored in the server and including all updates thereto, the electronic medium being stored in the server, the then current dynamic content representative of the invitation choices selected by any of the invited participants;

receiving one of input from any of the participants and a selection of one of the choices by any of the participants; and

asynchronously dynamically updating and dynamically retrieving the selected invitation choices from the server based on the one of input from any of the invited participants and a selection of one of the invitation choices by any of the invited participants.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the electronic form further comprises a plurality of items to be selected from a list.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the electronic medium is configured with the plurality of items and at least one of the dynamic content regions is updated to reflect any of the items selected by any of the participants.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the list of items is reduced when any of the items is selected by the invited participants.

34. An apparatus for facilitating choice making by participants, comprising:

a data store comprising one or more stored electronic media, each electronic medium associated with an electronic message, each electronic medium having one or more dynamic content elements associated therewith and stored in the data store, each electronic medium comprising one or more choices for selection;

a processor that is communicatively coupled to the data store; and

a memory that is communicatively coupled to the data store and comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

generating and sending a first electronic message to one or more selected participants;

asynchronously receiving, from one or more of the selected participants, one or more selections of choices in the first electronic message;

dynamically updating one of the dynamic content elements of an electronic medium that is stored in the data store and associated with the first electronic message based on the one or more selections;

receiving information specifying a first open action from any other participant among the selected participants;

providing the dynamic content elements from the electronic medium, including all then current updates, to the other participant for display in association with the first electronic message.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the choices in the electronic medium comprise one of a schedule, a poll, a survey, an election, a response to an invitation, a task allocation, a recruitment vote, a payment authorization, a purchase selection, and a purchase authorization.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of generating, as part of the first electronic message, a virtual image identifier, and one or more instructions that map the virtual image identifier to the dynamic content.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of generating, as part of the first electronic message, a tag associated with a universal resource locator that identifies a location of the dynamic content.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein the tag comprises an IFRAME tag or an ILAYER tag.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:

asynchronously receiving one or more second choices from a data source that is external to the data store and the processor;

dynamically updating one of the dynamic content elements of the electronic medium based on the one or more second choices.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein each electronic medium further comprises one or more static content regions that define associated static content stored in the data store.

41. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the step of receiving information specifying a first open action from a first participant among the selected participants comprises the step of receiving a request from an electronic mail client application program requesting to open the electronic message.

42. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the first electronic message comprises one or more instructions in hypertext markup language (HTML).

43. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the first electronic message comprises a name field that identifies network addresses of the selected participants;

a subject field that identifies a subject of the electronic message;

a plurality of static content elements; and

a plurality of dynamic content elements.

44. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the first electronic message comprises a transport envelope, a plurality of static content regions;

a plurality of dynamic content regions; and

a plurality of MIME elements that delimit the static content regions and dynamic content regions.

45. An apparatus as recited in claim 44, wherein each dynamic content region is defined by an IFRAME HTML tag or an ILAYER HTML tag.

46. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a network, the apparatus further comprising:

a second processor that is communicatively coupled to the network and associated with one of the selected participants; and

a second memory that is communicatively coupled to the second processor and comprising one or more second sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving the first electronic message as an HTML electronic mail message;

parsing and displaying one or more static content elements of the electronic mail message;

issuing one or more HTTP GET requests to retrieve the dynamic content elements from the data store, including the then-current choices;

displaying the dynamic content elements and then-current choices.

47. An apparatus for facilitating choice making by participants, comprising:

means for storing one or more electronic media, each electronic medium having one or more dynamic content elements associated therewith and stored in the data store, each electronic medium comprising one or more choices for selection;

means communicatively coupled to the data store for generating and sending a first electronic message associated with one of the electronic media to one or more selected participants, asynchronously receiving one or more choices of the choices for selection, asynchronously dynamically updating one of the dynamic content elements of electronic medium based on the one or more choices, receiving information specifying a first open action from a first participant among the selected participants, and providing the dynamic content elements from the electronic medium, including all then current choices, to the first participant for display in association with the first electronic message.

48. A computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions for facilitating choice making by participants, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

creating and storing one or more electronic media, each electronic medium having one or more dynamic content elements associated therewith and stored in the data store, each electronic medium comprising one or more choices for selection;

generating and sending a first electronic message to one or more selected participants;

asynchronously receiving, from one or more of the selected participants, one or more selections of choices in the first electronic message;

dynamically updating one of the dynamic content elements of the electronic medium based on the one or more selections;

receiving information specifying a first open action from a first participant among the selected participants;

providing the dynamic content elements, including all then current updates, to the first participant for display in association with the first electronic message.