US6807566B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method, article of manufacture and apparatus for processing an electronic message on an electronic message board
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 2000-08-16
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Granted: 2004-10-19
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Expires: 2020-08-16
Abstract
Abstract A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing an electronic message on an electronic message board. In one embodiment, a message rating is established and adjusted for an electronic message to be posted by a first user on the electronic message board. The message rating is adjusted in response to feedback from a second user, where the degree of the rating adjustment is dependent upon a user rating of the second user. In another embodiment, a first user rating is established and adjusted for a first user posting the electronic message on the message board. The first user rating is adjusted in response to feedback from a second user, where the degree of adjustment is dependent upon a second user rating of the second user.
Inventors
- 👤 Cary Lee Bates
- 👤 Gene Richard Cobb
- 👤 Donald H. Hoerle
- 👤 John Matthew Santosuosso
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 03:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/212
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for processing electronic messages on an electronic message board, the method comprising: posting an electronic message from a first user on the electronic message board, the first user having a user rating specific to the first user and applied to determine a weight given to the first user's message rating of electronic messages; upon posting the electronic message to the electronic message board, establishing a message rating for the electronic message based on the user rating of the first user; adjusting the message rating in response to feedback from other users, where the degree of adjustment of the message rating is dependent upon a respective user rating of each of the other users; and adjusting the user rating of the first user in response to feedback from the other users, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating is dependent upon the respective user rating of each of the other users.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for processing electronic messages on an electronic message board, the method comprising: posting an electronic message from a first user on the electronic message board, the first user having a user rating specific to the first user and applied to determine a weight given to the first user's message rating of electronic messages; upon posting the electronic message to the electronic message board, establishing a message rating for the electronic message based on the user rating of the first user; adjusting the message rating in response to feedback from other users, where the degree of adjustment of the message rating is dependent upon a respective user rating of each of the other users; and adjusting the user rating of the first user in response to feedback from the other users, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating is dependent upon the respective user rating of each of the other users.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: including the electronic message on the electronic message board only if the message rating of the electronic message remains above a threshold value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the message rating of the electronic message represents a relevance to a topic of the electronic message board.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a subsequent electronic message posted by the first user on the electronic message board is rated on the basis of the adjusted user rating of the first user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: increasing the message rating of the electronic message if the feedback from the second user is positive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: decreasing the message rating of the electronic message if the feedback is negative from the second user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a degree of adjustment of the message rating is related to the user rating of the second user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: adjusting the message rating of the electronic message according to content of the electronic message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 8 wherein message rating of the electronic message is increased if content of the electronic message is considered important with respect to a topic of the electronic message board.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the content of the electronic message is important if the number of keywords in the electronic mail message exceeds a threshold number, where the keywords are related to the topic of the electronic message board.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: adjusting the message rating of the electronic message according to a number of words contained in the electronic message.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the message rating of the electronic message is increased if the number of words contained in the electronic message exceeds a threshold number.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: establishing the user rating of the first user upon posting the electronic message to the electronic message broad, wherein the user rating of the first user is established at a higher level if an electronic mail identifier of the first user is viewable by the other users viewing the electronic message on the electronic message board.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: increasing the first user rating of the first user if the feedback is positive.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: decreasing the first user rating of the first user if the feedback is negative.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first user rating is adjusted upwards if a user has elected to view the electronic message posted by the first user.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: decreasing the first user rating of the first user if a user has specifically excluded viewing the electronic message posted by the first user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: increasing the first user rating of the first user if the electronic message from the first user that is posted on the message board is posted on a different message board.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing an initial user rating of a first user, the initial user rating being independent of feedback from other users.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for processing an electronic message on an electronic message board, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing an electronic message board program; and a processor coupled to the memory, for performing a method upon executing the electronic message board program retrieved from the memory, the method comprising: receiving the electronic message from a client computer of a first user via a network, the first user having a user rating specific to the first user and applied to determine the weight given to the first user's message rating of electronic messages; upon receiving the electronic message from the client computer: (i) posting the electronic message to the electronic message board; and (ii) establishing a message rating for the electronic message on the basis of the user rating of the first user; adjusting the message rating in response to feedback from other users, where the degree of adjustment of the message rating is dependent upon a respective user rating of each of the other users; and adjusting the user rating of the first user in response to feedback from the other users, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating is dependent upon the respective user rating of each of the other users.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for processing an electronic message on an electronic message board, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing an electronic message board program; and a processor coupled to the memory, for performing a method upon executing the electronic message board program retrieved from the memory, the method comprising: receiving the electronic message from a client computer of a first user via a network, the first user having a user rating specific to the first user and applied to determine the weight given to the first user's message rating of electronic messages; upon receiving the electronic message from the client computer: (i) posting the electronic message to the electronic message board; and (ii) establishing a message rating for the electronic message on the basis of the user rating of the first user; adjusting the message rating in response to feedback from other users, where the degree of adjustment of the message rating is dependent upon a respective user rating of each of the other users; and adjusting the user rating of the first user in response to feedback from the other users, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating is dependent upon the respective user rating of each of the other users.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising: a display device, coupled to the processor, displaying the message rating with the electronic message on the electronic message board.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 21 where the displaying occurs if the message rating of the electronic message remains above a threshold value.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the degree of adjustment of the message rating is proportionally related to the respective user rating of the other user.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first user and the other users each utilize a client computer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
172 words
A computer readable medium storing a software program that, when executed by a computer, causes a processor to perform a method comprising: upon receiving an electronic message from a first user to be posted on an electronic message board: (i) posting the electronic message from the first user on the electronic message board, the first user having a user rating specific to the first user and applied to determine the weight given to the first user's message rating of electronic messages; and (ii) establishing a message rating for the electronic message based on the user rating of the first user; adjusting the message rating in response to feedback from other users, where the degree of adjustment of the message rating is dependent upon a respective user rating of each of the other users; and adjusting the user rating of the first user in response to feedback from the other users, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating is dependent upon the respective user rating of each of the other users.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
172 words
A computer readable medium storing a software program that, when executed by a computer, causes a processor to perform a method comprising: upon receiving an electronic message from a first user to be posted on an electronic message board: (i) posting the electronic message from the first user on the electronic message board, the first user having a user rating specific to the first user and applied to determine the weight given to the first user's message rating of electronic messages; and (ii) establishing a message rating for the electronic message based on the user rating of the first user; adjusting the message rating in response to feedback from other users, where the degree of adjustment of the message rating is dependent upon a respective user rating of each of the other users; and adjusting the user rating of the first user in response to feedback from the other users, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating is dependent upon the respective user rating of each of the other users.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the method further comprises: including the electronic message on the electronic message board only if the message rating of the electronic message remains above a threshold value.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the message rating of the electronic message represents a relevance to a topic of the electronic message board.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the user rating of the first user is utilized to establish the message rating.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer readable medium of claim 28 wherein the user rating of the first user is adjusted in response to feedback from the second user, where the degree of adjustment of the user rating of the first user is dependent upon the user rating of the second user.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: increasing the message rating of the electronic message if the feedback from the second user is positive.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the step of adjusting comprises: decreasing the message rating of the electronic message if the feedback is negative from the second user.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein a degree of adjustment of the message rating is related to the user rating of the second user.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the method further comprises: adjusting the message rating of the electronic message according to content of the electronic message.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein message rating of the electronic message is increased if content of the electronic message is considered important with respect to a topic of the electronic message board.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer readable medium of claim 34 wherein the content of the electronic message is important if the number of keywords in the electronic mail message exceeds a threshold number, where the keywords are related to the topic of the electronic message board.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 further comprising: adjusting the message rating of the electronic message according to a number of words contained in the electronic message.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer readable medium of claim 36 wherein the message rating of the electronic message is increased if the number of words contained in the electronic message exceeds a threshold number.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
66 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising: establishing the user rating of the first user upon posting the electronic message to the electronic message broad, wherein the user rating of the first user is established at a higher level if an electronic mail identifier of the first user is viewable by the other users viewing the electronic message on the electronic message board.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-10-19 | 2008-04-19 | 2008-10-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-10-19 | 2012-04-19 | 2012-10-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-10-19 | 2016-04-19 | 2016-10-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |