Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-14
2002-09-24
Sheikh, Ayaz (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C709S204000, C709S220000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06457045
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to communication networks, and more particularly, to a system and method for making choices among a group of participants connected to such networks using a dynamic distribution of data.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many group choice tools are known that allow participants in a group to make choices in a choice making process. For example, participants can be polled to determine how they may vote in a particular election.
One type of group choice tool uses store and forward technology. Initially, a message is sent to participants who are expected to respond to the message with their choices. The participants can then read or respond to the message. Once the sender of the message receives a choice response from some or all of the participants, the sender may send a subsequent message back to the participants indicating the results of the choice making process.
This type of group choice tool has several drawbacks. The results of the choice making process are not immediately available to any of the participants in any aggregated form. This prevents participants from making the best possible choices based on feedback from any of the prior responding participants. Further, each participant may send responses back to the sender of the message in varying formats. This can make aggregating or summarizing the results of the choice making process difficult. Finally, there is no aggregated immediate feedback to a participant as to how his or her input affects the choice making process. Ultimately, the participants are prevented from having a complete picture of a current state of the choice making process.
Another type of group choice tool is real time conferencing. In this case, an electronic forum is established in which participants can exchange ideas, often with the goal of making a choice. In this operating regime, participants are forced to focus their attention and continually make choices. For example, many participants may participate in a telephone conference, video conference, or electronic conference system.
This type of group choice tool suffers from certain drawbacks. One drawback is that real time conferencing requires participants to interact at the same time. This may be unduly burdensome and may be inconvenient to some or all of the participants. Further, real time conferencing typically operates in a proprietary environment. This means that each participant must match-up with complimentary services to participate in the conference. This can require increased cost and additional navigation for and set-up of non-proprietary participants. Additionally, participants may not be able to effectively communicate when the group becomes too large.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for making choices that is easily accessible by a desiring participant, can support a large number of participants, and provides a participant with an aggregated state of the choice making process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention is directed to a method and system for making choices among a group of participants using an electronic medium having dynamic content stored in the server. The dynamic content includes choices to be selected by the participants and the dynamic content is asynchronously dynamically update or dynamically retrieved in response to an open action by at least one of the participants. In this way, the preferred method and system causes the dynamic content in the electronic medium to be current when read or accessed by any of the participants.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention is directed to a system for making choices among a group of participants that includes a server having an associated database and adapted to be used in the network. The server generates and sends an electronic message to the participants, and the server generates and sends an electronic medium stored in the database to at least one of the participants in response to a first open action by the at least one participant of the electronic message. The electronic medium contains choices to be selected. The electronic medium also includes an interface for communicating input associated with the choices from the participants, and a plurality of dynamic content regions in the electronic medium. Each of the dynamic content regions includes dynamic content. The network system also includes logic in communication with the database to asynchronously dynamically update and dynamically retrieve the dynamic content of the electronic medium stored in the database. Each of the dynamic content regions are updated with the dynamic content. The dynamic content includes at least one of the selected choices.
Implementations of the invention include one or more of the following. The choices may include a schedule, a poll, a survey, an election, RSVP, task allocation, wish lists, donation confirmation, approval, recruitment vote, group seating selection, game next move selection, sporting event pool, payment authorization, purchase selection, and purchase authorization. The dynamic content may include graphics representative of the selected choices. The system may include an external source in data communication with the server to deliver content to the dynamic content regions. The electronic medium may include a forwarding region that can be used to increase the number of participants. The network system may be adapted to support an Internet or an electronic mail protocol.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a group choice tool that includes a server having a database and adapted to receive an electronic form. The electronic form includes a network address associated with each participant in a group and choices to be selected. An electronic message may be sent to each network address. The electronic message may be parsed, and an electronic medium is sent to the network address of at least one participant in the group in response to a first open action by the at least one participant. The electronic medium is asynchronously dynamically updated and dynamically retrieved by the server and includes dynamic content. The electronic medium includes dynamic content regions that are updated with the dynamic content, which includes one of the choices to be selected.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for making choices among a group of participants. The method includes generating an electronic form having a plurality of network addresses associated with the participants and choices to be selected, and sending the electronic form to a server. The electronic message may be parsed by at least one of the participants receiving the electronic message from the server in response to an open action by the at least one participant. The method also includes serving an electronic medium having dynamic content regions in response to the open action. The electronic medium may be stored in the server and the dynamic content regions may include a then current dynamic content representative of the selected choices. The dynamic content may be asynchronously dynamically updated and dynamically retrieved from the server, and the dynamic content may include a selection of one of the choices by any of the participants.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
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Axe Brian
Evans Steven Richard
Hanson Michael
Miller Graham
Dinh Khanh Quang
Hickman Palermo & Truong & Becker LLP
Palermo Christopher J.
Sheikh Ayaz
Zaplet, Inc.
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