U.S. patent application number 10/992727 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for system for categorizing and displaying reply messages in computer facilitated discussions.
Invention is credited to Suzuki, Roy Satoshi.
Application Number | 20050108345 10/992727 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23545609 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050108345 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Suzuki, Roy Satoshi |
May 19, 2005 |
System for categorizing and displaying reply messages in computer
facilitated discussions
Abstract
A system for operating news groups or discussion groups requires
a user who posts a message to specify two or more categories for
reply messages. The system associates the categories with the
message. The system requires a user who posts a reply to a message
to categorize the reply into one of the categories. When the system
displays a message thread the system displays messages in each
category differently. In a preferred embodiment there are two
categories and reply messages in a first one of the categories are
displayed on a first side of a display and reply messages in a
second one of the categories are displayed on a second side of the
display. A user can see the general point of view of reply messages
without reading the text of the reply messages. The system may be
applied in a manner which permits users to see a graphical display
which indicates which reply messages to a posting agree with the
point of view expressed in the posting and which reply messages
disagree with the expressed point of view.
Inventors: |
Suzuki, Roy Satoshi;
(Burnaby, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OYEN, WIGGS, GREEN & MUTALA LLP
480 - THE STATION
601 WEST CORDOVA STREET
VANCOUVER
BC
V6B 1G1
CA
|
Family ID: |
23545609 |
Appl. No.: |
10/992727 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10992727 |
Nov 22, 2004 |
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09391187 |
Sep 7, 1999 |
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6826596 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/206 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 51/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/206 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A computer implemented method for managing a discussion, the
method comprising, at a server connected to a communications
network: receiving by way of the communications network a first
message from a message originator, receiving from the message
originator information specifying a group of two or more response
categories with which reply messages responsive to the first
message should be associated and associating the group of two or
more response categories with the first message; receiving by way
of the communication network, one or more reply messages in
response to the first message each of the one or more reply
messages associated with a user-selected one of the two or more
response categories, storing the reply messages and storing
information associating each reply message with the corresponding
user-selected one of the two or more response categories; and, in
response to a request received from a user, forwarding to the user
on the communication network data for a display comprising an
element representing the first message and elements representing
one or more of the reply messages, the display indicating the one
of the two or more response categories with which each of the one
or more reply messages is associated.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the first
message comprises forwarding from the server a web page comprising
a form to the message originator and, at the server, receiving by
way of the communications network data input by the message
originator into the form.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the data input by the
message originator comprises information specifying how many
response categories are to be included in the two or more response
categories.
4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the data input by the
message originator comprises a descriptive title for each of two or
more response categories in the group of two or more response
categories.
5. A method according to claim 1 comprising receiving from the
message originator information specifying how many response
categories are to be included in the two or more response
categories and including the specified number of response
categories in the group of response categories.
6. A method according to claim 5 comprising receiving at the server
a descriptive title supplied by the message originator for each one
of the two or more response categories.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving one or more
reply messages comprises receiving at the server computer, by way
of the communications network, a request from a user to post a
reply message responsive to the first message; in response to the
request forwarding to a user a form, the form requiring the user to
select one response category from the group of response categories
associated with the first message, and receiving data entered into
the form by a user, the data indicating the one response category
selected by the user.
8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the form includes the two
or more response categories and includes a mechanism for receiving
a user input selecting one of the two or more response
categories.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein forwarding to the user the
form comprises retrieving from a database a descriptive title for
each response category in the group of response categories and
writing the descriptive titles to the form.
10. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the reply
messages comprises receiving information specifying a group of two
or more reply message response categories with which further
messages responsive to one of the reply messages should be
associated and associating the group of reply message response
categories with the one of the reply messages.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the group of reply
message response categories is different from the group of response
categories.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the group of two or more
response categories each have user-specified descriptive
titles.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the group of response
categories includes at least three response categories.
14. A method according to claim 1 comprising including in the
display indicia indicating a volume of reply messages received at
the server for each of the response categories.
15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the elements representing
the reply messages are arranged in columns on the display and each
column corresponds to one response category in the group of
response categories.
16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the elements associated
with the reply messages have a first color for reply messages
associated with a first response category in the group of response
categories and the elements have a second color for reply messages
associated with a second response category in the group of response
categories.
17. A method according to claim 1 comprising, associating with each
of the reply messages verification information specifying whether a
true name of an author of each of the reply messages is
unverifiable or verifiable wherein formatting the display comprises
selecting for display only reply messages for which the
verification information indicates that the true names of the
respective authors of those reply messages are verifiable.
18. A method according to claim 1 wherein the group of two or more
response categories consists of a group selected from the set of
groups: FOR, AGAINST; YES, NO; TRUE, FALSE; AGREE, DISAGREE; YES,
MAYBE, NO; AGREE, DON'T KNOW, DISAGREE; WORSE, THE SAME,
BETTER.
19. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving from the
message originator information specifying a group of two or more
response categories comprises both receiving a number of response
categories to be included in the group of two or more response
categories and receiving a descriptive title for each of the
response categories in the group of two or more response
categories.
20. A method for retrieving and displaying messages in a discussion
group, the method comprising, in a programmed computer: receiving
from a server by way of a communications network a first message,
one or more reply messages in reply to the first message, data
specifying two or more user-supplied response categories, the
response categories associated with the first message and specified
by an originator of the first message, and data indicating one of
the two or more response categories with which each of the reply
messages is associated; displaying on a display associated with the
computer a representation of the first message and representations
of a plurality of the reply messages; wherein displaying the
representations of each of the plurality of the reply messages
comprises visually marking the representation of the reply message
so as to indicate which one of the user-supplied response
categories the reply message is associated with.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein visually marking the
representations of the reply messages comprises providing a
separate window on the display for each of the plurality of
response categories and displaying the representation of each reply
message in the window associated with the response category of the
reply message.
22. A method according to claim 21 comprising, for each of the
response categories, displaying on the display a descriptive title
for the response category in a position corresponding to the window
associated with the response category.
23. A method according to claim 20 wherein there are two response
categories, a first response category and a second response
category.
24. A method according to claim 23 wherein visually marking the
representation of the reply messages comprises providing a first
window in a left-hand-side portion of the display and a second
window in a right-hand-side portion of the display, displaying
reply messages associated with the first response category in the
first window and displaying reply messages associated with the
second response category in the second window.
25. A method according to claim 24 comprising displaying the reply
messages in each of the windows in a chronological order of
posting.
26. A method according to claim 20 comprising displaying on the
display indicia indicating a volume of reply messages associated
with each of the two or more response categories.
27. A method according to claim 20 comprising providing a plurality
of columns on the display, each of the columns corresponding to one
of the response categories, wherein displaying the representation
of each reply message comprises displaying the representation of
the reply message in one of the columns corresponding to the
response category associated with the reply message.
28. A method according to claim 27 comprising arranging the
representations of the reply messages within each of the columns in
order of posting of the reply messages.
29. A method according to claim 28 comprising arranging the
representations of all of the reply messages in order of posting of
the reply messages.
30. A method according to claim 20 wherein the group of two or more
response categories consists of a group selected from the set of
groups: FOR, AGAINST; YES, NO; TRUE, FALSE; AGREE, DISAGREE; YES,
MAYBE, NO; AGREE, DON'T KNOW, DISAGREE; WORSE, THE SAME,
BETTER.
31. A method according to claim 20 wherein receiving from the
message originator information specifying a group of two or more
response categories comprises both receiving a user-specified
number of response categories to be included in the group of two or
more response categories and receiving a descriptive title for each
one of the response categories in the group of two or more response
categories.
32. A computer readable storage medium carrying computer readable
instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer
to carry out a method according to claim 1.
33. A data structure stored in a computer readable medium, the data
structure comprising: a) at least one originating record
corresponding to a first message posted by a user, the originating
record comprising fields indicating at least two reply categories
for messages in reply to the first message; and, b) a plurality of
reply records each corresponding to a reply message posted by a
user in reply to the first message, each of the reply records
including a data item identifying the originating record and a data
item indicating one of the at least two reply categories with which
the reply message is associated.
34. A computer system comprising: a) a data processor; b) a memory
accessible by the data processor; and, c) a data structure as
recited in claim 33 resident in the memory.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/391,187
filed on 7 Sep. 1999 and entitled System for Categorizing and
Displaying Reply Messages in Computer Facilitated Discussions,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to computer discussion group and
bulletin board systems. Such systems permit users to post messages
expressing points of view for viewing by others and to reply to
messages posted by others. The invention has particular application
to Internet or intranet news groups and discussion groups.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Computer discussion groups are well known. In such
discussion groups a user can start a discussion by posting a
message. The message may ask a question, express a point of view,
or otherwise provide fruit for further discussion. Other users can
post reply messages in reply to the message. A single message may
provoke numerous reply messages. On the Internet, news groups are
hosted on servers. Users run suitable client software, which may be
called "news group reader" software on their computers. The client
software facilitates reading the contents of news groups, posting
reply messages to previously posted messages and posting messages
to start new threads.
[0004] Existing news groups, discussion groups and bulletin boards
have linear structures. A "thread" consists of a set of reply
messages to the original message and a sequence of replies to the
reply messages. Many types of news group reader software will sort
messages in a news group into threads and will arrange links to the
various messages so that a user can tell by viewing the links
something about the sequence in which the messages were posted and
which messages are replies to which other messages.
[0005] A disadvantage of existing news group reader software is
that a user must view each message in a thread in order to
understand the positions taken by the authors of the different
messages.
[0006] The Internet has spawned a number of experiments in direct
democracy. Various Internet web sites have been set up for the
purpose of polling public opinion, whether on the subject of
politics, consumer goods or other topics. Such sites typically
provide users with the opportunity to select the one of two or more
prepared statements which most closely matches the user's opinion
on the topic at hand. A counter simply counts up the number of
times each statement is selected. Such polls suffer from the
disadvantages that the questions are pre-defined and users are
forced to select one of several statements without having an
opportunity to explain their positions.
[0007] A problem with Internet discussion groups is that users can
post messages under pseudonyms. Therefore it is not always possible
to know whether a point of view expressed in a posted message is
reliable. Even worse, an Internet user can post messages which
purport to be from someone else, for example a trusted public
figure.
[0008] There is a need for a system which permits users of computer
networks, whether those computer networks are global in nature or
more localized, to better exchange ideas. There is a particular
need for systems which permit users to know whether they can be
confident that a posted message was really posted by the person
listed as its author or whether the posted message is unverified,
or even unverifiable, and could have been posted by anyone at
all.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0009] This invention provides systems for operating computer
facilitated discussion groups which enable a user who posts a
message to specify a group of two or more categories for sorting
replies to the message. When a second user replies to a message
then the second user chooses one category from the group of
categories to be associated with the reply. When a user displays a
message and a thread of replies to the message then the system can
display the reply messages in a manner which visually distinguishes
reply messages in one category from reply messages in other
categories. This permits a user to understand the point of view
from which a reply message is posted without needing to read the
reply message itself. The system can also compute the number of
reply messages associated with each category.
[0010] Preferred aspects of the invention associate verification
information with each posted message. The verification information
preferably specifies whether the message is unverifiable,
verifiable or verified. A user can choose whether to view all
messages, only verified and verifiable messages, or only verified
messages. This permits the user to selectively view only messages
for which the identity of the author is known, or can be
discovered. Such messages are likely to be more reliable than
messages posted by completely anonymous authors.
[0011] Further aspects and advantages of the invention are
described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] In drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the
invention,
[0013] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a computer network on which
the invention may be practised;
[0014] FIG. 1B is a schematic view illustrating software on server
and user computers;
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a web page comprising a
form for posting new messages to a server according to the
invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a web page comprising a
form for posting a reply to a previously posted message to a
server;
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates schematically a web page for displaying a
thread;
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a possible format for records of messages
in a database for use in a system according to the invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is an example of a possible table returned by a query
of a database;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for posting
messages at a server according to the invention;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for posting
replies to messages at a server according to the invention;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a
thread of replies to a message according to the invention; and,
[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates a data structure according to the
invention.
DESCRIPTION
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a computer network 10 which connects a server
computer 12 to a plurality of user computers 14. Server computer 12
typically comprises a processing unit and a memory accessible to
the processing unit. Network 10 may be a global computer network
such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, or
any other network capable of carrying data between server 12 and
user computers 14. Users of user computers 14 can forward messages
to server 12. The messages are stored at server 12. Users of
computers 14 can also view messages which have been previously
posted on server 12 by themselves or others.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1B, server 12 runs web server software and
has access to a plurality of stored web page templates 20. User
computers 14 run web browser software 22 capable of requesting web
pages from server 12 and displaying images of the web pages on a
display 24. Server 12 has access to a database 16 to which it can
read or write information. When a user requests a web page from
server 12, the active web server software loads an appropriate one
of templates 20 and, if necessary, retrieves data from database 16
to complete a web page. Server 12 then sends the completed web page
to the user's computer 14 via network 10. Web browser software 22
causes the web page to be displayed on display 24. The general
operation of web servers and web browsers is well understood to
those skilled in the art and will therefore not be described here
in detail.
[0026] According to this invention, users of computers 14 can post
messages to server 12. In the preferred embodiment, when a user
wishes to post a message, the user causes web browser 22 to display
a "new message" page from server 12. A sample new message page 30
is shown in FIG. 2. New message page 30 comprises a form into which
a user can enter data via user interface 26. The user can then
cause data entered into the form to be forwarded to server 12 on
network 10 by activating a "submit" button 32.
[0027] Form 30 contains a field 34 into which a user can enter a
subject for the message, a field 36 into which the user can enter
text of the message, and a field 38 into which a user can specify
response categories for the categorization of responses to the
message. Form 30 also provides a "clear" button 40 for clearing any
data entered into the fields of form 30.
[0028] Field 38 requires a person posting a new message to server
12 to specify a set of response categories into which responses to
the message will be sorted. This distinguishes the system of this
invention from previous systems which permit users to post messages
to a server. In the example of FIG. 2, the user is required to
specify a pair of response categories. The invention could,
however, be practised with three or more different categories for
responses. Form 30 may provide predefined descriptive titles for
the categories. In addition to or instead of providing predefined
category titles users may be permitted to specify their own
category titles. Some examples of possible category titles where
there are two categories are: FOR/AGAINST; YES/NO; TRUE/FALSE;
AGREE/DISAGREE, and so on. Some examples of possible category
titles where there are three categories are: YES/MAYBE/NO;
AGREE/DON'T KNOW/DISAGREE; WORSE/THE SAME/BETTER, and so on. A
person posting a new message may be provided with the opportunity
to specify both the number of categories into which reply messages
will be sorted as well as descriptive titles for each category.
[0029] When server 12 receives data from form 30 then server 12
stores the data in database 16. After one or more messages have
been posted to server 12 then the message, or messages may be
viewed. A user can view previously posted messages by navigating to
a web page hosted by server 12 which displays a list of messages
available for viewing. Server 12 prepares the web page by querying
database 16 for a list of available messages and adding the list of
available messages to a template 20. Server 12 then sends the web
page to the user's computer 14 on network 10.
[0030] A user can signal an intention to reply to a message by, for
example, selecting the subject line of the message to which the
user wishes to respond with input device 26. In response to the
receipt of a signal indicating that a user wishes to reply to a
message, server 12 supplies a form which requires the user to
specify which one of the categories associated with the message the
reply should be associated with. FIG. 3 shows an example of a form
42 which may be generated by server 12 and forwarded to a user's
computer 14 for the purpose of receiving a reply to a previously
posted message. Form 42 is similar to form 30 with the addition of
a section 44 which requires the user to select one of the response
categories specified by the originator of the message being replied
to. In the example of FIG. 3, section 44 comprises two radio
buttons, one located next to the descriptive title for each of the
two possible reply categories. Section 44 could be implemented in
numerous different ways. Instead of providing a single form 42 for
reply messages, server 12 could first supply separate forms for
requiring a user to specify a category for a reply and for
providing the reply itself. What is necessary is that a user be
prompted to specify one of a group of two or more categories
associated with a message when replying to that message.
[0031] After a message has received one or more replies then a user
14 may view a display which shows a representation of each reply
and indicates visually which of the categories each reply is
associated with. Server 12 may generate such a display in the form
of a web page which is delivered to a computer 14 on network 10.
This may be done by querying database 16 for all replies to a
message and then inserting the result returned by database 16 into
a template 20.
[0032] FIG. 4 shows one possible example of a web page 50
displaying a representation of a message 54 and representations 57
of replies to the message. In the example web page 50 of FIG. 4,
the original message 54 is displayed at the top of page 50 and
representations 57 of replies to message 54 are displayed in a
lower section 56 of page 50. The representations 57 of replies to
message 50 may be the reply messages themselves, the time and first
few words of each reply message, as shown in FIG. 4, graphic icons
representing the reply messages, or some other displayable
representation of replies to message 54.
[0033] Section 56 is divided into two columns 56A and 56B. Column
56A contains representations of reply messages associated with the
category having the descriptive title "YES". Column 56B contains
representations of reply messages associated with the category
having the descriptive title "NO". The descriptive titles for the
categories associated with reply messages of each column are
displayed at locations 58A and 58B respectively.
[0034] A user viewing page 50 can immediately ascertain which reply
messages are associated with which point of view. The user may view
any one of the reply messages in its entirety by selecting the
underlined hyperlink which comprises part of each representation
57. The user may choose to read only reply messages which are
categorized in a way which agrees with the user's point of view. If
the user so chooses, the user may opt to read only reply messages
which are categorized in a way which challenges the user's point of
view. Server 12 can easily collect statistical information
regarding the number of users on one side or another side of an
issue. The number of reply messages 59A, and 59B in each category
may be displayed at the head of each of columns 56A and 56B.
[0035] There are alternative ways to achieve a display having the
general appearance of page 50 any of which may be used in the
invention. For example, section 56 may comprise two frames located
side-by-side, each displaying representations of reply messages
associated with a particular category. Other formats of display may
also be used to practice the invention. For example, instead of
being located in different portions of a display, representations
of reply messages associated with different categories could be
colored or given different appearances to indicate which category
they are associated with.
[0036] In the alternative to server 12 formatting a web page
containing representations of replies to a message, server 12 could
send to user computer 14 a set of records describing each of the
reply messages in a thread and specifying the category associated
with each reply message. In place of, or in addition to web browser
software, user computers 14 could run software which receives such
records and prepares and formats a display which shows
representations of each reply displayed in such a way that reply
messages in each category in the group of categories associated
with the message being replied to are visually distinguished from
one another.
[0037] Database 16 may be replaced with any sort of memory of
storage device into which server 12 can store and retrieve data.
Database 16 is not limited to traditional "database" software.
Database 16 is preferably a relational database. FIG. 5 shows a
possible structure for records of messages in database 16. The indx
field contains a unique number which identifies each message. The
thread_id field holds a NULL value in messages which do not reply
to any other message. In the records for messages which reply to a
previous message the thread_id field holds the value of the indx
field for the previous message being replied to. Also, in the
records for messages which reply to a previous message the
category_# field identifies one category (as specified in the
record for the message being replied to) with which the message is
associated. The subject field contains the text of the subject of
the message. The discussion field contains the text of the
discussion. The fields category#1_title, category#2_title contain
descriptive titles for the categories into which replies to the
message must be categorized. If more than two categories are
permitted then there will be additional fields specifying
descriptive titles for the additional categories and, where
convenient, a field specifying the number of categories. The
msg_stamp field contains a time and date stamp for the message. The
author field contains the name of the message's author.
[0038] It can be appreciated that as the invention is used,
database 16 will come to contain a data structure in which records
for individual messages are linked to one another in a manner which
indicates both which messages are included in a thread and the
stance being taken in replies to an original posting. FIG. 10 shows
an example of a data structure 116. Data structure 116 contains
records 117 in three threads 119. Each thread 119 consists of a
record 117A for an originating message which replies to no other
message, and zero or more records 117B for replies to either the
originating message or to replies to the originating message.
Records 117A may be called "originating records". Records 117B may
be called reply records. Each record 117 specifies two or more
categories 120 into which replies to the corresponding message must
be classified. Each reply record 117B includes pointers 121 which
identify both the message 117 being replied to and a category with
which the reply record is associated. Data structure 116 is useful
because it facilitates the automatic extraction of useful data from
data structure 116 in a manner that would not be possible with
conventional newsgroups or the like.
[0039] When server 12 receives a signal which indicates that a user
wishes to display a thread, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, then
server 12 queries database 16 to retrieve the original message
(using the value of the indx field for the original message) and to
retrieve a table containing all other messages for which the
thread_id field has the same value as the indx field of the
original message. An example of a table 59 which might be returned
by such a query is shown in FIG. 6.
[0040] Server 12 retrieves the messages in table 59 one at a time
depending upon the value in the category field server 12 places a
representation of each message either in left hand column 56A of
page 50 or in right hand column 56B of page 50.
[0041] FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method 60 for
receiving and posting messages on a server according to the
invention. At step 62 server 12 receives a signal containing a
request by a user to post a new message. Such a signal may be
generated at a user computer 14 when a user activates a "new
message" button on a web page generated by server 12. At step 64
server 12 prepares and forwards to the user computer 14 a form 30.
At step 66 user computer 14 receives and displays the form 30 on
display 24. As noted above, form 30 requires a user to specify
categories into which replies to the message will be sorted. At
steps 68 and 69, which may be completed in any order, the user
specifies categories for replies to the message and inputs a
subject and text for the message. In the example given above this
is done by filling in form 30. At step 70 user computer 14 forwards
the data input into form 30 to server 12 on network 10. At step 72
the data is received at server 12. At step 74 the data, including
the response categories is saved by server 12 in database 16.
[0042] FIG. 8 illustrates a method 80 for posting reply messages to
a previously posted message. At 82 server 12 receives a request
from a user computer 14 indicating that a user wishes to post a
reply to a message. Such a signal may be generated at a user
computer 14 when a user activates a "reply" button on a web page
generated by server 12 or activates a hot spot connected to a reply
function. At 84 server 12 prepares a reply form. To do this, server
12 retrieves from database 16 the descriptive titles for each
category in the group of categories associated with the message
being replied to. At step 86 user computer 14 receives and displays
the form, for example, form 42. The form forces the user to select
one category from the group of categories into which the reply will
be categorized. Steps 88, 89 and 90 may be completed in any order.
these steps may be completed, for example, by allowing a user to
complete a form 42 using an input device 26. At step 92 user
computer 14 forwards data from the completed form 42 to server 12
over network 10. At step 96 server 12 stores a record of the reply
in database 16.
[0043] FIG. 9 is a flowchart which illustrates a method 100 for
displaying a thread according to the invention. When server 12
receives a signal indicating that a user wishes to see a display of
a thread (step 102) then server 12 queries database 16 for reply
messages belonging to the thread at step 104. At step 106 server 12
sorts the reply messages by category. At step 108 server 12
assembles a web page from a template 20 and the sorted reply
messages. On the web page, reply messages which are in different
categories are visually distinguished from one another. This may be
done, for example, by displaying representations of reply messages
which are associated with different categories in physically
separate parts of the web page, using a different icon to represent
reply messages in different categories, providing a different color
attribute for representations of reply messages in different
categories. It is preferred to display representations of the reply
messages in physically separated parts of the web page image. At
step 110 server 12 sends the web page to user computer 14 on
network 10. User computer 14 receives the web page at step 112 and
displays the web page on display 24 at step 112.
[0044] The methods, systems and data structures of the invention
may be enhanced by providing verification functions which allow
users to assess the credibility of posted messages. Internet users
can post messages anonymously or under pseudonyms. In a preferred
embodiment of the invention, each message in database 16 includes
information specifying whether or not the message is "verifiable".
Most preferably, database 16 categorizes each message as being one
of "unverifiable", "verifiable" and "verified". Unverifiable
messages are messages posted anonymously. It is not readily
possible to determine who is the author of an unverifiable message
or, if the person posting the message has provided a name, whether
that name is the person's real name. Verifiable messages are
messages for which the user posting the message has provided
sufficient information about themselves that the true name of the
user posting the message could be ascertained and the user posting
the message could be contacted to verify the accuracy of the posted
message. A verified message is a message for which the true name of
the user posting the message has been ascertained and the accuracy
of the contents of the message has been verified.
[0045] Verification may be conducted automatically by server 12 by
sending an e-mail message to a known e-mail address for a
particular user and receiving a reply to the e-mail message. For
example, consider the case where a message purporting to be from
the president of the United States has been posted to server 12.
Server 12 could automatically generate an e-mail to the known
e-mail address for the president, president@whitehouse.gov seeking
confirmation that the president was, in fact, the originator of the
posted message. The Server 12 could mark the message as being
"verified" upon receiving such a validation. Verification could
also be done manually. Once a message has been verified, users of
server 12 can see that the message has been verified and can trust
that the message was posted by someone known to the operators of
server 12 and, if the name of an author is given, that the named
author is responsible for the content of the posted message.
[0046] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, users who wish
to view the messages posted on server 12 can specify whether they
wish to see all posted messages, only messages which are either
verifiable or verified, or only verified messages. If the user
signals to server 12 that the user wishes to view all posted
messages, or both verifiable and verified messages then preferably
each message displayed on a page 50 or other display, are somehow
marked to indicate whether the message is unverifiable, verifiable
or verified. For example, different colors may be used to display a
representation of each of these types of message or a small icon
could be presented as part of the representation of each message,
the icon indicating the verification status of the message.
[0047] A field indicating whether or not each message in a database
of posted messages can be, or is, verified could be provided and
used in conjunction with any database of posted messages. The
application of this inventive feature is not limited to methods and
systems which provide multiple categories for reply messages as
described above.
[0048] It can be appreciated that by including in database 16
verification information specifying whether each message is
unverified, verified or verifiable, a user reading messages from
database 16 can determine how much trust to place in each
message.
[0049] Preferably users who post messages to server 12 may select
whether or not to allow their names to be made public as the
authors of messages by sending a signal to server 12. If the signal
indicates that the name of the author of a message should be made
public then the author's name is forwarded on the communication
network together with the message to other users who wish to view
the message. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, users who
view messages posted on server 12 can choose whether they wish to
view only messages for which the name of the person posting the
message is displayed or whether they are willing to also view
messages for which the name of the user who posted the message will
not be provided to them.
[0050] While the invention has been described above as being
embodied in a computer network in which the methods of the
invention are carried out, the invention could also be embodied in
a computer readable storage medium such as a floppy disc, a CD ROM,
a DVD, or some other physical carrier of computer readable
instructions upon which is stored computer instructions which, when
executed on a computer will cause the computer to operate so as to
carry out any method of the invention.
[0051] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light
of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are
possible in the practice of this invention without departing from
the spirit or scope thereof. While the invention has been described
with reference to a system wherein communications between users and
a server are mediated by web browsers which communicate with a web
server, this is not necessary. Computers 14 could communicate with
server 12 using a different protocol than is used for the exchange
of web pages. The way in which server 12 stores and retrieves
messages and the structure of database 16 can be varied
significantly without departing from the invention. There are a
multitude of data structures capable of recording associations
between a message and a group of reply categories and between a
reply and a category. The displays depicted in the figures are by
way of illustration only. There are many alternative ways to
display replies to messages in a way which allows a user to see how
the replies have been categorized. Accordingly, the scope of the
invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance
defined by the following claims.
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