U.S. patent application number 11/088901 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-28 for method and system for harnessing collective knowledge.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Motley Fool, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert Glenn JR. Etter, Todd Lewis Etter, David Herr Gardner, Tracy Randall Sigler.
Application Number | 20060217994 11/088901 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37036302 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060217994 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gardner; David Herr ; et
al. |
September 28, 2006 |
Method and system for harnessing collective knowledge
Abstract
The present invention provides a method of aggregating
information, the method including: receiving at least one first
prediction; and rating the at least one first prediction based at
least in part on at least one actual event, thereby providing at
least one prediction rating.
Inventors: |
Gardner; David Herr;
(Alexandria, VA) ; Sigler; Tracy Randall;
(Alexandria, VA) ; Etter; Todd Lewis; (Alexandria,
VA) ; Etter; Robert Glenn JR.; (Oakland, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX PLLC
1100 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
The Motley Fool, Inc.
Alexandria
VA
|
Family ID: |
37036302 |
Appl. No.: |
11/088901 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/00 20130101;
G06Q 40/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/001 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 99/00 20060101
G06Q099/00 |
Claims
1. A method of aggregating information, the method comprising:
receiving at least one first prediction; and rating the at least
one first prediction based at least in part on at least one
subsequent event, thereby providing at least one prediction
rating.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rating comprises
calculating: 2/3.cndot.(score rating)+ 1/3.cndot.(percentage right
rating) to obtain a raw rating, wherein the score rating represents
the number of percentage points by which the at least one first
prediction is correct, and the percentage right rating represents
an accuracy of at least one member/user across a plurality of
predictions including the at least one first prediction.
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising adjusting
the raw rating to reflect the at least one member/user's
performance relative to a second at least one member/user's
performance.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second at least one
member/user includes a plurality of member/users.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at
least one second prediction.
6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising rating the
at least one first prediction based at least in part on the at
least one second prediction.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one second
prediction includes a plurality of predictions.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first
prediction relates to a stock.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying
the at least one prediction rating.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
prediction rating includes a plurality of prediction ratings.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first
prediction is weighted based at least in part on at least one
previous prediction.
12. A system for aggregating information, the system comprising:
means for receiving at least one first prediction; and a controller
configured to rate the at least one first prediction based at least
in part on at least one subsequent event, thereby providing at
least one prediction rating.
13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is
configured to rate the at least one first prediction based at in
part on the following calculation: 2/3.cndot.(score rating)+
1/3.cndot.(percentage right rating) to obtain a raw rating, wherein
the score rating represents the number of percentage points by
which the at least one first prediction is correct, and the
percentage right rating represents an accuracy of at least one
member/user across a plurality of predictions including the at
least one first prediction.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the controller is
further configured to adjust the raw rating to reflect the at least
one member/user's performance relative to a second at least one
member/user's performance.
15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the second at least
one member/user includes a plurality of member/users.
16. The system according to claim 12, further comprising means for
receiving at least one second prediction.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is
further configured to rate the at least one first prediction based
at least in part on the at least one second prediction.
18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one
second prediction includes a plurality of predictions.
19. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one
first prediction relates to a stock.
20. The system according to claim 12, further comprising displaying
the at least one prediction rating.
21. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one
prediction rating includes a plurality of prediction ratings.
22. The system according to claim 12, further comprising means for
weighting the at least one first prediction based at least in part
on a previous prediction.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to a method and system for
presenting aggregated information and, in one embodiment, to a
method and system for presenting aggregated information related to
stocks.
DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND
[0002] Often, individual member/users of a community possess
different types of insight and knowledge with respect to any
particular subject. These member/users of the community sometimes
interact with each other using message boards or other interactive
media. While message boards enable member/users to interact and
share information with each other, a need has developed for a way
to more effectively sort the information shared by the
member/users. The present invention addresses this need.
[0003] In one non-limiting example, the present invention provides
a method, system, and apparatus for aggregating community
member/users' knowledge in an efficient manner, independent of the
subject matter of the knowledge. In another non-limiting
embodiment, the present invention provides a method, system, and
apparatus for aggregating community member/users' knowledge with
respect to predictions of future events. The present invention also
enables community member/users to rate each other's information and
predictions about future events, independent of the subject matter
of the information and predictions. Another non-limiting embodiment
of the present invention enables community member/users to be rated
(e.g., by a computer system) based on the accuracy of the
information previously presented by each member/user, as well as by
the sentiment of the other community member/users. The present
invention is especially useful in the field of stock market
analysis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] To achieve the objects of the present invention, a method,
system, and apparatus are provided that enable aggregation of
community member/users' information, such as opinions, predictions,
and other types of evaluations. This information may be related to
any type of subject matter, including (but not limited to):
financial instrument performance, financial instrument value,
market performance, market value, monetary exchange rates, sports
teams' performances, professional athletes' performances, college
athletes' performances, national and international events, as well
as many other types of subject matter apparent to those of skill in
the art.
[0005] The present invention also provides, as a non-limiting
embodiment, a public index database of "subject snapshots" on
individual subjects of interest such as financial instruments
(e.g., stocks). These subject snapshots may be broken down by
various characteristics (e.g., by a particular advisor, topic,
technology related to a stock) or other factors known to those of
skill in the art. The subject snapshots bring together the most
interesting and relevant information by aggregating user input
together with publications by professional information providers
(such as advisors' publications).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of
the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 represents a member/user interface according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 represents a member/user interface according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 represents a non-limiting example of a rating screen
presented to a member/user;
[0010] FIG. 4 represents another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 5 represents a non-limiting illustration of a computer
that may be used to implement the method and/or system of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 6 represents another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 represents another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 9 represents yet another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 10 represents another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 11 represents another non-limiting illustration of a
member/user interface according to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 12 represents another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 13 represents another non-limiting example of a
member/user interface according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a non-limiting example of a member/user
interface according to the present invention. This member/user
interface may be provided to any individual seeking to participate
in the community. A "member/user" refers to an individual accessing
the system and/or method of the present invention.
[0021] Generally speaking, Internet users enjoy congregating in a
community environment. Through the present invention, it is
possible for community member/users to act together to combine
intelligence. Through this synthesis of community information, the
synthesized information may provide more accurate predictions than
the experts in a given subject area. The present invention
provides, as one non-limiting aspect, a reward for the community
member/users who outperform the experts, such as discounts on
future services or other rewards known to those of skill in the
art.
[0022] A further aspect of the present invention enables
monetization of the features of the invention. For example, it is
possible to charge community member/users a nominal fee to view the
top performers. The top performers may be ranked by industry,
active stocks, or a member/user's overall success rate. Other
factors known to those of skill in the art may be used to select
which performers are chosen as the top performers. Additionally,
the number of performers chosen may be varied based on the needs of
the application.
[0023] It is also possible to charge subscribers different rates to
access the features of the present invention based on their
individual subscription. For example, a subscriber to the majority
of the features available through The Motley Fool website may be
charged a lower price than a subscriber to fewer portions of The
Motley Fool website. It is also possible to provide different
levels of access based on how much a member/user is paying for a
subscription. For example, a member/user paying a larger fee for a
subscription may pay less to view the top performers than a
member/user subscribing at a reduced fee.
[0024] According to one non-limiting aspect of the present
invention, different levels of access to the member/user interface
may be provided, depending on a particular individual's level of
subscription. For example, if an individual has paid more money for
a subscription to be part of the community, that individual may
access all features of the interface. By contrast, if an individual
has not paid for a subscription to the community, that member/user
might be able to access only rudimentary features of the
member/user interface (or may not be able to access the member/user
interface at all). The levels of access offered by the provider of
the member/user interface (hereafter, "the provider") may be
determined according to the provider's needs, and are within the
level of ordinary skill in the art.
[0025] In the non-limiting example of FIG. 1, a member/user is
presented with a particular stock to rate. The member/user may
select this stock from a list of stocks supplied by the provider,
or may enter his own selection of a stock available on any stock
market. Stock markets may include, but are not limited to, the New
York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, the London Stock Exchange, as well as
any other type of market known to those of skill in the art. The
present invention is also not limited to stock markets, as
explained above, and is equally applicable to any situation in
which information may be aggregated and/or performance may be
assessed.
[0026] In the example of FIG. 1, the "Fool Rating" (also referred
to as a "Bull/Bear Rating") is 50%. This Fool Rating may be
determined by what the member/users think about a particular
prediction by another member/user or by an advisor. The Fool Rating
may also reflect how any member/users believe that a particular
stock will out perform the market. For example, Fool Ratings are
illustrated for a variety of different stocks in FIGS. 2, 6, 7, 9-1
1, and 13. By way of example, a Fool Rating over 50% means that
more than half of the member/users believe that the selected stock
will outperform the market.
[0027] As another non-limiting aspect of the present invention, the
Fool Rating may account for a particular member/user's past
performance at making accurate predictions. For example, the weight
given to an individual's opinion in calculating the Fool Rating may
be reduced if that particular member/user frequently makes
inaccurate or incorrect predictions. The weight given to an
individual's predictions may also be raised when calculating the
Fool Rating if the particular member/user's predictions are
frequently accurate or correct. The weighting may account for the
relative levels of difficulty for each prediction.
[0028] The member/user interface of FIG. 1 also provides the stock
symbol, the last known stock price, as well as a link to news
information related to the selected stock. The member/user
interface presents the member/user with an opportunity to rate the
selected stock. The member/user may select options such as
"outperform," "underperform," "match," as well as other performance
indicators known to those of skill in the art. As explained below,
the member/user may compare the selected stock's performance to any
given number of benchmarks.
[0029] The member/user may also provide commentary supporting his
selection. This commentary (referred to as a "60 second pitch") may
optionally be used by other member/users of the community who are
assessing the rating member/user's likelihood of successful rating
or when making their own ratings. Examples of the input field for
the 60 second pitch are shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7, 9-11, and 13. The
provider may also collect the member/users' commentary and may
provide an aggregated listing of the commentary to member/users.
This aggregated listing of commentary may be provided in any format
known to those of skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of
aggregated commentary are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The user may
select any of the listed commentaries to view more details. The
amount of information provided to the member/user for each
commentary may be determined based on the provider's needs.
Additionally, the amount of information provided to each
member/user may depend on the subscription rate paid by the
member/user, the frequency of use of the present invention by the
member/user, as well as other factors.
[0030] Another aspect of the invention provides a bull/bear
sentiment tool that invites any member/user to submit (e.g., via a
form) his prediction as to whether an investment (e.g., a stock,
mutual fund, option or future) will outperform or underperform a
benchmark during a given time period (e.g., 12 months). The
benchmark may include a market-wide index or average (e.g., the Dow
Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, FTSE 100, or the NASDAQ
Composite Index) or a sector specific index (e.g., the
semiconductor or transportation indices). Alternatively, it is
possible to compare an investment or a group of investment to a
user- or system-selected group of investments that may be selected
based on a variety of factors, such as the related technology,
price to earnings ratios, or other factors known to those of skill
in the art. (As used herein, the above indices and groups of
investments against which a comparison is made shall be referred to
collectively herein as "benchmarks.") It is also possible to
predict that a given investment will outperform a first benchmark
while simultaneously underperforming relative to a second
benchmark. Moreover, each "investment" used in the prediction may
actually include more than one different investment or type of
investment without departing from the scope of the invention. For
example, a user may provide a first prediction that the average
return of a particular stock and a mutual fund will be better than
the average return of two benchmarks.
[0031] Depending on the member/user's level of access, he may be
able to view a selection of the most popular picks by other
member/users. These picks may be ranked in a number of ways,
including total number of picks by member/users, likelihood of
outperforming the market based on member/users' picks, likelihood
of underperforming the market according to the member/users' picks,
as well as by a weighted percentage based on member/users' past
successful picks (e.g., a stock picked by a member/user who
frequently correctly predicts the stock's performance might be
given a higher rating than a stock picked by a member/user who
frequently incorrectly predicts that stock's performance). Examples
of access to other member/user's picks are illustrated in FIGS. 2,
8, 9, and 13. The member/users may also access additional
information related to the picks offered by the provider, at the
information provider's discretion. The most popular picks and other
information may be provided based on a time restricted manner
(e.g., the most popular picks over the last three months).
[0032] Another non-limiting example of the present invention
provides for a member/user to access other member/users' individual
performance information. The individual performance information may
be determined and presented by the provider, at the provider's
discretion. A member/user may also access a quantity of most
recommended posts, as illustrated in FIG. 6. While FIG. 6 shows
that the five most recommended posts from the last three months may
be selected, the member/user and/or the provider may select
different quantities of postings and different time durations, as
desired.
[0033] As one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, it is
possible to use a detailed algorithm to determine the member/user's
individual performance information. A basic formula is as
follows:
[0034] 2/3.cndot.(score rating)+ 1/3.cndot.(percentage right
rating)=raw player rating.
[0035] The raw player rating may be expressed as a number between 0
and 100, for example, as the official member/user rating displayed
to the member/user.
[0036] According to this non-limiting example, every member/user
may be rated according to two factors: how often the member/user is
correct, and by how much the member/user is correct. The score
rating represents the number of percentage points by which a
member/user is correct or incorrect across every single contest in
which the member/user is active. This score rating also includes a
member/user's success both past and present. For instance, if a
member/user picked three stocks to outperform, and each of these
stocks did outperform, and beat the market respectively by 5.06
percentage points, 12.34 percentage points, and 107.94 percentage
points, the member/user's score rating would be (+125.34). If the
second stock had underperformed by 12.34 points, the member/user's
score would be (+100.66). According to this non-limiting example,
it is possible for scores to be negative. In short, the score
rating represents the total number of percentage points by which a
member/user is ahead or behind in the game.
[0037] The "percent right" is the percentage of time that the
market agrees with the member/user's selection. If a member/user
has 38 total contests, and the member/user is correct in 19 of
those contests, the member/user's percent right is 50%. The percent
right is computed as a simple percentage of correctness over all
past and present contests. (Of course, it would be possible to
calculate the percent right based on a selected group of contests
as well.) According to this non-limiting example, a member/user
winning 20 out of 38 contests would have a percent right score of
52.63%.
[0038] As one non-limiting example, it is possible to calculate
both the percent right and the score rating over the entire
universe of member/users. Thus, for example, if exactly 100
members/users were active, each member/user would be listed from
highest score to lowest score, regardless of the member/user's
actual scores. The highest scoring member/user would receive a
rating of 100 and the lowest scoring member/user would receive a
rating of 1. Everyone else would be accordingly rated in between
these two endpoints. Of course, it is also possible to rate
individual member/users within smaller selected groups, as desired
by the provider.
[0039] In a situation in which the number of member/users is not
divisible by 100, it is possible to take the number 100 and divide
by the number of players to obtain the player ratings. For example,
for 7,394 member/users, the highest score among the 7,394
member/users would be given a 100, the second highest a rating of
(100-0.0135), which is 99.9865, and so on. This 0.0135 number is
derived from 100 divided by 7,394. Alternatively, the lowest rated
member/user would receive a score of .0135, the second lowest
member/user a 0.270, etc. The scores may be rounded to the nearest
tenth decimal or other factor, as desired by the provider.
[0040] In order to obtain the raw player rating, ( 2/3.cndot.the
member/user's score rating) is added to ( 1/3.cndot.the
member/user's percent right). In this example, the raw player
rating is not the final rating because force ranking all player
ratings between 0-100 provides the easiest display for the
provider. Other methods of force ranking are possible, depending on
the needs of the provider.
[0041] To encourage member/user participation, a member/user must
have at least seven open active contests, according to a
non-limiting aspect of the invention (the number seven is a
non-limiting example, and may be changed based on the discretion of
the provider). If at any time a member/user falls below this
minimum threshold, he will not earn a visible player rating and is
considered inactive. Simply put, member/users who do not maintain
enough activity may not receive official ratings.
[0042] Of course, the provider may still track all of that
member/user's data and predictions. While member/users who do not
meet the minimum criteria are considered inactive and will not show
up on a hot player list or other game page, these member/users are
allowed and encouraged to enter more ratings as soon as possible to
reach the minimum at any time. Once the member/user has reached the
minimum, all of that member/user's past and present contests may be
tracked and may affect stock ratings, etc.
[0043] As one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, for any
given stock, each member/user may only have one contest for that
stock. A member/user may not artificially inflate his score or earn
minimum active status by playing a given stock more than once at a
time. Of course, it is possible for a member/user to end a given
contest on a certain stock and to start a second contest using that
stock, since non-concurrently running contests do not artificially
inflate the member/user's rating.
[0044] Each member/user may select a duration for each contest.
There is no maximum or minimum duration required. It is also
possible for a provider to measure a member/user's response rate
using cookies and e-mails, as well as other tracking methods known
to those of skill in the art. If the provider determines that the
member/user is no longer active, it is possible for the provider to
end that member/user's contest at any time after the member/user
has been determined to be inactive.
[0045] As another non-limiting aspect of the invention,
members/users may be prevented from making initial predictions on
stocks that are under $1.00 per share. However, if these stocks
arrive at such a share price through bad performance of the stock,
then the contest may continue. The provider may select certain
stocks not to be included in a contest, based on the provider's
discretion. The criteria that a provider may use may include stock
price and/or volume of stocks traded, as non-limiting examples.
[0046] As another non-limiting aspect of the invention, it is
possible to end a contest when a stock price hits $0. By ending the
contest, it is possible to prevent a member/user who correctly
predicted that the stock would underperform to continue to reap
improvement in his performance ranking once the stock has reached a
price of $0.00 per share.
[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates a Microsoft prediction. This attachment
may be viewed as the next step after FIGS. 1 or 2. It shows that on
12/22/04 the member/user predicted that in one week (12/29/04)
Microsoft will "outperform" the market. As is evident, on the date
member/user made that prediction Microsoft's price was $22.96. If a
member/user makes a prediction after the market to which the
prediction is tied has closed, the opening price of the stock in
that market may be used. Alternatively, it is possible to use the
closing price of the stock, or an average of the two prices. Other
price calculations may also be used, at the discretion of the
provider or as requested by the member/user.
[0048] The member/user is not required to identify the price of
Microsoft at the time of the prediction--the present invention may
track the price at the time of prediction relative to the current
price without the prediction price being identified to other
member/users. The current or latest price is $27.09 in FIG. 2. In
this example, if the member/user predicted that Microsoft would
outperform the market, the member/user would be winning.
[0049] The member/user may also choose the duration of the
prediction. In the non-limiting example of FIG. 3, the choices are
1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 24
months, and 36 months. When a user prematurely ends the prediction
duration, such as by selecting the "end contest" option in FIG. 7,
the premature withdrawal may impact that member/user's overall
performance rating, at the discretion of the provider.
[0050] It is also possible for a member/user to view information
related to other member/users making related predictions. For
example, member/users may view all other predictions related to
Microsoft, in the non-limiting examples of FIGS. 8, 9, and 13.
Member/users may also view their prediction performances relative
to the other member/users.
[0051] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of performance information
that may be provided to a user. In the example of FIG. 12, the
member/user using the "screen name" "TMFDiesel" has an aggregate
rating of zero. This aggregate rating reflects that TMFDiesel has
made only one prediction, which has not yet met its deadline (in
the example of FIG. 12, the deadline is 12/20/05, which at the time
of the application is in the future). FIG. 12 also provides stock
related information for the member/user's reference with respect to
the member/user's prediction. FIG. 3 illustrates performance
information in an alternative format.
[0052] The prediction information for member/users may be sorted
and filtered in any way desired, based on the requirements of
either the member/user or the information provider. As a
non-limiting example, a member/user may view date, ticker, price,
prediction, deadline, percent change, the market used, and whether
or not the prediction is presently correct for as many other
member/users as the information provider will permit (or as many
other member/users as the member/user desires). The member/user may
sort this information using methods known to those of ordinary
skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of the illustration of the
information are shown in FIGS. 7, 9, 10, and 13.
[0053] A member/user may also access additional information, such
as related issues or updates, additional articles, and proprietary
information such as the "Foolish 8" criteria. The Foolish 8
criteria relate to revenues, growth rates, net profit margin, daily
dollar volume, insider holdings, share price, relative strength,
and operating cash flow for a given corporation. The Foolish 8
criteria are based on a combination of business-related and
market-related factors that were chosen to highlight eight
attributes that investors should look for in small companies. The
first four business-level factors set minimum standards for the
following things: earnings and sales growth (at least 25% in both
cases), net profit margins (at least 7%), operating cash flow (a
positive figure), and insider holdings (at least 10% ownership).
Three of the four remaining Foolish 8 factors highlight stock
market neighborhoods where good small companies are likely found.
These criteria relate to stock attributes: stocks with $1
million-$25 million in daily dollar volume, stocks with $7 minimum
share prices, and stocks with relative strength ratings of 90 or
higher. These requirements are, in large part, out of a company's
control. These factors reflect the market feeling, and may not be
related to any business-related factors. The final Foolish 8
criterion sets a $500 million limit on a firm's annual sales. The
Foolish 8 criteria are applicable to certain stocks, and less
applicable to other stocks. The Foolish 8 criteria, as well as
other information, may be presented as most recommended posts,
examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6, 7, 10, and 11.
[0054] Subject snapshots, such as the one in FIG. 4, may be
provided as an online page. These snapshots (also referred to
"Fool's Eye View") may appear with statistics, in a format similar
to performance statistics appearing on a baseball card, for each
stock covered by the provider. When a provider selects a new stock,
the stock receives a snapshot. Snapshots on stocks not yet covered
may also be requested by a member/user accessing the snapshot
interface. The member/user may fill out a short submission form
that may include information such as the stock's ticker symbol. On
a periodic basis, the member/user requests may be reviewed and
selected submitted symbols may be chosen to include new snapshots.
Thus, for the present invention, an index of snapshots may be
developed.
[0055] It is also possible to include links to articles, advice, or
other information useful to understanding a given stock. As an
additional feature, the Fool's Eye View is searchable (e.g., by
stock ticker symbol). Through this feature, a member/user may enter
a stock ticker symbol or other factor related to the stock to
access the service snapshot for that stock. Proprietary information
may also be linked to the service snapshot, so that members/users
may access the proprietary information as desired (or as provided
by the users).
[0056] As an additional feature, it is possible to include all
available information for a particular stock, advisor, or group of
stocks. As a non-limiting example, it is possible to generate a
list of the top five most recommended advisors, stocks, or other
postings from a particular discussion board.
[0057] This invention enables public expression of the community's
estimate of stock performance. The user, when making a performance
estimate, may include comments as to why the user selected a
particular bull/bear evaluation. Additionally, users may be
rewarded for making the correct judgments. The present invention
may also provide an indication of business strength and price
attractiveness for any particular stock or group of stocks. This
information may be gleaned from experts in the field, a particular
professional advisor, or staff of The Motley Fool, as well as from
other industry sources.
[0058] According to the present invention, it is possible to
provide a member/user with a notification that his prediction has
been received or that other events relevant to his prediction have
occurred. This notification may include additional information
related to the features of the present invention (such as the
member/user ranking system, etc.). The notification may be in the
form of an email message, a text message, an instant message, or
other form known to those in the art.
[0059] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a computer system for
performing at least one of the functions of FIGS. 1-4 and 6-13. A
computer 100 implements the method of the present invention,
wherein the computer housing 102 houses a motherboard 104 which
contains a CPU 106, memory 108 (e.g., DRAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM,
SRAM, SDRAM, and Flash RAM), and other optional special purpose
logic devices (e.g., ASICs) or configurable logic devices (e.g.,
GAL and reprogrammable FPGA). The computer 100 also includes plural
input devices, (e.g., a keyboard 122 and mouse 124), and a display
card 110 for controlling monitor 120. In addition, the computer
system 100 further includes a floppy disk drive 114; other
removable media devices (e.g., compact disc 119, tape, and
removable magneto-optical media (not shown)); and a hard disk 112,
or other fixed, high density media drives, connected using an
appropriate device bus (e.g., a SCSI bus, an Enhanced IDE bus, or a
Ultra DMA bus). Also connected to the same device bus or another
device bus, the computer 100 may additionally include a compact
disc reader 118, a compact disc reader/writer unit (not shown) or a
compact disc jukebox (not shown). Although compact disc 119 is
shown in a CD caddy, the compact disc 1 19 can be inserted directly
into CD-ROM drives which do not require caddies. In addition, a
printer (not shown) may provide hard copies of the features
illustrated in FIGS. 1-4.
[0060] As stated above, the system includes at least one computer
readable medium. Examples of computer readable media are compact
discs 119, hard disks 112, floppy disks, tape, magneto-optical
disks, PROMs (EPROM, EEPROM, Flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.
Stored on any one or on a combination of computer readable media,
the present invention includes software for controlling both the
hardware of the computer 100 and for enabling the computer 100 to
interact with a human user. Such software may include, but is not
limited to, device drivers, operating systems and user
applications, such as development tools. Together, the computer
readable media and the software thereon form a computer program
product of the present invention for performing at least one of the
functions of FIGS. 1-4. The computer code devices of the present
invention can be any interpreted or executable code mechanism,
including but not limited to scripts, interpreters, dynamic link
libraries, Java classes, and complete executable programs.
[0061] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
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