U.S. patent application number 12/703651 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-10 for inviting users to participate in a venture exchange.
Invention is credited to Andrew Bortz, Christopher E. Griffin, Amit Kumar, Jeffrey Winner.
Application Number | 20100144426 12/703651 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42231694 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100144426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Winner; Jeffrey ; et
al. |
June 10, 2010 |
Inviting Users to Participate in a Venture Exchange
Abstract
A computer-implemented method for inviting members of a venture
exchange to participate in a wager. The method includes receiving a
wager placed by a first user; parsing the wager to determine wager
characteristics associated with the wager; determining, using a
processor, friends of the first user that have an affinity for the
wager based on the wager characteristics; causing an interface to
be displayed to the first user, where the friends of the first user
are organized by a relative affinity for the wager; receiving a
selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate in
the wager; and transmitting a wager invitation to each friend
selected by the first user.
Inventors: |
Winner; Jeffrey; (Los Altos,
CA) ; Kumar; Amit; (Palo Alto, CA) ; Bortz;
Andrew; (San Francisco, CA) ; Griffin; Christopher
E.; (San Francisco, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATTERSON & SHERIDAN, L.L.P.
3040 POST OAK BOULEVARD, SUITE 1500
HOUSTON
TX
77056
US
|
Family ID: |
42231694 |
Appl. No.: |
12/703651 |
Filed: |
February 10, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12543149 |
Aug 18, 2009 |
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12703651 |
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61089811 |
Aug 18, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/25 ;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3244 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101; G07F 17/3274 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/25 ;
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for inviting members of a venture
exchange to participate in a wager, comprising: receiving a wager
placed by a first user; parsing the wager to determine wager
characteristics associated with the wager; determining, using a
processor, friends of the first user that have an affinity for the
wager based on the wager characteristics; causing an interface to
be displayed to the first user, wherein the friends of the first
user are organized by a relative affinity for the wager; receiving
a selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate
in the wager; and transmitting a wager invitation to each friend
selected by the first user.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager characteristics include
at least one of a bet history of the first user, a geographical
location of the first user, an age of the first user, a gender of
the first user, preferences of the first user, and a bet history of
friends of the first user.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sorting
all of the friends of the first user based on the relative affinity
for the wager, wherein the friends of the first user are presented
to the first user in the interface based on results of the
sorting.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of grouping
the friends of the first user into groups based on the relative
affinity for the wager.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager invitation is
transmitted via email, SMS (Short Message Service), fax, or postal
mail.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager is placed by the first
user via mobile browser on a mobile phone.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager is placed via a
standalone device or kiosk.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager invitation is
transmitted via mobile messaging to an application installed on a
mobile phone.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager invitation is
transmitted via a third-party website or service.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager invitation includes a
description of the wager including different betting options
available.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wager invitation further
includes a recommendation of which betting option the friend should
select based on one or more characteristics of the friend.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the wager invitation further
includes information that indicates which betting option the first
user selected when placing the wager.
13. A computer-implemented method for providing an interface
through which a first user invites other members of a venture
exchange to participate in a wager, comprising: displaying an
interface to the first user, wherein friends of the first user are
organized by a relative affinity for the wager based on one or more
wager characteristics; and receiving a selection of one or more
friends to invite to participate in the wager, to cause a wager
invitation to be transmitted to each of the one or more
friends.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wager characteristics
include at least one of a bet history of the first user, a
geographical location of the first user, an age of the first user,
a gender of the first user, preferences of the first user, and a
bet history of friends of the first user.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the friends are displayed in a
ranked order in the interface based on the relative affinity for
the wager.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the friends are displayed in
groups in the interface based on the relative affinity for the
wager.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the wager invitation is
transmitted via email or SMS (Short Message Service).
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the wager invitation includes a
description of the wager including different betting options
available.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wager invitation further
includes a recommendation of a betting option for the friend to
select based on one or more characteristics of the friend.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the wager invitation further
includes information that indicates which betting option was
selected by the first user that placed the wager.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/543,149, filed on Aug. 18, 2009, which
claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.
61/089,811 filed on Aug. 18, 2008. Each of these applications is
hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] Embodiments of the invention relate generally to
computer-implemented venture exchanges, and more particularly, to
systems, computer-readable media, and methods for inviting users to
participate in a venture exchange.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Conventional betting exchanges are computer networked
processes that provide virtual trading places at which individuals
invest (e.g., bet) on outcomes that they predict are likely to
occur. Typically, an operator of a betting exchange--or
bookmaker--determines the outcomes (or at least influences the
details of bets), and mediates the resolution of the bets among
many individuals. Bets available in the betting exchanges are
usually open to large numbers of individuals, most of whom do not
know the identities of the other individuals.
[0006] Conventional betting exchanges generally offer a large
number of different bets, as well as many different types of bets.
Typically, traditional betting exchanges present bets to the
betting community at-large. Usually, the presentation of numerous
bets can obfuscate other bets, thereby further increasing the
quantities of bets that an individual needs to search. This can
lead to inefficiencies as some bets that cannot be easily found may
remain "unmatched." An unmatched bet is a bet that has yet to found
and matched by another individual. Unmatched bets tie up
individuals' wagers for an extended amount of time, thereby
decreasing enthusiasm for betting, as well as the rate which bets
are processed (which, in turn, reduces liquidity). Further, many
typical betting exchanges do not provide a vehicle to sufficiently
facilitate camaraderie and cohesiveness among individuals who
prefer certain bets and/or know each other. This in turn can also
dampen participation that might otherwise be present when
individuals bet competitively with other known individuals.
[0007] It would be desirable to provide improved techniques that
minimize one or more of the drawbacks associated with conventional
techniques for facilitating the exchange of bets.
SUMMARY
[0008] One embodiment of the invention provides a
computer-implemented method for inviting members of a venture
exchange to participate in a wager. The method includes receiving a
wager placed by a first user; parsing the wager to determine wager
characteristics associated with the wager; determining, using a
processor, friends of the first user that have an affinity for the
wager based on the wager characteristics; causing an interface to
be displayed to the first user, where the friends of the first user
are organized by a relative affinity for the wager; receiving a
selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate in
the wager; and transmitting a wager invitation to each friend
selected by the first user.
[0009] Advantageously, embodiments of the invention allow a user to
quickly and easily select which users to invite to participate in
the wager.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention and its various embodiments are more fully
appreciated in connection with the following detailed description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a venture exchange system including a
recommendation generator, according to various embodiments of the
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a venture affinity predictor, according
to various embodiments of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a presentation engine, according to
various embodiments of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a recommendation engine,
according to various embodiments of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting an interface providing a
venture recommendation panel, according to at least one embodiment
of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an interface providing
search/selection results using a recommendation generator,
according to at least one embodiment of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting an interface providing other
outcomes using a recommendation generator, according to at least
one embodiment of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 8A is a diagram depicting an interface providing
selections to generate a customized event, according to at least
one embodiment of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 8B is a diagram depicting an example of a flow to
create a bet, according to at least one embodiment of the
invention.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a diagram depicting an interface providing
sub-pool participant information, according to at least one
embodiment of the invention
[0021] FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate examples of a panel
presentation application for implementing a panel that includes
venture recommendations, according to various embodiments of the
invention;
[0022] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary computer system suitable
for implementing an interactive panel for an interface to provide
venture recommendations, according to at least one embodiment of
the invention; and
[0023] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a panel presentation
system for recommending ventures, according to various embodiments
of the invention,
[0024] FIG. 13 illustrates a system 1300 for inviting friends to a
bet, according to at least one embodiment of the invention.
[0025] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of method steps for inviting
friends to a wager, according to at least one embodiment of the
invention.
[0026] Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts
throughout the several views of the drawings. Note that most of the
reference numerals include one or two left-most digits that
generally identify the figure that first introduces that reference
number.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Various embodiments or examples of the invention may be
implemented in numerous ways, including as a system, a process, an
apparatus, or a series of program instructions on a
computer-readable medium such as a computer-readable storage medium
or a computer network where the program instructions are sent over
optical, electronic, or wireless communication links. In general,
operations of disclosed processes may be performed in an arbitrary
order, unless otherwise provided in the claims.
[0028] A detailed description of one or more examples is provided
below along with accompanying figures. The detailed description is
provided in connection with such examples, but is not limited to
any particular example. The scope is limited only by the claims,
and numerous alternatives, modifications, and equivalents are
encompassed. Numerous specific details are set forth in the
following description in order to provide a thorough understanding.
These details are provided as examples and the described techniques
may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of the
accompanying details. For clarity, technical material that is known
in the technical fields related to the examples has not been
described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the
description.
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a venture exchange system 100 including a
recommendation generator 150, according to various embodiments of
the invention. In the example shown in FIG. 1, recommendation
generator 150 is configured to interact with a pool of participants
102 to gather information associated with pool of participants 102
and to generate recommendations for a user 103 as a function of the
gathered information. In particular, recommendation generator 150
can be configured to determine ventures (e.g., bets) for which user
103 has an affinity, and to present those ventures as
recommendations to user 103. In at least some embodiments,
recommendation generator 150 can generate recommendations based on
group attributes 114 (e.g., venture or bet-related information
associated with sub-pool of participants 104), as well as global
attributes 115 (e.g., venture or bet-related information associated
with pool of participants 102) and user-specific attributes 128
(e.g., venture or bet-related information associated with user
103). User 103 can be associated with a sub-pool 104, which is a
subset of the pool of participants 102, whereby information about
certain ventures is shared via recommendation generator 150 among
user 103 and sub-pool participants 105 (e.g., friends of user
103).
[0030] As shown, user 103 can use an interface 108 to interact with
recommendation generator 150, whereas sub-pool participants 105 can
use interfaces 113 to interact with the recommendation generator
150. As used herein, the term "venture" can refer, at least in some
embodiments, to an event having multiple unknown outcomes from
which a participant (e.g., user 103) selects a particular outcome
to occur along with an investment of some unit of value. In some
examples, the term "venture" can be used interchangeably with the
terms "bet" or "wager." As used herein, the term "units of value"
can refer, at least in some embodiments, to represent an amount of
investment or risk expressed in monetary forms or in non-monetary
forms, such as tokens or points.
[0031] In at least some embodiments, recommendation generator 150
can include either a venture affinity predictor 152 or a
presentation engine 154, or both. Venture affinity predictor 152
can be configured to determine ventures for which user 103 has an
affinity based on information from any number of sources. Examples
of sources of such information include pool of participants 102,
sub-pool participants 105, and user 103. Venture affinity predictor
152 can receive data representing global attributes 115 (as
information from pool of participants 102) to generate
recommendations expressed in terms, for example, of aggregated
attributes of the participants. Thus, venture affinity predictor
152 can use global attributes 115 for predicting ventures that, for
example, might appeal to a predominant number of participants in
pool of participants 102. In some cases, venture affinity predictor
152 uses global attributes 115 to generate venture recommendations
when other sources of information are limited (e.g., when user 103
is not logged in or a registered member of venture exchange system
100). Venture affinity predictor 152 can also receive data
representing group attributes 114, which can describe the
characteristics for the ventures in which one or more of sub-pool
participants 105 participate.
[0032] Further, in some embodiments, venture affinity predictor 152
can receive data representing user-specific attributes 128, which
may describe characteristics of user 103. User-specific attributes
128 can be derived from one or more views 120 (or sessions) of
interface 108. For example, user-specific attributes 128 can be
provided via view 120a, which can include an electronic form into
which user 103 inputs user-specific information, such as name,
gender, age, residence, etc. As another example, user-specific
attributes 128 can be provided responsive to the interaction of
user 103 with one or more views 120a to 120c. For example,
user-specific attributes 128 can include information indicating
recommended bets that were presented to user 103, but were not
selected. Thus, venture affinity predictor 152 can predict that
other bets having similar attributes as the unselected recommended
ventures likely will not be selected, too. Therefore, those types
of ventures can be recommended less or not at all, at least with
respect to user 103. In operation, venture affinity predictor 152
can use group attributes 114, global attributes 115, and
user-specific attributes 128, or any combination thereof, to
generate venture recommendations for which user 103 likely will
have an affinity. Recommendation generator 150 can provide the
venture recommendations (e.g., as data representing user-specific
venture recommendations 126) to a portion ("P2") 110 of interface
108.
[0033] In at least some embodiments, presentation engine 154 can be
configured to optimize the presentation of the venture
recommendations in a manner that user 103 can readily detect
ventures in which user 103 is interested. For example, presentation
engine 154 can be configured to order venture recommendations for
presentation at portion 110 of interface 108 as a function of group
attributes 114, global attributes 115, and/or user-specific
attributes 128. In at least one embodiment, recommendation
generator 150 can include a venture creation unit 156, which can be
configured to create a customized venture responsive to venture
creation factors 122 input into a portion ("P3") 112 of interface
108. Examples of venture creation factors 122 include identifiers
(e.g., names) of sub-pool participants 105 and indications whether
to limit access to a venture to only sub-pool participants 105,
thereby making it private and inaccessible to others in pool of
participants 102. Further, recommendation generator 150 can be
configured to access group attributes 114, filter those attributes,
and stream data representing friend ventures 124 to a portion
("P1") 109 of interface 108. The streaming attributes can be
displayed on portion 109 of interface 108 to report bet-related
activities as a betting activity ticker or feed. In some instances,
a betting activity ticker or feed can be implemented similar to a
news feed-like format. Thus, user 103 can observe ventures in which
friends of the user are participating, and can also participate in
friend-created ventures, among other betting news-related
information or things.
[0034] In view of the foregoing, the structures and/functionalities
of recommendation generator 150 can provide recommendations that
user 103 prefers, and can present the recommendations in a manner
that facilitates expeditious searching to locate suitable ventures
in which to participate. The recommendations can be a function of
group attributes 114, thereby providing user 103 with recommended
ventures as a function of the ventures in which friends 105
participate. The friends can presumably be trustworthy sources of
information for predicting ventures that might also interest user
103. Additionally, recommendation generator 150 can tune the
ventures that are recommended by monitoring which presented
recommendations are ignored by user 103. Further, recommendation
generator 150 can use global attributes 115 to present venture
recommendations as a function of the aggregate behaviors and/or
selections of pool of participants 102, rather than relying on, for
example, keyword-related recommendations. Thus, recommendation
generator 150 can reduce the search cost for user 103 to find
ventures (e.g., bets) that they would be interested in. Any number
of views 120 (e.g., as served web pages) can be used to
continuously collect and process data.
[0035] In still further embodiments, the recommendation generator
150 can be used in conjunction with an invitation engine such that
after the user 103 places a wager, the user 103 may invite other
users (e.g., friends) to participate in the bet. For example, a
friend picker may be provided through which the user 103 can select
which other users to invite to participate in the bet. In some
embodiments, the recommendation generator 150 may organize the
friends of the user 103 so that the users that are most likely to
want to participate in the bet are placed first, e.g., near the top
of the friend picker. Additional details of the invitation engine
are described below in FIGS. 13-14.
[0036] In various embodiments, any of the described elements in
FIG. 1 can be implemented in hardware or software, or any
combination thereof, regardless of whether the elements are
distributed throughout a network or reside on a server machine (or
in a contiguous computer-readable medium). In at least some
embodiments, recommendation generator 150 can generate
recommendations based on more or fewer attributes that group
attributes 114, global attributes 115, and user-specific attributes
128. For example, the venture exchange system 100 may be
implemented as a website to which users navigate using a web
browser on a personal computer (PC) or laptop. In other
embodiments, the web-site based venture exchange system 100 may be
navigated using a mobile browser on a mobile phone. In still
further embodiments, the venture exchange system 100 may be
implemented as a software application that is installed on a user's
computer or phone. For example, the software application may be
provided on a disc or downloaded as a computer program over the
internet and installed on the user's computer. In still further
embodiments, the venture exchange system 100 may be implemented as
a combination of a website and software application. In yet further
embodiments, the venture exchange system 100 may be implemented via
a standalone device or kiosk. For example, a kiosk may be provided
that is connected to the internet and allows users to participate
in the venture exchange via an interface. For example, the
interface may be a keyboard and mouse interface, a touch screen
interface, or any other technically feasible interface. In some
embodiments, the kiosk may be located at a horse race track, auto
race track, athletic stadium, off-track betting (OTB) facility,
convenient store, an outdoor location, such as a sidewalk, a
transit terminal, an airport, or any location. In some embodiments,
the kiosk is connected to the internet with a wired LAN/WAN
connection, a wireless Internet connection, a mobile phone network,
a satellite connection, or any technically feasible type of
connection.
[0037] FIG. 2 illustrates a venture affinity predictor 220,
according to various embodiments of the invention. In diagram 200,
venture affinity predictor 220 is shown to include a data
collection engine 230, a user model generator 222, and a prediction
engine 224, and is further shown to interact with one or more data
repositories, such as data repositories 240 to 249. Data collection
engine 230 can be configured to gather data from various sources
for use by user model generator 222 to generate a user model that
can describe the likes and dislikes of a user, among other things.
As shown, data collection engine 230 can include a search analyzer
232, a sub-pool venture analyzer 234, a user activity tracker 236,
and an attribute manager 238.
[0038] Search analyzer 232 can be configured to receive search
criteria 204 in connection with a search by a user to find ventures
in which the user seeks to participate, in at least some
embodiments. Search analyzer 232 can analyze and decompose, for
example, a string of text to determine a subset of words that can
be used to identify likes and dislikes of the user. The subset of
words (and an optional association to the user) can be stored in a
repository 242 as user-specific attributes. For example, the
subsets of words can include the word "baseball," thereby
associating that word with the user. Venture affinity predictor 220
then can subsequently present venture recommendations associated
with the term "baseball."
[0039] Sub-pool venture analyzer 234 can be configured to receive
friend-related data 206 (e.g., as group attributes) in connection
with ventures in which the user's friends are participating, in at
least some embodiments. Sub-pool venture analyzer 234 can analyze
the ventures that the user's friends are participating in, and can
extract information that can be useful to predict whether a user
prefers one or more bets over other bets. Sub-pool venture analyzer
234 can store friend-related data 206 in sub-pool database ("DB")
240. Examples of friend-related data 206 can include: an amount of
friends of the user that have participated in a venture/bet, the
amounts wagered as a function of one or more friends, activity
levels of any friend (e.g., adding or removing units of value for a
bet), a list of bets that any friend is participating in, search
results of any friend's search, and the like.
[0040] User activity tracker 236 can be configured to receive user
activity context data 202 (e.g., as at least a portion of
user-specific attributes) in connection with the activities of the
user for various ventures, in at least some embodiments. User
activity tracker 236 can store user activity context data 202 in
user-specific attributes repository 242. In operation, user
activity tracker 236 can analyze the context in which the user is
reviewing, searching, selecting (and not selecting), and
participating in various ventures. For example, user activity
tracker 236 can determine which recommended ventures (e.g.,
generated by the recommendation generator) were ignored by the
user, based on user activity context data 202. User model generator
222 can use this information to exclude or deemphasize presentation
of similar ventures for recommendation purposes. Examples of other
user activity context data 202 include: [0041] (1) the page context
data that describes the category factor associated with any web
page view by the user (so that venture affinity predictor 220 can
emphasize or enhance the prediction of other similar bets based on
user-favored categories), [0042] (2) the amount of times a user
viewed a bet, [0043] (3) the bet subject matter for determining
whether the user is a fan of a particular subject (for example, a
team or a player) for predicting that bets about that subject
matter are likely to be preferable to the user, [0044] (4) the
geographic location of the user as determined, for example, by
mapping an IP address to a geographical location, [0045] (5) recent
actions of the user (e.g., adding a bet, increasing/decreasing a
bet amount, etc.) to discover the temporal "mood" of the user
during a period of time, and present bets that the user currently
is more interested in, [0046] (6) the number of times the user has
participated in bets of the same category, [0047] (7) the number of
times the user has participated in similar bets, [0048] (8) the
amount of money the user has wagered on a bet, [0049] (9) the
frequency that a user wins similar bets, [0050] (10) favored
outcomes that the user typically selects (e.g., user predominantly
bets either "for" or "against" an outcome, etc.), and the like.
[0051] Attribute manager 238 can be configured to manage the usage
and/or storage of user-specific attributes in repository 242 and
global attributes in repository 244, in at least some embodiments.
Attribute manager 238 can store explicit attribute data 208 as
user-specific data in user-specific attributes repository 242. In
one embodiment, explicit attribute data 208 can be extracted from
an electronic form into which the user enters user-specific
information directly, or from surveys. Attribute manager 238 can
also operate to manage the usage and/or storage of global
attributes 209 in repository 244. Examples of global attributes 209
include: [0052] (1) an amount of money in the pot for a bet, [0053]
(2) the number of participants who have participated in a bet,
[0054] (3) recent activity relating to the bet (e.g., how many bets
have been placed in the last 24 hours), [0055] (4) the expiration
time at which the bet will close, [0056] (5) how soon the bet will
resolve, [0057] (6) betting volumes for a bet (e.g., rate at which
units of value flow into a pot, amounts of individuals
participating), and the like.
[0058] User model generator 222 can be configured to generate a
data model representing the likes (e.g., affinity for participating
in a venture/bet) and dislikes, and to store the data model in
repository 246. In at least some embodiments, the user model
includes a data arrangement of data (or a subset thereof) stored in
repositories 240 to 244, the data arrangement being well-suited for
use by prediction engine 224.
[0059] Prediction engine 224 can be configured to generate
recommended ventures 210 for delivery to a presentation engine (not
shown). Prediction engine 224 can be further configured to access
data in repository ("venture-specific data") 248 and repository
("prediction generation rules") 249. Repository 248 maintains data
representing bets (e.g., all bets, public or otherwise) available
to one or more participants, including the user and friends of the
user. Repository 249 can include prediction generation rules that
guide the prediction engine 224 in performing the recommendation
process. In at least some embodiments, the prediction generation
rules cause prediction engine 224 to identify open bets (i.e., not
closed) and generate a list of those bets that are open. The
prediction generation rules can also cause prediction engine 224 to
filter bets on the list as a function of venture selection context
data 202. For example, if venture selection context data 202
indicate that the user has viewed or is viewing a category sub-page
(e.g., one level down into a category, such as baseball in the
sports category), then venture recommendations can be limited to
bets within the category (or sub-category).
[0060] Next, prediction engine 224 can be configured to rank the
bets as a function of the data in the user model repository 246.
The prediction rules can then also cause prediction engine 224 to
evaluate the venture selection context data 202 to determine recent
activity to, for example, to identify unselected recommendations
for subsequent de-emphasis. According to various embodiments, the
prediction generation rules can cause prediction engine 224 to
perform any type of ranking or weighting to determine the most
relevant recommendations to present to a user. For example, if the
prediction rules attribute more weight to locality than other
attributes, then prediction engine 224 can evaluate the IP
(Internet Protocol) address to present geographically relevant
ventures/bets to a user (e.g., bets relating to a local minor
league ball team in Visalia, Calif.).
[0061] FIG. 3 illustrates a presentation engine 310, according to
various embodiments of the invention. In diagram 300, presentation
engine 310 is shown to include a venture consolidator 312 and a
presentation manager 314, and is further shown to interact with one
or more data repositories, such as data repositories 330 to 336.
Venture consolidator 312 can be configured to consolidate (e.g., or
combine) redundant/duplicative bets stored in repository 330, such
as multiple "Who will win the World Series" bets. Filtering out
such bets decreases the number of bets that a user, for example,
searches through. As shown, redundancy eliminator 312 generates a
set of filtered recommendations 315 and transmits them to
presentation manager 314. Note that in some cases, venture
consolidator 312 is optional.
[0062] Presentation manager 314 can be configured to generate
user-specific venture recommendations 316 for review by a user.
Presentation manager 314 can be further configured to access
user-specific attributes and global attributes in repositories 332
and 334, respectively. Then, presentation manager 314 can tune the
presentation of user-specific venture recommendations 316,
according to how the presentation rules in repository 336 causes
presentation manager 314 to process the attributes. In various
embodiments, the presentation rules that are implemented can vary
depending on how an interface or window is to be presented to a
user. For example, for a first page (e.g., an introductory or
"dashboard" page), the presentation rules can be configured to
cause presentation manager 314 to present recommended ventures/bets
at the top of an interface. In some cases, presentation manager 314
can also present a betting activity ticker or feed on the first
page to display the latest activity in the network of friends for
the user. The betting activity ticker or feed can include
recommendations embedded within it. For a second page (e.g., a user
profile page), the presentation rules can be configured to cause
presentation manager 314 to present a subset of the bets that the
user is participated/has participated in. Presentation manager 314
can use the attributes to determine which bets constitute the
subset of venture recommendations that are to be presented to the
user.
[0063] In some embodiments, presentation manager 314 can be
configured to present user-specific venture recommendations 316 in
a "mini view" on interface 398. A "mini view" can be a portion of
interface 398 in which a bet is displayed with an identifier (e.g.,
a name, such as "Who will win the World Series") and/or photo
(e.g., photo of Kobe Bryant for a basketball bet), a favored
outcome (e.g., as provided by user-specific attribute data or by a
user model), friend-related information, and/or an amount of value
units wagered. Presentation manager 314 can be configured to
display the bets within a particular category, and can determine
which bets to display and in which order. Presentation manager 314
can be configured to order search results responsive to a search
query. Presentation manager 314 can be configured to display other
bets that the user is likely to participate in. Presentation
manager 314 can also be configured to show recommended bets after a
user has placed a bet and invited friends to participate in the bet
that the user made.
[0064] In some embodiments, presentation manager 314 can include a
message generator 390 that can be configured to transmit
user-specific venture recommendations 316 via any number of
communication media, channels, or techniques. For example, message
generator 390 can transmit one or more user-specific venture
recommendations 316 as a Short Message Service ("SMS") message 392,
an email message 394, or any other type of electronic message
396.
[0065] FIG. 4 is a diagram 400 illustrating a recommendation engine
402, according to various embodiments of the invention. In this
example, recommendation engine 402 is shown to include servers
430a, 430b, and 430n that can provide structures and/or
functionalities for a venture affinity predictor, a presentation
engine, and a venture creation unit, respectively, which, in turn,
can be configured to access data in repositories 440a, 440b, and
440n. In various embodiments, recommendation engine 402 can be
communicatively coupled via a network 410, such as the Internet or
any other communications network, to any number of clients 420a,
420b, and 420n. In at least some embodiments, clients 420a to 420n
can respectively execute applications 422a to 422n, which can
perform part of the functionality of a venture exchange system.
Examples of applications 422a to 422n include web browser
applications, mobile browser application, installed software
application, mobile phone applications, or the like. In some
embodiments, the clients 420a to 420n comprise a personal computer,
laptop, mobile phone, standalone device or kiosk, or any other
technically feasible type of computer device.
[0066] FIG. 5 is a diagram 500 depicting an interface providing a
venture recommendation panel, according to at least one embodiment
of the invention. In this example, a display 503 is configured to
provide an interface 501 that is configured to present a venture
recommendation panel 590. As used herein, the term "panel," at
least in one embodiment, can refer to displays, palettes, tabs,
windows, screens, portions of an interface, and the like. Venture
recommendation panel 590 can be configured to include recommended
bet portion 512 for at least presenting a recommended venture
(e.g., a bet for the winner of the 2008 U.S. Presidential
Election). Venture recommendation panel 590 can also be configured
to present one or more of the following: (1) an interactive panel
portion 540 configured to accept a search query to form a search,
(2) a group of categorized links 560, and (3) another bet portion
550 for at least presenting another recommended venture (e.g., 2008
Regular Season Kobe Bryant Assists/Game) or for indicating a
pending bet for a user. Venture recommendation panel 590 includes a
panel title bar 504, which can indicate the name of the venture
exchange site, a menu and/or toolbar 506, which is shown to include
at least menu items 513, panel control buttons 519, and scroll bar
542. In at least one embodiment, venture recommendation panel 590
facilitates finding bets and participating in on-line betting.
[0067] In this example, recommended bet portion 512 includes
information originating from various sources to describe a bet
offered to a user in a manner that can influence participation. As
shown, recommended bet portion 512 is depicted as a shortened view
(or mini view) of a bet. A mini view presents an outcome, such as
outcome ("George Washington") 516 for the bet having a title 510 of
"2008 US Presidential Election Winner." In various embodiments, a
recommendation generator can determine an affinity (e.g., a user's
affinity) for George Washington, whether in the context of previous
bets or any other tangential activity (e.g., searches for George
Washington, etc.), and can recommend George Washington as an
outcome. Recommended bet portion 512 also includes a field 514
suggesting a unit of value (e.g., 20 units) that can be
over-written with any other number of units of value. Also included
is an indication of an amount (e.g., expressed as a percentage) of
people (either in the pool of participants or in the sub-pool of
friends, as well as a specific individual (not shown)) that have
picked the outcome presented. As such, friend-related information
can be presented coincident to the presentation of an outcome of a
bet to provide a user with real-time information based on select
individuals' choices. Part 518 of recommended bet portion 512 is
shown to include "XXXXX," which can be representative of the total
pot. A user input 520 can be configured to activate participation
in a bet. Part 522 of recommended bet portion 512 is shown to
include "another outcome" selection, which can be a link to an
alternative outcome should the recommend outcome 516 not be
attractive to the user. Further, part 524 of recommended bet
portion 512 is shown to include "closes in 6 months," which is the
time left until the bet closes and further participation and/or bet
alterations are locked out.
[0068] Next, consider a case in which the user desires to search
for a bet based on ordered categories 560, which can be presented
in a manner as determined by a recommendation generator. Here, the
user uses cursor 510 to select the "Sports" category (note that the
subsequent presentation of results can be obtained by entering
"Sports" into field 540).
[0069] FIG. 6 is a diagram 600 depicting an interface providing
search/selection results using a recommendation generator,
according to at least one embodiment of the invention. In this
example, an interface 601 is configured to present a
search/selection panel 602. As shown, search/selection panel 602
presents bets 620, 622, 624, and 626, any of which the user can
select for participation. Note that the ordering of the bets, the
information presented in each of the bets 620 to 626, the types of
bets (e.g., "How many wins . . . ," "Who will win the World
Series," etc.), and the like, can be determined based on an
affinity (or a predicted affinity) that a user might have to the
subject matter presented in search/selection panel 602. A
recommendation generator can evaluate user-specific attributes,
group attributes, and/or global attributes to determine that bets
620, 622, 624, and 626 are to be presented rather than other bets
(not shown). Next, consider that a user selects another outcome
using a cursor 670 for bet 622.
[0070] FIG. 7 is a diagram 700 depicting an interface providing
other outcomes using a recommendation generator, according to at
least one embodiment of the invention. In this example, an
interface 701 is configured to present outcomes panel 702 for event
706 titled "Who will win the World Series this Season?" Also shown
is the amount of time left 704 before the bet closes. As shown,
outcomes panel 702 presents outcomes 710, 712, and 714, any of
which the user can select for participation. Note that the ordering
of the outcomes, the information presented in each of the outcomes
710 to 714, the titles 720 of outcomes (e.g., "Toronto Blue Jays"
for outcome 712 etc.), the types of friend-related information
presented at portions 722 and 724, and the like, can be determined
based on an affinity (or a predicted affinity) that a user might
have to the subject matter presented in outcomes panel 702. That
is, a recommendation generator can evaluate user-specific
attributes, group attributes, and/or global attributes to determine
that outcomes 710, 712, and 714 and the information presented
therein are to be presented rather than other outcomes and
information (not shown). Portion 726 accepts inputs from the user
to bet any amount of units of value. Next, consider that a user
desires to create a customized event other than shown in the
search/selection results panel.
[0071] FIG. 8A is a diagram 800 depicting an interface providing
selections to generate a customized event, according to at least
one embodiment of the invention. In this example, an interface 801
is configured to present a customized event creation panel 802. To
create a customized event (or bet), a user can select a template in
drop down menu 820 with which to create bet. For example, the user
can use drop down menu 820 to clone an existing bet for purposes of
modifying it. Or, the user can use drop down menu 820 to select a
template requiring the user to create some or all aspects of a bet
(e.g., titles, closing dates and times, etc.). A user can select
whether to make the customized event public or private using inputs
810. Here, the user selected the radio button "private." As such,
customized event creation panel 802 can present the user with drop
down menu 822 to select the individuals (e.g., friends) who are
authorized to access and/or participate in the customized event,
thereby denying access to those external to the sub-pool.
[0072] FIG. 8B is a diagram depicting an example of a flow to
create a bet, according to at least one embodiment of the
invention. Persons skilled in the art will understand that, even
though the method 850 is described in conjunction with the systems
of FIGs. 1-8A, any system configured to perform the method steps,
in any order, is within the scope of embodiments of the
invention.
[0073] As shown, the method 850 begins at step 852, where a user
describes a bet. At step 854, the user adds outcomes. At step 856,
the user may optionally take a position. At step 858, the user may
invite one or more friends to participate in the bet. In one
example, an interface can be configured to provide for custom bet
creation, such as described in pages 20 to 26 of Appendix 1. For
instance, an interface, such as depicted on page 20 of Appendix 1,
can receive information that describes certain attributes of a
venture (or a bet). For example, the interface can include fields
for entering: (1) the title of the bet, (2) the close date (e.g.,
the date on which the bet closes to any new participants), (3) the
date that the bet will be resolved, (4) whether the bet can be
accessible (or viewable) by everyone (i.e., is it a public bet) or
whether the bet has limited access (e.g., limited access to the
friends of the user or a group of friends of the user). In other
examples, the interface can include fields (not shown) for
entering: (1) maximum amount of participants that can participate
in a venture/bet, (2) a maximum number of positions a user can
participate in per venture (e.g., a creator of a bet can restrict a
participant to selecting a maximum of 3 outcomes of a group of
outcomes), (3) a minimum amount of units of value to wager (e.g.,
per outcome or bet), (4) restricting an outcome to only a specific
number of users (e.g., an outcome can be limited to only one
participant, such that after that one outcome is selected, no
others can select that outcome), and the like.
[0074] FIG. 9 is a diagram 900 depicting an interface providing
sub-pool participant information, according to at least one
embodiment of the invention. In this example, an interface 901 is
configured to present a sub-pool participant panel 902. As shown,
portion 910 of panel 902 is configured to present friend
information via a selection in drop down menu 912. Consider that
the user selects "Joe" as a friend having information that the user
wishes to review. As shown, the friend's name 916 is shown as Joe,
along with the bets 918 that Joe is participating in as well as the
amounts wagered 920 in the bets. Other information can be shown
responsive to selecting Joe's name in drop down menu 912. Portion
930 of panel 902 is configured present friend information in
real-time (or near real-time) as part of a stream of information,
such as a betting activity ticker or feed (shown as "bet feed"), in
which friend-related information units 932 is present to the user.
Note that in some embodiments, a recommendation generator can
evaluate user-specific attributes, group attributes, and/or global
attributes to determine that which information units 932 are to be
presented to the user.
[0075] FIG. 10A illustrates an example of a panel presentation
application for implementing a panel that includes venture
recommendations, according to various embodiments of the invention.
In at least one embodiment, venture recommendations and/or
selections can be implemented in a panel, such as a single panel.
Here, application 1002 includes interface ("I/F") module 1004,
display module 1006, rendering engine 1008, repository 1010, logic
module 1012, panel generator 1014, and data bus 1016. In some
examples, the number and type of elements shown and described may
be varied and are not limited to the descriptions provided. In some
examples, the above-described elements can be implemented as part,
component, or module of application 1002. As an example,
application 1002 can be implemented to include either a web-based
form or an electronic form as part of a software product, and can
have content input field functionality as described herein. Logic
module 1012 can be implemented as software, hardware, circuitry, or
a combination thereof to implement control logic for the described
techniques for panel presentation.
[0076] In some examples, logic module 1012 can be configured to
control panel generator 1014 to form panels that include venture
recommendations. Rendering engine 1008 can be configured to operate
as a layout engine for web pages, for example, to manipulate both
content (e.g., as expressed in or including HTML, XML, image files,
etc.) and formatting information (e.g., as expressed in or
including CSS, XSL, etc.) for rendering the data or information as
one or more panels on an interface. Interface module 1004 can
exchange panel presentation data, including content data, image
data, audio data, as well as other data, between application 1002
and another application (e.g., a host, client, web services-based,
distributed (i.e., enterprise), application programming interface
("API"), operating system, program, procedure or others) that can
use data and information generated from panel generator 1014 to
render presented panels on a display screen. In other examples, the
above-described techniques and elements can be varied in design,
implementation, and function and are not limited to the
descriptions provided. In one embodiment, logic module 1012 can
include a recommendation generator 1090 that is configured to
include structure and/or functionality similar to
previously-described recommendation generators.
[0077] FIG. 10B illustrates an alternative example of a panel
presentation application for implementing a panel that includes
venture recommendations, according to one embodiment of the
invention. Here, application 1020 includes panel generator 1022 and
logic module 1024, which can have equivalent functionality as 1012
of FIG. 10A. Further, application 1020 is shown in data
communication with interface ("I/F") module 1026, display module
1028, rendering engine 1030, and repository 1032. Data bus 1034 can
be configured to send or receive data among application 1020, I/F
module 1026, display module 1028, rendering engine 1030, and
repository 1032. In other examples, more, fewer or different
elements can be used and implemented without limitation to the
examples provided above.
[0078] In some examples, logic module 1024 and panel generator 1022
can be implemented as part of application 1020, which can be
implemented separately from other functional components or modules,
such as interface module 1026, display module 1028, rendering
module 1030, and repository 1032. Data bus 1034 can be implemented
to communicate data over a given port between application 1020 and
interface module 1026, display module 1028, rendering module 1030,
and repository 1032. In other words, application 1020 can be
implemented as a standalone application or as a component (i.e.,
module) of another application. Data or information associated with
a panel can be stored in repository 1032, which can be implemented
using a database, data store, data warehouse, or any other type of
data repository or structure. In other examples, more, fewer, or
different modules can be used to implement the described techniques
for panel presentation and are not limited to those provided.
[0079] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary computer system suitable
for implementing an interactive panel for an interface to provide
venture recommendations, according to at least one embodiment of
the invention. In some examples, computer system 1100 can be used
to implement computer programs, applications, methods, processes,
or other software to perform the above-described techniques and to
realize the structures described herein. Computer system 1100
includes a bus 1102 or other communication mechanism for
communicating information, which interconnects subsystems and
devices, such as processor 1104, system memory ("memory") 1106,
storage device 1108 (e.g., ROM), disk drive 1110 (e.g., magnetic or
optical), communication interface 1112 (e.g., modem or Ethernet
card), display 1114 (e.g., CRT or LCD), input device 1116 (e.g.,
keyboard), and pointer cursor control 1118 (e.g., mouse or
trackball). In one embodiment, pointer cursor control 1118 invokes
one or more specialized commands that, at least in part, facilitate
participation in a bet. Pointer cursor control 1118 can interact
via a pointer cursor with a panel to select a bet.
[0080] According to some examples, computer system 1100 performs
specific operations in which processor 1104 executes one or more
sequences of one or more instructions stored in system memory 1106.
Such instructions can be read into system memory 1106 from another
computer-readable medium, such as static storage device 1108 or
disk drive 1110. In some examples, hard-wired circuitry can be used
in place of or in combination with software instructions for
implementation. In the example shown, system memory 1106 includes
modules of executable instructions for implementing an operation
system ("O/S") 1132, an application 1136, and a recommendation
generator 1138.
[0081] In some examples, execution of the sequences of instructions
can be performed by a single computer system 1100. According to
some examples, two or more computer systems 1100 coupled by
communication link 1120 (e.g., LAN, PSTN, or wireless network) can
perform the sequence of instructions in coordination with one
another. Computer system 1100 can transmit and receive messages,
data, and instructions, including program code (i.e., application
code) through communication link 1120 and communication interface
1112. Received program code can be executed by processor 1104 as it
is received, and/or stored in disk drive 1110, or other
non-volatile storage for later execution. In one embodiment, system
1100 is implemented as a hand-held device, such as a mobile phone
1150. But in other embodiments, system 1100 can be implemented as a
personal computer, laptop, mobile phone, standalone device or
kiosk, or any other technically feasible type of computing
device.
[0082] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a panel presentation
system for recommending ventures, according to various embodiments
of the invention. Here, system 1200 includes network 1202, display
environment 1204, interface 1206, which can be presented on devices
such as computer 1208, notebook computer ("notebook" or "laptop")
1210, smart phone 1212, personal digital assistant ("PDA") 1214,
server 1216, administrator computer 1218, and/or standalone device
or kiosk (not shown). In other examples, the number and type of
devices can be varied and are not limited to those shown and
described.
[0083] In some examples, one or more panels for creating electronic
documents can be presented on interface 1206, which can be an
interface for an application such as a web browsing program,
Internet content portal, client or desktop application for any
purpose. Interface 1206, in some embodiments, can include Uls for
stand-alone video players, including a DVD-player UI. Panels can be
used to provide additional or supplemental information that can be
contextually relevant to another panel presented in interface 1206.
Computer 1208, notebook computer ("notebook" or "laptop") 1210,
smart phone 1212, personal digital assistant ("PDA") 1214, server
1216, and administrator computer 1218 can provide content data for
rendering content as well as other data, which can be implemented
to generate, for example, an electronic form and content input
field in interface 1206. In some cases, an operating system
installed on computer 1208 can communicate (i.e., via an
application programming interface ("API")) content data and/or
other related data to another application installed on computer
1208 to render (i.e., interpreting data and information to draw or
display the content in an interface) one or more panels presented
in interface 1206. In some examples, different types of panels can
be rendered in interface 1206. In one embodiment, interface 1206
can include any number and/or any type of display environments,
such as CRT and LCD displays. Note that the above-described system
and elements can be varied and are not limited to the descriptions
or examples provided.
[0084] FIG. 13 illustrates a system 1300 for inviting friends to a
bet, according to at least one embodiment of the invention. As
shown, the system 1300 includes a venture exchange 1302, a user
1308, and friends 1310, 1312. The venture exchange 1302 includes a
recommendation engine 1304 and an invitation engine 1302. In one
embodiment, the recommendation engine 1304 is substantially similar
to the recommendation generator 150 described in FIG. 1. In some
embodiments, the friends 1310, 1312 are related to the user 1308 in
a social network context, i.e., the user 1308 is a "friend" of
friend 1310 and friend 1312.
[0085] In some embodiments, the user 1308 places a wager with the
venture exchange. According to various embodiments, the wager may
be placed via a web browser on a personal computer or laptop, a
software application installed on a personal computer or laptop, a
mobile browser on a mobile phone, a mobile application installed on
a mobile phone, a standalone device or kiosk, or via any
technically feasible implementation of the venture exchange. The
recommendation engine 1304 receives the wager and parses the wager
into wager characteristics. Some examples of wager characteristics
include, but are not limited to, a bet history of the user 1308,
the social network for the user 1308, the geographical location of
the user 1308, the age of the user 1308, the gender of the user
1308, other members of the social network of the user 1308 that are
affiliated with the same group of users (e.g., people that work in
the same office as the user 1308, or went to the same university as
the user 1308), user preferences (e.g., teams of which the user
1308 has indicated as being a fan), the bet history of friends of
the user 1308, and the like. Based on the wager characteristics,
the recommendation engine 104 may determine which friends of the
user 1308 are likely to have an affinity for the same wager, i.e.,
which friends would be interested in placing a bet on this
wager.
[0086] After placing the wager, an interface may be displayed to
the user that allows the user 1308 to invite friends to the wager.
Such an interface may be termed a "friend picker." In some
embodiments, the friends of the user 1308 may be presented to the
user in the interface sorted by affinity to the wager. For example,
based on the results of the recommendation engine 1304, the friends
may be sorted so that friends with the greatest affinity for the
wager are placed near the top of the interface. In another
embodiment, the friends may be organized into groups based on
affinity to the wager. For example, the groups may include (i)
"Friends likely to be interested in the wager," (ii) "Friends
likely to be disinterested in the wager," or (iii) "Friends that
are indifferent to the wager."
[0087] The user 1308 may then select which friends to invite to the
wager. Based on the selection, the invitation engine 1306 transmits
an invitation to the selected friends. In some embodiments, the
invitation is transmitted by the invitation engine 1306 via email
to the selected friends. In other embodiments, the invitation is
transmitted via SMS (Short Message Service), fax, postal mail, or
via any other technically feasible manner. In other embodiments,
the invitation may be transmitted via mobile messaging. For
example, in embodiments where the venture exchange is implemented,
in part, as a mobile application on a mobile phone (e.g., an
iPhone.RTM. app), the invitation may be sent to the mobile
application via mobile messaging, separate from SMS or mobile
browsing. In some examples, the invitation may be a push
notification received by the mobile application. In other
embodiments, the invitation may be transmitted via a third-party
website or service. For example, the invitation may be transmitted
as a notification via a social networking site, such as Twitter or
Facebook. The invitation includes a description of the bet and the
options offered on which to wager. The invitation may also include
an indication of which user has invited the friend to the bet, how
that user wager (e.g., which side did the inviting friend take),
who else was invited to the wager, or any other technically
feasible information. The user 1308 that invited friends to the bet
may also have access to an interface that tracks which invited
friends have viewed the invitation, which invited friends have
wagered, and what side did they take.
[0088] In some embodiments, the recommendation engine 1304 may
include logic that recommends, to the friends that receive the
invitation, which side to take in the wager. For example, the
recommendation engine 1304 may recommend for friend 1310 to take
one side of the wager, but may recommend for friend 1312 to take
the opposite side. Factors that the recommendation engine 1304 may
consider when recommending a side for the invited friend to take
may include prior bet history of the friend, demographics,
geographical location, age, gender, favorite teams, or any other
factors.
[0089] In further embodiments, the recommendation engine 1304 may
present the invitation to the invited friends in one of several
different views or media based on the various characteristics or
settings. For example, the invitation to friend 1310 may be sent
via email, whereas the invitation to friend 1312 may be sent via
SMS. In another example, the invitation to friend 1310 may include
a recommendation for a side to take, whereas the invitation to
friend 1312 may not include a recommendation for a side to take. In
yet another example, the interface or display that embodies the
invitation may be different for different recipients of the
invitation. Again, any number of different characteristics or
settings may be taken into account by the recommendation engine
1304 and/or invitation engine 1306 when delivering the invitation
to the selected friends.
[0090] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of method steps for inviting
friends to a wager, according to at least one embodiment of the
invention. Persons skilled in the art will understand that, even
though the method 1400 is described in conjunction with the systems
of FIGS. 1-8A and 9-13, any system configured to perform the method
steps, in any order, is within the scope of embodiments of the
invention.
[0091] As shown, the method 1400 begins as step 1402, where a
venture exchange receives a wager placed by a first user. The wager
can be any type of wager, including a straight wager, a paramutual
(or pool-based) wager, a parlay wager, or any other type of wager.
In some embodiments, the wager is placed after the user has
logged-in to a website operated by the venture exchange to place
the wager. In other embodiments, the wager may be placed via a
mobile phone or a standalone device or kiosk.
[0092] At step 1404, the venture exchange parses the wager to
determine wager characteristics of the wager. Some examples of
wager characteristics include, but are not limited to, a bet
history of the user, the social network for the user, the
geographical location of the user, the age of the user, the gender
of the user, other members of the social network of the user that
are affiliated with the same group of users (e.g., people that work
in the same office as the user, or went to the same university as
the user), user preferences (e.g., teams of which the user has
indicated as being a fan), the bet history of friends of the user,
and the like. In reference to FIG. 1, the wager characteristics may
also include the global attributes 115, the group attributes 114,
the user-specific attributes 128, and/or the venture creation
factors 112.
[0093] At step 1406, the venture exchange determines which friends
of the first user have an affinity for the wager based on the wager
characteristics. In one embodiment, the recommendation generator
150 shown in FIG. 1 performs step 1406. At step 1408, the venture
exchange displays to the first user a wager invitation interface,
where friends of the first user are sorted based on relative
affinity for the wager. In some embodiments, the presentation
engine 154 is configured to generate the interface displayed to the
first user. For example, the friends of the user in a social
network that have the greatest affinity for the wager may be placed
at the top of the interface, and friends that have the lowest
affinity for the wager may be placed at the bottom of the
interface. In other embodiments, the friends may be organized in
groups. The groups may include (i) "Friends likely to be interested
in the wager," (ii) "Friends likely to be disinterested in the
wager," or (iii) "Friends that are indifferent to the wager."
[0094] At step 1410, the venture exchange receives a selection from
the first user of friends to invite to the wager. For example, the
first user may click on or otherwise select which users to invite
to participate in the wager.
[0095] At step 1412, the venture exchange transmits a wager
invitation to each of the selected friends. In one embodiment, the
invitation engine 1306 in FIG. 13 is configured to generate the
wager invitation and transmit the wager invitation to the
appropriate friends. As described above, embodiments of the
invention provide wager invitations that are transmitted via email,
SMS, fax, postal mail, mobile messaging, third-party application or
service, or any other technically feasible medium. In addition, in
some embodiments, different wager invitations may be transmitted
based on various characteristics of the wager and/or settings.
[0096] Advantageously, embodiments of the invention allow a user to
quickly and easily select which users to invite to participate in
the wager. Since the friends are organized by affinity to
participate in the wager, the user can more readily determine whom
to invite. Embodiments of the invention are especially useful when
the user has many friends (e.g., over 500 friends). Another
advantage is that inviting other users to participate in a wager
drives traffic to the venture exchange, allowing the venture
exchange to generate more revenue.
[0097] Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a
program product for use with a computer system. The program(s) of
the program product define functions of the embodiments (including
the methods described herein) and can be contained on a variety of
computer-readable storage media. Illustrative computer-readable
storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable
storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer
such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, flash memory, ROM
chips or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory)
on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writable
storage media (e.g., floppy disks within a diskette drive or
hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access
semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored.
[0098] In at least some of the embodiments of the invention, the
structures and/or functions of any of the above-described
interfaces and panels can be implemented in software, hardware,
firmware, circuitry, or a combination thereof. Note that the
structures and constituent elements shown herein, as well as their
functionality, can be aggregated with one or more other structures
or elements. Alternatively, the elements and their functionality
can be subdivided into constituent sub-elements, if any. As
software, the above-described described techniques can be
implemented using various types of programming or formatting
languages, frameworks, syntax, applications, protocols, objects, or
techniques, including C, Objective C, C++, C#, Flex.TM.,
Fireworks.RTM., Java.TM., Javascript.TM., AJAX, COBOL, Fortran,
ADA, XML, HTML, DHTML, XHTML, HTTP, XMPP, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, and
others, such as MySQL. These can be varied and are not limited to
the examples or descriptions provided.
[0099] The various embodiments of the invention can be implemented
in numerous ways, including as a system, a process, an apparatus,
or a series of program instructions on a computer-readable medium
such as a computer-readable storage medium or a computer network
where the program instructions are sent over optical or electronic
communication links. In general, the steps of disclosed processes
can be performed in an arbitrary order, unless otherwise provided
in the claims.
[0100] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses
specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the
invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art
that specific details are not required in order to practice the
invention. In fact, this description should not be read to limit
any feature or aspect of the present invention to any embodiment;
rather features and aspects of one embodiment can readily be
interchanged with other embodiments. Notably, not every benefit
described herein need be realized by each embodiment of the present
invention; rather any specific embodiment can provide one or more
of the advantages discussed above. In the claims, elements and/or
operations do not imply any particular order of operation, unless
explicitly stated in the claims. It is intended that the following
claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.
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