1049 results about "User participation" patented technology

A method and a system for evaluating the quality of a contribution made by a user in a distributed online community framework are disclosed. The quality of contribution is assessed by creating a reputation profile of the user across multiple online communities. The reputation profile contains a reputation score indicating the credibility of the user, user identification information, user participation statistics and user contribution information. Such reputation score is calculated based on the feedback provided by other users for the contribution made by the user. The system also allows maintaining and publishing a unique reputation profile across the distributed online communities. Maintaining the reputation profiles incentivizes users to contribute better quality content. This improves the overall quality of the community discourse.

Multi-user, multi-computing device collaborative work experience is provided. One or more computing devices, including wired and wireless personal computers, laptop computers, servers, handheld mobile computing devices, for example, mobile telephones, tablet type computers, slate type computers and the like, may be linked together to allow users of such devices to engage in a collaborative work session. Information for each user engaged in the collaborative work session may be displayed on the one or more devices along with any content such as agenda items, documents, data, images, and the like. User participation may be tracked, and information on user participation, work session communications and content may be stored for subsequent use.

Systems and methods are provided that enable searches of social networks by acting as a “compass” that assists users in navigating the social network. Individual user participation is not required in response to queries from other users. The systems and methods offer navigational assistance or information as opposed to a traditional search which returns requested information, thus currently acceptable social mechanisms for arbitrating trust can be exploited. As a result, users do not make their personal information publicly searchable, while at the same time, they are protected from potential misrepresentations of facts.

Multi-user, multi-computing device collaborative work experience is provided. One or more computing devices, including wired and wireless personal computers, laptop computers, servers, handheld mobile computing devices, for example, mobile telephones, tablet type computers, slate type computers and the like, may be linked together to allow users of such devices to engage in a collaborative work session. Information for each user engaged in the collaborative work session may be displayed on the one or more devices along with any content such as agenda items, documents, data, images, and the like. User participation may be tracked, and information on user participation, work session communications and content may be stored for subsequent use.

A system and method for providing visual feedback to a user of an exercise machine for gauging fitness progress of the user. The system provides a user of an exercise machine with a virtual competition in which the user competes against virtual competitors based on his past performances or those of other users, either as an individual or as a member of a team. The team may also be part of a league. For an individual competing against his own past performance(s), the system may raise the level of performance required to win the virtual competition, and may also lower the level of performance required if the user is not performing well on a particular day. For an individual competing against others in either real-time or against designated results, either as part of a team or a league, the system may reduce the isolation, disconnection, and tedium often experienced by users of cardiovascular exercise equipment and provide a social outlet. The system attempts to keep the user engaged and motivated to achieve desired fitness goals by providing real-time performance data and historical performance data displayed in a graphical manner coupled with the entertainment and excitement of competition and social interaction.

The present invention may be embodied in a method, performed in a computer system having a disk drive, for installing an application program for execution under a user's preferred operating system without requiring user intervention. A command is received by the disk drive for reading a first data block to initiate a bootload of the user's preferred operating system. The disk drive detects the command and transfers a second data block which bootloads an installer program for installing the application program. The installer program is executed in the computer system to transfer the application program from a protected area of the disk drive to a user area of the disk drive, to modify a parameter of the user's preferred operating system to cause the application program to be loaded during a bootload of the user's preferred operating system, and to reboot the system to bootload the user's preferred operating system.

A system and method for generating a profile of communication sessions involves generating ratings for a selected set of messages and metadata associated with content items that are shared by social network users participating in a communication session. Ratings may be based on keyword scores which may then be adjusted based on user participation parameters, social network characterization parameters, and user selected options. Communication session profiles change over time and so recomputation is effected on periodic or scheduled bases. Generated profiles may be stored, frequently retrieved, or used in applications such as but not limited to content filtering, recommending content shared by participating social network members, selecting relevant advertisements, providing topic suggestions or user list invitations.

A method and system for assisting a user to engage in a microbrowser-based interactive chat session. The microbrowser displays a conversation choice card comprising (i) a history-of-communications and (ii) a number of choice-items related to the chat session. The use of a conversation choice-card conveniently reduces the number of keystrokes that a user might otherwise need to carry out various functions related to the chat session. It also may cut the number of keystrokes required to perform interactive chat functions.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for attracting the attention of people in public places and engaging them in a touch-free interaction with a multimedia display using an image-capturing system and a set of Computer Vision algorithms as a means of informing the public as well as collecting data about / from the users. The invention is named, Virtual Touch Entertainment (VTE) Platform. The VTE Platform comprises of a series of interaction states, such as the Wait State, the Attraction State, the User Engagement State, the User Interaction State, and the Interaction Termination State. The modules in these interaction states handle complicated tasks assigned to them, such as attracting the users, training the users, providing the multimedia digital content to the users, and collecting the user data and statistics, in an efficient and intelligent manner. The user is able to experience a whole new way of interaction paradigm while getting information and entertainment through the rich digital multimedia. The system operates automatically and dynamically in real-time throughout the whole interaction process.

A method, system, and program for specifying monitored user participation in a messaging session is provided. A time status for a messaging system element is determined. The time status corresponds to a type of participation by at least one user in a messaging session. An output attribute is assigned to the messaging system element according to the time status, such that output of the messaging system element is specified to depict time status for the messaging session. A client messaging system, receiving the messaging system element with the output attribute, graphically displays the messaging system element in order to graphically reflect user participation in a messaging session.

A “URLIT” identifier is assigned to a URL and embedded in an HTML document located at the URL. The URLIT and other data are described using a Universal Advertisement Markup Language such that high-precision searching of the World Wide Web is possible. URLIT-enabled transactions are conducted through a Universal Toolbar Utility. A search method allows user-definition of search algorithms and includes a ranking method that assigns relevancy scores to documents by polling users. Transaction reliability is enhanced by user participation in a Universal Terms of Use system and a Universal Arbitration system.

A system and method for providing visual feedback to a user of an exercise machine for gauging fitness progress of the user. The system provides a user of an exercise machine with a virtual competition in which the user competes against virtual competitors based on his past performances or those of other users, either as an individual or as a member of a team. The team may also be part of a league. For an individual competing against his own past performance(s), the system may raise the level of performance required to win the virtual competition, and may also lower the level of performance required if the user is not performing well on a particular day. For an individual competing against others in either real-time or against designated results, either as part of a team or a league, the system may reduce the isolation, disconnection, and tedium often experienced by users of cardiovascular exercise equipment and provide a social outlet. The system attempts to keep the user engaged and motivated to achieve desired fitness goals by providing real-time performance data and historical performance data displayed in a graphical manner coupled with the entertainment and excitement of competition and social interaction.

An Agenda-Driven Meeting (ADM) allows a distributed set of users to have an online, not necessarily synchronous meeting including an agenda which specifies both the topics or goals of the meeting's phases, as well as the interrelationship between the phases, including the order of execution. The system provides a graphical representation, which shows the status of each phase—including indicators of user participation—as well as the relationship between the phases. Input can include text comments; queries, potentially directed to one or more users; responses to these queries; task assignments, also potentially directed to one or more users; summaries of phases; and indicators of users interest in a given query or response. The ADM graphic representation reflects each of the elements including the particular phase to which a given element is related. The system allows a given user to replay a given ADM instance, even after the meeting has been completed. A service is also provided enabling a service organization to facilitate the use of Agenda-Driven Meetings by a customer organization.

Advertisements may be selected for display to a user in a computer game environment based at least in part on one or more of a personality trait of the user as determined from monitoring a behavior of the user as the user is participating in the computer game environment, a user affinity for a subject of another advertisement as determined from monitoring activity of the user after the user views the other advertisement while the other advertisement is displayed in the computer game environment, and a characteristic of the user as determined from a username selected by the user.

The invention belongs to the field of pans, and particularly discloses a smart pan comprising a pan body, a handle, a thermocouple and a pan controller. The thermocouple is assembled to the bottom of the pan body, and the pan controller is disposed within the handle. The pan controller acquires the corresponding cooking program, the cooking program is configured with the set value of the pan temperature associated with time, the measured value of the pan temperature based on thermocouple detection and the set value of the pan temperature obtained from the cooking program are processed to generate a control signal for manipulating a heating unit for heating the smart pan and changing the strength of heating power of the heating unit, the measured value of the pan temperature is enabled to reach the set value of the pan temperature till the cooking program is totally executed by the pan controller, and food cooking is finished. Throughout the cooking process, the smart pan manipulates the heating unit based on the acquired cooking program, the temperature of the smart pan is controlled automatically, food cooking is completed without user participation, and users can make delicious food either with or without cooking skills.

Methods and systems are provided for facilitating user joint purchasing and user-participated online advertisements, including: providing means for a user to request joint purchasing of products and services online; subtracting sponsoring amount provided by users' sponsors from the listed prices of products and services; dividing the cost of products and services among users participated in joint purchasing; receiving separate payments from such users; delivering products and services based on system configurations and user joint purchasing instructions; integrating existing third party online advertisements with user incentives; and enabling users to create and modify online advertisements for entities and individuals, wherein said advertisements can be customized or designed by said users. Such methods and systems further include: providing group and role-based security for users; providing means for external websites to embed unique functions of present invention, such as user joint purchasing, user-participated online advertisements, and the like; providing means to enable users to arrange others' assets; providing means for users to participant in various online events to foster better relationships; providing means for users to pool funds for charity organizations or individuals; providing means for users to centrally manage multiple accounts of their external websites; and providing means for users to acquire free assets.

The invention discloses a user interest modeling method based on user browsing behavior, comprising the steps of constructing a user interest model in an apparent mode and updating the user interest model in a concealed mode. The step of constructing the user interest model in the apparent mode is a process of primarily establishing and initializing the user interest model through user registration, and the step of updating the user interest model in the concealed mode is realized by analyzing and researching the user access preference according to the condition that users accesses Web pages under the condition of no need of user participation. By using the method, new interests of users can be automatically discovered, and feature items with low interestingness in the user interest model can be eliminated. Therefore, one the one hand, the interest change of users can be better monitored, and on the other hand, the unlimited increase of the user interest model can be controlled in time, and the stability of the interest model is improved.

A system for encouraging a user to perform substantial physical activity. The system may include sensors that may be worn by the user while the user is performing a substantial physical activity, such as running or playing basketball. The sensors may detect the magnitude of the physical activity and may transmit data regarding the physical activity to a processing system. The processing system may display a reward to encourage the user for participating in physical activity and the reward provided may be based on the physical activity of the user.

A system is disclosed for selecting and integrating music received from a user's personal music library into an exercise routine. The system includes a music analyzer software module that characterizes rhythmic qualities of each song in the music library, creating a rhythmically quantified collection of the user's music which serves as one input to a song selection module. Other inputs to the selection module include target workout parameters and user defined data that include the user's physical metrics and the user's preferences for song selection and repetition. Real time data associated with the user's physical activity can also be supplied to the selection module, which associates particular songs with the user's physical activity. The song selection module supplies the selected songs in a sequential fashion to a personal music device worn by the user while the user is engaged in a structured type of physical exertion.

A project management system is disclosed which is easy to use by members belonging to a project and other persons. The system comprises a server 2 and a DB 3 which stores project by project, contents belonging to those projects participated in by some or all of users. The server 2 comprises a communication controller 4 for transmitting prescribed pages to user terminals 1 and receiving operation messages from the pages, a project desktop sheet generator 10 for reading out contents data from the database 3 in response to those operation messages and generating pages for displaying or accessing all the contents belonging to those projects, project by project, as project desktop sheets, and an access controller 12 for controlling communications with user terminals, when there has been an access made via the communication controller 4 for the content of the contents, in unit of project desktop.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and system for dynamically sharing multimedia content information. In particular, embodiments of the present invention provide a “live social context” in which users can share multimedia content information, such as a website, a stream, a music file, and the like. Upon finding multimedia content that a user would like to share with others, the user may select a “share” function, for example, by selecting a button on their browser that initiates a dialog window and permits the user to invite other users into a discussion. The invitations may then be sent to these users across different services. In addition, the invitation may include content, such as a text comment or file that the user has added. The recipient users receive a live notification of the invitation and may then participate in an online discussion with the user. Furthermore, other users may be provided a live notification that activity has been initiated or in-progress about the multimedia content. These users may then request to join in the online discussion.

Multi-user, multi-computing device collaborative work experience is provided. One or more computing devices, including wired and wireless personal computers, laptop computers, servers, handheld mobile computing devices, for example, mobile telephones, tablet type computers, slate type computers and the like, may be linked together to allow users of such devices to engage in a collaborative work session. Information for each user engaged in the collaborative work session may be displayed on the one or more devices along with any content such as agenda items, documents, data, images, and the like. User participation may be tracked, and information on user participation, work session communications and content may be stored for subsequent use.

A method and system for providing an interactive gaming system is disclosed. At least one interactive social gaming community allows a plurality of users to engage in a wagering contest against a single entity. An initial amount of gaming units associated with an initial user investment is allocated to each user. A payout table is dynamically generated and includes at least one threshold amount of gaming units associated with rewards available to the user. A bet request signal received from a user is automatically reconciled with an outcome of at least one type of contest occurring during an active gaming period. A user account is updated by modifying an amount of gaming units in a user account based on a result of the at least one type of contest and determines if user has earned the reward associated with the at least one threshold.

The invention provides a method for improving research results and provides a method for adding sorting labels into the mass search results of a comprehensive search engine, sorting the search results according to various labels and filtering the search results according to the labels. In the invention, user participation for improving search results is introduced, so the user experience of the search engine is improved and the search engine using efficiency of users is improved.

Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for creating a talk shows and other video programming. In one example, a host processor-based facility is configured for: (i) accepting inputs of content and stylistic information for designing a composited video program, (ii); and electronically transferring such content and stylistic information to the processor-based production server; the host processor-based facility and a set of the participant processor-based devices, each associated with a user, are configured: (i) to communicate with each other over an electronic communications network as participating devices in a live conference that includes audio communication, with each of the participating devices transmitting a live first data stream; and (ii) to transmit a second data stream to a processor-based production server; both the first data stream and the second data stream represent a corresponding user's participation in the live conference; and the processor-based production server is configured to receive the second data streams and assemble them into a final composited video program using the content and stylistic information.

The present invention relates to a user-participating type fitness lecture system and a fitness training method using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a user-participating type fitness lecture system that provides direction for correcting a user's posture or motion by comparing the user's motions with user created contents (UCC). When the contents are played back for the user to emulate, correctness of the user's motion is grasped by detecting and comparing motions in the contents with the user's motion photographed through a camera, and providing the user with posture correction information in image or voice formats. In one embodiment, a user-participating type fitness lecture system according to the present invention comprises a user terminal for photographing a user and transmitting a moving image of the user while playing back a UCC selected by the user; and a posture correction server for providing the user terminal with the UCC selected by the user, receiving the moving image from the user terminal, comparing the moving image with the played back UCC, and directing correction of the user's posture in voice or image.