Aol Inc.

America Online, Inc.

Facebook, Inc.

David Lowell Lippke

Harry W Morris

Eric Bosco

Colin Anthony Steele

Bob Watkins

A method and means for self-policing and automatically rate-limiting multiple-user online forums. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a set of rules that permit users to censure other users. A censured user has one or more 'privileges' (which may include access to the online computer system or the effective message rate of a communications connection) taken away or diminished; the privilege is gradually restored if the censured user behaves. The censuring participant and other pertinent participants are notified of the effect of the censuring on the censured user. In another aspect of the invention, the online computer system automatically tracks the rate at which a user sends certain types of messages, and can message rate limit a user who uses too many system resources by sending a large number of messages in rapid succession.

Self-policing, rate limiting online forums

Advertisement delivery capable of providing data to satisfy advertising requests for displaying information to a user accessing an online computer system, generally includes using a first server that is structured and arranged to deliver advertisements to a first region of a display, and a second server that is structured and arranged to deliver advertisements to a second region of a display that is different from the first region. Advertisement delivery may also include a display server that sends input based on demographic data to the servers, where the display server receives instructions from at least one of the first and second servers based on the region controlled by the server, and a configuration system that generates and sends a first configuration file to the first server and a second configuration file to the second server, where the first configuration file includes instructions for displaying advertisements to the first region, and the second configuration file includes instructions for displaying advertisements to the second region.

Advertisement delivery

A method of presenting advertising to viewers in a computer network environment includes monitoring a viewer's interactions with an associated computer system, and adjusting a timing of displayed advertisements on the viewer's associated computer system based on one or more of the viewer's monitored interactions.

Displaying advertisements in a computer network environment

Regulating a user of a computer-based service includes receiving input about a first user from at least one other user of the computer-based service, determining a degree to which the at least one other user can influence a parameter associated with the first user, and modifying the first user's parameter based on the received input and the determined degree of influence. The first user's parameter, for example, can relate to the first user's ability to use the computer-based service.

Regulating users of online forums

A method and means for self-policing and automatically rate-limiting multiple-user online forums. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a set of rules that permit users to censure other users. A censured user has one or more &ldquo;privileges&rdquo; (which may include access to the online computer system or the effective message rate of a communications connection) taken away or diminished; the privilege is gradually restored if the censured user behaves. The censuring participant and other pertinent participants are notified of the effect of the censuring on the censured user. In another aspect of the invention, the online computer system automatically tracks the rate at which a user sends certain types of messages, and can message rate limit a user who uses too many system resources by sending a large number of messages in rapid succession.

Growing community of inventors

Herndon, VA, United States of America

David Lowell Lippke