The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1999
Beth S. Noveck, New York, NY (US);
Benjamin R. Barber, Piscataway, NJ (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for initiating and controlling an electronic conversation comprising the steps of: initiating a electronic conversation between a plurality of users, each user associated with a respective computer, determining whether a number of users engaging in the electronic conversation exceeds a predetermined number of users and, permitting a specific one of the plurality of users to become a moderator of the electronic conversation for a first time period if the number of users engaging in the electronic conversation exceeds the predetermined number of users, and preventing any of the users from becoming the moderator if the number of users engaging in the electronic conversation does not exceed the predetermined number of users. The present invention also allows for a dynamic rotation of the moderator, and allows the plurality of users to change the rules of the electronic conversation.