Method and apparatus for providing predefined feedback

Abstract

A method and apparatus utilized in operating a feedback forum in an online auction environment is described. Instead of allowing users of the system to enter free-form comments for and about other users, a number of predefined feedback comments are provided that relate to an auction transaction. Users leaving feedback for other users are permitted to select a comment they desire to leave for or about another user relative to a transaction. The predefined feedback comments selected by the users are associated with the users whom the comment is about, and at some time thereafter, the predefined feedback comment is displayed for viewing by other users of the system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of operating an online feedback forum comprising: 
 receiving a request from a first user to leave feedback about a second user;    generating a set of predefined feedback comments to be displayed to the user, each predefined feedback comment of the menu of predefined feedback comments associated with an indicator;    identifying a predefined feedback comment from the set of predefined feedback comments as having been selected by the first user; and    storing an indicator associated with the predefined feedback comment in a data structure associated with the second user.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, retrieving the predefined feedback comments from storage based upon the associated indicator responsive to a request received from a requestor.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising, communicating the predefined feedback comments to the requestor.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request from the first user is received at a server machine via a communications network.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating of the set of predefined feedback comments includes generating a markup language document to display the set of predefined feedback comments.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the markup language documents is to display the set of predefined feedback comments as a menu.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the menu comprises any one of a group of menus including a drop-down menu, a radio-button menu and a check-box menu.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying of the predefined feedback comment includes receiving a communication from a client machine at a server machine responsive to a selection of the predefined feedback comment utilizing a markup language document.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said communicating of the predefined feedback comment includes transmitting the predefined feedback comment from a server machine over a communications network to a client machine of the requestor.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said communicating of the predefined feedback comment includes generating a markup language document including the predefined feedback comment at a server machine and transmitting the markup language document to the requestor via a communications network.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , including receiving a request from a requestor to view feedback associated with the second user, and wherein said retrieving the predefined feedback comment is in response to a request by a requestor to view feedback associated with the second user.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of predefined feedback comments relate to an online transaction for goods or services.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the online transaction is facilitated by an auction.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 generating a set of predefined feedback responses to be displayed to the second user, the predefined feedback responses available in the set of predefined responses based upon the content of the predefined feedback comment, each predefined feedback response of the set of predefined feedback responses associated with a response indicator;    detecting selection of a predefined feedback response by the second user from the set of predefined responses; and    storing the response indicator associated with the predefined response in a data structure associated with the first user.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising retrieving the predefined feedback response from storage responsive to a second request received from a second requestor.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising communicating the predefined feedback response to the second requestor.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of predefined feedback comments is distributed among several lists, a first list comprising negative comments, a second list comprising neutral comments, and the third list comprising positive comments.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the language in which the predefined feedback comment is communicated to the requestor is based on information associated with the requestor.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the information includes the national site through which the requestor is registered.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the information includes the requestor's place of residence.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the information includes the requestor's preferred language.  
     
     
         22 . A method of operating a feedback system comprising: 
 receiving a request from a first user to leave feedback about a second user;    retrieving a set of predefined feedback comments in a first language and communicating the set to the first user;    identifying a predefined feedback comment from the set of predefined feedback comments as having been selected by the first user; and    communicating the predefined feedback comment to a requesting user in a second language.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the requesting user receives the predefined feedback comment after selecting an appropriate link on his display.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 upon identification of the predefined feedback comment, identifying a predefined feedback response to the predefined feedback comment from a set of predefined feedback responses as having been selected by the second user, the set of predefined feedback responses having been retrieved and communicated to second user in the second language.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the set of predefined feedback responses communicated to the second user is based upon the content of the predefined feedback comment.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the predefined feedback comment is in relation to a transaction conducted by way of an auction conducted over a network.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first language is based upon information about the first user.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the information is the national site at which the first user is registered.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the information is the registered address of the first user.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the request from the first user is received at a server machine via a communications network.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said retrieving a set of predefined feedback comments includes generating a markup language document in the first language to display the set of predefined feedback comments.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the markup language documents is to display the set of predefined feedback comments as a menu.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the menu comprises any one of a group of menus including a drop-down menu, a radio-button menu and a check-box menu.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said identifying a predefined feedback comment includes receiving a communication from a client machine at a server machine responsive to a selection of the predefined feedback comment utilizing a markup language document.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said communicating the predefined feedback comment includes transmitting the predefined feedback comment from a server machine over a communications network to a client machine of the requestor.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said communicating the predefined feedback comment includes generating a markup language document including the predefined feedback comment at a server machine and transmitting the markup language document to the requestor via a communications network.  
     
     
         37 . A method of operating an online feedback system comprising: 
 receiving a request from a first user to leave feedback about a second user;    determining whether to communicate to the first user a prompt to enter a freeform feedback comment or to communicate a set of predefined feedback comments based on information about either the first or second user;    retrieving a set of predefined feedback comments and communicating the set of predefined feedback comments to the first user;    identifying a predefined feedback comment from the set of predefined feedback comments selected by the first user;    communicating the selected predefined feedback comment to a requesting user.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said determining whether to communicate to the first user a prompt to enter a freeform feedback comment or to communicate a set of predefined feedback comments, the information about either the first or second user includes the national site through which the first or second user is registered.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said determining whether to communicate to the first user a prompt to enter a freeform feedback comment or to communicate a set of predefined feedback comments, the information about either the first or second user includes the domicile or residence of the first or second user.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said determining whether to communicate to the first user a prompt to enter a freeform comment or to communicate a set of predefined feedback comments further comprises choosing to display the set of predefined feedback comments if the information about either the first or second user indicates an association with a predefined group of states.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the predefined group of states is states identified as having strict laws relating to published content.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the predefined group of states is states identified as having strict slander laws.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the request from the first user is received at a server machine via a communications network.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said retrieving a set of predefined feedback comments includes generating a markup language document to display the set of predefined feedback comments.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the markup language document is to display the set of predefined feedback comments as a menu.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the menu comprises any one of a group of menus including a drop-down menu, a radio-button menu and a check-box menu.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said identifying a predefined feedback comment includes receiving a communication from a client machine at a server machine responsive to a selection of the predefined feedback comment utilizing a markup language document.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said communicating the selected predefined feedback comment includes transmitting the predefined feedback comment from a server machine over a communications network to a client machine of the requestor.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said communicating of the predefined feedback comment includes generating a markup language document including the predefined feedback comment at a server machine and transmitting the markup language document to the requestor via a communications network.  
     
     
         50 . Machine-readable media for storing data comprising: 
 a data structure including, 
 a directory of a plurality of predefined feedback comments, the content of the plurality of predefined feedback comments relating to interactions and transactions that may occur between registered users of an e-commerce system,  
 a database record for each registered user, the database record for each registered user comprising a link to each of the plurality of predefined feedback comments associated with the registered user as provided by other registered users.  
   
     
     
         51 . The machine-readable media of  claim 50 , wherein the plurality of predefined feedback comments are stored in a plurality of language translations.  
     
     
         52 . The machine-readable media of  claim 50 , further comprising directories of predefined feedback responses to the plurality of predefined feedback comments, each predefined feedback response of the plurality of predefined feedback responses associated with each predefined feedback comment with which the predefined feedback response relates.  
     
     
         53 . An e-commerce facility comprising: 
 at least one processor; and    one or more data storage devices with, 
 (1) a directory stored thereon of predefined feedback comments having content related to transactions that may be conducted on the e-commerce facility,  
 (2) a database stored thereon including a plurality of records about a plurality of registered users, all stored thereon, and  
 (3) processor-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed cause at least one processor to: 
 receive a request from a first registered user of the plurality of users to leave feedback about a second registered user of the plurality of users,  
 communicate to the first user a set of predefined feedback comments from the directory of predefined feedback comments,  
 identify a predefined feedback comment from the menu of predefined feedback comments selected by the first user;  
 store an indicator associated with a selected predefined feedback comment in a feedback record of the plurality of records associated with the second user,  
 retrieve the selected predefined feedback comment from the directory of predefined feedback comments based upon the indicator, and  
 send the predefined feedback comment to a requestor.  
 
   
     
     
         54 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 53 , wherein the transactions are facilitated by an auction over a network.  
     
     
         55 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 53 , wherein at least one predefined feedback comment within the directory of predefined feedback comments is stored in multiple language translations.  
     
     
         56 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 55 , wherein said processor operation to retrieve the selected predefined feedback comment includes the determination of what language translation of the selected predefined feedback comment to retrieve based on a language indicator stored in the record associated with the requestor.  
     
     
         57 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 53 , wherein the e-commerce facility is a server and the request from a registered user is received via a communications network.  
     
     
         58 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 53 , wherein said instruction to communicate to the first user the set of predefined feedback comments includes an instruction to generate a markup language document to display the set of predefined feedback comments.  
     
     
         59 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 58 , wherein the markup language document is configured to display the set of predefined feedback comments as a menu.  
     
     
         60 . The e-commerce facility of  claim 59 , wherein the menu comprises any one of a group of menus including a drop down menu, a radio-button menu, and a check-box menu.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein said instruction to identify the predefined feedback comment includes an instruction to receive a communication from a client machine at a server machine responsive to a selection of the predefined feedback comment utilizing a markup language document.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said instruction to communicate the predefined feedback comment includes an instruction to transmit the predefined feedback comment from a server machine over a communications network to a client machine of the requestor.  
     
     
         63 . A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, and the sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: 
 receive a request from a first registered user of the plurality of users to leave feedback about a second registered user of the plurality of users,    communicate to the first user a set of predefined feedback comments from the directory of predefined feedback comments,    identify a predefined feedback comment from the menu of predefined feedback comments selected by the first user; and    store an indicator associated with a selected predefined feedback comment in a feedback record of the plurality of records associated with the second user.    
     
     
         64 . The machine readable medium of  claim 63 , having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, and the sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, further cause the processor to: 
 retrieve the selected predefined feedback comment from the directory of predefined feedback comments based upon the indicator, and    send the predefined feedback comment to a requestor.    
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said instruction to receive a request from a first registered user includes instructions to generate a markup language document to display the set of predefined feedback comments.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the markup language document is to display the set of predefined feedback comments as a menu.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the menu comprises any one of a group of menus including a drop-down menu, a radio-button menu and a check-box menu.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said instruction to identify a predefined feedback comment includes instructions to receive a communication from a client machine at a server machine responsive to a selection of the predefined feedback comment utilizing a markup language document.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein said instruction to communicate the selected predefined feedback comment includes instructions to transmit the predefined feedback comment from a server machine over a communications network to a client machine of the requestor.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein said instruction to send the predefined feedback comment includes instruction to generate a markup language document including the predefined feedback comment a server machine and to transmit the markup language document to the requestor via a communications network.  
     
     
         71 . A method of operating an online feedback forum comprising: 
 generating a request to leave feedback regarding a user;    receiving a set of predefined feedback comments, each predefined feedback comment of the set of predefined feedback comments associated with an indicator;    detecting a selection of a predefined feedback comment from the set of predefined feedback comments; and    communicating the predefined feedback comment to be stored and associated with the user.    
     
     
         72 . A method of enabling an online feedback forum comprising: 
 receiving a request to leave feedback regarding a user from a client, and transmitting the request to a server;    receiving a set of predefined feedback comments from the server, each predefined feedback comment of the set of predefined feedback comments associated with an indicator, and communicating the set to the client;    receiving a selection of a predefined feedback comment from the set of predefined feedback comments from the client, and communicating the selection to a server, the server to store the predefined feedback comment as being associated with a further user.