User interface for interacting with online message board

Abstract

A program and graphical user interface is provided for facilitating user interactions with an online message board system. The interface provides multiple levels of filtering and screening capability with query parameters presented within a first portion of the interface to permit comprehensive and flexible selection of message entries of interest to a user. The message entries are compiled into intelligent sets corresponding to logical constructs tailored for the community of users for the online message board system, so that the need for reviewing messages to locate relevant subject matter is substantially eliminated. After the user specified message entries are retrieved, they can be displayed in list form in a second portion of the interface, and then reviewed in depth in yet a third portion of the interface. The query and reviewing operations by the user can all take place therefore, within a single screen, providing the user with a simplified but powerful tool for perusing subject matter of interest from a large collection of message postings. Collections of messages can be pre-compiled and downloaded to the user in advance, based on predictive logic, resulting in faster perceived response times from the user's viewpoint. In a preferred embodiment, the present interface is used in connection with a financial information based message board system, where it is used by members of an online electronic community to capture and share individual user rationales and logic for purchasing or selling financial instruments such as securities, options, etc.

1. An electronic interface for permitting a user to manage message entries associated with an online electronic message system, the interface comprising:
 a first display region for providing  configured to provide a visible display of a message list of at least some message entries associated with a user-defined search query, said list including at least one identifying parameter for each of said message entries; and  
 a second display region for providing  configured to provide a visible display of at least some substantive information for a user-selected one of said message entries, said substantive information being simultaneously visible with said message list displayed in said first display region;  
 a third display region for providing  configured to provide a visible display of message query filtering parameters selectable by the user for constructing said user-defined search query, said message query filtering parameters being arranged in separate subject matter and class areas, which subject matter and class areas are also simultaneously visible with said message list displayed in said first display region and said substantive information displayed in said second display region; and  
 wherein said electronic interface operates  is configured to operate within an internet browsing program and permits a user to review selected message entries from a database in accordance with said user-defined search query.  
 
     
     
       2. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the message query filtering parameters relate to pre-indexed compilations of messages generated from said database. 
     
     
       3. The interface of  claim 2 , wherein the message query filtering parameters in the class areas are structured in a plurality of levels, and, for each of such levels there is a pre-indexed compilation of messages generated from said database. 
     
     
       4. The interface of  claim 3 , wherein the user can  interface is configured to automatically access any of the messages corresponding to a particular message query filtering parameter for any of the plurality of levels by selecting said particular message query filtering parameter within said class area. 
     
     
       5. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the message query filtering parameters relate to search filter criteria previously defined by the user. 
     
     
       6. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein without changing screens, the user can perform a new query and update said message list by selecting a  at least one new message query filtering parameter from either said subject matter and/or said class areas. 
     
     
       7. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user can  interface is configured to view substantive information in said second display area for a plurality of messages by selecting a corresponding plurality of message entries in said message listing display area, and further wherein said message listing display area is at all times visible while the user is viewing said substantive information for the plurality of messages. 
     
     
       8. The interface of  claim 1 , further including a fourth display area for displaying  region configured to display statistical information relating to authorship, readership, and/or subject matter of said message entries in said database. 
     
     
       9. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user can  interface is configured to perform searching, listing and reviewing operations associated with said message entries simultaneously within a single level of windows of said electronic interface. 
     
     
       10. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user can  interface is configured to receive a user's reply to a message entry displayed in the first display region, and said reply is coded with a classification parameter corresponding to said query filtering parameters. 
     
     
       11. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user can  interface is configured to receive a user's reply to a message entry displayed in the first display region, and said reply is coded with a classification parameter corresponding to a customized query filtering parameter for said user. 
     
     
       12. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user can  interface is configured to reply to a message entry, and said reply can be configured to appear to other users of said electronic message board system and/or to users of other unrelated message board systems. 
     
     
       13. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein said message query filtering parameters include options  at least one option for viewing statistical information pertaining to said messages. 
     
     
       14. The interface of  claim 1 , wherein message entries for a number of query filtering parameters are pre-loaded and made  available to said interface. 
     
     
       15. An interface associated with a program for enabling a user query of message entries located in a database on a remote server, the interface comprising:
 a subject matter display area providing  configured to provide one or more selectable parameters for selection by the user to impose a first level of filtering for the query; and  
 a subject class filter menu display area, separate from said subject matter display area, and providing  configured to provide one or more subject class filtering parameters selectable by the user to impose a second level of filtering for the query, said subject class filtering parameters being related to said first level of filtering imposed by the user; and  
 a message list display area providing  configured to provide a list of any message entries matching said first and second level of filterings of the query, said message list including at least some identifying parameters for each of said message entries, and said message list display area being further adapted so that  configured to provide the user can select  with a selection of any one of said entries in said message list; and  
 a content display area for providing  configured to provide substantive information for any one of said entries in said message list selected by the user;  
 a message text search area for receiving  configured to receive a user-defined text search to be used for locating desired message entries in said message list that satisfy said user-defined text search;  
 wherein said subject display area, said subject class filter menu display area, said message display area, said message text search area and said content display area are configured to be visible at the same time by the user, such that any searching and reviewing operations associated with the user query can be performed by the user without changing screens;  
 further wherein the interface operates  is configured to operate within an internet browsing program.  
 
     
     
       16. The interface of  claim 15 , wherein the interface is configured to impose a third level of filtering can be imposed  on said message entries based at least partly on a user customized filter, so that only message entries satisfying all of said first, second and third levels of filtering are displayed in said message list display area. 
     
     
       17. The interface of  claim 15 , wherein the interface enables said second level of filtering can  to include one or more sub-class query filtering parameters, which sub-class query filtering parameters represent sub-classifications of said subject class filtering parameters. 
     
     
       18. The interface of  claim 15 , wherein message entries for a number of predefined subject class filtering parameters selected by the user are pre-loaded by a compressed transmission from the remote server intermittently during an interactive session and made available to said interface without additional prompting by the user. 
     
     
       19. An integrated interface for assisting a user of a computer program to perform multiple operations associated with retrieving and reviewing selected electronic messages posted on an online message board system, the integrated interface comprising:
 a first operation control area adapted  configured to permit the user to select a sampling of the electronic messages during a first operation using a subject matter parameter;  
 a second operation control area adapted  configured to permit the user to generate a filtered set of messages from said sampling of electronic messages during a second operation using a classification parameter, which classification parameter represents one distinct class of said subject matter parameter;  
 a third operation control area adapted  configured to display a list of matching electronic messages retrieved from the online message board system in accordance with the first and second operations, said list including message identifying information, including at least author and topic information for each of said matching electronic messages, and said third operation control area being adapted  configured so that the user can alter an ordering of said list during a third operation;  
 whereina link to a charting operation can be performed and displayedconfigured to display a chart to the user in connection with a trading symbol associated with one or more of said list of matching electronic messages;  
 a fourth operation control area adapted  configured to display contents of any of said matching electronic messages during a fourth operation controlled by the user;  
 wherein all of said operations can be performed by the user within said integrated interface; further wherein the integrated interface operates  is configured to operate within an internet browsing program.  
 
     
     
       20. The interface of  claim 19 , wherein said second operation control area is also includes  configured to include subclassification parameters that each correspond to one distinct subclass of said classification parameters. 
     
     
       21. The interface of  claim 19 , wherein said filtered set of messages correspond to pre-indexed messages taken from all messages on said bulletin board system falling under said subject matter parameter. 
     
     
       22. The interface of  claim 19 , wherein said operation control areas are implemented using Java based code applets. 
     
     
       23. A computer program stored in a tangible computer readable medium for permitting a user to retrieve and review message entries from an online message board system, the program comprising:
 a query formulation routine implemented as part of a user interface of such program, said query formulation routine presenting the user with a first search query filter comprised of at least two distinct levels of filtering capability for retrieving the message entries; and , 
 wherein a first set of selected message entries can be retrieved from said online message board system in response to said first search query filter; and  
 a query customization routine, also implemented as part of said user interface of such program, said query customization routine presenting the user with a second search query comprised of at least one additional level of filtering capability for further filtering said first set of selected messages; and  
 wherein a second set of selected messages within the user interface is generated by said query customization routine in response to said second search query; and  
 a listing routine configured to display a listing of said second set of selected message entries; and  
 a content review routine adapted to display contents of said second set of selected message entries;  
 wherein said computer program is adapted  configured to operate within an internet browsing program; and  
 further wherein said computer program permits  is configured to permit a user to retrieve and review message entries of interest within a single integrated interface.  
 
     
     
       24. The program of  claim 23 , wherein said first set of selected message entries is logically pre-arranged for retrieval at said online message board system based on said first search query filter. 
     
     
       25. The program of  claim 23 , wherein said first set of selected message entries are pre-loaded for viewing within said interface. 
     
     
       26. A computer program stored in a tangible computer readable medium for permitting a user to manage message entries associated with an online electronic message system, the computer program comprising:
 an interface, said interface including: 
 (a)  a menu of message query filtering parameters provided in a menu area comprising a subject matter menu area and a subject matter class menu area, and selectable by the user for locating a first group of message entries having characteristics matching said query filtering parameters; and  
 (b)  a message listing area for displaying a first list of parameter information relating to one or more individual message entries from said first group of message entries, said first list including at least one identifying parameter for each of said one or more message entries in said first group, and  
 
 a user operation control routine, said user operation control routine being configured so that when  in response to a message entry from said first group is  being selected by the user, a control operation is performed in connection with said message entry;  
 further  wherein said computer program operatesis configured to operate within an internet browsing program and permitsto permit a user to simultaneously perform searching and control operations in connection with messages retrieved from a database.  
 
     
     
       27. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said control operation relates to a query operation, and said identifying parameter includes an author of said message entry, so that a second group of message having an identifying parameter corresponding to said author is  can be retrieved and displayed in said message listing area. 
     
     
       28. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said control operation relates to a query menu operation, and such query menu operation constructs a new query filtering parameter on said subject matter class menu area for said interface, said new query filtering parameter being at least partly based on said identifying parameter. 
     
     
       29. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said control operation relates to a search operation, and such search operation can be used by said user for locating those of said first group of messages containing content information specified by the user. 
     
     
       30. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said control operation relates to a filtering operation, and such filtering operation can be used by said user for further reducing said first list appearing in said message listing area. 
     
     
       31. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said identifying parameter for said message entry includes an indication of whether an author of said message entry is presently in an online discussion group area. 
     
     
       32. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said control operation relates to an author locating operation so that said user can engage in an online discussion with an author of said message entry. 
     
     
       33. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said interface further including  includes a display area within said interface for displaying  configured to display statistical information pertaining to said message entries on said online electronic message system. 
     
     
       34. The program of  claim 33 , wherein said statistical information includes an identification of most popular groups of message entries having characteristics matching said query filtering parameters. 
     
     
       35. The program of  claim 33 , wherein said statistical information includes an identification of author related data for the message entries, including most popularly read authors, and/or most prolific authors. 
     
     
       36. The program of  claim 33 , wherein said statistical information includes an identification of customized interface features used by other users of the online electronic message board system. 
     
     
       37. The program of  claim 26 , wherein said a first group of message entries are pre-loaded for viewing within said interface. 
     
     
       38. A method of operating a user interface adapted for retrieving message items from an online message board system while executing within a browser program, said method comprising the steps of :
 (a)  providing a set of subject matter control filters visible in the user interface for selecting a first collection of the message items from the online message board system associated with said subject matter; and  
 (b)  providing a set of class control filters for selecting a second collection of message items from the first collection of message items, such that only those class control filters associated with a particular subject matter control filter are visible simultaneously with said particular subject matter control filter;  
 (c)  providing a message item identifier list, visible simultaneously in the user interface with said set of subject matter and class control filters, said message item identifier list including at least one identifying parameter for each of said message items; and  
 (d)  providing content information for a user-selected one of said message entries, said content information being simultaneously perceivable with said message item list and set of subject matter and class control filters;  
 wherein content information for any one or more of the message items on the online message board system can be retrieved within the browser program based on said sets of subject matter and class control filters.  
 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 38 , wherein said second collection of message items is automatically downloaded by the online message board system without prompting by the user. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 38 , further including a step (e):  providing a visible ranking pertaining to statistical data compiled from said message items. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 38 , wherein said content information includes multimedia data from a message item posted by a user of the online message board system. 
     
     
       42. A method of managing message entries associated with an online electronic message system, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a)  providing at an interface at a client system a menu of message query filtering parameters in a menu area selectable by the user for locating a first group of message entries having characteristics matching said query filtering parameters; and  
 (b)  providing at the interface at the client system a message listing area for displaying a first list of parameter information relating to one or more individual message entries from said first group of message entries, said first list including at least one identifying parameter for each of said one or more message entries in said first group, and  
 (c)  executing a user operation control routine at the client system in connection with one or more of said individual message entries, said user operation control routine being configured for: 
 locating additional message entries related to said individual message entries; and    modifying said message query filtering parameters based on said identifying parameter; and    
 wherein steps (a) through (c)  providing the menu, providing the message, and executing the user operation control routine are performed while operating at the client system within an internet browsing program.  
 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 42 , wherein said user operation control routine is also configured for indicating the whereabouts and/or locating online an author of one or more of said message entries. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 42 , further including a step (d):  displaying statistical information pertaining to said message entries on said online electronic message system. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 42 , wherein said first group of message entries having characteristics matching said query filtering parameters are pre-located and pre-downloaded by the online message board system without prompting by the user. 
     
     
       46. A tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon, computer- executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:      present query parameters visible within a first display region of a graphical interface of a client computing system, wherein the query parameters are selectable for constructing a user - defined search query and the query parameters being arranged in separately selectable subject matter and class areas;        in response to a selection of one or more query parameters, retrieve electronic content from a database coupled to a network computing system, wherein the content is organized into a logical arrangement of separate categories determined by the network computing system based on substantive information contained in the electronic content;        in response to a selection of one or more query parameters, present identification information visible within a second display region of the graphical interface for a plurality of items of the retrieved electronic content, the identification information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters, the identification information uniquely identifying substantive information associated with the one or more query parameters; and        in response to a selection of an item of the retrieved electronic content, present substantive information for the selected item of the retrieved electronic content organized into the logical arrangement of the separate categories visible within a third display region of the graphical interface, the substantive information being simultaneously visible with the identification information and the query parameters,        wherein the query parameters, the identification information, and the substantive information are presented within in a single window of the graphical interface, and        wherein the graphical interface is configured to operate within an internet browsing program.      
     
     
       47. A system comprising:
   a network computing system;        a computer program containing instructions configured to present a graphical interface on a client computing system; and        a database coupled to the network computing system for storing electronic content, wherein said electronic content has a logical arrangement that is determined and configured by the network computing system into separate categories based on substantive information contained in said electronic content,        wherein the network computing system is configured to retrieve electronic content from the database according to said logical arrangement of separate categories in response to a selection of query parameters presented within a first display region of the graphical interface, the query parameters being arranged in separately selectable subject matter and class areas;        wherein the computer program is configured to, in response to said selected query parameters, present identification information for a plurality of items of the retrieved electronic content within a second display region of the graphical interface, the identification information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters, the identification information corresponding with particular substantive information associated with the one or more query parameters;        wherein the computer program is configured to, in response to a selection of an item of the retrieved electronic content, present substantive information for the selected item of retrieved electronic content within a third display region of the graphical interface organized into the logical arrangement of the separate categories as determined and configured by the network computing system, the substantive information being simultaneously visible with the identification information and the query parameters,        wherein the graphical interface is configured to operate within an internet browsing program,        wherein the computer program is configured to present the query parameters, identification information for the plurality of items of the retrieved electronic content, and substantive information for the selected item of retrieved electronic content within a single window of the graphical interface.      
     
     
       48. A tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon, computer- executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:      present query parameters within a first portion of a graphical interface of a client computing system, wherein the query parameters are selectable and the query parameters being arranged in separately selectable categories and sub - categories;        retrieve electronic content from a database in response to a selection of one or more query parameters, wherein said query parameters include selection options useable for identifying and selecting logically related categories and sub - categories of said electronic content within said first portion of said graphical interface;        in response to a selection of said query parameters, present identification information describing one or more characteristics of one or more items of said retrieved electronic content within a second portion of said graphical interface, the identification information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters, the identification information corresponding with particular substantive information associated with the one or more query parameters;        in response to a selection of an item of the retrieved electronic content, present substantive information derived from content from the selected item organized into a logical arrangement of separate categories and sub - categories within a third portion of said graphical interface, the substantive information being simultaneously visible with the identification information and the query parameters,        wherein said graphical interface is configured to operate within an internet browsing program such that query parameters for locating individual electronic content are selectable while said identification information and substantive information are presented within said graphical interface.      
     
     
       49. A system comprising:
   a network computing system;        a computer program containing instructions configured to present a graphical interface on a client computing system; and        a database coupled to the network computing system for storing electronic content, including at least some multimedia content,        wherein the network computing system is configured to retrieve electronic content from said database in response to a selection of query parameters presented within a first portion of the graphical interface, wherein said query parameters include selection options useable for identifying and selecting logically related and separately selectable categories and sub - categories of electronic content within said first portion of said graphical interface;        wherein the computer program is configured to, in response to said selected query parameters, present identification information describing one or more characteristics of one or more items of said electronic content within a second portion of said graphical interface, the identification information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters, the identification information uniquely identifying substantive information associated with the one or more query parameters;        wherein the computer program is configured to, in response to said a selection of an item of the retrieved electronic content, present substantive information derived from content from the selected item of retrieved electronic content organized into the logically related categories and sub - categories within a third portion of said graphical interface, the substantive information being simultaneously visible with the identification information and the query information;        wherein said graphical interface is configured to operate within an internet browsing program such that query parameters for locating a portion of said electronic content are selectable while said identification information and substantive information are presented within said graphical interface.      
     
     
       50. A tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon, computer- executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:      present query parameters within a first portion of a graphical interface of a client computing system, wherein the query parameters are selectable;        retrieve electronic content items from a database coupled to a network computing system in response to a selection of one or more query parameters, wherein said query parameters being arranged into separately selectable category and sub - categories and said query parameters include selection options usable for identifying and selecting logically related groups of electronic content items within said first portion of said graphical interface;        in response to a selection of one or more query parameters, present at least identification information describing one or more characteristics of one or more individual electronic content items within a second portion of said graphical interface, the identification information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters, the identification information uniquely identifying substantive information associated with the one or more query parameters;        in response to a selection of an item of the retrieved electronic content, present substantive information derived from content from the selected item organized into a logical arrangement of categories and sub - categories within a third portion of said graphical interface, the substantive information being simultaneously visible with the identification information and the query parameters;        wherein said graphical interface is configured to operate within an internet browsing program configured to retrieve and present identification information about an entire group of individual electronic content items within said graphical interface based on selecting a single query parameter from said selection options.      
     
     
       51. A system comprising:
   a client computing system configured to present a graphical interface,        wherein one or more query parameters are presented within a first portion of the graphical interface of the client computing system, wherein said query parameters being arranged into separately selectable categories and sub - categories and said query parameters include selection options useable for identifying and selecting logically related groups of electronic content items within said first portion of said graphical interface,        wherein the client computing system is configured to, in response to a selection of said query parameters, present at least identification information describing one or more characteristics of one or more individual electronic content items within a second portion of said graphical interface, the identification information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters, the identification information uniquely identifying substantive information associated with the one or more query parameters,        wherein the client computing system is configured to, in response to a selection of said query parameters, present substantive information derived from content from one or more of said individual electronic content items within a third portion of said graphical interface, the substantive information being simultaneously visible with the query parameters and the identification information,        wherein said graphical interface is configured to operate within an internet browsing program configured to retrieve and present an entire group of individual online electronic content items within said graphical interface based on selecting a single query parameter from said selection options.