Abstract: An online computer database system that enables users to create, match up and settle bets about how experts will characterize or describe specified information. The system displays these bets and bet data, and associates the bet data and statistics with the specified information, thus providing a new way to evaluate, describe and label that information.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for ranking answers supplied by user authors in an online database. A first author enters a first answer under a question. The answer is ranked #1 for output under that question. Then a second author enters a second answer under the same question. The second author also enters a bet claiming that her answer is better than the first answer. If the first author declines the bet, the second answer becomes ranked #1 for output under the question. If the first author accepts the bet, the bet is decided by a judge. The judge enters her decision into the answer database system. If the judge finds that the first author's answer is better than the second author's, then the first author's answer remains ranked first under the question; if the judge finds that the second author's answer is better, then the second author's answer replaces the first author's answer as the #1 ranked answer under the question.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for ranking answers supplied by user authors in an online database. A first author enters a first answer under a question. The answer is ranked #1 for output under that question. Then a second author enters a second answer under the same question. The second author also enters a bet claiming that her answer is better than the first answer. If the first author declines the bet, the second answer becomes ranked #1 for output under the question. If the first author accepts the bet, the bet is decided by a judge. The judge enters her decision into the answer database system. If the judge finds that the first author's answer is better than the second author's, then the first author's answer remains ranked first under the question; if the judge finds that the second author's answer is better, then the second author's answer replaces the first author's answer as the #1 ranked answer under the question.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for ranking answers supplied by user authors in an online database. A first author enters a first answer under a question. The answer is ranked #1 for output under that question. Then a second author enters a second answer under the same question. The second author also enters a bet claiming that her answer is better than the first answer. If the first author declines the bet, the second answer becomes ranked #1 for output under the question. If the first author accepts the bet, the bet is decided by a judge. The judge enters her decision into the answer database system. If the judge finds that the first author's answer is better than the second author's, then the first author's answer remains ranked first under the question; if the judge finds that the second author's answer is better, then second author's answer replaces the first author's answer as the #1 ranked answer under the question.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for ranking answers supplied by user authors in an online database. A first author enters a first answer under a question. The answer is ranked #1 for output under that question. Then a second author enters a second answer under the same question. The second author also enters a bet claiming that her answer is better than the first answer. If the first author declines the bet, the second answer becomes ranked #1 for output under the question. If the first author accepts the bet, the bet is decided by a judge. The judge enters her decision into the answer database system. If the judge finds that the first author's answer is better than the second author's, then the first author's answer remains ranked first under the question; if the judge finds that the second author's answer is better, then second author's answer replaces the first author's answer as the #1 ranked answer under the question.

Abstract: An expected value system for paying and qualifying audiences (EVSPQ) is an online database system for paying users for their attention provided that they meet a specified condition or conditions. In this system, advertisers post EV payment offers. Using the system, a recipient of EV payment accepts a payment offer; the system stores this acceptance in a recipient's acceptance history, and triggers the execution of an EV payment bet corresponding to the terms of the payment offer. If the recipient wins this payment bet, the EVSPQ enables the recipient to state whether he has met the conditions of the payment offer, and therefore, is owed the payment bet payoff. In an EVSPQ for paying “realbuyers” (EVSPQ-RB) a qualifying condition of payment is that a user makes a purchase after being exposed to a message. The inventive method is a module to be added to an EVSPQ-RB that operates to deter cheating by recipients.

Abstract: The invention is a set of processes for improving the methods of a self-organizing database governed by a payoff meter process. The inventive set of processes processes enable a user who is seeking an answer not in the database to make a commitment to buy the answer if it is supplied within a period of time. A second set of processes enables a user who is seeking to supply an answer, to claim exclusive rights to supply that answer for a period of time.

Abstract: We disclose a core method and sub-methods for improving the communication value of bets by enabling the evaluation of a bettor's stake in a bet offer or agreement. A bettor enters financial data describing his financial resources into an online computer database system for transacting and/or displaying bets. The online database includes formulas for using the financial data to generate measures of the bettor's stake relative to the bettor's financial resources. Accordingly, when the bettor enters a bet offer into the transaction/display system, the system invokes these formulas and generates and displays measures of the bettor's stake in the bet offer. These measures can be viewed along with the bet. Human entered characterizations of a bettor's stake can also be included within the inventive method.

Abstract: Here we disclose a method for enabling a seller to pay micro-commissions to multiple individuals who deliver a sales message to the same prospect. The main obstacle to paying a micro-commission is the cost of verifying that a sales message has been delivered by an individual. A second obstacle is the cost of transferring a micropayment efficiently. The inventive method overcomes these obstacles by paying referrers with a fair chance to win all or part of an amplified commission.

Abstract: Here we disclose a method for enabling a seller to pay micro-commissions to one or more individuals who deliver a sales message to a prospect. For example, a toy manufacturer might offer to pay people who ask a retailer to stock a particular toy. If the retailer buys the toy then a commission is owed to this group of “grassroots” referrers. Each referrer's share of the commission may be very small, a micro-commission.

Abstract: We disclose a betting method in which the terms of a product bet contest are created, defining a contest between two or more products. The contest terms spell out the rules for judging which product is better or best. The terms also spell out the rules for risking money on the outcome of the contest. Users may make bet offers by risking money that a product will be shown to be better according to the rules of the contest. If possible, offers are matched, judging is triggered, and monies are divided according to the outcome and rules of the contest. At all stages in the betting process, data can be viewed showing the product bet contest and how users are betting on the contest.

Abstract: A computer system that allows people to place, accept and settle bets for the purpose of communicating. The system cuts out the middleman, sometimes referred to as the bookmaker, allowing bettors to bet with each other directly. In addition to allowing people to place, accept and settle bets, the system enables people to settle disputes and change bets. It also allows people to place special types of bets for the purpose of demonstrating probability and quantity estimates. The system also allows people to to link bets to ordinary statements that are also entered into the system.

Abstract: A computer system that allows people to place, accept and settle bets for the purpose of communicating. The system cuts out the middleman, sometimes referred to as the bookmaker, allowing bettors to bet with each other directly. In addition to allowing people to place, accept and settle bets, the system enables people to settle disputes and change bets. It also allows people to place special types of bets for the purpose of demonstrating probability and quantity estimates. The system also allows people to to link bets to ordinary statements that are also entered into the system.

Abstract: The invention is a set of processes for improving the interface of a self-organizing database. This type of database stores both questions and answers. The improved interface processes enable a user who has found a (first) question in the database to enter a new (second) question and label that second question as "more specific" than the first. When a user presses an "enter more specific question" command, the system enables the user to enter a question and then stores the question and labels it as more specific than the first, and links the two questions in the database. Then, when any user has found the first question, the system enables him to "go to" the linked, more specific question by entering a "go to more specific question" command. Further, when a user has found a question, the system can present a list of all the more specific questions linked to that question. The system also enables a user to find a first question and then enter a new (second) question and label it as a synonym of the first.

Abstract: A computer system that allows people to place, accept and settle bets for the purpose of communicating. The system cuts out the middleman, sometimes referred to as the bookmaker, allowing bettors to bet with each other directly. In addition to allowing people to place, accept and settle bets, the system enables people to settle disputes and change bets. It also allows people to place special types of bets for the purpose of demonstrating probability and quantity estimates. The system also allows people to to link bets to ordinary statements that are also entered into the system.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Expected Value Payment Method for the purpose of reducing the expected per unit costs incurred in paying and/or receiving a given amount of a commodity. An Expected Value Payment Method uses a random number supplier to decide bets that can reduce expected per unit costs in two ways. First, expected per unit costs can be reduced for the payer and/or receiver of a commodity by giving the receiver a chance to win a greater amount of the commodity than a given amount, the greater amount having a lower per unit cost than the given amount which was originally to be paid and received. Second, a probabalistic sorting method and system is disclosed allowing businesses to offer customers who bet to win a given amount of a commodity a better expected price for that amount than the price offered to customers paying conventionally.

Abstract: A computer input system employing an automatic speech recognizer. The system is used for finding names in a data-base. The system reduces the number of letters a speaker needs to enter in order to find a name uniquely in the data-base. The system enables the speaker to enter inputs that identify which words in the name the speaker's letter inputs correspond to. The system builds a set of search parameters incorporating both the user's word identifier inputs and letter inputs. This set can be called an abbreviation because it usually represents a small fraction of the total number of letters in the name the user seeks to find.

Abstract: Self-organizing data-base that charges users who find data in it and pays users who supply the data found. Has a built in feedback mechanism, called the Pay-off Meter (POM), that tells users what data needs supplying based on the number of request for that data over time. The POM outputs an expected Pay-off for supplying a piece of data. A sensitive and potent feedback loop is created insuring that the more a piece of data is requested during a period of time, the more likely the data will be supplied by a requestor or by someone a requestor tells of the pay-off.

Abstract: A labelling system which can protect a very wide variety of items from theft. The system requires four elements in combination: 1) A readily understandable message on an item which describes the state the owner intends the item to be in and further asks observers to take appropriate action should the item not be in that state. 2) The message must be easily detectable by people nearby. 3) The message must be changeable, at least once, to reflect a change in the state of the item it is on but, it must only be changeable by the owner and anyone he or she chooses. 4) The message must be very difficult to tamper with or hide without leaving a trace.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Expected Value Payment Method for the purpose of reducing the expected per unit costs incurred in paying and/or receiving a given amount of a commodity. An Expected Value Payment Method uses a random number supplier to decide bets that can reduce expected per unit costs in two ways. First, expected per unit costs can be reduced for the payer and/or receiver of a commodity by giving the receiver a chance to win a greater amount of the commodity than a given amount, the greater amount having a lower per unit cost than the given amount which was originally to be paid and received. Second, in special situations, certain businesses can offer customers who bet to win a given amount of a commodity a better expected price for that amount than the price offered to customers paying conventionally for that same amount.