IP Library Patent Application 11971541
Patent Application
App. No. 11/971,541

Motivational Deployment Mechanism for Networked Systems

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/971,541
Abstract

The described implementations relate to networked or distributed systems and more particularly to providing motivation for deployment of networked systems. One technique gathers a solicitation hierarchy in a distributed system. This technique also tracks contribution to the distributed system of participants within the hierarchy. This technique further probabilistically determines a participant as a lottery winner based at least in part on the solicitation hierarchy and the contribution.

Claims (23)

1 . A method, comprising:

gathering a solicitation hierarchy in a distributed system;

tracking contribution to the distributed system of participants within the hierarchy; and,

probabilistically determining a participant as a lottery winner based at least in part on the solicitation hierarchy and the contribution.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gathering comprises receiving data that uniquely identifies a new participant to the distributed system and an individual participant that solicited the new participant.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gathering comprises constructing a solicitation tree with participants represented as nodes of the solicitation tree.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the tracking comprises computing an overall contribution for the solicitation tree and then computing a post-order traversal of the solicitation tree to weight the contribution of individual nodes.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the tracking comprises resealing the solicitation hierarchy by redistributing a probability of winning among at least some of the participants.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the probabilistically determining comprises addressing attempts by a potential participant to game the distributed system in an attempt to increase a probability that the potential participant will be selected as the lottery winner.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the probabilistically determining comprises employing a schema that addresses attempts by a potential participant to increase a probability of the potential participant being selected as the lottery winner by joining the distributed system as multiple identities.

8 . A network system comprising a lottery tree mechanism to encourage one or more of: network participation and network solicitation.

9 . The network system of claim 8 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured so that odds of an individual network participant being selected as a lottery winner are enhanced by both the individual's network participation and the individual's network solicitation.

10 . The network system of claim 8 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to employ a proportional selection lottery tree that does not include a solicitation structure.

11 . The network system of claim 8 , further comprising a mechanism for disincentivizing a participant from attempting to game the system to increase a likelihood of being selected as a winner of the lottery.

12 . The network system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism for disincentivizing addresses both how and where the participant joins the network.

13 . The network system of claim 8 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to construct a hierarchical tree of network participants and to probabilistically select as a winner an ancestor of a chosen candidate winner in the tree.

14 . The network system of claim 8 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to construct a hierarchical tree of network participants and to generate a relative weighted winning probability for individual participants based upon any sub-trees of the individual participant.

15 . A lottery tree mechanism configured to probabilistically encourage participants to both contribute to a network system and to solicit new participants to the networked system.

16 . The lottery tree mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to track participants and to compute probabilities of winning for the participants based upon relative contribution and solicitation of individual participants.

17 . The lottery tree mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to track participants as nodes of a lottery tree and to compute probabilities of individual participants being selected as a lottery winner through a post-order traversal of the lottery tree.

18 . The lottery tree mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to utilize an algorithm for selecting a lottery winner that prevents an individual participant from having a higher probability of being selected as the lottery winner by splitting the individual's identity.

19 . The lottery tree mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to utilize an algorithm that computes an individual's contribution in a manner that disincentivizes the individual from joining the network system multiple times.

20 . The lottery tree mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the lottery tree mechanism is configured to utilize an algorithm that computes an individual's contribution in a manner that disincentivizes the individual from gaming where the individual joins the network system.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034542/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2008
From: DOUCEUR, JOHN R.; MOSCIBRODA, THOMAS
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020388/0440 →