IP Library Granted Patent US 8,832,301
Granted Patent B2
US 8,832,301 · App. 13/835,633 · Granted Sep 9, 2014

System and method for enhanced event participation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,832,301
App. No.
13/835,633
Granted
Sep 9, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The various implementations of the present invention are provided as a computer-based system for enhanced communications and event management that focuses on customization of the event attendee experience. Each event attendee is provided with the tools necessary to effectively and efficiently create an event experience that most closely matches their goals and objectives. For example, a variety of dynamic event activity maps provide event attendees with the ability to quickly and easily identify and locate the most interesting and pertinent seminars, classes, speakers, vendors, exhibitors, etc. Additionally, event attendees can update and control their event schedule, customize communications that are sent and received, set up meetings with other event attendees, and receive updates about event activities and schedules. Vendors, exhibitors, and event organizers are provided with a series of tools, including “gamification” tools, that will allow them engage event attendees in event activities to increase attendee participation.

Claims (28)

1. A computer-based system for providing customized communication comprising:

At least one processor;

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a database residing in the memory;

a feed aggregation mechanism residing in the memory;

an aggregated communication feed generated by the feed aggregation mechanism, the aggregated communication feed comprising:

at least a first communication feed; and

at least a second communication feed, the at least a second communication feed comprising a curated communication feed, the curated communication feed being selected for inclusion in the aggregated communication feed based on a decision made by a curator, wherein the curator belongs to a multi-level hierarchal organization, the multi-level hierarchal organization comprising at least a curator level and a curator sub-level and wherein the curator is authorized to include a plurality of communication feeds in the aggregated communication feed to at least one feed consumer;

a communication feed based on a pre-selected criteria selected from a group consisting of: demographic data; geo-location data; organizational affiliation data; religious data; employment data; and school affiliation data;

a programmatically selected communication feed based on a plurality of user preferences stored in a database;

a programmatically selected communication feed based on a teacher student relationship; and

an edited communication feed, the edited communication feed comprising:

a first content item, the first content item comprising a first content item programmatically scraped from a website wherein at least one graphical element of the first content item scraped from the website was excluded based on a pre-determined predetermined height to width ratio that is less than 1:4 and greater than 5:2; and

a second content item, the second content item comprising a second content item programmatically scraped from the website wherein the at least one element of the second content item scraped from the website was excluded based on an HTML tag.

2. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein at least one source indicia is associated with at least one of the at least a first communication feed or the at least a second communication feed, wherein the at least one source indicia is displayed to the at least one feed consumer and wherein the at least one source indicia comprises:

at least one identifier selected from the group comprising:

a logo identifier representing an organization supplying the curated communication feed;

an organization identifier identifying the organization supplying the curated communication feed;

an identifier identifying the curator supplying the curated communication feed; and

an abbreviation for the name of the organization supplying the curated communication feed.

3. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least a first communication feed and the at least a second communication feed is automatically selected for inclusion in the aggregated communication feed based on the inclusion of at least a third communication feed contained in the aggregated communication feed.

4. The computer-based system of claim 1 further comprising at least one communication feed included in the aggregated communication feed based on a decision made by the at least one feed consumer.

5. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the aggregated communication feed is delivered to the at least one feed consumer in a customized format to a user device based on at least one physical attribute of the user device.

6. The computer-based system of claim 1 feed wherein:

at least one communication feed in the aggregated communication feed being provided to the at least one feed consumer based on a pre-selected criteria selected from a group consisting of: demographic data; geo-location data; organizational affiliation data; religious data; employment data; and school affiliation data;

at least one pre-selected element in the aggregated communication feed selected from a group consisting of: a generic introduction from an individual listed in directory of individuals affiliated with the organization curating aggregated communication feed; a organization identified with the consumer of the aggregated communication feed; a message about the purpose of at least a portion of the content contained in the aggregated communication feed;

a first communication feed selected from the plurality of available communication feeds selected and included in the aggregated communication feed based on a decision made by the at least one feed consumer of the aggregated feed; and

a second communication feed selected from the plurality of communication feeds and included in the aggregated communication feed based on a decision made by the curator.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2026
From: ANKURA TRUST COMPANY, LLC
To: BLACKBOARD LLC (F/K/A BLACKBOARD INC.); BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 073932/0199 →
SUCCESSION OF AGENCY (REEL 058081 / FRAME 0073) Recorded Jul 11, 2025
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: ANKURA TRUST COMPANY, LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 071890/0005 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Oct 27, 2021
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057941/0821 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Oct 26, 2021
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BLACKBOARD INC.; BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.
Reel/Frame 058298/0577 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 26, 2021
From: BLACKBOARD INC.; BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058081/0025 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 26, 2021
From: BLACKBOARD INC.; BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 058081/0073 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BLACKBOARD INC.; BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE, INC.; BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.
Reel/Frame 050953/0361 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: BLACKBOARD, INC.; BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050965/0354 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 20, 2016
From: BLACKBOARD INC.; BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE INC.; BLACKBOARD CONNECT INC.; PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.; TEACHERWEB, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040435/0932 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 8, 2015
From: PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 034744/0577 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: GRAFF, JAMES WILLIAM; BUSHMAN, ADAM; DELLENBACH, DANE; GRAFF, JOHN; HOLMES, TYSON
To: PARLANT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 033902/0088 →