Systems, methods and computer products for running a multi-stage online elimination competition based on member generated content

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products provide a multi-stage online elimination competition based on member generated content that involves members submitting content for consideration, then preliminary multi-level screening of the submission with passing content published for consideration. Published content is evaluated and considered by members, who can rate each content submission, leave a submission unrated, or flag a submission for eligibility review. The submissions are then iteratively narrowed down rated using internal guidelines and member ratings. The submissions are then further narrowed down by an advisory committee. The remaining submissions are then voted on by members, in at least one elimination rounds, and a winner or group of winners is chosen.

1 . A method for running a multi-stage online elimination competition comprising the steps of:
 receiving via a communications engine a plurality of content submissions submitted by members;   screening the plurality of content submissions against a first set of predefined criteria;   creating a first subset of content submissions from the plurality of content submissions that did not fail the screening;   generating at least one of a rating of the first subset of content submissions and a request for re-screening of the plurality of content submissions contained in the first subset of content submissions based on an evaluation of the first subset of content submissions by members;   evaluating iteratively the first subset of content submissions utilizing the ratings by members and a second set of predefined criteria, and removing one or more of the plurality of content submissions, resulting in a second subset of content submissions;   evaluating of the second subset of content submissions by an advisory committee utilizing a third set of predefined criteria and removing one or more of the plurality of content submissions resulting in a third subset of content submissions, with said advisory committee comprising committee components selected by a competition sponsor; and   evaluating and voting on the third subset of content submissions by members.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said content submissions are combined into a single content submission based on a fourth set of predefined criteria. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said members are the subset of potential users that have registered with the provider of said competition. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said screening includes screening for at least one of profane and offensive content. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said screening is performed at least in part using a text-matching parsing algorithm. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second set of predefined criteria includes screening for the feasibility of implementing a particular content submission. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said content submission includes a proposed charity sponsorship and a profile of the plurality of submitting members. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said third set of predefined criteria includes a personal preference based score. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said evaluating and voting on the third subset of content submissions by members occurs in a plurality of elimination rounds. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said evaluating is biased in favor of content submissions that receive quantitatively more member ratings over content submissions that receive an equivalent average rating. 
   
   
       11 . A system for running a multi-stage online elimination competition, the system, comprising:
 a communications engine configured to receive a plurality of content submissions submitted by members;   a parsing engine configured to screen the plurality of content submissions against a first set of predefined criteria;   an internal review engine configured to:
 create a first subset of content submissions from the plurality of content submissions that did not fail the screening, 
 generate at least one of a rating of the first subset of content submissions and a request for re-screening of the plurality of content submissions contained in the first subset of content submissions based on an evaluation of the first subset of content submissions by members, and 
 evaluate iteratively the first subset of content submissions utilizing the ratings by members and a second set of predefined criteria, and removing one or more of the plurality of content submissions, resulting in a second subset of content submissions; and 
   an advisory review engine configured to evaluate the second subset of content submissions by an advisory committee utilizing a third set of predefined criteria and removing one or more of the plurality of content submissions resulting in a third subset of content submissions, with said advisory committee comprising committee components selected by a competition sponsor and evaluate and vote on the third subset of content submissions by members.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein one or more of the plurality of said content submissions are combined into a single content submission based on a fourth set of predefined criteria. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said members are the subset of potential users that have registered with the provider of said competition. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said first set of predefined criteria includes screening for at least one of profane and offensive content. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said screening module is configured to parse text based on a text-matching parsing algorithm. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said second set of predefined criteria includes screening for the feasibility of implementing a particular content submission. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said content submission includes an idea to sponsor a particular charity project or organization and a profile of the plurality of submitting members. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said third set of predefined criteria includes a personal preference based scoring. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said module to evaluate and vote on the third subset of content submissions by members occurs in a plurality of elimination rounds. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said evaluating iteratively the first subset of content submissions utilizing the ratings by members is biased in favor of content submissions that receive quantitatively more member ratings over content submissions that receive an equivalent average rating. 
   
   
       21 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:
 receiving via a communications engine a plurality of content submissions submitted by members;   screening the plurality of content submissions against a first set of predefined criteria;   creating a first subset of content submissions from the plurality of content submissions that did not fail the screening;   generating at least one of a rating of the first subset of content submissions and a request for re-screening of the plurality of content submissions contained in the first subset of content submissions based on an evaluation of the first subset of content submissions by members;   evaluating iteratively the first subset of content submissions utilizing the ratings by members and a second set of predefined criteria, and removing a plurality of content submissions, resulting in a second subset of content submissions;   evaluating of the second subset of content submissions by an advisory committee utilizing a third set of predefined criteria and resulting in a third subset of content submissions, with said advisory committee comprising committee components selected by a competition sponsor; and   evaluating and voting on the third subset of content submissions by members.