- Number
- 10303762
- Published
- 2019-05-28
- Filed
- 2013-04-30
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Markman; Vita et al.
- CPC
- G06F40/30; G06F40/253; G06F40/279
- Verdict
- Set aside comprehensive safety schema language appropriateness online chat, content moderation
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
Abstract
A method is disclosed for evaluating a chat message sent between users of an online environment. The method may include associating each word in the chat message with metadata. The metadata identifies a word type and usage for each word in the chat message. This method may also include identifying one or more safety rules associated with the metadata. Each safety rule identifies an ordered sequence of one or more sets of words. This method may also include applying the safety rule to the chat message to determine whether a sequence of words in the chat message present in the ordered sequence of sets of words. Upon determining a word, from each set of words in the ordered sequence of sets of words, matches a respective one of the words in the chat message, the chat message is blocked from being sent to a message recipient.
Background
BACKGROUND(1) Field(2) Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to online communication. More specifically, embodiments of the invention are directed to techniques for managing the content of chat messages exchanged between users in online environments.(3) Description of the Related Art(4) Multiplayer video games and virtual worlds are popular forms of online entertainment, particularly for minors. Both provide users with access to a virtual environment where they may interact with one another. For example, avatars are frequently used to provide a graphical representation of each user present within a virtual environment and users interact with one another through their avatars. Users control the actions of their avatar to navigate the virtual environment, e.g., achieve gaming objectives as well as to communicate or chat with other users. Such an environment may be persistent where events occur and users interact with each other regardless of the presence of any particular user. Alternatively, such an environment may be game or session based, e.g., where a group of users participate in a match of a first-person shooter game.(5) User-to-user communication (i.e., chatting) is a prominent feature within these online environments. For example, a user may chat directly with other users present in the same virtual location by typing characters into a text-field on a user interface. To promote civility and safety among users, a service provider hosting an online environme
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method to evaluate a chat message requested to be sent between users of an online game environment having an associated program, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, from a sender in the online game environment, a request to send the chat message in real-time to a specified recipient in the online game environment, wherein the program is configured to: approve the chat message to be sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message matches any of a set of preapproved phrases; and otherwise, deny the chat message from being sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message contains any prohibited words or any prohibited combinations of words; and upon determining that the chat message does not match any of the set of preapproved phrases, does not contain any prohibited words, and does not contain any prohibited combinations of words, further analyzing the chat message for approval in real-time, comprising: denying the chat message from being sent to the specified recipient, upon determining, in real-time by one or more computer processors when executing the program, that the chat message contains a prohibited metaphorical meaning or contains phonetically prohibited language, despite absence of prohibited words and prohibited combinations of words in the chat message; wherein the program is further configured to approve the chat message to be sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message does not contain any prohibited metaphorical meaning and does not contain any phonetically prohibited language, whereafter the approved chat message is sent to the specified recipient. |
14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable to perform an operation to evaluate a chat message requested to be sent between users of an online game environment, the operation comprising: receiving, from a sender in the online game environment, a request to send the chat message in real-time to a specified recipient in the online game environment, wherein the program is configured to: approve the chat message to be sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message matches any of a set of preapproved phrases; and otherwise, deny the chat message from being sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message contains any prohibited words or any prohibited combinations of words; and upon determining that the chat message does not match any of the set of preapproved phrases, does not contain any prohibited words, and does not contain any prohibited combinations of words, further analyzing the chat message for approval in real-time, comprising: denying the chat message from being sent to the specified recipient, upon determining, in real-time by one or more computer processors when executing the program, that the chat message contains a prohibited metaphorical meaning or contains phonetically prohibited language, despite absence of prohibited words and prohibited combinations of words in the chat message; wherein the program is further configured to approve the chat message to be sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message does not contain any prohibited metaphorical meaning and does not contain any phonetically prohibited language, whereafter the approved chat message is sent to the specified recipient. |
20. A system to evaluate a chat message requested to be sent between users of an online game environment, the system comprising: one or more computer processors; and a memory containing a program which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising: receiving, from a sender in the online game environment, a request to send the chat message in real-time to a specified recipient in the online game environment, wherein the program is configured to: approve the chat message to be sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message matches any of a set of preapproved phrases; and otherwise, deny the chat message from being sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message contains any prohibited words or any prohibited combinations of words; and upon determining that the chat message does not match any of the set of preapproved phrases, does not contain any prohibited words, and does not contain any prohibited combinations of words, further analyzing the chat message for approval in real-time, comprising: denying the chat message from being sent to the specified recipient, upon determining, in real-time, that the chat message contains a prohibited metaphorical meaning or contains phonetically prohibited language, despite absence of prohibited words and prohibited combinations of words in the chat message; wherein the program is further configured to approve the chat message to be sent to the specified recipient, upon determining that the chat message does not contain any prohibited metaphorical meaning and does not contain any phonetically prohibited language, whereafter the approved chat message is sent to the specified recipient.