Patent Document ID: 8375308
Application ID: 12144870

Base Claim:
1. A method of changing a conversation topic between a plurality of users via a user-interface, the method comprising a computer performing the steps of: concurrently displaying a user interface to each of a plurality of users engaging in a conversation over computer-based terminals, wherein the user interface includes input fields to enable any one of the plurality of users to request a change of a current conversation topic and request a new conversation topic and provide the user request to all other users engaging in the conversation; obtaining from at least a first one of the plurality of users, via the user-interface, a request to change the conversation topic; notifying the plurality of users, via the user-interface, of the request to change the current conversation topic by presenting an indicator to the plurality of users obtaining from at least a second one of the plurality of users, via the user-interface, at least one indication of support for the request to change the conversation topic; and changing the conversation topic between the users in response to the request and the at least one indication of support for the request, wherein the user-interface is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode, the users request to change the conversation topic by activating a switch on the user-interface, further wherein in the second mode, the users request to change the conversation topic by inputting one or more new conversation topics, wherein the user-interface is configured to automatically switch between the first mode and the second mode when more than a threshold percentage of the users request to change the conversation topic.

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Claim 12:
12. An article of manufacture for changing a conversation topic between a plurality of users via a user-interface, the article comprising a computer readable storage medium including one or more programs, which when executed by a computer implement the steps of claim 1 .