Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/50—Network services
  • H04L67/53—Network services using third party service providers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
  • H04L69/30—Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
  • H04L69/32—Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
  • H04L69/322—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
  • H04L69/329—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Definitions

• the field of the invention is online interactive identification.
• Online interactive systems and methods of identification that attempt to aid in the identification of a subject such as a disease, a plant, or an insect generally require an abundant amount of descriptive input.
• a user is asked to type, speak, or otherwise select descriptive information about the subject to be identified.
• Other systems require photographs that are input into systems using a cable connected to a digital camera. Perhaps photos need to be converted to a certain format before the system can use them.
• Many identification systems follow a tree structure in which a querying party is asked a series of questions designed to either exclude or include non-matching or matching entries, respectively. Often such interactions require significant amounts of time interpreting and responding to the series of questions. In any case, getting data into an online identification system is often quite burdensome, and may lead to inaccurate and inconsistent identifications due to many factors such as tree logic, interpretation of questions, completeness and accuracy of answers, mistakes and inconsistencies in answers, and even biases.
• U.S. Patent 4029418 to Cottingham et al. (June 1977) teaches an optical comparator that compares a photograph with an optical scan. While an optical comparator may reduce the time spent to enter data and increase the accuracy and consistency of such entry, the feasibility of using the necessary equipment is impacted by the cost, size, and complexity of the equipment. For many applications, an optical comparator is not feasible.
• U.S. Patent 6014451 to Berry et al. teaches systems and methods for diagnosing plant diseases at a remote site by using remote video imaging. Although some of the problems associated with capturing an image at a remote location are addressed by the '451 patent, problems related to lighting, equipment size, and cost still may be prohibitive.
• Such profiles include user dependent information that changes depending on which user is making the query.
• U.S. Patent 6266668 to Vanderveldt et al. involves using user dependent profile information in a data- mining search engine. The search engine would take into account demographic and historical user information to narrow the number of web sites that match a query.
• U.S. Patent 6292796 to Drucker et al. also incorporates user dependent information into an identification process. The '796 patent teaches that user profile information may aid in the identification of literature that is of interest to the querying party.
• a doctor can obtain information relevant to the care of a particular patient by using the particular patient's profile information to search for literature. Because user profile information is entered only once, subsequent queries typically require less manual input and provide less opportunity for mistakes. Another way in which patient profile information is used in the medical field is described in U.S. Patent 6317719 to Schrier et al. (November 2001). The '719 patent teaches systems and methods in which patient information profile information is used to determine a dosage of a drug. Although user dependent profile information may prove important in certain fields, there are many fields in which profile information has little or no importance on identification (e.g. plant identification, pest identification, plant disease diagnosis).
• identification e.g. plant identification, pest identification, plant disease diagnosis
• the present invention provides systems and methods in which a software module incorporates user independent information to aid in online identification.
• the software may be further programmed to use variables and diagnostic rules to obtain results.
• a link to a web site may provide additional information and allow engagement in e-commerce.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic of a system of online identification.
• Fig. 2 is a schematic of a system in which information is passed to suppliers.
• Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a method of obtaining information.
• a system of online identification 100 generally comprises an interface 110, a user-independent profile 120, a content management system 130, a database 140, a software module 150, and results 160.
• An interface 110 is any combination of software and hardware that may be used to collect data.
• a preferred interface 110 displays 20 search fields. More preferably, the interface displays 30 search fields, and even more preferably 40 search fields. It is contemplated that an interface 110 may be operational on a wide variety of devices including a desk top computer, a lap top computer, a PDA, a cellular phone, a pager, and so on.
• a preferred interface 110 is comprised of search fields 115 that are generally interrelated to some degree. For example, if a subject to be identified is a grass, exemplary search fields may be water usage, winter hardiness, mowing quality range, and tolerance. If a subject to be identified is a car, exemplary search fields may relate to make, model, engine size, number of doors, etc. Selection of search field contents (not shown) may include activating a drop down menu and making a choice by clicking on the most appropriate contents. Contents related to "Season Type" may, for instance, include the possibilities of "Cool” and "Warm”. If "Cool" were selected, a variable corresponding to "season type - cool” would be used by the system to obtain results. Thus a preferable variable comprises contents (e.g. "cool”) and field name (e.g. "season type”).
• contents e.g. "cool”
• field name e.g. "season type”
• a profile 120 comprises user independent information 125 that is used by a software module 150 to obtain results 160.
• user independent information is relatively constant information that is substantially unrelated to a particular user.
• a test for whether an item of information is user independent information may be to ask whether the information is affected by the life of the user. Implementing this test, income, interests, and marital status are not user independent information, but annual rainfall, zone (i.e. geographical) and soil conditions (e.g. sandy) are user independent information.
• User independent information 125 is preferably relatively constant, and therefore may be entered only once. The user independent information 125 is preferably saved and used in subsequent , searches without the need for reentry.
• a software module 150 uses at least one variable that has been selected using the interface 110.
• the software module 150 also uses at least one item of user independent information 125 that has been entered in the profile screen 120.
• the software module 150 may also incorporate rules 155 that advantageously control the results 160 that are obtained.
• a software module 150 accesses a data store, which generally comprises at least one database 140.
• a preferred data store comprises information that will be used by the software module 150 to obtain results, and as such, the information on the database 140 generally relates to the subject of identification.
• a software module 150 may use rules 155 to aid in identification.
• Rules 155 are instructions that define, constrain, control, or influence the behavior of the identification structure. Rules 155 may vary depending on the entity using the system or even upon the type of subjects being identified. Rules 155 preferably add structure to the identification process and aid in the accuracy of an identication.
• Additional input to a database 140 may be provided by a plurality of independent researchers 135 working as part of a content management team 130. It is contemplated that independent researchers 135 are entities other than the entity that provides access to the system (t.e. the web host or server). Preferred independent researchers are entities that add value to the data on the database 140. For example, an independent researcher may be a university professor or lab team that is conducting research in a field that relates to the subject of the identification. As used herein, "maintain" as in "an information store maintained fay a plurality of independent researchers” means make additions, and deletions to the data.
• Results 160 are generally a representation of the record or records that have been selected by the software module 150. Selection of records may involve instructions that include records that match or exclude records that don't match.
• the matching criteria are preferably a plurality of variables and a plurality of user independent information.
• a software module 150 is programmed to obtain results that aid in identification and/or diagnosis.
• Results 160 may be displayed in any appropriate format including a table format to facilitate comparison. Results are preferably displayed as pictures with text, and may also contain graphics. It is contemplated that clicking on a picture may provide additional information (through a link to a proprietary or third party web page) and/or a magnified view of the result for comparison purposes.
• a system 200 in which information is passed to a supplier 230 s includes a display 210, a purchase related parameter 212, and a link to a supplier 214.
• a display 210 may be any of the display screens and associated software of an online identification system or method.
• a user may click on or otherwise activate a link 214 to a supplier 230 in order to purchase a product (not shown) or to just obtain additional information (not shown).
• Additional information may be obtained from a fact sheet database.
• a fact sheet database preferably comprises factual information that has been provided by universities. Alternatively and additionally, a research database may be accessed in order to provide research related information.
• the link 214 preferably comprises a URL (uniform resource locator) that may be used to display a web page (e.g. an HTML document). It is contemplated that the link 214 will pass a purchase related parameter 212, which will be used by a web site to generate an order for a good or service.
• a purchase related parameter 212 may be embedded in a URL or may be passed separately, but in any case, the purchase related parameter 212 generally
• Exemplary purchase related parameters 212 may include product information (e.g. a grass cultivar, a fungicide), purchaser information (i.e. purchaser's name, address, and credit card information) and transferor information (e.g. the address of the web site that passed the link). It is further contemplated that such information may be used to calculate compensation to the transferor web site. If a
• link 214 is used simply to obtain additional information, the link may comprise a field of interest, a type of plant, or a disease name, for example.
• a link 214 may comprise an e-mail notification that passes information via a standard e-mail protocol (e.g. STMP). It is contemplated an e-mail link may have at least one attachment of purchase related information.
• STMP standard e-mail protocol
• Another contemplated link includes a link to a "guru" 214 in which a user is able to communicate by e-mail with a "guru" (e.g. a knowledgeable individual in the field). Communication between a guru and a user may also be accomplished by using streaming video, and voice on the net (e.g. Internet phone).
• a "guru" e.g. a knowledgeable individual in the field.
• Communication between a guru and a user may also be accomplished by using streaming video, and voice on the net (e.g. Internet phone).
• a method of obtaining information includes: 10 programming an interface :5 to accept a variable; 20 providing a user profile having user independent information; 30 programming a software module to obtain results from an information store at least partially by using the variable and the user independent information, the software module may use rules that have hardcoded into the software module; 40 displaying the search results pictorially; and 50 providing a link to a web site - to obtain additional information or engage in e-commerce.

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26942107

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2001
  • 2001-11-20 EP EP01984927A patent/EP1342178A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-11-20 WO PCT/US2001/043707 patent/WO2002041555A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-11-20 AU AU2002233931A patent/AU2002233931A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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