FI120285B - Procedure for handling comprehensive and disseminated information, e.g. information about inquiries and answers, in a global data network - Google Patents

Description

SYSTEM FOR MANAGING LARGE AND DISSEMINATED INFORMATION, INCLUDING QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE INFORMATION, IN A GLOBAL INFORMATION NETWORK

The present invention relates to a system for managing large, dispersed information in a global information network as set forth in the preamble of claim 1.

For example, the basic problem of finding a subcontractor or partner is the seemingly high quality of the answer information and the very poor focus on the specific subject. In addition, in the early stages, what seems to be a suitable response is too often revealed to be inappropriate, which means that time is spent on examining candidates who appear to be undesirable. Information networks are used to solve the problem, 15 but there are new disadvantages. The problem with using public information networks such as the Internet is that there is a lot of unstructured information, which consists of both useful information and junk information. Many companies have their own websites on the web, but because there is too much unstructured information and the amount of information is constantly growing, the search results produced by traditional crawlers are still less relevant to the search criteria. Nobody has time to browse through the thousands or even millions of bids submitted by the search engine bots, most of which are · · *** much more than what was sought.

Another problem is that competition on the international market also means for small skilled companies and also for individuals • • • · · · · · · · · · · · · · that there is a need to be able to • • · adapt significantly to the new situation as required by the changes. Then the drawback is also .1! 1. and the lack of language skills and marketing skills and resources. ···. due to the lack of fungi many opportunities are missed.

The solutions for searching and machine translation of the language, as disclosed in, inter alia, CA2209265 · ... · 35 and EP0668558, are known in the art.

• · · · • ·

Canadian Patent Application CA2209265 essentially discloses a way to retrieve general information of any kind on the web without the need for a URL. In addition, the search is done according to different categories that help the searcher group the information. The problem, however, is that no language conversion is shown in the CA release. In addition, you cannot enter your own information for others to find using a CA solution.

Similarly, European Patent Application EP0668558 discloses a solution for automatically translating computer programs at the nationalization stage of the programs 10, i.e. the localization phase. Pre-translated terms are used here, which could be tabulated, for example. The translation is done in one lump at the translation phase of the program. There is no database that can be searched by you or by others, which can be updated on the network.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a new type of highly automated system, free from the drawbacks of existing systems, which is additionally independent of the user's language skills. The system of the invention can significantly reduce the time needed to find partners, for example, and at the same time improve. search results, regardless of profession.

In this invention, communication primarily refers to the processing and transmission of real-time inquiry and response data from organizations such as companies. · '· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

· '· *: The most suitable candidates in the field. Still, if such bachelors. * ··. the number of dates is still unnecessarily high, and additional criteria will allow the number of pre-audited candidates to reach the desired level.

• · ·

Once the appropriate number of candidates has been restricted, the system will provide each company with a link to the specific section on each organization's website,. · **. which just shows the • Related information for the applicant. Thus, the applicant does not have to search for the candidates' homepage of his choice, but directly accesses the 3 refinement information through the system's own self-maintained announcements and links provided by the users providing the response information.

The system of the invention is characterized by what is set forth in the characterizing part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is stated in the other claims.

10 In the solution according to the invention and finding a partner e.g. for purchasing, sales, technology, education, environmental management, and to bring about synergistic needs of companies as the basis for new investment or business development, a new type of proxy service, based on a step-by-step structural process known per se, can be implemented at a significantly faster, higher quality and lower cost. message processing, and in particular linking the desired detailed information related to each step in the system.

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A structured message processing system incorporating automatic language conversion in a system according to the invention. ···. • combines an industry-specific and application-modeled structure to describe both the content and • • functional structure with detailed criteria. The content of the various fields, including their criteria, has become well established over the years and decades, i.e., the lathe with various alternatives is the same anywhere in the world, why it is called in different countries. The modeled structure 30 makes it easy to select the desired language for each country.

: * · *: The system handles automatic language conversion when searching for a partner from, for example, another country.

The system of the invention achieves significant advantages over current practice provided by information networks such as the Internet. Examples include: The following benefits: • · · - A significant improvement is finding real alternatives across the 4 offerings and reducing the time needed to find the right partner in each case.

- Improved profitability through improved business renewal 5 (in a shorter period of time, more of the right things can be quickly market-driven).

- Businesses can profitably focus on fewer technologies, including modern technology, as the invention 10 brings together the scattered needs of multiple client companies to form the basis of new business across a wide, and also international, area.

- Regional markets can reach 15 national and international markets significantly faster.

- The search for a partner is significantly more accurate than the criteria and the responses generated by the system are based on information provided by the service and product providers at any time, both on the system pages (notices) and on the users' own websites linked to them.

M »• · • · halu - Anyone can use the language of their choice in partner search and bidding.

• · · • · · ··· ·

The system of the invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of an industrial case in which a new circuit board supplier is sought, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: ·; Figure 1 shows a diagram of an arrangement according to the invention, ·· »*. Figure 2 shows a custom search form on screen, • · · · ** j Figure 3 shows a skill definition form, • · * ··· * 35 Figure 4 shows a search criteria specification form, ·: * ··· Figure 5 shows a custom search result form, Figure 6 shows a business profile information and ··· Figure 7 shows the actual sales announcement form.

5

The system of the invention is a geographically dispersed, globally utilized system utilizing a public information network such as the Internet or the like as a unified search process where real-time, fast and low-cost response information to narrow query information 5 can be encountered, the evaluation information needed to assess the goodness of the candidates. Users can update themselves, without any intermediaries, at any time 10 both the criteria and the link information included in the system and the links therein, which are available on the organizations' own websites, to the relevant information. related refinement evaluation information. In this way, industry-specific and / or application-specific user information can be used to link detailed evaluation information relevant to the response information, which is constantly changing as the knowledge and knowledge increases.

The system treats as input data structured and content-defined query and response information that is fed, with limited or open access, from one or more terminal units to a global system from which input and supply data can be read. and may be updated accordingly by any terminal unit in the public information network. In accordance with the invention, the input data representing the 25 births and the offerings are arranged in a simple and modeled manner so that the same input data * * * corresponds to only one code information from the user interface. · Towards the system, and that the evaluation of the resulting search result will be done through specific links within the system, such as web links, to relevant sections of organizations' own websites, such as web pages.

• · · • • • • • *. It is essential that the applicant, by criteria hierarchically defined by the operating environment (industry, commerce, education, services, etc.) 35, receives only the particular application he is seeking.

·, ··; the most suitable candidates in the field 9 automatically pre-audited; ***. ranked first, and search result 7 will not include representatives from other fields. Figures 1-5 show this step. The next step in the search process is to identify the most suitable candidates 9 at a detailed level, based on the system-specific links 12, 14 provided by the data providers themselves in the given context. The system offer forms contain the relevant information. for links 5 there are ready places that the notifier only fills in and tests, thus eliminating eg spelling errors. By clicking on links 12, 14, the information searcher will be able to access the contributors' own websites 15, 16, where they will be presented and supplementary information. company, that the knowledge in the relevant 10-issue notice or that the applicant is interested in. This will allow the applicant to easily and quickly find the relevant application. the best candidates in the industry without time-consuming surfing. Typical links include, for example, in-depth organizational information from a company or organization's standard web site 11 to a company / organization's own home page 15, and a relevant information entry page, such as a sales announcement 13 link. competency section on 16 companies' own websites. The standard web page included in the system is hereinafter referred to as the company / organization profile. The information described in the search-20 view will significantly speed up and refine the search result. This is a new solution to the current and growing vast supply of information on the Internet. ···. traditional solutions.

It is also essential that the user does not have to browse any electricity. • · · *. * · application specific criteria 2, 4, 6 for what they are searching for or offering at any given time, using the easy-to-use graphical user interface 1, 3, 5. For example, a company in the role of main supplier defines what it wants to buy at any given time. Search mode -: * · *: The kernel with selection criteria 2, 4, 6 is prepared by the "intelligent" user interface 1, 3, 5 and fed into the web service system. system. The system then automatically performs a · · · ·•• j search of the company, so that the output 7 is both a fully-fledged subcontracting company and a variety of prio ·: * ·; as well as companies that are not completely matching the search (ranking list). After this, the applicant can check the system companies' own web pages 12, 14, maintained by the provider companies themselves, 7, 15, 16 of the respective websites of the providers. knowledge points about which or which ones would be best suited as partners. Significantly, the system is open and fair to all users, such as telephone-5 networks.

The system of the invention, wherein each user can communicate in the language of his or her choice is based on hierarchical levels 2, 4, 6 accessible to the user through a networked interface 10. The hierarchy of the message and the control of possible choices make the message structured and thus allow for language conversion. Language conversion works by communicating with the system user in the language he / she uses. The system of the language used by the user 15 deduces from the message according to the language chosen by the user. Messages made in different languages are "translated by the system into a generic code format using a conversion table that can be maintained and developed precisely because of the hierarchy and structure of the messages / expertise.

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An example hierarchy enabling the system of the invention is given in Table 1. ···. so that only the selected criteria are presented. • · “1 language is Finnish.

• 4 • ·. · *: 25 • · 4 • · · *** * Application: Mechanical Engineering

Supply level: Manufacturing of parts • · · * · * 'Product family: Castings • · · *. * · Type: Gray iron casting 30 Steps: Shell mold • · ·::: Materials: Gray cast iron; * * *; Searching area: English Table 1 Table 35 shows the language conversion table according to the invention as applied to the example in Table 1, respectively. Certain fields, such as "Application", can be set by default when the user interface is being installed. In the left column of the table 8 is a field, in the next column the ID, that is, the code given to each of the criteria and alternatives, in the third column is the corresponding Finnish term, then the corresponding English term, etc.

5

FIELD ID FINLAND ENGLISH ETC.

Application: AI Mechanical Engineering Machine construction A2 Plastic industry Plastic industry 10

Purchase Level: B1 Manufacturing Technologies Manufacturing Technologies B2 Manufacturing of Parts Manufactured components 15

Product family: D4 Castings Casts F5 Oxygen cuttings 20 Type: G2 Gray casting Gray castiron casts

Steps: G78 Shell Molds Shell Mold 25

Materials: J7 Cast Iron Castiron (gray) J8 Structural Steel Construction steel 30 Range: Hl3 Southern England Southern England ···

··. Length: K

• ·

Width: L

J 35 Height: M

• · · • M · • ·

Quality System: P1 ISO 9001 ISO 9001 V J P2 ISO 9002 ISO 9002 40 • · ·

AND SO ON

Table 2 The message according to Table 1 is sent according to Table 2, encoded from the user to the internationally operating · · * ··· * web service. The example encoded message is: A1, B2, ·; ··· D4, G2, G78, J7 and H13. These codes are n-dimensional; ***. indexed memory location addresses in a table, where the corresponding · plain language information is stored as an element in the table. In different language versions of the system, the table positions are the same 9, but item information with the same meaning is in different languages. Thus, for example, the memory location AI in the table has the information "Machine Building" in the Finnish version, while the English version has the information "Machine const-5 ruction", etc. The location information in the table is referred to as code in this description. If users come up with suggestions for adding some new code type information, different hierarchical criteria, to the system, this information will be encoded (added to the new memory location in the table and indexed to 10 addresses) and updated centrally to the system service server. users. When using the system, all users are connected to that service server via the Internet or similar network connection.

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Table 3 shows how the example message is displayed to an English user.

MESSAGE TO THE INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH USER

2 0 TO THE EXTERNAL NETWORK

AI Application: Machine construction ... B2 Purchasing level: Manufactured components · .., · D4 Product family: Casts. * ··. 25 G2 Type: Gray Castiron Casts * ··· * G78 Manufacturing Techniques: Shell Molds J7 Materials: Castiron (Gray) I H13 Search Area: England • · ::: 30 Table 3 «• · · • · • ♦ ·

The system of the invention has functional means such as. *: ·. various forms for entering information in different languages ♦ · ·. ···. and retrieve from the system. One of the tools • · 'Γ * 35 is the Custom Search Form 1, which identifies the operating environment with its criteria. The custom search form contains links to 2 operational environments, such as industry, commerce, services, etc. The operating environment is the highest level of the hierarchy. When the operating environment is • ·, ··· defined by clicking on the corresponding link, the Knowledge • Form 40 Area 3 opens, with links 4 ready to select the functions defined in the following hierarchical levels.

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For example, if industry is selected, the form will display a list of links from different industries. Selecting the industry you want now brings you back to the next hierarchical link list. This is a step-by-step process until you get to the area of expertise that companies are actually buying and selling. In the example of Figure 3, four successive steps have been made up to the circuit boards. There are different numbers of steps for different things, depending on how many steps each practice requires. In the case of Figure 3, there are already 10 steps at the end, so the figure does not show the actual intermediate link lists, but only the links of different hierarchical levels extracted from the lists. Form 3 still has a quick search option that goes directly to the desired area of expertise, e.g. 15 quick search boxes.

Once Form 3 has advanced to the final state shown in Figure 3, the next step is Form 5, which is pre-defined by the above-mentioned hierarchy of Criterion 20 in the language initially selected by the user. When Criteria 6 on Form 5 is selected, click on the form. * · *. then the system will search for the best possible companies and organizations for that purpose based on the ···, ··· conditions provided. The system-generated search form 7 shows the companies most closely matched to the given search, ranked in order of 8, · · · * · '* according to the number of desired criteria for the given query. companies meet • · · *. * *. Each company is represented by a business link 9, which clicks to open it. · ··· ί.ϊ ί 30 company / organization profile presenting the company, which candidate is: ***: self-stored the system on a service server through his / her Internet ··· connection. Company / Organization Profile 11 still has a link to the Company's own, proprietary, or other server's home page 15, which presents the company in more detail.

*: * ·: 35

The search result form 7 also contains specific links to 10 • sales announcements 13 made by the companies themselves and sent to the service server via the Internet 11, which provide more detailed information on the answers found on the basis of the survey criteria. Similarly, the Sales Announcement Form 13 has a link to a web page 16 of the 14 companies, on their own or other server, 5 which has more information about the particular site. on the subject matter of the sales notice.

Both the company / organization profile 11 and the sales announcements 13 are filled in during a real-time Internet connection to a server 10 server, which has the necessary tools, e.g. technical solutions for the input, processing and storage of data into the system.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the examples above, but may vary within the scope of the following claims.

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Claims (4)

1. System for managing comprehensive and geographically distributed question and answer information regarding demand and supply in a globally functioning search process in an intermediary service arrangement, which search process utilizes a public or private data network, such as the Internet or equivalent, where input is structured and content defined, in the form of selected criteria, expressed information provided by the service seeker and response information (2, 4, 6) entered by the service provider, which information is entered with pre-restricted or free food access via one or more terminal units in the globally functioning the system, where the input, which represents demand and supply, is hierarchically and modeled and can be read and updated in real time by any user if the language itself chooses via any terminal or public or private data network connected terminal unit with limited or free eating right , characterized a v, that the input data, which represents demand and supply, are arranged hierarchically and modeled according to industry and application, so that input in different languages but with the same meaning is corresponded to only one code statement in. ···. the system, and that the system is arranged on the basis of the • · ·, ···, language the user uses in the message to communicate with him • · in this language. • · · ···; 25 2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaluation of the search result (7) is arranged to be carried out by means of the ··· V 1 system input, to the object-related links specific to the evaluated object (9, 10, 12, 14), which links are provided-S! : 30 to open corresponding sites on the organizations' websites, which enters input. 3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a memory location is reserved for each input data *: 1 ·: 35 with question and answer information. (2, 4, 6), and that the system is equipped to operate so that when input has arrived from the user's terminal unit to the service server, this input is converted to an element in an n-dimensional table, where the address of the element's memory location is a unambiguous and independent code assignment, which code assignment is arranged to be displayed in connection with the searches on the user's terminal unit, printed in clear text in the language chosen by the user. System according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the service server of the system is updated, if necessary, centralized with new evaluation criteria and input data (2, 4, 6) on the basis of the users' suggestions, whereby a code information indicating the address is added to the system. . ··· • · • · ·· · ··· • · · · ··· • · · · · · · · 0 · i · · ··· • · · • · ♦ ··· • · ♦ • ♦ ♦ ♦ · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·