WO2022010368A1

WO2022010368A1 - Contact tracing implementable in a computing environment

Info

Publication number: WO2022010368A1
Application number: PCT/PH2020/050016
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emilio FEDERIZO; Mikee FEDERIZO
Original assignee: Federizo Emilio; Federizo Mikee
Priority date: 2020-07-07
Filing date: 2020-12-07
Publication date: 2022-01-13
Also published as: PH22020050703U1; PH22020050702U1; PH22020050279Y1; PH22020050279U1; WO2022010369A1; PH22020050703Y1; PH22020050702Y1

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. Implementation of the method may involve scanning, tagging, and tracing of recursively generated unique identifier information associated with an individual. The equivalent string of captured unique identifier information may be stored locally and transmitted over the data communications network to a server system that is configured to trace contact among individuals.

Description

CONTACT TRACING IMPLEMENTABLE IN A COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. Background Art

Current prevailing conditions worldwide mandated people to go on quarantine, observe social distancing and exercise precautionary measures to avoid COVID-19 infection. People in contact with someone infected with COVID-19 are at higher risk of becoming infected and further infecting others. Due to the nature of COVID-19 virus being a highly communicable disease, contact tracing is important to help the people in contact get care and treatment, thereby preventing further transmission of the virus. However, existing contact tracing mechanism require manually listing the names and contact details, which may take days or weeks before someone in contact with an infected individual is traced and notified. In addition, existing contact tracing mechanism is still risky as it would still require contact by means of pen and paper, which could be contaminated with virus. Therefore, there exist a need for tracing of individuals who were in contact with the reported COVID- 19 positive in a matter of minutes. In addition, there exist a need for a contactless contact tracing mechanism.

The present invention aims to provide readily available and accurate information to equip the government in its proactive identification of individuals who might be infected with COVID-19 virus through the monitoring of the individuals’ activities and locations in coordination with business community, establishments, government agencies and transportation sector.

Summary of the Invention An aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. Implementation of the method may involve scanning, tagging, and tracing of unique identifier information associated with an individual using any device capable of scanning such as a smartphone. The unique identifier information may be stored and transmitted over the data communications network to a server system that is configured to trace contact among individuals. The present invention ensures a streamlined tracing of individuals who were in contact with a reported infected person in a matter of minutes. The present invention also generate summarized or statistical information that can help the authorities, as well as individuals, in their strategic decision making. The present invention also ensures contactless contact tracing of individuals thereby reducing the risk of transmitting any highly communicable disease through physical contact on objects.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be performed, preferred embodiments and/or implementations thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

The following drawings attached to the specification of the present disclosure are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and to understand the technical solution(s) characterizing the invention together with the contents of the above- described field, background art, and summary. It is to be understood and appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to these drawings, the brief descriptions of which are as follows:

Figure 1 is a flow diagram of the present invention for a method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment;

Figure 2 is an example illustration of use of the present invention; Figure 3A is a detailed flow diagram of the present invention;

Figure 3B is a continuation of the detailed flow diagram of the present invention;

Figure 4A is a use case flow diagram of the present invention;

Figure 4B is a continuation of the use case flow diagram of the present invention; Figure 5 is a process flow diagram of an example registration process using the present invention;

Figure 6 is a process flow diagram of another example registration process using the present invention;

Figure 7 is a process flow diagram of another example registration process using the present invention;

Figure 8 is a process flow diagram of an example scanning process using the present invention;

Figure 9 is a use case flow of another example scanning process using the present invention; Figure 10 is a use case flow of an example tagging process using the present invention;

Figure 11 is a process flow diagram of an example tracing process using the present invention; and

Figure 12 is an example presentation of data in accordance with various aspects and implementations of the invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Implementations All the ensuing disclosures and illustrations of the preferred implementations and/or embodiments of one or more aspects of the present invention, along with one or more components, features or elements thereof, are merely representative for the purpose of sufficiently describing the manner by which the present invention may be carried out into practice in various ways other than the ones outlined in the ensuing enabling description and specification of the present disclosure.

It is to be understood and appreciated, however, that the exemplary implementations used to describe how to make and use one or more aspects of the present invention may be embodied in many alternative forms and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims in any manner, absent express recitation of those features in the appended claims. All the exemplary drawings, diagrams, tables, formula, and illustrations accompanying the ensuing description should also not be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims, as accompanied by this enabling description, in any manner.

Unless the context clearly and explicitly indicates otherwise, it is also to be understood that like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the ensuing description of the figures and/or drawings of the present disclosure, that the linking term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, that the singular terms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to also include the plural forms, and that some varying terminologies of the same meaning and objective may be interchangeably used throughout the ensuing enabling disclosure of the present invention.

As may be used herein, unless otherwise specified, and consistent with one or more aspects and/or one or more implementations of the present invention, the term "include", “comprise,” "consist," or "have" may refer to the corresponding component that can be inherent to exclude other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as herein predefined terms, should be interpreted as being consistent with the meaning of the context of the related art, and are not to be interpreted as ideal or excessively formal meanings unless explicitly defined in the present disclosure.

As may be used herein, unless otherwise specified, and consistent with one or more aspects and/or one or more implementations of the present invention, the term “module” may refer to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and/or processor device, individually or in any combination, including without limitation: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable and re-configurable components or systems of components that provide the herein disclosed and/or described functionalities of the present invention.

As may be used herein, unless otherwise specified, and consistent with one or more aspects and/or one or more implementations of the present invention, the terms “data communications network” may refer to any number of data communications systems including one or more of the following communications networks and/or frameworks: a public or private data network, a hybrid public and private data network, a wired or wireless data network, an IP (Internet Protocol) framework, a WLAN (wireless local area network), a WWAN (wireless wide area network), a GAN (global area network), a MAN (metropolitan area network), an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network of any generation such as 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G and 6G, a mobile WiMax (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) network, an enterprise intranet, and the like.

As may be used herein, unless otherwise specified, and consistent with one or more aspects and/or one or more implementations of the present invention, the terms "software application" or “application” or “mobile application” may refer to an emulated application or applet, to a web-based application, or to a mobile-based application, and may specifically refer to an executable computer software program or software application program that enables services and content associated with one or more implementations of the herein disclosed system, method, data stream, and data structure. The application may be a mobile app or any other application that is executable via any one or more of data computing devices via a server or via a network of computers. The program or programs which may constitute the application may be a self-contained software or may be a component of or contained by another program or programs, any of which may be implemented by one or more hardware, software, firmware and/or cloud computing or cloud related computing resources comprising one or more infrastructure stacks and one or more infrastructure components such as application servers, file servers, directory servers, web servers, network servers, database servers, and the like.

As may be used herein, unless otherwise specified, and consistent with one or more aspects and/or one or more implementations of the present invention, the terms "computing device" may refer to a wireless mobile or non-mobile data communication device such as a mobile phone, a smart-phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a tablet device, a phablet device, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and the like. The computing device may be connected to the herein disclosed data communications network and may access the herein disclosed electronic ordering platform.

As may be used herein, unless otherwise specified, and consistent with one or more aspects and/or one or more implementations of the present invention, the terms "server system" may refer to or be characterized by one or a combination of databases such as MySQL (an open-source relational database management system), MongoDB (an open-source NoSQL database), PostgreSQL (an object-relational database management system), or Redis (an in memory database), hardware and software components, and backend database administrators.

It is also to be understood and appreciated that, in any portion or portions of the herein disclosure, the use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” and so forth, is used herein to distinguish elements, features, components, calculations or steps from one another and should not also be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims, and that these and such other ordinal terms that may appear in the ensuing description of the one or more aspects of the present invention are not indicative of any particular order of elements, features, calculations, components or steps to which they are attached. For example, a first element could be termed a second element or a third element. Similarly, a second element could be termed a first element or a third element. All these do not depart from the scope of the herein disclosure and its accompanying claims.

An aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a flow diagram which illustrates the herein disclosed method consistent with one or more implementations and/or embodiments of the present invention.

The first step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by receiving a plurality of contact information through a client computing device and assigning a first and second unique identifier information associated with the received plurality of contact information (step 100). The plurality of contact information may comprise of name, address, age, gender, and phone number. The first unique identifier information may be a registration ID while the second unique identifier information may be a trace ID.

The second step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by converting the plurality of contact information, first identifier information, and second identifier information into a third identifier information consisting of equivalent string of data (step 102).

The third step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by recursively generating a fourth identifier information based on the third identifier information (step 104). The fourth identifier information may be in the form of QR code. The fourth step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by capturing at least one fifth unique identifier information of at least one further client computing device that is in close proximity to the client computing device (step 106). The fifth identifier information may be in the form of QR code and may be captured by means of scanning using a camera of the client computing device. Consistent with the present invention, the captured fifth unique identifier information may be stored locally in the client computing device.

The fifth step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by converting the fifth unique identifier information into a sixth identifier information consisting of equivalent string of data (step 108).

The sixth step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by sending to a main server system over a data communications network the third identifier information and the sixth identifier information (step 110).

The seventh step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by transmitting a plurality of contact tracing information inputs from the main server system to the client computing device over the data communications network (step 112).

The eighth step of the method aspect of the present invention is characterized by generating by at least one of the client computing device and the main server system at least one informative feedback based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs (step 114). The at least one informative feedback generated by at least one of the client computing device and the main server system may be in the form of web based application notification.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown an illustration of the main users of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. An individual user 200 may have a QR Code or fourth unique identifier information 202 generated by a client computing device having an equivalent string of the QR code or third unique identifier information 216. The third unique identifier information 216 is associated with a registration ID or first unique identifier information 218 and trace ID or second unique identifier information 220. The fourth unique identifier information 202 may be scanned by a further client computing device that belong to another individual 200B, a transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, and testing center 212. Likewise, an individual user 200 may use the client computing device to scan the QR Code or fifth unique identifier information 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E that belong to another individual 200B, a transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, and testing center 212. The fifth unique identifier information 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E may be associated to sixth unique identifier information 222A, 222B, 222C, 222D, 222E, respectively.

Referring to Figures 2, 3A and 3B, there is shown a flow diagram which illustrates the method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. Receiving a plurality of contact information may be performed by way of registering the contact information of the individual user 200 using a client computing device (step 300) and assigning a first unique identifier information 218 and a second unique identifier information 220. The plurality of contact information, first identifier information 218, and second identifier information 220 may be converted into a third identifier information 216 to form an equivalent string of data. Generating a fourth identifier information 202 based on the equivalent string of data of the third identifier information 216 may be performed by representing each piece of data by a black and white pixel thereby generating a QR code (step 302). The fourth unique identifier information 202 in digital format may be recursively generated whenever it is being accessed for scanning. Recursively generated QR Code or fourth unique identifier information 202 may be available for scanning within seconds. The fourth unique identifier information 202 automatically disappears after use and another unique identifier may be re-generated when it is called or accessed for scanning. Included in the fourth unique identifier information 202 is the captured picture that resides in the local storage 208A of the client computing device for further identification of the individual user.

Other forms of unique identifier information may be bar code, pin code, and/or passphrase. The unique identifier information may also be generated in digital or printed format.

If the individual user 200 has a device for scanning unique identifier information such as smartphone (step 304), the QR Code or fifth unique identifier information 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E of at least one further client computing device belonging to another individual 200B, transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, and/or testing center 212 that is in close proximity may be scanned using a client computing device with scanner (step 306). Else, if the individual user has no device for scanning unique identifier information (step 304), another individual 200B, transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, and/or testing center 212 may scan the fourth unique identifier information 202 of the individual user 200 in printed format (step 308).

Capturing of at least one fifth unique identifier information by individual user 200, transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, may be performed while the client computing device is not connected to a data communications network. Scanned at least one fifth unique identifier 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E may be saved to a local storage 208A and may be transmitted to the main server system 208B automatically upon connection to the data communications network.

Testing center 212 may also scan the fourth unique identifier information 202 of an individual user 200 (step 310). The testing center 212 who performed the testing may tag the individual user 200 (step 312) as positive or negative carrier by transmitting updates associated with first unique identifier information 202 to the main server system 208B. The testing center 212 may be a clinic, hospital, or facility that conducts testing of communicable diseases such as COVID-19, SARS, Ebola, and Hantavirus. The received plurality of contact information and unique identifier information, both generated and captured, may be converted to equivalent strings of data and automatically forwarded from the client computing device to the main server system 208B over a data communications network.

Transmitting a plurality of contact tracing information inputs from the main server system 208B to the client computing device over the data communications network may be performed by fetching data from the main server system 208B, generate a list of unique identifier information who came in contact with a tagged unique identifier information, and transmit the contact tracing information to the client computing devices associated with the list of unique identifier information (step 314).

Generating by at least one of the client computing device and the main server system 208B at least one informative feedback based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs may be performed by displaying a push notification, sending a text message and/or email, and/or displaying a notification through the software application (step 316).

Referring now to Figures 2, 4A and 4B, there is shown a use case flow diagram for a method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment. The method of contact tracing may be initiated by any individual that may belong to a family, transportation vehicle business, logistics business, private establishment, government agency, testing center, or any group of similar nature. In this example, the individual user 200 may start with registration using a client computing device (step 400) in order to generate a fourth unique identifier information 202 in the form of QR code based on a third unique identification information 216 that contains the first and second unique identifier information 218, 220 among others. All information provided during registration, specifically the registration ID or first unique identification information 218 may be stored in a registration master file 208C in the main server system 208B. The QR Code or fourth unique identifier information 202 may be in digital form stored in the client computing device or in printed format. If the individual user 200 has a client computing device capable of scanning unique identifier information (step 402), the individual user may scan the fifth unique identifier information of another individual 200B, transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, and/or testing center 212 that are in close proximity (step 404). Consistent with the present invention, the capturing of the at least one fifth unique identifier information is by means of QR code scanning. Else, if an individual user 200 has no client computing device capable of scanning unique identifier information (step 402), another individual 200B, transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210, and/or testing center 212 may scan the QR code or fourth unique identifier information 202 of the individual user 200 (step 406). Similarly, the testing center 212 may scan the fourth unique identifier information 202 of individual user 200 as visitor before undergoing any test (step 408). The trace ID or second unique identifier information 220 from the scanned fourth unique identifier information 202 may be stored in a scanned transaction file locally under offline environment and may be stored in the scanned transaction file 208D in the main server system 208B upon the availability of the data communication network or connection. Upon testing center’s assessment that the individual needs testing, the testing center

212 may scan the fourth unique identifier information 202 of individual user 200 undergoing any test (step 408). Scanned transactions, specifically the trace ID or second unique identifier information 220 may be stored in the scanned transaction file 208D in the main server system 208B through data communication network. Upon the release of test result, the testing center 212 may update the status or tag the trace ID or second unique identifier information 220 associated with the individual user 200 who underwent testing as positive or negative (step 410). The trigger information or tagged second unique identifier information 220 may be stored in a testing history file 208E of the individual user 200 in the main server system 208B. Consistent with the present invention, the plurality of trigger information are generated from the unique identifier information that belong to a tagged individual.

Furthermore, the testing center 212 may send trigger information to the main server system 208B to generate a contact tracing information inputs such as a list of other individual users who came in contact with individual user 200 by iteratively matching all unique identifier information in the registration master file 208C, scanned transaction file 208D, and testing history file 208E with the trigger information or tagged first unique identifier information 202 (step 412). Consistent with the present invention, the plurality of contact tracing information inputs are generated by iteratively matching, through the main server system 208B, with a plurality of trigger information the received plurality of contact information, the generated fourth unique identifier information 202, and the captured fifth unique identifier information The contact tracing information inputs may be sent to the client computing device associated with the concerned individual users and may appear as notification message and/or statistical figure in a dashboard of a software application (step 416). Consistent with the present invention, the generated at least one report based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs is in the form of mobile application notification.

In case the individual user 200 is tagged as positive carrier of a highly communicable disease, the individual may electronically share the history of his/her scanned transactions with another individual 200B, transport vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, logistics staff 210 Referring to Figure 5, there is shown an example implementation of the present invention specifically the registration process for individual users. In use and as an example, the individual user 200 may trigger the client computing device to download a software application for contact tracing (step 500) and run the registration module of the software application (step 502). The registration module may receive contact information entered by individual user 200 (step 504).

Upon receiving the transmitted contact information and there is no further information received (step 506), all the received information may be stored (step 512) and transmitted to the main server system 208B, which may further generate a one-time password (step 514) that is sent to the client computing device of the individual user 200 over a data communications network. The registration module may receive and validate the one-time password sent by the main server system 208B (step 516). Upon validation of the one-time password, the main server system 208B may assign and send the trace ID associated with individual user 200 to the client computing device of the individual user 200 over a data communications network.

The registration module may generate the fourth unique identifier information 202 and may send the equivalent string of QR code or third unique identifier information 216 to main server system 208B. The registration module may receive a trigger to physically print the same (step 522). If the registration module received a trigger to print the first unique identifier information 202, the client computing device may proceed with the printing of the first unique identifier information 202 (step 524).

If the registration module detects a trigger that individual user 200 is living with family members (step 506), the registration module may either receive further contact information of the family members (step 508). All family members’ equivalent string of QR code or fifth unique identifier information received by the registration module may be transmitted and stored (step 512) to the main server system 208B over a data communications network.

Since the QR code or the fourth unique identifier information 202 is recursively generated, printed format of QR code may be required to be reprinted continually. Individual users who use printed format of QR code may receive notification or text message through the associated client computing device that generated and/or printed the QR code.

Referring to Figure 6, there is shown an example implementation of the present invention specifically the registration process for a user belonging to transportation vehicle service, logistics/delivery service, and testing center. In use and as an example, the user may trigger the client computing device to download a software application for contact tracing (step 600) and run the registration module of the software application (step 602). The registration module may receive contact information entered by the user (step 604).

The third unique identifier information 216 or equivalent string of contact information received by the registration module may be transmitted and stored (step 606) to the main server system 208B over a data communications network. Upon receiving the transmitted equivalent string of contact information, the main server system 208B may generate a one-time password (step 608) which may be sent to the client computing device of the user over a data communications network. The registration module may receive and validate the one-time password sent by the main server system 208B (step 610). Upon validation of the one-time password, the main server system 208B may assign and send a trace ID or second unique identifier information 220 associated with the user (step 612) to the client computing device of the user over a data communications network. The registration module may receive the second unique identifier information 220 (step 614) and activate a QR code specifically for the transportation vehicle service, logistics/delivery service, and/or testing center.

The registration module may also receive a trigger to physically print the same (step 616). If the registration module received a trigger to print the unique identifier information, the client computing device may proceed with the printing of the unique identifier information (step 618).

Referring to Figure 7, there is shown another example implementation of the present invention specifically the registration process for a user belonging to business establishments and government agencies with at least two sections or locations for registration. In use and as an example, the user may trigger the client computing device to download a software application for contact tracing (step 700) and run the registration module of the software application (step 702). The registration module may receive contact information entered by the user (step 704). The third unique identifier information 216 or equivalent string of contact information received by the registration module may be transmitted and stored (step 706) to the main server system 208B over a data communications network. Upon receiving the transmitted contact information, the main server system 208B may generate a one-time password (step 708) which may be sent to the client computing device of the user over a data communications network. The registration module may receive and validate the one-time password sent by the main server system 208B (step 710). Upon validation of the one-time password, the main server system 208B may assign a trace ID or second unique identifier information 220 associated with the user (step 712) which may be sent to the client computing device of the user over a data communications network. The registration module may receive the second unique identifier information 220 (step 714) and activate a locally generated QR Code . The registration module also, may receive a trigger to receive further set of contact information (step 716) entered by the user and may proceed to receive private, government, establishment information (step 704) again for the activation of another set of unique identifier information or QR code. One time password may not be required for the generation of the succeeding sets of unique identifier information. After receiving all sets of equivalent string of contact information, the registration module may receive a trigger to physically print the received sets of unique identifier information (step 718). If the registration module received a trigger to print the sets of QR Code or unique identifier information, the client computing device may proceed with the printing of the QR Code or fourth unique identifier information 202 (step 720).

Referring to Figure 8, there is shown an example implementation of the present invention specifically the scanning process for individual users. In use and as an example, if the individual user 200 decides to meet or visit a second individual user 200B (step 800), the second individual user 200B may request to scan the QR code or the fourth unique identifier information 202 of individual user 200 using a client computing device (step 802). If the individual user 200 has no QR code (step 804), the second individual user 200B may provide a download link to the client computing device of individual user 200 (step 806). The individual user 200 may download the software application and proceed with registration process as discussed in Figure 5 (step 808). When the individual user 200 and the second individual user 200B both have QR code, one of them may initiate scan or capture using the client computing device (step 810). Equivalent string of scanned QR codes or captured unique identifier information and contact information may be stored locally if the client device is working offline or maybe transferred to the main server system upon the availability of data communication network or connection (step 812). Referring to Figure 9, there is shown an example implementation of the present invention specifically the scanning process for individual users that ride public transportation vehicle, enter private or government establishment, and interact with logistics or delivery staff. In use and as an example, if the individual user 200 rides public transportation vehicle 204, enters private or government establishment 206, and/or interacts with logistics or delivery staff 210 (step 900) and carries a client computing device for scanning QR code or fourth unique identifier information (step 902), the individual user 200 may use the client computing device to capture the QR code of the transportation vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, and/or logistics or delivery staff 210 (step 906). Else, if the individual user 200 has no client computing device for scanning QR code (step 902), the transportation vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, and/or logistics or delivery staff 210 may capture the printed QR code of individual user 200 instead (step 904). Alternatively, if the transportation vehicle 204, private or government establishment 206, and/or logistics or delivery staff 210 has no client computing device for scanning, another individual user 200B in the premises such as co-passenger and co-visitor may scan the QR code of the individual (step 904). Otherwise, if there is no available client computing device for scanning QR code, the individual may be requested to log his/her contact information, in any manner, for it to be stored and sent to the main server system (step 908). Equivalent string of captured QR code and contact information may be stored locally in the client mobile computing device under offline environment or maybe transmitted to the main server system (step 908) upon the availability of data communication network or connection

Referring to Figure 10, there is shown an example implementation of the present invention specifically the scanning process for individual users that visit testing center or hospital for the purpose of conducting a communicable disease test. In use and as an example, if the individual user 200 enters a testing center 212 (step 1000) and has the client computing device for scanning unique identifier information (step 1002), the individual user 200 may use the client computing device to capture the unique identifier information of the testing center 212 (step 1006). Else, if the individual user 200 has no client computing device for scanning unique identifier information (step 1002), testing center 212 may capture the printed unique identifier information of individual user 200 instead (step 1004). Once the test result of individual user 200 is released and the individual is no longer available for scanning , the testing center 212 may update the status of tested individuals by searching and tagging the any one of the unique identifier information of the individual user 200 as either positive or negative carrier of communicable disease (step 1008), which may serve as trigger information for the main server system 208. Equivalent string of QR code and contact information may be stored to the main server system (step 1010).

Referring to Figure 11, there is shown an example implementation of the present invention specifically the tracing process for individuals who tested as positive carrier of a communicable disease and all other individuals in contact. For example, when the individual user 200 tested as positive carrier of a communicable disease, the main server system 208B, through the testing center 212, may search for the contact information of individual user 200 using any one of the unique identifier information (step 1100), filter records (step 1102), and tag any of the unique identifier information of the individual user 200 (step 1104). The tagged unique identifier information such as trace ID may serve as trigger information for the main server system 208B. The main server system 208B may iteratively match the tagged unique identifier information of the individual user 200 with the transaction file 208B of all individual users (step 1106) and then generate contact tracing information for the purpose of monitoring and notification (step 1108).

Furthermore, the main server system 208B, through administrator or other designated system users, may search or trace for a specific contact information of individual user 200 and/or at least one associated unique identifier information such as trace ID and/or registration ID, which may serve as trigger information for the main server system 208B to iteratively match the tagged first unique identifier information 202 of the individual user 200 with the transaction file 208D of all individual users and then generate contact tracing information for the purpose of monitoring and notification.

Notifications may be sent to the client computing devices of individual users based on the generated contact tracing information. Notification may be sent via the software application in the form of pushed message and/or notification (step 1110) and/or dashboard statistical figure (step 1112). Consistent with the present invention, the generated at least one report based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs is in the form of a text message and in the form of statistical figures. Referring to Figure 12, there is shown an example presentation of contact tracing information in the form of statistical figures on a dashboard of web based software application or mobile application. Consistent with the present invention, the statistical figures are presented in a dashboard of web based application.

Although a product may be described as including a plurality of components, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, that does not indicate that all of the plurality are essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s) include other products that omit some or all of the described plurality. Furthermore, an enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specified otherwise.

While the present disclosure includes several variations described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is not to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is to be understood in the broadest sense allowable by relevant laws and rules.

Further, and where applicable, the scope of the present invention is shown by the following or accompanying claims rather than the above description which is illustrative in nature, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of contact tracing implementable in a computing environment, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of contact information through a client computing device and assigning a first and second unique identifier information associated with the received plurality of contact information; converting the plurality of contact information, first identifier information, and second identifier information into a third identifier information consisting of equivalent string of data; recursively generating a fourth identifier information based on the third identifier information; capturing at least one fifth unique identifier information of at least one further client computing device that is in close proximity to the client computing device; converting the captured fifth unique identifier information into a sixth identifier information consisting of equivalent string of data; sending to a main server system over a data communications network the third identifier information and sixth identifier information; transmitting a plurality of contact tracing information inputs from the main server system to the client computing device over the data communications network; generating by at least one of the client computing device and the main server system at least one informative feedback based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs, wherein the at least one informative feedback generated by at least one of the client computing device and the main server system may be in the form of web based application notification. wherein the plurality of contact tracing information inputs are generated by iteratively matching, through the main server system, with a plurality of trigger information the received plurality of contact information, the third unique identifier information, and the sixth unique identifier information.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of trigger information are generated from the unique identifier information that belong to a tagged individual.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the capturing of the at least one fifth unique identifier information is by means of QR code scanning.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated at least one report based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs is in the form of mobile application notification.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated at least one report based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs is in the form of e-mail message. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated at least one report based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs is in the form of text message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated at least one report based on the received plurality of contact tracing information inputs is in the form of statistical figures.

8 The method according to claim 5, wherein the statistical figures are presented in a dashboard of web based application.