US6108686A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Agent-based on-line information retrieval and viewing system
Assignee: Dedicated Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1998-03-02
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Granted: 2000-08-22
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Expires: 2018-03-02
Abstract
Abstract A Subject-specific Information Retrieval and Viewing System (SIRViS) enables multiple users of a local computer system to access information stored remotely on a wide area network. The SIRViS is designed to retrieve and display to a user information relating to a particular, predefined subject area. The SIRViS includes a graphical user interface including a control panel and a content viewer. The control panel enables each local user to define a unique set of search rules for locating information on the particular subject area stored in one or more remote databases across the network. The control panel provides each set of search rules to a search agent, which accesses content in the remote databases according to the search and stores the information in a local database, including maintaining the overall structure in which the data was stored in the remote database and associating retrieved information with particular sets of search rules. Any of the local users can use the content viewer to access and display information stored in the local database relating to the particular subject area and to that particular user. The local processing system may include multiple SIRViS, each of which is customized to retrieve and display information in a different subject area.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry R. Williams, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 01:33
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/40; G06F16/48; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9535
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A device for providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely on a network, the device comprising: a rule generation unit configured to define, for each of the plurality of local users, a set of search rules applicable to a predefined subject; and a search agent configured to retrieve information on only the predefined subject from a database on the network based on each set of search rules and to store the retrieved information in a local database.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
80 words
A device for providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely on a network, the device comprising: a rule generation unit configured to define, for each of the plurality of local users, a set of search rules applicable to a predefined subject; and a search agent configured to retrieve information on only the predefined subject from a database on the network based on each set of search rules and to store the retrieved information in a local database.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to enable each of the plurality of local users to access, from the local database, the information on the predefined subject associated with the corresponding set of search criteria.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the search agent is further configured to create an association in the local database between the retrieved information and particular ones of the local users based on the set of search rules used to retrieve the information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the information is stored in the remote database according to a structure, and wherein the agent is further configured to store the information in the local database according to said structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
128 words
A processing system for providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely over a network, the system comprising: a first user interface for enabling each of a plurality of local users to define a different corresponding set of search rules applicable to a predefined subject; a search agent configured to receive each set of search rules and to automatically retrieve information on only the predefined subject from a database on the network based on each set of search rules and to store the retrieved information in a local database; and a second user interface for enabling each of the plurality of local users to access from the local database a portion of the information on the predefined subject associated with the corresponding set of search rules.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
A processing system for providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely over a network, the system comprising: a first user interface for enabling each of a plurality of local users to define a different corresponding set of search rules applicable to a predefined subject; a search agent configured to receive each set of search rules and to automatically retrieve information on only the predefined subject from a database on the network based on each set of search rules and to store the retrieved information in a local database; and a second user interface for enabling each of the plurality of local users to access from the local database a portion of the information on the predefined subject associated with the corresponding set of search rules.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A processing system according to claim 5, wherein the information stored in the remote database comprises a plurality of records, each of the records having a structure, and wherein the agent stores the information in the local database in the form of records having said structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A processing system according to claim 5, further comprising an update unit for periodically determining whether an updated version of the search agent is available from a remote database and, if an updated version is available, for retrieving the updated version.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A processing system according to claim 5, further comprising an update unit for periodically determining whether an updated version of any of the search agent, the first user interface, or the second user interface is available from a remote database and, if an updated version is available, for retrieving the updated version.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A processing system according to claim 5, further comprising a reporting unit for automatically reporting, to a remote computer system, accesses to the local database.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A processing system according to claim 9, the reporting unit further for reporting accesses to particular types of content in the local database.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A processing system according to claim 9, the reporting unit further for reporting accesses to the local database by a particular user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
A processing system according to claim 5, the second user interface comprising: means for receiving user inputs identifying one of the local users; and means for retrieving from the local database only a portion of the information on the predefined subject, the portion corresponding to the set of search rules associated with said one of the local users; and means for outputting the portion of the information.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
168 words
A local computer system connected to a plurality of remote computer systems on a network, the local computer system comprising: a plurality of user interface units configured to receive user inputs, each user interface unit associated with a different one of a plurality of subject areas, each user interface unit further configured to receive, from each of a plurality of users, a separate set of search rules relating to the associated subject area; a plurality of agents, each agent associated with one of the subject areas, each agent configured to retrieve information related to the associated subject area from at least one of the remote computer systems based on at least one specified set of search rules and to store the retrieved information in a local database; and a plurality of viewing units, each viewing unit configured to retrieve information from the local database corresponding to one of the subject areas in response to inputs from any of the plurality of users and to display the retrieved information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
168 words
A local computer system connected to a plurality of remote computer systems on a network, the local computer system comprising: a plurality of user interface units configured to receive user inputs, each user interface unit associated with a different one of a plurality of subject areas, each user interface unit further configured to receive, from each of a plurality of users, a separate set of search rules relating to the associated subject area; a plurality of agents, each agent associated with one of the subject areas, each agent configured to retrieve information related to the associated subject area from at least one of the remote computer systems based on at least one specified set of search rules and to store the retrieved information in a local database; and a plurality of viewing units, each viewing unit configured to retrieve information from the local database corresponding to one of the subject areas in response to inputs from any of the plurality of users and to display the retrieved information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A local processing system according to claim 13, wherein each of the viewing units is further configured to receive user inputs identifying one of the users and to retrieve from the local database information corresponding to the set of search rules associated with said one of the users.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
A local processing system according to claim 13, further comprising a reporting unit for reporting accesses to the local database to a remote computer system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
A local processing system according to claim 13, wherein the information is stored in each of the remote computer systems according to a structure, and wherein the agent maintains each said structure when storing the information in the local database.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A local processing system according to claim 13, further comprising an update unit configured to periodically determine whether an updated version of the search agent is available from a remote database and, if an updated version is available, to retrieve the updated version.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A local processing system according to claim 13, further comprising a reporting unit configured to report accesses to the local database to a remote computer system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A local processing system according to claim 13, wherein the network is a wide area network.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely on a network, the method comprising: for each of the plurality of local users, generating a unique set of search criteria relating to a single, predefined subject; retrieving information relating to only the predefined subject from a database on the network based on each set of search criteria; and storing the retrieved information in a local database accessible to the plurality of local users.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely on a network, the method comprising: for each of the plurality of local users, generating a unique set of search criteria relating to a single, predefined subject; retrieving information relating to only the predefined subject from a database on the network based on each set of search criteria; and storing the retrieved information in a local database accessible to the plurality of local users.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein said storing comprises creating an association in the local database between the retrieved information and particular ones of the local users based on the set of search criteria used to retrieve the information.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 20, further comprising: receiving a query, the query including information identifying one of the local users; and retrieving from the local database only a portion of the information on the predefined subject, the portion corresponding to the set of search criteria associated with said one of the local users; and outputting the portion of the information.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein said generating comprises inputting each set of search criteria at one processing system on the network, the network comprising a plurality of processing systems.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said outputting comprises outputting the portion of the information from said one processing system.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein the information is stored in the remote database according to a structure, and wherein storing the retrieved information in a local database comprise storing the information in the local database using the same structure in which said information was stored in the remote database.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 20, further comprising reporting accesses to the local database to a remote computer system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein said reporting accesses comprises reporting accesses to particular types of content in the local database.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein said reporting accesses comprises reporting accesses to the local database by a particular user.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely over a network, the method comprising: using a computer system on the network to receive a set of user inputs from each of the plurality local users, each set of user inputs for creating a set of search rules for the corresponding local user for a predefined subject; retrieving information relating to only the predefined subject from a remote database on the network; storing the retrieved information on the predefined subject in a local database; receiving a set of user inputs from one of the local users; and responding to the set of user inputs by retrieving from the local database a portion of the information on the predefined subject, the portion corresponding to the set of search rules associated with said one of the local users, and by outputting the information to said one of the local users.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely over a network, the method comprising: using a computer system on the network to receive a set of user inputs from each of the plurality local users, each set of user inputs for creating a set of search rules for the corresponding local user for a predefined subject; retrieving information relating to only the predefined subject from a remote database on the network; storing the retrieved information on the predefined subject in a local database; receiving a set of user inputs from one of the local users; and responding to the set of user inputs by retrieving from the local database a portion of the information on the predefined subject, the portion corresponding to the set of search rules associated with said one of the local users, and by outputting the information to said one of the local users.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein receiving the set of user inputs from said one of the local users comprises using the computer system to receive the set of user inputs from said one of the local users; and wherein outputting the information to said one of the local users comprises using the computer system to output the information to said one of the local users.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein the information is stored in the remote database according to a structure, and wherein storing the retrieved information in a local database comprise storing the information in the local database using the same structure in which said information was stored in the remote database.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
142 words
A processing system for providing a plurality of local users with records stored remotely, the processing system comprising: a first user interface to enable each of a plurality of local users to define a different corresponding set of search rules applicable to a predefined subject; a remote database having a plurality of records with a structure; a search agent to receive each set of search rules and to automatically retrieve records on only the predefined subject from the remote database based on each set of search rules and to store the retrieved records in a local database with the same structure as the remote database; and a second user interface to enable each of the plurality of local users to access from the local database a portion of the records on the predefined subject associated with the corresponding set of search rules.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
142 words
A processing system for providing a plurality of local users with records stored remotely, the processing system comprising: a first user interface to enable each of a plurality of local users to define a different corresponding set of search rules applicable to a predefined subject; a remote database having a plurality of records with a structure; a search agent to receive each set of search rules and to automatically retrieve records on only the predefined subject from the remote database based on each set of search rules and to store the retrieved records in a local database with the same structure as the remote database; and a second user interface to enable each of the plurality of local users to access from the local database a portion of the records on the predefined subject associated with the corresponding set of search rules.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely on a network, the method comprising: receiving from a plurality of user interface units a corresponding set of search criteria; generating unique sets of search criteria relating to predefined subjects; retrieving from a remote structured database on the network only those records relating to the predefined subjects based on the unique sets of search criteria; storing on a local computer system the retrieved records in the same structure as the remote structured database; and presenting to the plurality of user interface units records retrieved from the local computer system corresponding to the set of search criteria.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of providing a plurality of local users with information stored remotely on a network, the method comprising: receiving from a plurality of user interface units a corresponding set of search criteria; generating unique sets of search criteria relating to predefined subjects; retrieving from a remote structured database on the network only those records relating to the predefined subjects based on the unique sets of search criteria; storing on a local computer system the retrieved records in the same structure as the remote structured database; and presenting to the plurality of user interface units records retrieved from the local computer system corresponding to the set of search criteria.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-22 | 2004-02-21 | 2004-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-22 | 2008-02-21 | 2008-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-22 | 2012-02-21 | 2012-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |