Information exchange engine providing a critical infrastructure layer and methods of use thereof

• US 20020035556A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PlanetID, LLC
• Original Assignee: Planetid Incorporated
• Inventors: Shah, Ajit S., Thakur, Madhukar, Thom, Joyce, Hu, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A virtual record manager and a data exchange engine are provided for dynamically defining data records in a database and for dynamically allocating instances of defined data records. These components are capable of mediating between the database and application and client interface layers to facilitate exchange of information over a network. Embodiments are configured to allow complex data records having a plurality of related fields, and to allow management and exchange of information at both the data field level and data record level.

Claims

1. A data exchange engine for use with a database, comprising:

a virtual record manager coupled to the database and configured to manage the storage of at least one data record in the database, the data record being managed at an individual data field level; and

a data exchange engine coupled to the database and configured to support an exchange of the information in at least one data field between at least two parties, the exchange being based on a relationship between the parties, the relationship being represented in the database.

2. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to support a complex data record, the complex data record comprising a plurality of related data fields.

3. The engine of claim 2 wherein the data exchange engine is configured to support the exchange of the information in the complex data record.

4. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to allow a unique type of data record to be created substantially instantaneous.

5. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to allow an instance of the data record to be allocated to the database substantially instantaneous.

6. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to assign each data field a unique identifier.

7. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to associate each data field with a data record type and to manage each data field according to the data record type.

8. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to utilize a virtual object to manage the storage of the data record, the virtual object defining a data record structure being a logical grouping of individual data fields, the virtual object being described as a virtual object type whereby the virtual object type is configured to provide a description of the data record structure;

wherein utilization of the virtual object allows a unique type of data record to be created substantially instantaneous.

9. The engine of claim 8 wherein utilization of the virtual object allows an instance of the data record to be allocated to the database substantially instantaneous.

10. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager and the data exchange engine are configured to provide a means for a party to exchange specific data fields with all other parties with which the party has a relationship.

11. The engine of claim 1 wherein the virtual record manager is configured to define a mapping between a third party data record format and a native data record format.

12. The engine of claim 11 wherein the mapping utilizes extensible markup language.

13. The engine of claim 1, further comprising:

an encryption engine coupled to the database and configured to manage the encryption of the data record prior to storage in the database.

14. The engine of claim 13 wherein the encryption engine is configured to support a different encryption method for individual data fields of the data record.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the data repository is configured to provide storage of information describing the means to manage storage of the personal information.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the portion of personal information represents a data field in a data management system.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the network is a wireless network.

15. A personal information exchange system comprising:

an interface layer configured to provide at least one interface application configured to facilitate communication with a user through a network;

an application layer coupled to the interface layer and configured to provide a means to store the personal information of the user in a data repository;

an exchange engine layer coupled to the application layer and configured to provide a means to manage storage of the personal information in a manner such that a type of personal information is instantiated substantially instantaneous; and

the data repository coupled to the exchange engine and configured to provide storage of information describing parties allowed access to at least a portion of the personal information.

19. A method for providing dynamic contact information of a user of a dynamic information exchange system, comprising the steps of:

invoking a record manager to obtain information identifying a party to which the user has permitted dynamic exchange of information;

invoking a data exchange means to obtain information identifying a data field of a data record to which the identified party has allowed exchange with the user;

invoking the record manager to read from a memory a content of the identified data field; and

providing the content to an interface for transmission to the user.

20. A method for utilizing a virtual record manager to manage a virtual object defining a data record structure in an information storage system supporting real-time instantiation of data records, comprising the steps of:

associating a type to the virtual object, the type being related to a description of data record content;

creating a row in a first data table to store data related to the type;

providing type metadata associated with the type to the virtual record manager, the type metadata describing the quantity of data fields constituent to the data record;

creating a second data table, each row in the second data table representing one of the data fields constituent to the data record; and

providing field metadata associated with at least one data field to the virtual record manager, the field metadata describing the data record content;

whereby the virtual record manager provides real-time instantiation of the data record.

21. A machine-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a machine to perform method steps for exchanging information over a network, the method steps comprising:

facilitating communication with a user through the network;

managing storage of information of the user in a data repository in a manner such that a type of information is instantiated substantially instantaneous; and

providing storage of permissions information describing parties allowed access to at least a portion of the information.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, the method steps further comprising:

associating an object type with the information;

creating a row in a first data table to store object type metadata related to the object type, the object type metadata describing the quantity of data fields constituent to the information record;

creating a second data table, each row in the second data table representing at least one of the data fields constituent to the information record; and

providing field metadata associated with the at least one data field to a virtual record manager, the field metadata describing the information in the at least one data field; and

providing real-time instantiation of the information record in the data repository based on the first and second data tables and the object type and field metadata.

23. A model for providing accurate real-time information services to a business entity, comprising the steps of:

employing an information exchange system for managing storage of customer or employee information in a data repository and storage of permissions information describing parties allowed access to at least a portion of the information;

offering the business entity at least one of the following services based on the information and the permissions information managed by the information exchange system;

providing an updated customer or employee database of the business entity;

enabling a customer to provide information by providing a unique identification associated with the information exchange system;

providing a business directory for listing automatically updated information about the business entity;

providing notification upon a change in customer information;

maintaining a registry of customer digital certificates;

escrowing transaction data associated with a transaction wherein parties are remotely located from each other; and

upon acceptance of one of the services by the business entity, charging the business entity a fee therefor.