Method of aggregating and distributing informal and formal knowledge using software agents

• US 20020049743A1
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byteweavr, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mark Hall
• Inventors: Hall, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of knowledge management by aggregating and distributingeducational content, informal knowledge, and related supplies or services to various clients. Based on an exchange based architecture, software agents are either remotely installed on the networks of content and learning resource providers or operate autonomously. At the command of the aggregator, the agents poll and collect requested content from the content and learning resource providers. After receiving the requested content, the aggregator distributes the collected content to a client website or browser application applying the rules and standards unique to each client end user.

Claims

1. A method of aggregating information content comprising:

accessing a content aggregator;

transmitting a query to the content aggregator; and

,

transmitting the query from the content aggregator to a remote agent.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

searching a network for content responsive to the query via the remote agent;

transmitting the content from the remote agent to the content aggregator;

processing the content by the aggregator; and

,

transmitting the processed content to a client.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the remote agent is located on a learning resource provider and a content provider computer network.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the content aggregator processes the content by statistically weighting at least one variable based on an academic institution, content price, content credit, content subject, or content location.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the content aggregator monitors academic credit acquired by the client.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the content aggregator provides incentives to the client for purchasing content from at least one learning resource provider.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the content aggregator receives a discount from a learning resource provider based on the amount of content received by the client.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the content aggregator receives a discount from a content provider based on the amount of content received by the client.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the client receives a discount from the aggregator based on the amount of content received by the client.

10. A system for aggregating information content comprising:

means for accessing a content aggregator;

means for transmitting a query to the content aggregator; and

,

means for transmitting the query from the content aggregator to a remote agent.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

means for searching a network for content responsive to the query via the remote agent;

means for transmitting the content from the remote agent to the content aggregator;

means for processing the content by the aggregator; and

,

means for transmitting the processed content to a client.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for processing the content by statistically weighting at least one variable based on an academic institution, content price, content credit, content subject, or content location.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

fourth instructions for searching a network for content responsive to the query via the remote agent;

fifth instructions for transmitting the content from the remote agent to the content aggregator;

sixth instructions for processing the content by the aggregator; and

,

seventh instructions for transmitting the processed content to a client.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the instructions for processing the content by the aggregator include statistically weighting at least one variable based on an academic institution, content price, content credit, content subject, or content location.

13. A computer program product for aggregating information content comprising:

first instructions for accessing a content aggregator;

second instructions for transmitting a query to the content aggregator; and

,

third instructions for transmitting the query from the content aggregator to a remote agent.