Method, system and program product for maintaining information regarding an item

• US 20030033269A1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ebertshauser, Timothy Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/751,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Information regarding an item requiring maintenance, for example, a house, is received. The information includes at least one specification for the item. For example, where the item is a house, the information could include house plans. The information is stored in an electronic database, and access thereto is provided to a user. For example, the access could be provided via a global computer network. Additional information is provided to the user regarding at least one of repairs, maintenance, upgrades, add-ons, replacements, and costs for work respecting the item, based on the item information stored in the electronic database.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining information regarding an item, comprising:

receiving information regarding at least one specification for the item, wherein the item requires maintenance;

storing the information in an electronic database;

providing electronic access to the information; and

providing additional information related to the item based on the information in order to encourage commerce related to the item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the information from a first computing unit prior to the receiving, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information at a second computing unit coupled to the first computing unit via a communications network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information at a second computing unit coupled to the first computing unit via a global computer network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the information from another database prior to the receiving, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information from the another database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing comprises storing the information in a relational electronic database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing electronic access comprises providing electronic access to the information via a computing unit coupled to the electronic database via a communications network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing electronic access comprises providing electronic assess to the information via a computing unit coupled to the electronic database via a global computer network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a unique data pattern with the information for access thereto, and wherein providing electronic access is only performed if the unique data pattern is first received.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a building, and wherein the information comprises at least one of building plans, a building material identification, a building component identification, an appliance identification, and a contractor identification.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the additional information is performed in response to a request therefor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the additional information comprises:

receiving a request for at least one cost quote from at least one provider for work desired respecting the item;

obtaining the at least one cost quote; and

returning the at least one cost quote to the requestor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the request comprises electronically receiving the request and providing at least some of the information stored in the database to the at least one provider to determine the at least one cost quote.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the requesting comprises:

associating at least one temporary data pattern with the item; and

providing the at least one temporary data pattern to the at least one provider for temporary access to the information thereby.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a temporary data pattern with the item for allowing temporary access to at least some of the information by a potential purchaser of the item.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating a data pattern with the information for full access thereto, wherein providing electronic access is performed only if the data pattern is first received, the method further comprising providing the data pattern to the potential purchaser for full access to the information upon purchasing the item.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising associating a new data pattern with the item and disassociating the data pattern from the item.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the additional information comprises providing information regarding at least one of repairs, maintenance, upgrades, add-ons, complementary products, replacements, and costs for work respecting the item.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises an automobile, and wherein the information comprises at least one of schematics, a manufacturing material identification, a manufacturing component identification, a vehicle identification number, and a manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a pet, and wherein the information comprises at least one of species, breed, sex, lineage, and health history.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a human, and wherein the information comprises at least one of sex, age, ethnicity, and health history.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a lawn, and wherein the information comprises at least one of location, relative amount of sun and shade received, grass type, and chemical application history.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the additional information comprises electronically providing the additional information.

23. A system for maintaining information regarding an item, comprising:

means for receiving information regarding at least one specification for the item, wherein the item requires maintenance;

an electronic database for storing the information;

means for providing electronic access to the information; and

means for providing additional information related to the item based on the information in order to encourage commerce related to the item.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a first computing unit for sending the information, wherein the means for receiving comprises a second computing unit coupled to the first computing unit.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the second computing unit is coupled to the first computing unit via a global computer network.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising another electronic database first storing the information, and wherein the means for receiving comprises means for transferring the information from the another electronic database to the electronic database.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the electronic database comprises a relational electronic database.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for providing electronic access comprises a computing unit coupled to the electronic database.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the computing unit is coupled to the electronic database via a global computer network.

30. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for associating a unique data pattern with the information for access thereto, and wherein the means for providing electronic access comprises means for first receiving and verifying the unique data pattern prior to providing electronic access to the information.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the item comprises a building, and wherein the information comprises at least one of building plans, a building material identification, a building component identification, an appliance identification, and a contractor identification.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for providing the additional information comprises means for providing the additional information in response to a request therefor.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for providing the additional information comprises:

means for receiving a request for at least one cost quote from at least one provider for work desired respecting the item; and

means for returning the at least one quote to the requestor.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for receiving the request comprises means for electronically receiving the request for the at least one cost quote, the system further comprising means for providing at least some of the information stored in the database to the at least one provider to determine the at least one quote.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for providing at least some of the information comprises:

means for associating at least one unique temporary data pattern with the item; and

means for providing the at least one unique temporary data pattern to the at least one provider for temporary access to the information thereby.

36. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for associating a unique temporary data pattern with the item for allowing temporary access to at least some of the information by a potential purchaser of the item.

37. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for associating a unique data pattern with the information for at least partial access thereto.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising means for associating a different unique data pattern with the item and disassociating the unique data pattern from the item.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for providing the additional information comprises means for providing information regarding at least one of repairs, maintenance, upgrades, add-ons, complementary products, replacements, and costs for work respecting the item.

40. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method maintaining information regarding an item, the method comprising:

receiving information regarding at least one specification for the item, wherein the item requires maintenance;

storing the information in an electronic database;

providing electronic access to the information; and

providing additional information related to the item based on the information in order to encourage commerce related to the item.

41. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, the method further comprising sending the information from a first computing unit prior to the receiving, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information at a second computing unit coupled to the first computing unit via a communications network.

42. The at least one program storage device of claim 41, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information at a second computing unit coupled to the first computing unit via a global computer network.

43. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, the method further comprising transferring the information from another database prior to the receiving, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information from the another database.

44. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the storing comprises storing the information in a relational electronic database.

45. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein providing electronic access comprises providing electronic access to the information via a computing unit coupled to the electronic database via a communications network.

46. The at least one program storage device of claim 45, wherein providing electronic access comprises providing electronic assess to the information via a computing unit coupled to the electronic database via a global computer network.

47. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, the method further comprising associating a unique data pattern with the information for access thereto, and wherein providing electronic access is only performed if the unique data pattern is first received.

48. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the item comprises a building, and wherein the information comprises at least one of building plans, a building material identification, a building component identification, an appliance identification, and a contractor identification.

49. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein providing the additional information is performed in response to a request therefor.

50. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein providing the additional information comprises:

receiving a request for at least one cost quote from at least one provider for work desired respecting the item;

obtaining the at least one cost quote; and

returning the at least one cost quote to the requestor.

51. The at least one program storage device of claim 50, wherein receiving the request comprises electronically receiving the request and providing at least some of the information stored in the database to the at least one provider to determine the at least one cost quote.

52. The at least one program storage device of claim 50, wherein the requesting comprises:

associating at least one temporary data pattern with the item; and

providing the at least one temporary data pattern to the at least one provider for temporary access to the information thereby.

53. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, the method further comprising associating a temporary data pattern with the item for allowing temporary access to at least some of the information by a potential purchaser of the item.

54. The at least one program storage device of claim 53, the method further comprising associating a data pattern with the information for full access thereto, wherein providing electronic access is performed only if the data pattern is first received, the method further comprising providing the data pattern to the potential purchaser for full access to the information upon purchasing the item.

55. The at least one program storage device of claim 54, the method further comprising associating a new data pattern with the item and disassociating the data pattern from the item.

56. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein providing the additional information comprises providing information regarding at least one of repairs, maintenance, upgrades, add-ons, complementary products, replacements, and costs for work respecting the item.

57. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the item comprises an automobile, and wherein the information comprises at least one of schematics, a manufacturing material identification, a manufacturing component identification, a vehicle identification number, and a manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule.

58. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the item comprises a pet, and wherein the information comprises at least one of species, breed, sex, lineage, and health history.

59. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the item comprises a human, and wherein the information comprises at least one of sex, age, ethnicity, and health history.

60. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the item comprises a lawn, and wherein the information comprises at least one of location, relative amount of sun and shade received, grass type, and chemical application history.

61. The at least one program device of claim 40, wherein providing the additional information comprises electronically providing the additional information.