Method and system for agricultural data collection and management

• US 20030177025A1
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aginfolink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aginfolink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Dolan, Adrew J., Pape, William R., Curkendall, Leland D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,995,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/007 Boluses
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

A system and method for agricultural data collection and management is described to provide quality assurance source verification data and performance tracking for agricultural items throughout the production cycle. Individual item data is efficiently collected, transferred, and shared in a transactional, event-oriented, row-oriented structure with few columns without need for creating relational structures. The system includes software components for data collection and real-time data lookup components; share, switch, route, and interface components; extract, transform, and load components; and report and analyze data components. Embodiments include data acquisition from multiple RFID reader locations; a web-based information system for a beef marketing alliance; value-based procurement, and supply chain management.

Claims

1. A distributed transactional database to support an information backbone in an agricultural supply chain, the database comprising:

a first database containing a first portion of data associated with a particular agricultural item, the first database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

A unique item identification element,

A unique event identification element,

A parent identification,

A date and time of the event,

An event,

An event detail, and

An entity identification; and

a second database containing a second portion of data associated with the item or a product transformation of the item, the second database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

A unique item identification element,

A unique event identification element,

A parent identification,

A date and time of the event,

An event,

An event detail, and

An entity identification.

2. A system for sharing information in an agricultural supply chain, the system comprising:

a plurality of application programs associated with the supply chain;

at least one transactional event database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

a unique item identification element,

a unique event identification element,

a date and time of the event,

an event,

an event detail, and

an entity identification; and

an information backbone connecting the event transactional database structure and the application programs with layered protocols and services including

an interconnectivity means for connecting the database and each application program,

an audit trail means for determining the integrity of the data records and the database,

a means for processing the data,

a means for routing the data to a user,

a means for archiving data,

a means for consolidating and reporting data, and

a means for brokering private network links.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the interconnectivity means for connecting the database and each application program further comprises

an application program interface means for interfacing between the database and the application programs;

a secure socket layer means for communicating between the database and the application programs; and

a data exchange protocol means for exchanging data between the database and the application programs.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the audit trail means for determining the integrity of the data records and the database further comprises

a tamper-evident means for determining if a data record has been altered;

and

a data integrity means for determining whether records have been added or removed from database.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for processing the data further comprises

a data filtering means for testing the data;

a means for mapping and normalizing the data; and

a means for benchmarking data.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for routing the data to a user further comprises

a means for determining the user permission to access the data;

and

a means for determining routing of the data to the authorized user.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the layered protocols and services further comprise a means for translating data from a first language to a second language.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the layered protocols and services further comprise a means for restoring archived data.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a means for determining whether an event record has been changed.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for brokering private network links further comprises a means for maintaining the privacy of the data.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein the layered protocols and services further comprise an accounting means for tracking credits for the addition of data to the system, and tracking charges for the accessing of data from the system.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein each row of the transactional event database further comprises a parent identification.

13. The system of claim 2 wherein each row of the transactional event database further comprises

a security level;

and

a record entry mode.

14. A system for sharing information in an agricultural supply chain, the system comprising:

a plurality of application programs associated with the supply chain;

a plurality of transactional event databases, each database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

a unique item identification element,

a unique event identification element,

a date and time of the event,

an event,

an event detail, and

an entity identification; and

an information backbone connecting the event transactional database structure and the application programs with a series of layered protocols and services including

an application program interface,

a secure socket layer,

a data exchange protocol such as XML,

a tamper-evident layer,

a data integrity layer,

a data filtering layer,

a data map/translate/normalize layer,

a data permission layer,

a data routing layer,

an archive and change management layer,

an aggregation, consolidation, and reporting layer,

a data benchmarking layer, and

a brokering private network links layer.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the information backbone further comprises an event accounting layer, such that the event accounting layer tracks credits for the addition of data to the information backbone system, and tracks charges for the accessing of data from the information backbone system.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein each row of the transactional event databases further comprises a parent identification.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein each row of the transactional event databases further comprises

a security level;

and

record entry mode.

18. A method for interconnecting application programs across different food production supply chain entities, the method comprising

providing at least one transactional event database, the database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

a unique item identification element,

a unique event identification element,

a date and time of the event,

an event,

an event detail, and

an entity identification;

and

establishing an information backbone between the database and the application programs by

providing a means for interconnectivity between the database and each application program,

providing an audit trail means for determining the integrity of the data records and the database,

providing a means for processing the data,

providing a means for routing the data to a user,

providing a means for archiving data,

providing a means for consolidating and reporting data, and

providing a means for brokering private network links.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein providing a means for interconnectivity between the database and each application program further comprises

providing an application program interface means for interfacing between the database and the application programs;

providing a secure socket layer means for communicating between the database and the application programs; and

providing a data exchange protocol means for exchanging data between the database and the application programs.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein providing an audit trail means for determining the integrity of the data records and the database further comprises

providing a tamper-evident means for determining if a data record has been altered;

and

providing a data integrity means for determining whether records have been added or removed from database.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein providing a means for processing the data further comprises

providing a data filtering means for testing the data;

providing a means for mapping and normalizing the data; and

providing a means for benchmarking data.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein providing a means for routing the data to a user further comprises

providing a means for determining the user permission to access the data;

and

providing a means for determining routing of the data to the authorized user.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising a means for translating data from a first language to a second language.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein providing a means for archiving data further comprises a means for restoring data.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein providing a means for archiving data further comprises a means for determining whether an event record has been changed.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein providing a means for brokering private network links further comprises a means for connecting private network links without exposing data within a network outside of the network.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising an event accounting layer which provides means for tracking credits for the addition of data to the system, and for tracking charges for the accessing data from the system.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising a distributed transactional database comprising:

a first database containing a first portion of data associated with the food production supply chain, the first database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

a unique item identification element,

a unique event identification element,

a date and time of the event,

an event,

an event detail, and

an entity identification; and

a second database containing a second portion of data associated with the food production supply chain, the second database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

a unique item identification element,

a unique event identification element,

a date and time of the event,

an event,

an event detail, and

an entity identification.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein each row of the transactional event database further comprises a parent identification.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein each row of the transactional event database further comprises a security level.

31. The method of claim 18 wherein each row of the transactional event database further comprises record entry mode.

32. A method for interconnecting application programs across different food production supply chain entities, the method comprising

providing a plurality of one transactional event databases, each database comprising a plurality of rows, each row comprising

a unique item identification element,

a unique event identification element,

a date and time of the event,

an event,

an event detail, and

an entity identification;

and

connecting the event transactional database structure and the application programs with layered protocols and services by

providing an application program interface,

providing a secure socket layer,

providing a data exchange protocol such as XML,

providing a tamper-evident layer,

providing a data integrity layer,

providing a data filtering layer,

providing a data map/translate/normalize layer,

providing a data permission layer,

providing a data routing layer,

providing an archive and change management layer,

providing an aggregation, consolidation, and reporting layer,

providing a data benchmarking layer, and

providing a brokering private network links layer.