METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A DOCUMENT-BASED KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

• US 20110289549A1
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datuit LLC
• Original Assignee: Datuit LLC
• Inventors: Raup, Gordon E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,931,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A document-based storage and knowledge production solution designed for use as a primary information system is disclosed. It uses Authentication, Privacy and Security Standards to ensure the source and reliability of the information in the stored documents. It uses Information and Document Standards to explicitly define the information content held in each document. Electronic documents from separate authors, from the same or separate legal entities, are stored together in the same system and can be used in aggregate for the generation of new knowledge. Variations are used to accelerate response times. Other variations describe the method'"'"'s use as a Variable Electronic Health Record System in which different parts of the system can be produced by separate manufacturers. This is possible because the underlying document-based knowledge system stores the separate documents from each manufacturer'"'"'s system in such a manner that they can be understood by systems from other manufacturers.

Claims

1. A method for managing information from multiple separately authored electronic documents comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a set of one or more document standards;

(b) Providing a set of one or more information standards;

(c) Providing a set of one or more authentication standards;

(d) Providing a set of one or more privacy and security standards;

(e) Storing electronic documents into a document bank consisting of one or more electronically accessible electronic data storage devices;

(f) Providing gate server software that performs the following server processes;

(i) Authenticating user entities as authenticated entities;

(ii) Validating prior to transmission that the transmission of each document and other information to an authenticated entity complies with the privacy and security standards and the authentication standards;

(iii) Validating that each unit of information complies with the information standards prior to the storage, control, or use thereof;

(iv) Validating that each electronic document complies with the document standards before the storage, control, and use thereof;

(v) Creating new documents;

(vi) Receiving and fulfilling, partially fulfilling, or rejecting requests from authenticated entities for documents and other information in accordance with the privacy and security standards and the authentication standards;

(g) Providing one or more end user software components for use in end-user computer processors in order to establish communications sessions with authenticated entities controlling the end user computer processors that comply with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards;

(h) wherein gate server processes validate an entity controlling end user software components in accordance with the authentication standards before delivering information to or accepting any information from the end user software component;

(i) wherein no information is delivered to an authenticated entity until the gate server processes have determined that the delivery of such information to the authenticated entity at the point in time in question complies with the privacy and security standards;

(j) wherein the method is the primary mechanism used by the authenticated entities sending information to the method for storage of that information;

(k) wherein the gate server processes control access to the electronic documents in the document bank;

(l) wherein only documents and other information that comply with the information standards and the document standards are permanently stored in the document bank; and

(m) wherein new information is created by the gate server processes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(a) Providing one or more accelerator applications running on computer processing equipment controlled by the gate server that are under the control of the gate server software;

(b) wherein the accelerator applications predict what documents or other information under the control of the gate server software will be requested by individual authenticated entities; and

(c) wherein the accelerator applications prepare the predicted documents or other information for delivery to the authenticated entity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture end user software that can establish communications sessions with the gate server in conformance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards provided by the method.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture accelerator applications.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of providing specifications for independent software manufacturers to manufacture sub-units of an end user software solution.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture end user software that can establish communications sessions with the gate server in conformance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards provided by the method.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of providing specifications for independent software manufacturers to manufacture sub-units of an end user software solution.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein:

(a) The information sent and received to and from authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

15. A method for combining and synthesizing information from multiple separately authored electronic documents and delivering information to approved recipients that contains both units of information from previously existing documents controlled by the method and new units of information calculated or otherwise derived from the units of information in the previously existing electronic documents controlled by the method, such method comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a set of one or more document standards that each document must comply with;

(b) Providing a set of one or more information standards that individual units of information must comply with;

(c) Providing a set of one or more authentication standards to determine whether an entity is an authenticated entity;

(d) Providing a set of one or more privacy and security standards for determining which entities can receive information and what information each entity can receive at specific points in time;

(e) Storing electronic documents in a document bank consisting of one or more electronically accessible electronic data storage devices in such a manner that the documents can be accurately reproduced;

(f) Providing gate server software including one or more software programs or modules that are run on network computer processors which together perform the following server processes;

(i) Authenticating the identity and user rights of any entity attempting to communicate with the method before establishing a communications session with that entity;

(ii) Validating prior to transmission that the transmission of each document and other information to a specific authenticated entity is in compliance with the privacy and security standards and the authentication standards;

(iii) Validating that each unit of information is in compliance with the information standards before accepting the information for storage, control, and use by the method;

(iv) Validating that each electronic document is in compliance with the document standards before accepting the document for storage, control, and use by the method;

(v) Creating new documents for storage, control, and use by the method by combining and synthesizing information from electronic documents or other information controlled by the method and by calculating or otherwise deriving new information from the existing information and documents controlled by the method;

(vi) Receiving, fulfilling, partially fulfilling or rejecting requests from authenticated entities for documents and other information in accordance with the privacy and security standards and the authentication standards;

(g) Providing one or more end user software components to run, be displayed, or played on end-user controlled computer processors in order to establish communications sessions with authenticated entities controlling the end-user controlled computer processors that are in compliance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards;

(h) wherein before delivering any information to or accepting any information from end user software, the gate server processes authenticates the entity controlling the end user software in accordance with the authentication standards;

(i) wherein no information is delivered to an authenticated entity until gate server processes have successfully determined that the delivery of such information to the authenticated entity at the point in time in question is in compliance with the privacy and security standards;

(j) wherein the method is the primary mechanism used by the authenticated entities sending information to the method for storage of that information;

(k) wherein the gate server processes control access to the electronic documents in the document bank and to other information stored by the method for temporary purposes;

(l) wherein only documents and other information that comply with the information standards and the document standards are permanently stored in the document bank; and

(m) wherein new electronic documents are created by gate server processes that combine units of information from one or more electronic documents controlled by the method, other information controlled by the method, and new units of information calculated or otherwise derived from information or electronic documents controlled by the method.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

(a) Providing one or more accelerator applications that are software programs, components or modules under the control of the gate server software running on network computer processing equipment controlled by the gate server for the purpose of accelerating the response time of the method to requests from authenticated entities for documents or other information;

(b) wherein the accelerator applications predict what documents or other information under the control of the gate server will be requested by individual authenticated entities participating in the system; and

(c) wherein the accelerator applications prepare the predicted documents or information for delivery to the authenticated entity prior to the receipt of a request for the predicted documents or information from the authenticated entity.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture end user software that can establish communications sessions with the gate server in conformance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards provided by the method.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture accelerator applications.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing specifications for how a complete end user software solution that allows an authenticated user to participate in the method can be divided into a set of defined sub-units, each of which perform some of the functions of a complete end user software solution; and

(b) Providing specifications for independent software manufacturers to manufacture one or more of the defined sub-units of a complete end user software solution.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture end user software that can establish communications sessions with the gate server in conformance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards provided by the method.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a specifications for how a complete end user software solution that allows an authenticated user to participate in the method can be divided into a set of defined sub-units, each of which perform some of the functions of a complete end user software solution; and

(b) Providing specifications for independent software manufacturers to manufacture one or more of the defined sub-units of a complete end user software solution.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein:

(a) The information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(b) The entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.

29. A method for combining and synthesizing information from multiple separately authored electronic documents and delivering information to approved recipients that contains both units of information from previously existing documents controlled by the method and new units of information calculated or otherwise derived from the units of information in the previously existing electronic documents controlled by the method, such method comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a set of one or more document standards that each document must comply with;

(b) Providing a set of one or more information standards that individual units of information must comply with;

(c) Providing a set of one or more authentication standards to determine whether an entity is an authenticated entity;

(d) Providing a set of one or more privacy and security standards for determining which entities can receive information and what information each entity can receive at specific points in time;

(e) Storing electronic documents in a document bank consisting of one or more electronically accessible electronic data storage devices in such a manner that the documents can be accurately reproduced;

(f) Providing gate server software including one or more software programs or modules that are run on network computer processors which together perform the following server processes;

(i) Authenticating the identity and user rights of any entity attempting to communicate with the method before establishing a communications session with that entity;

(ii) Validating prior to transmission that the transmission of each document and other information to a specific authenticated entity is in compliance with the privacy and security standards and the authentication standards;

(iii) Validating that each unit of information is in compliance with the information standards before accepting the information for storage, control, and use by the method;

(iv) Validating that each electronic document is in compliance with the document standards before accepting the document for storage, control, and use by the method;

(v) Creating new documents for storage, control, and use by the method by combining and synthesizing information from electronic documents or other information controlled by the method and by calculating or otherwise deriving new information from the existing information and documents controlled by the method;

(vi) Receiving, fulfilling, partially fulfilling or rejecting requests from authenticated entities for documents and other information in accordance with the privacy and security standards and the authentication standards;

(g) Providing one or more end user software components to run, be displayed, or played on end-user controlled computer processors in order to establish communications sessions with authenticated entities controlling the end-user controlled computer processors that are in compliance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards;

(h) Providing one or more accelerator applications that are software programs, components or modules under the control of the gate server software running on network computer processing equipment controlled by the gate server for the purpose of accelerating the response time of the method to requests from authenticated entities for documents or other information;

(i) Providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture end user software that can establish communications sessions with the gate server in conformance with the authentication, privacy and security, document, and information standards provided by the method;

(j) Providing specifications for how independent software manufacturers can manufacture accelerator applications;

(k) Providing specifications for how a complete end user software solution that allows an authenticated user to participate in the method can be divided into a set of defined sub-units, each of which perform some of the functions of a complete end user software solution;

(l) Providing a specifications for independent software manufacturers to manufacture one or more of the defined sub-units of a complete end user software solution;

(m) wherein before delivering any information to or accepting any information from end user software, the gate server processes authenticates the entity controlling the end user software in accordance with the authentication standards;

(n) wherein no information is delivered to an authenticated entity until gate server processes have successfully determined that the delivery of such information to the authenticated entity at the point in time in question is in compliance with the privacy and security standards;

(o) wherein the method is the primary mechanism used by the authenticated entities sending information to the method for storage of that information;

(p) wherein the gate server processes control access to the electronic documents in the document bank and to other information stored by the method for temporary purposes;

(q) wherein only documents and other information that comply with the information standards and the document standards are permanently stored in the document bank;

(r) wherein new electronic documents are created by gate server processes that combine units of information from one or more electronic documents controlled by the method, other information controlled by the method, and new units of information calculated or otherwise derived from information or electronic documents controlled by the method;

(s) wherein the accelerator applications predict what documents or other information under the control of the gate server will be requested by individual authenticated entities participating in the system;

(t) wherein the accelerator applications prepare the predicted documents or information for delivery to the authenticated entity prior to the receipt of a request for the predicted documents or information from the authenticated entity;

(u) wherein the information sent to and received from the method by authenticated entities is restricted to health information and other information used in delivering healthcare services or related thereto; and

(v) wherein the entities authenticated for participating in the method are healthcare providers, healthcare provider organizations, patients and the authorized representatives of these entities.