Data collection and retrieval system for registering charges and royalties to users

• US 5,359,508 A
• Filed: 05/21/1993
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael T. Rossides
• Original Assignee: Michael T. Rossides
• Inventors: Rossides, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHINGALA, GITA
• Application Number:
  US08/072,386
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/402, 379/112, 379/114, 379/121, 379/126, 379/213
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

Self-organizing data-base that charges users who find data in it and pays users who supply the data found. Has a built in feedback mechanism, called the Pay-off Meter (POM), that tells users what data needs supplying based on the number of request for that data over time. The POM outputs an expected Pay-off for supplying a piece of data. A sensitive and potent feedback loop is created insuring that the more a piece of data is requested during a period of time, the more likely the data will be supplied by a requestor or by someone a requestor tells of the pay-off.

Claims

1. A data collection and retrieval system comprising in combination the following elements and steps:

a computer and a database with;

input means for inputting data-requests and data corresponding to said data-requests, along with user identification information,

output means for outputting said corresponding data, along with projected pay-off estimates,

memory means for storing said data-requests and corresponding data,

processing means for comparing data-requests, finding corresponding registering times of inputs, calculating formulas and registering charges and payments due to users,

said computer performing the following steps upon the inputting of a data-request by a user;

a. registering said user'"'"'s identification information in said database,

b. registers users preference in supplying and retrieving the data corresponding to said data-request,

c. if the user prefers to supply said corresponding data, looks for said corresponding data in said database

c1. if corresponding data is found, outputting a message telling the user that the data is already in said database

c2. if no corresponding data is found, allowing the user to input the data, storing the corresponding data, and registering that royalties are due to the user upon data-request,

d. if the user prefers to retrieve data corresponding to said data-request,

d1. registering time and date said data-request is inputted,

d2. finding if data corresponding to said data-request is in the database,

d2a. if corresponding data is in the memory, outputting the data, registering a charge due by said user who inputted the data-request and a royalty due to the user who supplied the data, adding one to the number of said data-requests, calculating a pay-off formula that projects the estimated royalties due to the user who inputs the correct data corresponding to said data-request, and outputting the resulting pay-off estimate,

d2b. if no corresponding data is in the database, checking if said data-request is stored in the database,

d2b1. if no, storing the data-request and setting the number of said data-requests to one, and calculating said pay-off formula,

d2b2. if yes, adding one to the number of said data-requests, and calculating said pay-off formula,

d2b3. outputting the resulting pay-off estimate.