Method and system for database queries and information delivery

• US 6,732,092 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Client Dynamics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Client Dynamics, Inc.
• Inventors: Lucas, Scott, Moore, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Application Number:
  US09/966,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/6, 705/10, 725/46
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method and system of importing or creating individual profiles with associated keyphrases and querying all sources of information on a network based on user-based or individual-based keyphrases with relevant objects, such as documents, retrieved based on keyphrase occurrence and based on association to individuals who have matching keyphrases, thereby allowing the user to easily identify interested individuals and electronically mail relevant objects of interest to selected individuals or to add objects to an action list.

Claims

1. A method of providing a user with information that is of interest to a group of individuals associated with the user comprising:

storing in a user database profile data for each individual in the group, said profile data including at least one keyphrase associated with at least one of the individuals in the group;

searching in at least one external database for objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

retrieving the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

associating the retrieved objects to at least one individual in the group with whom the keyphrase is associated; and

displaying to the user the keyphrase, a list of the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized, and a list of the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile data for the group of individuals is initially stored in a profile database, and the step of storing the profile data in the user database includes importing the profile data from the profile database into the user database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile data includes an electronic address for each individual, and the method further comprises electronically communicating the retrieved objects from the user to the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user is a service provider, wherein the individuals are customers of the user, wherein the objects are information content of interest to the user'"'"'s customers, and wherein the step of electronically communicating the objects includes the steps of:

storing the information content in which the keyphrase is utilized in a memory; and

interfacing the memory with a communication application that electronically communicates the information content selected by the service provider to customers selected by the service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein searching in at least one external database includes automatically searching in the external database on a schedule defined by the user.

6. A system for providing a user with information that is of interest to a group of individuals associated with the user comprising:

a user database for storing profile data for each individual in the group, said profile data including, for at least one individual, at least one keyphrase associated with the individual;

a search engine that searches in at least one external database and retrieves objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

a component for associating the retrieved objects with at least one individual in the group with whom the keyphrase is associated; and

a user display that displays to the user the keyphrase, a list of the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized, and a list of the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the profile data for the group of individuals is initially stored in a profile database, and the system further comprises a component for importing the profile data from the profile database into the user database.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the profile data includes an electronic address for each individual, and the system further comprises a component for electronically communicating the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized from the user to the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user is a relationship manager, wherein the individuals are clients of the user, wherein the objects are information content of interest to the user'"'"'s clients, and wherein the component for electronically communicating the objects includes:

a memory for storing the information content in which the keyphrase is utilized; and

a communication application interfaced with the memory that electronically communicates the information content selected by the relationship manager to clients selected by the relationship manager.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the search engine includes a scheduler that causes the search engine to automatically search in the external database on a schedule defined by the user.

11. A system for providing a user with information that is of interest to a group of individuals associated with the user comprising:

means for storing in a user database profile data for each individual in the group, said profile data including at least one keyphrase associated with at least one of the individuals in the group;

means for means for searching in at least one external database for objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

means for retrieving the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

means for associating the retrieved objects to at least one individual in the group with whom the keyphrase is associated; and

means for displaying to the user, the keyphrase, a list of the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized, and a list of the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the profile data for the group of individuals is initially stored in a profile database, and wherein the means for storing the profile data in the user database include means for importing the profile data from the profile database into the user database.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the profile data includes an electronic address for each individual, and wherein the system further comprises means for electronically communicating the retrieved objects from the user to the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the user is a service provider, wherein the individuals are customers of the user, wherein the objects are information content of interest to the user'"'"'s customers, and wherein the means for electronically communicating the objects comprises:

means for storing the information content in which the keyphrase is utilized in a memory; and

means for interfacing the memory with a communication application that electronically communicates the information content selected by the service provider to customers selected by the service provider.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for searching in at least one external database include means for automatically searching in the external database on a schedule defined by the user.

16. A machine-readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

storing in a user database profile data for each individual in the group, said profile data including at least one keyphrase associated with at least one of the individuals in the group;

searching in at least one external database for objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

retrieving the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized;

associating the retrieved objects to at least one individual in the group with whom the keyphrase is associated; and

displaying to the user the keyphrase, a list of the objects in which the keyphrase is utilized, and a list of the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the profile data for the group of individuals is initially stored in a profile database, and wherein the machine program logic for storing the profile data in the user database includes machine program logic for importing the profile data from the profile database into the user database.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the profile data includes an electronic address for each individual, and wherein the machine-readable medium includes machine program logic recorded thereon for electronically communicating the retrieved objects from the user to the individuals associated with the keyphrase.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the user is a service provider, wherein the individuals are customers of the user, wherein the objects are information content of interest to the user'"'"'s customers, and wherein the machine-readable medium includes machine program logic for:

storing the information content in which the keyphrase is utilized in a memory; and

interfacing the memory with a communication application that electronically communicates the information content selected by the service provider to customers selected by the service provider.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the searching in at least one external database includes automatically searching in the external database on a schedule defined by the user.