Genealogy registry system

• US 6,760,731 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kent W. Huff
• Original Assignee: Kent W. Huff
• Inventors: Huff, Kent W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPCZYK, MARCIN R
• Application Number:
  US09/809,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2-7, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/103.Y, 705/1, 434/154
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A worldwide genealogy data storage and retrieval system for implementation on the internet is described, wherein genealogical data from every source can be collected, reviewed, revised, extended, consolidated, summarized, indexed, lineage-linked, and displayed. The invention further relates to a method and apparatus for cooperative publishing and distribution of genealogical data. The invention allows owners of lineage-linked genealogical data to publish the data in any size increments and for buyers to select and retrieve any number of names and associated data. An integrated micropayment system requires users of the data to make payments for each increment of data received, and royalties are paid to the owners of the data from these payments.

Claims

1. A genealogy registry system for collecting, summarizing, indexing, lineage-linking, and displaying genealogy records information on a computer comprising:

(a) a central server database comprising

(i) a plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces for storing genealogical data in lineage-linked form,

(ii) a submission link space coupled to the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces for making and storing links between genealogical data items in each of the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces, and

(iii) a third-party link space coupled to the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces for making and storing links between genealogical data items between the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces;

(b) a text and graphics interface coupled to the central server database;

(c) a data display coupled to the text and graphics interface;

(d) a data status and management mechanism coupled to the text and graphics interface for monitoring quantity and quality of data;

(e) a manual keying interface coupled to the central server database for inputting and correction of data; and

(f) a data conversion and automated input coupled to the central server database for converting data into usable format and inputting large data files.

2. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising (g) a workstation functions interface coupled to the central server database for converting and consolidating data into usable format.

3. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 wherein the data display comprises a mechanism for billing by segment of information displayed.

4. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of interactive self-service internet terminals and central servers configured for accepting genealogical data from a plurality of publishers and displaying such genealogical data to a plurality of users.

5. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 wherein the system is configured for internet transactions to allow updates and review by a plurality of selected persons.

6. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 wherein the central server database comprises a structure for storing one or more data items selected from the group consisting of basic identifying data, explanatory text, biographical text, source references, photographs, and images.

7. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program permitting both minimal data display and update and full detail data display and update.

8. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for storing latitude and longitude indicators for all major identifying events, including birth, death, marriage, and burial, such that tables, maps, and reports can be created for correlating such events with location.

9. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for storing place names by date and by latitude and longitude.

10. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for storing medical, genetic, and health history data.

11. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism for permanent storage of assembled data.

12. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure for storing and processing data in a plurality of languages using the language and characters of original records with transliteration and translation to English.

13. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure for reserving and assigning to a single publisher creation and maintenance of a selected set of names based on at least one of time, place, surname, or record set, and indexes to such assigning for notifying others of current assignments.

14. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for permitting data submissions by a publisher to be stored independent of submissions by other publishers while being available for integration with other data submissions through a separate system of linking names that is accessible to such other publishers.

15. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure for allowing a selected person to link names within or between one or more other publisher'"'"'s submissions without changing the underlying data.

16. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for permitting an authorized person to create shadow delete records wherein duplicate names can be removed from search lists and duplicate data can be hidden from users without being deleted from the database.

17. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program for providing summaries by surname and oldest birth date linked to a user or nearest relative thereof.

18. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program for identifying a closest common ancestor, if any, for two randomly selected people.

19. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program for displaying all relationships for a selected person.

20. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a read-only virtual reality user interface configured for permitting a user or group of users to receive immediate visual and aural access to the data in the database, wherein the data appear as objects in a three-dimensional world with which the user can interact.

21. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a virtual reality user interface configured for permitting a user or group of users to receive immediate visual and aural access to the data in the database, wherein the data appear as objects in a three-dimensional world with which the user can interact, and whereby an authorized user can modify the database.

22. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism configured for allowing a publisher or other authorized person to examine the database for assessing completeness of coverage of a selected time, place, surname, or record set such that the publisher can discover what data are in the database and what data are missing.

23. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising first-level indexes to names and source records such that measures of population and record coverage can be estimated.

24. The genealogy registry system of claim 23 further comprising second-level cross references between source records and names such that measures of accuracy and duplication can be applied to the data, and measures of completeness of coverage of a record set can be estimated, and cross indexing can be accomplished between multiple versions or copies of the same record set.

25. The genealogy registry system of claim 24 further comprising third-level cross references of source-to-dissimilar-source records such that the database can supply consolidated cross reference indexes among multiple record sources linked through specific people.

26. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program for automatic conversion of a user'"'"'s lineage-linked data into a format suitable for automatic update of the database over the Internet.

27. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for capturing, converting, and consolidating lineage-linked genealogy data collections stored for public view on the Internet.

28. The genealogy registry system of claim 27 wherein incoming lineage-linked data collections are automatically analyzed and divided into trees of interconnected names.

29. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program configured for analyzing incoming lineage-linked data collections for consolidation with existing data, eliminating duplicates, and finding and displaying missing linkages in incomplete pedigrees.

30. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for supporting automated mass consolidation of unlinked source records into multi-generation lineage-linked form.

31. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for converting data from Ancestral File into a format compatible with the present system and for online review and correcting of such data.

32. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure for consolidating data from International Genealogical Index into pedigree form, and for online review and correcting of such data.

33. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for automated comparison of overlapping lineage-linked genealogy files and removal of duplicates and merging of data.

34. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure for coding of confidence levels or accuracy indicators on data elements selected from the group consisting of birth dates, birth places, and relationship links.

35. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for accounting of royalty payments to publishers of data based on use of such data and charging user fees to users of such data.

36. The genealogy registry system of claim 35 wherein parameters for royalty payments and user fees can be varied according to user, publisher, name, and data element.

37. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for allowing a user to separately select for viewing each item of data about a name.

38. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for billing a user only once for each item of data viewed, regardless of the number of times the item is viewed.

39. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for controlling a number of names accessed per unit time.

40. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for producing a copy of the central server database wherein said copy is configured such that data quality parameters can be different than for the central server database.

41. The genealogy registry system of claim 40 wherein users of the copy are billed at a different rate than are users of the central server database.

42. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and database structure configured for producing a research coordination report for identifying areas of user interest based on user name selection and fee payment patterns and for facilitating research planning and contracting.

43. The genealogy registry system of claim 1 further comprising a program and data structure configured for matching one or more publishers of research data with one or more users of such data.

44. The genealogy registry system of claim 43 wherein said one or more publishers can announce and register research plans and seek funding commitments, and said one or more users can make such funding commitments.

45. A method for collecting, summarizing, indexing, lineage-linking, and displaying genealogical records information comprising:

(a) providing a genealogy registry system on a computer comprising;

(i) a central server database comprising

(1) a plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces for storing genealogical data in lineage-linked form,

(2) a submission link space coupled to the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces for making and storing links between genealogical data items in each of the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces, and

(3) a third-party link space coupled to the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces for making and storing links between genealogical data items between the plurality of contributors'"'"' data spaces,

(ii) a text and graphics interface coupled to the central server database,

(iii) a data display coupled to the text and graphics interface,

(iv) a data status and management mechanism coupled to the text and graphics interface for monitoring quantity and quality of data,

(v) a manual keying interface coupled to the central server database for inputting and correction of data, and

(vi) a data conversion and automated input coupled to the central server database for converting data into usable format and inputting large data files, and storing genealogical data on the central server database in lineage-linked form;

(b) establishing links between genealogical data items; and

(c) displaying genealogical data in response to a request for data and billing a user for data displayed in response to the request.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising paying a royalty to a contributor of genealogical data that are displayed in response to a request.