Method, system and computer-readable medium for accessing and retrieving court records, items and documents

• US 7,711,738 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: West Services
• Inventors: DeLauder, Charles, Kraft, Harold, Win, Phyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Miranda
• Application Number:
  US09/713,600
• Time in Patent Office: 3,457 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-102, 707/104.1, 707200-201, 707/736, 707/752, 707/758, 707/769, 707/770, 715/513, 709/201, 709/203, 709/224
• US Class Current: 707/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer-readable media using the Internet for submitting search requests for court case records and retrieving court items or documents associated therewith. Users specify a number of search criteria and each search request is stored in a memory to be executed by a server. Stored search requests are selected for executing by the server based on several factors, including the number of times the search request failed, how old the search request is, how busy the court database is and how many phone lines the court database has available for access. When search requests are selected, the server seamlessly accesses the court databases associated with the search requests regardless of whether the court databases are accessible through the Internet or through dial-up connections. Once court databases are accessed, the server executes the search request. Using various data processing algorithms, search request results are parsed, filtered, sorted and analyzed for data consistency so that users may conveniently view and select particular items or documents contained in court case records for retrieval, including purchasing and delivery. Search request results and data processed results are stored for later retrieval.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving data, comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of user input, stored electronic records search requests from a queued search database to execute next based upon one or more selection criteria;

determining which of two or more different types of communication medium can be used to access at least one of a plurality of electronic records databases associated with the selected one of the electronic records search requests;

retrieving instructions for accessing the at least one of a plurality of electronic records databases based on at least one of the determined types of communication medium which can be used to access the at least one of the plurality of electronic records databases;

accessing the at least one of the plurality of electronic records databases with the retrieved instructions;

executing the selected electronic records search request and retrieving at least one electronic record from at least one storage location during the executing, wherein the at least one electronic record comprises results of an executed electronic records search request, at least one criterion used in formulating the electronic records search request and data related to at least one electronic database associated with the electronic records search request;

parsing the electronic records to convert one or more raw data sets into user-selectable objects;

determining at least one data parsing algorithm that should be used for parsing the at least one retrieved electronic record based upon a content of the at least one retrieved electronic record; and

executing the parsing using the at least one determined data parsing algorithm; and

causing the user-selectable objects to be displayed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting at least one of the user-selectable objects to retrieve the raw data set associated with the selected object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the raw data sets comprise court case items or documents associated with a court case docket sheet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic records comprise results of an executed electronic court case records search request, at least one criterion used in formulating the electronic court case records search request and data related to at least one electronic court database associated with the electronic court case records search request.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the parsing further comprises extracting the at least one raw data set from the retrieved electronic records.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parsing is implemented by at least one data processing algorithm based substantially on artificial intelligence.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the parsing further comprises filtering, sorting or analyzing the retrieved electronic records for data consistency.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electronic records databases comprises at least one first electronic court database accessible through the first communication medium and at least one second electronic court database accessible through the second communication medium.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication medium comprises a telephone dial-up modem connection and the second communication medium comprises an Internet connection.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic records search requests comprise court case docket sheet search requests.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting one of the plurality of electronic records search requests to execute next based upon the one or more selection criteria further comprises examining search data associated with each of the electronic records search requests and evaluating the search data using the one or more selection criteria.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more selection criteria comprise how many times an examined electronic records search request has failed, an age of the examined electronic records search request, how busy one or more databases associated with the search data are, how many phone lines are available to access the one or more databases associated with the search data, a status of the examined electronic records search request, how many attempts have been made to execute the examined electronic records search request, when the examined electronic records search request was last updated, and when any activity associated with the examined electronic records search request last took place.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the stored search requests are stored in a search database when the search request cannot be executed at the time the search request is made.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving one or more hard-copy documents associated with a selected user-selectable object.

15. A system for retrieving data, comprising:

at least one station operatively connected to at least one storage location; and

at least one processor operatively connected to the at least one station and the at least one storage location, the at least one processor executing a program of instructions for selecting one of a plurality of user input, stored electronic records search requests from a queued search database to execute next based upon one or more selection criteria;

determining which of two or more different types of communication medium can be used to access at least one electronic records database associated with the selected one of the electronic records search requests;

retrieving instructions for accessing the at least one electronic records database based on at least one of the determined types of communication medium which can be used to access the at least one electronic records database;

accessing the at least one electronic records database with the retrieved instructions;

executing the selected electronic records search request and retrieving at least one electronic record from the at least one storage location during the executing, wherein the at least one electronic record comprises results of an executed electronic records search request, at least one criterion used in formulating the electronic records search request and data related to at least one electronic database associated with the electronic records search request;

parsing the electronic records to convert one or more raw data sets into user-selectable objects;

determining at least one data parsing algorithm that should be used for parsing the at least one retrieved electronic record based upon a content of the at least one retrieved electronic record; and

executing the parsing using the at least one determined data parsing algorithm; and

causing the user-selectable objects to be displayed.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one interface enables users to select at least one of the user-selectable objects to retrieve the raw data set associated with the selected object.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the raw data sets comprise court case items or documents associated with a court case docket sheet.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the electronic records comprise results of an executed electronic court case records search request, at least one criterion used in formulating the electronic court case records search request and data related to at least one electronic court case records database associated with the electronic court case records search request.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the parsing further comprises extracting the at least one raw data set from the retrieved electronic records.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the parsing is implemented by at least one data processing algorithm based substantially on artificial intelligence.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the parsing further comprises filtering, sorting or analyzing the retrieved electronic records for data consistency.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of electronic records databases comprises at least one first electronic court database accessible through the first communication medium and at least one second electronic court database accessible through the second communication medium.

23. The system of claim 15 wherein the first communication medium comprises a telephone dial-up modem connection and the second communication medium comprises an Internet connection.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the electronic records search requests comprise court case docket sheet search requests.

25. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one processor selecting one of the plurality of electronic records search requests to execute next based upon the one or more selection criteria further comprises the processor examining search data associated with each of the electronic records search requests and evaluating the search data using the one or more selection criteria.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the one or more selection criteria comprise how many times an examined electronic records search request has failed, an age of the examined electronic records search request, how busy one or more databases associated with the search data are, how many phone lines are available to access the one or more databases associated with the search data, a status of the examined electronic records search request, how many attempts have been made to execute the examined electronic records search request, when the examined electronic records search request was last updated, and when any activity associated with the examined electronic records search request last took place.

27. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more of the stored search requests are stored in a search database when the search request cannot be executed at the time the search request is made.

28. The system of claim 15 further comprising a document retrieval system that retrieves one or more hard-copy documents associated with a selected user-selectable object.

29. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for accessing electronic records obtained from at least one electronic records database search, the method enabling users to select for retrieval at least one raw data set related to the electronic records, the device comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of user input, stored electronic records search requests from a queued search database to execute next based upon one or more selection criteria;

executing the selected electronic records search request and retrieving at least one electronic record from at least one storage location during the executing;

determining which of two or more different types of communication medium can be used to access at least one of a plurality of electronic records databases associated with the selected one of the electronic records search request;

retrieving instructions for accessing the at least one of a plurality of electronic records databases based on at least one of the determined types of communication medium which can be used to access the at least one of the plurality of electronic records databases;

accessing the at least one of the plurality of electronic records databases with the retrieved instructions;

retrieving at least one electronic record from at least one storage location, wherein the at least one electronic record comprises results of an executed electronic records search request, at least one criterion used in formulating the electronic records search request and data related to at least one electronic database associated with the electronic records search request;

parsing the electronic records to convert one or more raw data sets into user-selectable objects;

determining at least one data parsing algorithm that should be used for parsing the at least one retrieved electronic record based upon a content of the at least one retrieved electronic record;

executing the parsing using the at least one determined data parsing algorithm; and

causing the user-selectable objects to be displayed.

30. The device of claim 29 further comprising providing at least one interface enabling users to select at least one of the user-selectable objects to retrieve the raw data set associated with the selected object.

31. The device of claim 29 wherein the raw data sets comprise court case items or documents associated with a court case docket sheet.

32. The device of claim 29 wherein the electronic records comprise results of an executed electronic court case records search request, at least one criterion used in formulating the electronic court case records search request and data related to at least one electronic court database associated with the electronic court case records search request.

33. The device of claim 29 wherein the parsing further comprises extracting the at least one raw data set from the retrieved electronic records.

34. The device of claim 29 wherein the parsing is implemented by at least one data processing algorithm based substantially on artificial intelligence.

35. The device of claim 29 wherein the parsing further comprises filtering, sorting or analyzing the retrieved electronic records for data consistency.

36. The device of claim 29 wherein the plurality of electronic records databases comprises at least one first electronic court database accessible through the first communication medium and at least one second electronic court database accessible through the second communication medium.

37. The device of claim 29 wherein the first communication medium comprises a telephone dial-up modem connection and the second communication medium comprises an Internet connection.

38. The device of claim 29 wherein the electronic records search requests comprise court case docket sheet search requests.

39. The device of claim 29 wherein the selecting one of the plurality of electronic records search requests to execute next based upon the one or more selection criteria further comprises examining search data associated with each of the electronic records search requests and evaluating the search data using the one or more selection criteria.

40. The device of claim 39 wherein the one or more selection criteria comprise how many times an examined electronic records search request has failed, an age of the examined electronic records search request, how busy one or more databases associated with the search data are, how many phone lines are available to access the one or more databases associated with the search data, a status of the examined electronic records search request, how many attempts have been made to execute the examined electronic records search request, when the examined electronic records search request was last updated, and when any activity associated with the examined electronic records search request last took place.

41. The device of claim 29 wherein one or more of the stored search requests are stored in a search database when the search request cannot be executed at the time the search request is made.

42. The device of claim 29 retrieving one or more hard-copy documents associated with a selected user-selectable object.