Method and apparatus for implementing an active information model

• US 7,328,233 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2001
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corybant, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Corybant, Inc.
• Inventors: Barber, Ronald, Salim, Mohammad, Rossner, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, KENNY S
• Application Number:
  US09/765,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20020035593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,573 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 705/8, 705/9, 707/9, 715/500
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5048 Automatic or semi-automatic definitions, e.g. definition templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

An active information model constructed from an aggregation of personal information portals containing an active agent. In a preferred embodiment, the system of this invention can be offered as a network service providing for information access and exchange according to the individual users'"'"' preferences.

Claims

1. An active information model for an enterprise comprising:

at least one personal information portal wherein the personal information portal indicates an individual within the enterprise and comprises;

a storage mechanism configured to store a role and information including a definition of the role of the individual specifying a collection of assignments, activities and services associated with the individual and wherein the role indicates first relationships of the individual with sources of the information and with at least one function that the individual performs within the enterprise; and

an active agent configured to retrieve the role from the storage mechanism, exchange the information with the storage mechanism and the sources of the information based on the role, and process the information based on the role to improve the active information model over time by;

emerging technologies by providing the individual accessibilities to the sources of the information through one or more other active agents; and

changing business needs by communicating events between application programs and moving the information between the sources according to a workflow; and

incorporating knowledge of the role of the individual and the workflow within the enterprise by providing the individual the information according to the individual'"'"'s preferences to reflect needs of the individual.

2. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the role further comprises a plurality of categories of the sources of information wherein the categories define access to and treatment of the information.

3. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the role indicates second relationships between elements in the information.

4. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the role comprises the workflow and the workflow indicates movement of the information between the sources.

5. The active information model of claim 4 wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of commands that move the information between the sources.

6. The active information model of claim 4 wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of actions that modifies the information.

7. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the active agent is configured to establish connections with the sources of the information based on the role.

8. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the active agent is configured to log the events that the active agent has performed in the storage mechanism.

9. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises a provider interface configured to establish connections with the sources of the information based on the role.

10. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises a consumer interface configured to establish connections with the sources of the information based on the role.

11. The active information model of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises an executive interface configured to exchange and process the information based on the role.

12. A method of operating an active information model for an enterprise to improve a simple active information model over time to reflect needs of an individual by being adaptable to emerging technologies and changing business needs, wherein the active information model comprises at least one personal information portal that indicates an individual within the enterprise, the method comprising:

storing a role of the individual in a storage mechanism within the personal information portal specifying a collection of assignments, activities and services associated with the individual and wherein the role indicates first relationships of the individual with sources of information and functions that the individual performs within the enterprise;

in an active agent included within the personal information portal, retrieving the role of the individual from the storage mechanism;

in the active agent, exchanging the information with the storage mechanism and the sources of the information based on the role; and

in the active agent, processing the information based on the role by;

providing the individual accessibilities to the sources of the information through one or more other active agents;

communicating events between application programs and moving the information between the sources according to a workflow; and

incorporating knowledge of the role of the individual and the workflow within the enterprise by providing the individual the information according to the individual'"'"'s preferences.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the role further comprises a plurality of categories of the sources of information wherein the categories define access to and treatment of the information.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the role indicates second relationships between elements in the information.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the role comprises the workflow that and the workflow indicates movement of the information between the sources.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of commands that move the information between the sources.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of actions that modifies the information.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

in the active agent, establishing connections with the sources of the information based on the role.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

in the active agent, logging the events that the active agent has performed in the storage mechanism.

20. A software product stored in at least one computer readable medium for operating an active information model for an enterprise, wherein the active information model improves over time by being adaptable to emerging technologies and changing business needs, allowing at all times for different parts of the enterprise to be at different levels of operational and technological maturity or obsolescence, wherein the active information model comprises at least one personal information portal that indicates an individual within the enterprise and comprises a storage mechanism and an active agent, the software product comprising:

active agent software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to retrieve at least one of the roles of the individuals from a storage mechanism, exchange information with the storage mechanism and sources of the information based on the role, and process the information based on the role to improve the active information model over time by;

providing the individual accessibilities to the sources of the information through one or more other active agents;

communicating events between application programs and moving the information between the sources according to a workflow; and

incorporating knowledge of the role of the individual and the workflow within the enterprise by providing the individual the information according to the individual'"'"'s preferences;

wherein the role specifies a collection of assignments, activities and services associated with the individual and indicates first relationships of the individual with the sources of the information and functions that the individual performs within the enterprise.

21. The software product of claim 20 wherein the role further comprises a plurality of categories of the sources of information wherein the categories define access to and treatment of the information.

22. The software product of claim 20 wherein the role indicates second relationships between elements in the information.

23. The software product of claim 20 wherein the role comprises the workflow and the workflow indicates movement of the information between the sources.

24. The software product of claim 23 wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of commands that move the information between the sources.

25. The software product of claim 23 wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of actions that modifies the information.

26. The software product of claim 20 wherein the active agent software is operational when executed by the processor to establish connections with the sources of the information based on the role.

27. The active information model of claim 20 wherein the active agent software is operational when executed by the processor to log the events that the active agent has performed in the storage mechanism.