WO2002007016A1 - Systeme de recherche d'informations - Google Patents

Systeme de recherche d'informations Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002007016A1
WO2002007016A1 PCT/AU2001/000855 AU0100855W WO0207016A1 WO 2002007016 A1 WO2002007016 A1 WO 2002007016A1 AU 0100855 W AU0100855 W AU 0100855W WO 0207016 A1 WO0207016 A1 WO 0207016A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
information
database
user
required type
obtaining
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/AU2001/000855
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Peter Aroney
Stephen Franey
James Russell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AU2001272207A priority Critical patent/AU2001272207A1/en
Publication of WO2002007016A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002007016A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q40/00—Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
    • G06Q40/04—Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/90—Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
    • G06F16/95—Retrieval from the web
    • G06F16/958—Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
    • G06F16/972—Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Definitions

  • the present invention relates broadly to a system for obtaining information over a computer network.
  • the present invention will be described herein with reference to a system for obtaining price quotations over the Internet.
  • the present invention does have broader applications, including e.g. the obtaining of stock-market information from a plurality of web-sites, and further is also applicable to other computer networks such as Intranets and Extranets .
  • the Internet has become one of the major, if not the major source for obtaining information relating to various aspects of everyday life. More particularly, a large number of businesses today provide web-sites for access by their customers. Using the websites, consumers can access information such as price quotations on products available from the respective businesses that are associated with a particular web-site.
  • the structure of information entry on the different web-sites may be quite different, and therefore the consumer would be required to exercise care to ensure that the relevant information is entered correctly for each web-site.
  • a system for obtaining information over a computer network including: means for facilitating selection by a user of required type of information, means for gathering request details from a user; means for storing the gathered request details in a first database; and means for obtaining the required type of information from a plurality of predetermined web-sites, each predetermined web-site being capable of providing the required type of information, and the means for obtaining the required type of information being arranged, in use, to populate data request fields of the web-sites based on the stored request details.
  • the means for obtaining the required type of information includes a data driven first application program arranged, in use, to interact with the first database so as to populate the request fields. Accordingly, a single application program may be utilised to obtain the required information from different websites rather than having to provide a hard-coded application program for each web-site.
  • the system advantageously further includes a second database in which product specification data associated with the required information is stored, and the means for gathering the request details is arranged, in use, to present to a user data entry fields which are based on the specification data associated with the required information.
  • the system further includes means for maintaining the second database.
  • the means for maintaining the second database may include a second application program arranged, in use, to facilitate addition of further products and product specification data to the second database.
  • the system may further include means for placing an order for the product from a selected web-site on the basis of a selection made by the user.
  • the means for placing an order preferably includes a data driven third application program arranged, in use, to send customer data obtained from the user to the selected web-site.
  • the system includes a third database for storing the customer data obtained from the user for future processing.
  • the system is arranged such that the required type of information is obtained automatically in response to predetermined events or at predetermined intervals, and the system further includes update means arranged, in use, to forward the automatically obtained required type of information to the user.
  • the update means may be arranged to forward the required type of information via e-mail, and/or via wired or wireless phone, and/or via facsimile, and/or via interfacing to other software.
  • first, and/or second, and/or third data application programs may form component applications of an overall data driven application program.
  • first, and/or second, and/or third databases may be provided as components of a single database.
  • a method of obtaining information over a computer network including the steps of: facilitating selection by a user of required type of information, gathering request details from a user; storing the gathered request details in a first database; and obtaining the required type of information from a plurality of predetermined web-sites, each predetermined web-site being capable of providing the required type of information, and the step of obtaining the required type of information including the step of populating data request fields of the web-sites based on the stored request details .
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an information obtaining system embodying the present invention
  • Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an extension of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;
  • Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a further extension of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2;
  • Figures 4 to 8 show example screens of an interactive web-site of the system shown in Figure 2.
  • the system 10 includes a user interface in the form of an interactive web-site 12, which can be accessed by users via the Internet 14.
  • the system 10 further comprises a data driven first application program component 16 which is arranged to send data to and retrieve data from a plurality of external web-sites 18, 20 without the need for program code changes or additional program coding.
  • the first application program component 16 is provided with a communication facility which enables the first application program component 16 to communicate with the external multiple web-sites . This communication facility provides for concurrency of transactions; for flow control, that is the ability to navigate through various web-pages; and for process control, which ensures that the process of driving a particular web-site is appropriately controlled.
  • the system 10 further comprises a product database 22 in which product names and associated product specification data may be stored, and a request database 24 in which price quotation request details, entered by a user through the web-site 12, are stored.
  • the price quotation request details are obtained from a user through data entry fields provided on the web-site 12, the data entry fields being based on the specification data stored in the product data base 22 for a selected product.
  • the first application program component 16 operates to populate data entry fields of the external web-sites 18, 20 on the basis of the price quotation request details retrieved from a user and stored in the request database 24.
  • the system 10 displays the price quotations obtained from the external web-sites 18, 20 on the web-site 12.
  • the product database 22 is maintained by a data driven second application program component 26 arranged to facilitate addition of further products and product specification data to the database 22.
  • FIG. 2 An extension of the embodiment described above is shown in Figure 2, wherein the system 10 further includes a data driven third application program component 28 which may be used by a user to place an order for a product from one of the plurality of web-sites 16, 18.
  • the third application component 28 operates by populating appropriate data entry fields of the relevant external vendor web-site 16, 18 which are required to action an order from the web-site 16, 18.
  • the third application component 28 also forwards customer details requested by the system 10 from the user via the web-site 12 to the relevant external vendor website 16, 18.
  • the third application component 28 is also arranged to populate the appropriate data entry fields associated with customer details on the relevant external vendor web-site 16, 18.
  • the system 10 further includes a customer database 29 in which customer details are stored for future use.
  • the system 10 can provide a customised service to individual clients by utilising client profiles stored in the customer database 29.
  • a client may create a profile which includes instructions to send the results of a price quotation search every week to a first party, but only if a particular event occurs, such as when a particular quote has reached a preset value.
  • FIG. 3 A further extension of the above described embodiment is shown in Figure 3, wherein the system 10 further includes an update service unit 30.
  • the update service unit 30 is arranged to initiate the obtaining of price quotations from the plurality of external web-sites 18, 20 at predetermined intervals on the basis of price quotation request details stored in the request database 24 for a specific user.
  • the update service unit 30 further comprises a transmitter unit 32 for transmitting the obtained updated price quotations to the specific user, for example via e- mail to an e-mail address of the user.
  • the transmitter unit 32 may in alternative embodiments be arranged to provide the specific user with the results via other means, including for example via a message to a mobile phone or wired phone, via facsimile, or via interfacing to other software.
  • the analysis will determine what type of control is required -ie.
  • Vendor output mapping will define the interface data that will drive the vendor web sites transparently and therefore it is necessary to know what web pages need to be navigated through, the appropriate URLs, the data entry requirements of each page, the controls that need to be activated (ie. buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, and so on) .
  • the input data items define the result data to be displayed, and usually define items such as product name, description, price, comments, etc.
  • a common set of input data items needs to be defined for all vendors, although they do not have to be used by all vendors .
  • vendor input mapping ie. define how the vendors results are interpreted - it may be necessary to maintain input edit control to perform pre-edit of HTML results to assist with input mapping .
  • vendor product action - to define what action is taken upon selection of product.
  • Figures 4 to 8 show example screen shots of the interactive web-site 12 of the system 10 of Figure 1.
  • the present invention could be implemented without the need for a client/user to have access to the actual computer network utilised in the retrieval of the information data. This is because the required data requested by the client and stored by the system does not need to be communicated via an interactive web-site, but rather could be communicated to the system in any other form, including aurally by telephone or by written instructions .
  • the present invention can provide a system which, unlike many other systems, does not rely solely on the existence of an Internet facility which is available to the client/user.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Technology Law (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système (10) de recherche d'informations sur un réseau informatique, qui comprend un système (12) facilitant la sélection du type d'information requise par un utilisateur, un système (12) de collecte des éléments d'une demande d'utilisateur, un système (12) d'enregistrement de ces éléments dans une première base de données (24), et un système (16) de collecte du type d'information requise sur plusieurs sites Web préétablis (18, 20), chacun de ces sites étant capable de fournir les informations. Le système (16) de collecte du type d'information requise permet, à l'utilisation, de garnir les champs de demande de données des sites Web (18, 20), sur la base des éléments propres à la demande qui ont été enregistrés.
PCT/AU2001/000855 2000-07-13 2001-07-13 Systeme de recherche d'informations Ceased WO2002007016A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001272207A AU2001272207A1 (en) 2000-07-13 2001-07-13 Information obtaining system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPQ8785A AUPQ878500A0 (en) 2000-07-13 2000-07-13 Information obtaining system
AUPQ8785 2000-07-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002007016A1 true WO2002007016A1 (fr) 2002-01-24

Family

ID=3822849

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/AU2001/000855 Ceased WO2002007016A1 (fr) 2000-07-13 2001-07-13 Systeme de recherche d'informations

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AUPQ878500A0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2002007016A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002095626A1 (fr) * 2001-05-18 2002-11-28 Crimsonlogic Pte Ltd Systeme integre de partage de donnees

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4992940A (en) * 1989-03-13 1991-02-12 H-Renee, Incorporated System and method for automated selection of equipment for purchase through input of user desired specifications
US5758328A (en) * 1996-02-22 1998-05-26 Giovannoli; Joseph Computerized quotation system and method
JPH10320422A (ja) * 1997-03-17 1998-12-04 Fujitsu Ltd モールサーバ及びモールサーバプログラムを記録したコンピュータ読み取り可能な記録媒体
US6014644A (en) * 1996-11-22 2000-01-11 Pp International, Inc. Centrally coordinated communication systems with multiple broadcast data objects and response tracking
US6014643A (en) * 1996-06-28 2000-01-11 Minton; Vernon F. Interactive securities trading system
US6085186A (en) * 1996-09-20 2000-07-04 Netbot, Inc. Method and system using information written in a wrapper description language to execute query on a network

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4992940A (en) * 1989-03-13 1991-02-12 H-Renee, Incorporated System and method for automated selection of equipment for purchase through input of user desired specifications
US5758328A (en) * 1996-02-22 1998-05-26 Giovannoli; Joseph Computerized quotation system and method
US6014643A (en) * 1996-06-28 2000-01-11 Minton; Vernon F. Interactive securities trading system
US6085186A (en) * 1996-09-20 2000-07-04 Netbot, Inc. Method and system using information written in a wrapper description language to execute query on a network
US6014644A (en) * 1996-11-22 2000-01-11 Pp International, Inc. Centrally coordinated communication systems with multiple broadcast data objects and response tracking
JPH10320422A (ja) * 1997-03-17 1998-12-04 Fujitsu Ltd モールサーバ及びモールサーバプログラムを記録したコンピュータ読み取り可能な記録媒体

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002095626A1 (fr) * 2001-05-18 2002-11-28 Crimsonlogic Pte Ltd Systeme integre de partage de donnees

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AUPQ878500A0 (en) 2000-08-03

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