US6324541B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System, method, and computer program product for providing relational patterns between entities
Assignee: TRADECO ASIA Ltd
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Filing: 2000-06-05
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Granted: 2001-11-27
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Expires: 2020-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A contact intelligence data mining tool for storing, processing, displaying, and printing relational patterns between entities (e.g., business and other contacts). The tool allows proprietary individual contact data to be merged with accurate and up-to-date public information in order to explore the full scope (or sphere) of an individual's or business concern's scope of influence. It intelligently establishes and presents personal, direct contacts as well as contacts of contacts, and so on. The tool further displays, via a graphical user interface, the optimal relationship path (i.e., contact pathway) to reach desired contacts.
Inventors
- 👤 Paris de l'Etraz
- 👤 James R. Fees
- 👤 Paul Hatcher
- 👤 Otto Bruderer
- 👤 Christina M. Fees
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 00:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/26; G06F16/90; G06F16/93; G06F16/94; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06F16/9558; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for displaying contact pathways between entities, comprising, the steps of: (1) obtaining information associated with contacts of said first entity from a first private database; (2) obtaining information associated with contacts of said second entity from a second database; (3) determining a contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity using said information from said first private database and said information from said second database; and (4) displaying said contact pathway; whereby said contact pathway represents a path comprising of one or more other entities by which said first entity may have access to said second entity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for displaying contact pathways between entities, comprising, the steps of: (1) obtaining information associated with contacts of said first entity from a first private database; (2) obtaining information associated with contacts of said second entity from a second database; (3) determining a contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity using said information from said first private database and said information from said second database; and (4) displaying said contact pathway; whereby said contact pathway represents a path comprising of one or more other entities by which said first entity may have access to said second entity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said first entity and said second entity are any one of the following types of entities: (i) a person; and (ii) an organization.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein said second database is one of the following: (i) a public database; and (ii) a quasi-public database.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
122 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein said step (3) comprises the step of: determining an optimal contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity, wherein said optimal contact pathway is determined by one of the following steps: (i) identifying a contact pathway with the least number of other entities between said first entity and said second entity; (ii) identifying a contact pathway with the greatest total of numerical weightings of other entities between said first entity and said second entity, wherein the level of familiarity of said first entity with the other entities in said pathway is associated with a numerical weight; and (iii) identifying a contact pathway resulting from performing a mathematical combination of steps (i) and (ii).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein said first entity is an organization and wherein information stored in said first private database that is associated with contacts of at least one person within said organization is restricted from other persons within said organization.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein said first entity is an organization and said step (1) comprises the steps of: (a) obtaining information associated with contacts of each person of said organization from said first private database, wherein said obtained information is not restricted; and (b) obtaining information associated with contacts of said organization from said first private database.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein said step (1) further comprises the step of: (c) obtaining private information associated with contacts of at least one person of said organization from said first private database, wherein said private information is restricted from other persons in said organization.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to display contact pathways between entities, the computer control logic comprising: first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain information associated with contacts of said first entity from a first private database; second computer readable program cod e means for causing the computer to obtain information associated with contacts of said second entity from a second database; third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine a contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity using said information from said first private database and said information from said second database; and fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to display said contact pathway; whereby said contact pathway represents a path comprising of one or more other entities by which said first entity may have access to said second entity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to display contact pathways between entities, the computer control logic comprising: first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain information associated with contacts of said first entity from a first private database; second computer readable program cod e means for causing the computer to obtain information associated with contacts of said second entity from a second database; third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine a contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity using said information from said first private database and said information from said second database; and fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to display said contact pathway; whereby said contact pathway represents a path comprising of one or more other entities by which said first entity may have access to said second entity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein said second database is one of the following: (i) a public database; and (ii) a quasi-public database.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
181 words
The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein said third computer readable program code means comprises: fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine an optimal contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity, wherein said optimal contact pathway is determined by one of the following computer readable program code means: sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to identify a contact pathway with the least number of other entities between said first entity and said second entity; seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to identify a contact pathway with the greatest total of numerical weightings of other entities between said first entity and said second entity, wherein the level of familiarity of said first entity with the other entities in said pathway is associated with a numerical weight; and eighth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to identify a contact pathway resulting from performing a mathematical combination of said sixth computer readable program code means and said seventh computer readable program code means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein said first entity is an organization and wherein information stored in said first private database that is associated with contacts of at least one person within said organization is restricted from other persons within said organization.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein said first entity is an organization and said first computer readable program code means comprises: ninth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain information associated with contacts of each person of said organization from said first private database, wherein said obtained information is not restricted; and tenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain information associated with contacts of said organization from said first private database.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein said first computer readable program code means further comprises: eleventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain private information associated with contacts of at least one person of said organization from said first private database, wherein said private information is restricted from other persons in said organization.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
172 words
A system for displaying contact pathways between entities, comprising: (A) a private database for storing information associated with contacts of a first entity; (B) a public database for storing information associated with a second entity; (C) means for determining an optimal contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity, wherein said optimal contact pathway is determined by one of the following: (i) first means for identifying a contact pathway with the least number of other entities between said first entity and said second entity; (ii) second means for identifying a contact pathway with the greatest total of numerical weightings of other entities between said first entity and said second entity, wherein the level of familiarity of said first entity with the other entities in said pathway is associated with a numerical weight; and (iii) third means for identifying a contact pathway resulting from performing a mathematical combination of said first and second means for identifying a contact pathway; and (D) a graphical user interface for displaying said optimal contact pathway.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
172 words
A system for displaying contact pathways between entities, comprising: (A) a private database for storing information associated with contacts of a first entity; (B) a public database for storing information associated with a second entity; (C) means for determining an optimal contact pathway between said first entity and said second entity, wherein said optimal contact pathway is determined by one of the following: (i) first means for identifying a contact pathway with the least number of other entities between said first entity and said second entity; (ii) second means for identifying a contact pathway with the greatest total of numerical weightings of other entities between said first entity and said second entity, wherein the level of familiarity of said first entity with the other entities in said pathway is associated with a numerical weight; and (iii) third means for identifying a contact pathway resulting from performing a mathematical combination of said first and second means for identifying a contact pathway; and (D) a graphical user interface for displaying said optimal contact pathway.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-26 | 2005-05-28 | 2005-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-26 | 2009-05-28 | 2009-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-26 | 2013-05-28 | 2013-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |