US6438580B1 — System and method for an interactive knowledgebase

Claim 1

Independent Claim 300 words

An interactive knowledge base comprising: a client operable to generate a request for a category of information, each category associated with one or more informational items and a plurality of questions and answers, the client further operable to communicate informational items associated with one or more categories of information; and, a server coupled to the client comprising: an interactive database comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more categories of information, the database also comprising a discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising at least one question and answer associated with the category of information, at least one of the answers submitted in response to a question and communicated to the database by a second client, wherein a user associated with the second client can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive database, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive database, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the interactive database; and, an information page builder operable to automatically construct an information page using informational items stored in the interactive database and based on the client's request for the category of information; the server further operable to receive informational items from the client, associate the informational items received from the client with one or more categories of information, and store the informational items in the interactive database.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 300 words

An interactive knowledge base comprising: a client operable to generate a request for a category of information, each category associated with one or more informational items and a plurality of questions and answers, the client further operable to communicate informational items associated with one or more categories of information; and, a server coupled to the client comprising: an interactive database comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more categories of information, the database also comprising a discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising at least one question and answer associated with the category of information, at least one of the answers submitted in response to a question and communicated to the database by a second client, wherein a user associated with the second client can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive database, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive database, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the interactive database; and, an information page builder operable to automatically construct an information page using informational items stored in the interactive database and based on the client's request for the category of information; the server further operable to receive informational items from the client, associate the informational items received from the client with one or more categories of information, and store the informational items in the interactive database.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein the client includes a web browser operable to display the information pages.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 2 , wherein a navigational display bar is displayed in a frame of the web browser.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein the server maintains a directory of the items organized by categories and the directory is displayed in a window at the client.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 13 words

The system of claim 4 , wherein the directory is a JAVA applet.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein the user associated with the second client can further decide to serve as a mentor for a particular category.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 6 , wherein the mentor agrees to help a user associated with the first client learn about a topic associated with the particular category.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein any user can pose questions and comments to the discussion group.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein the interactive knowledgebase is operable to send a posted question in the discussion group to certain expert users and wherein the expert users may read and respond to those questions without accessing the interactive knowledgebase.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein a user is able to save a list of favorite items.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein a user is able to complete a user profile which can be used to index a user.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein a search screen is provided to find items quickly.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein any user can add an item to any category.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 13 , wherein the user can set a time limit at which the item added automatically expires.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 23 words

The interactive knowledge base of claim 1 , wherein the client is further operable to communicate comments about informational items to the server.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

The interactive knowledge base of claim 15 , wherein the server is further operable to associate informational items with received comments about informational items and to store the comments in the interactive database.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 15 , wherein comments about information items include endorsements and annotations about the information items.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 327 words

A system of maintaining a category discussion group in an interactive knowledgebase comprising: a server coupled to an interactive knowledgebase, the interactive knowledgebase comprising a plurality of discussion groups each associated with one or more categories of information, each discussion group comprising a plurality of questions and answers associated with the category of information, the interactive knowledgebase also comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more of the categories; a first client computer coupled to the server and having a web browser program and an electronic mail client program; a plurality of second client computers coupled to the server and each having an electronic mail client; at least one of the second client computers associated with a user that can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive knowledgebase, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive knowledgebase, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the knowledgebase, wherein the first client posts a question to one of the category discussions in the interactive knowledgebase; the interactive knowledgebase operable to update the category discussion to include the question, the interactive knowledgebase further operable to send an electronic mail message to at least one of the second clients, the at least one second client operable to send a response to the question via the electronic mail client, the response routed to the first client and the interactive knowledgebase, the interactive knowledgebase operable to update the category discussion with the reply, the interactive knowledgebase further operable to permit a third client computer to access the response.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 327 words

A system of maintaining a category discussion group in an interactive knowledgebase comprising: a server coupled to an interactive knowledgebase, the interactive knowledgebase comprising a plurality of discussion groups each associated with one or more categories of information, each discussion group comprising a plurality of questions and answers associated with the category of information, the interactive knowledgebase also comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more of the categories; a first client computer coupled to the server and having a web browser program and an electronic mail client program; a plurality of second client computers coupled to the server and each having an electronic mail client; at least one of the second client computers associated with a user that can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive knowledgebase, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive knowledgebase, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the knowledgebase, wherein the first client posts a question to one of the category discussions in the interactive knowledgebase; the interactive knowledgebase operable to update the category discussion to include the question, the interactive knowledgebase further operable to send an electronic mail message to at least one of the second clients, the at least one second client operable to send a response to the question via the electronic mail client, the response routed to the first client and the interactive knowledgebase, the interactive knowledgebase operable to update the category discussion with the reply, the interactive knowledgebase further operable to permit a third client computer to access the response.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 18 , wherein the category discussion is arranged by threads.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 17 words

The system of claim 18 , wherein each category of the interactive knowledgebase has a discussion group.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the second users could further select to serve as a mentor for a particular category.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 254 words

A method for updating a category discussion group at a server comprising: receiving a question from a first user currently participating in the discussion group, the discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising a plurality of questions and answers associated with the category of information, the category of information also associated with at least one informational item; adding the question to the discussion group; formatting an electronic mail message containing the question; sending the question to a select group of users not currently participating in the discussion group via electronic mail, wherein at least one of the select group of users can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the server, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the server, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the discussion group; receiving an answer from one or more of the select group of users; updating the discussion group with the answer to facilitate access to the answer by a user other than the first user or the select group of users; and forwarding the response to the first user using electronic mail.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 254 words

A method for updating a category discussion group at a server comprising: receiving a question from a first user currently participating in the discussion group, the discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising a plurality of questions and answers associated with the category of information, the category of information also associated with at least one informational item; adding the question to the discussion group; formatting an electronic mail message containing the question; sending the question to a select group of users not currently participating in the discussion group via electronic mail, wherein at least one of the select group of users can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the server, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the server, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the discussion group; receiving an answer from one or more of the select group of users; updating the discussion group with the answer to facilitate access to the answer by a user other than the first user or the select group of users; and forwarding the response to the first user using electronic mail.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the select group of users could further select to serve as a mentor for a particular category.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 22 , wherein the select users receives the question without having to access the interactive knowledgebase.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 264 words

A server comprising: an interactive database comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more categories of information, the database also comprising a discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising at least one question and answer associated with the category of information, at least one of the answers submitted in response to a question and communicated to the database by a first client, wherein a user associated with the first client can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive database, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive database, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the interactive database; an information page builder operable to receive a request for a category of information from a second client, the information page builder also operable to automatically construct an information page using informational items stored in the interactive database and based on the second client's request for the category of information; and the database further operable to receive informational items from the second client, associate the informational items received from the second client with one or more categories of information, and store the informational items.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 264 words

A server comprising: an interactive database comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more categories of information, the database also comprising a discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising at least one question and answer associated with the category of information, at least one of the answers submitted in response to a question and communicated to the database by a first client, wherein a user associated with the first client can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive database, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive database, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the interactive database; an information page builder operable to receive a request for a category of information from a second client, the information page builder also operable to automatically construct an information page using informational items stored in the interactive database and based on the second client's request for the category of information; and the database further operable to receive informational items from the second client, associate the informational items received from the second client with one or more categories of information, and store the informational items.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 41 words

The server of claim 25 , wherein the interactive database is operable to send a posted question in the discussion group to certain expert users and wherein the expert users may read and respond to those questions without accessing the database.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 23 words

The server of claim 25 , wherein the interactive database is further operable to receive comments about informational items from the second client.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 28 words

The server of claim 27 , wherein the interactive database is further operable to associate informational items with received comments about informational items and to store the comments.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 335 words

A client computer comprising: a web browser operable to receive a request for a category of information from a user, each category associated with one or more informational items and a plurality of questions and answers; an interface operable to communicate the request to a server, the server comprising: an interactive database comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more categories of information, the database also comprising a discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising at least one question and answer associated with the category of information, at least one of the answers submitted in response to a question and communicated to the database by a second client, wherein a second user associated with the second client can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive database, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive database, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the interactive database; an information page builder operable to receive the request for a category of information, the information page builder also operable to automatically construct an information page using informational items stored in the interactive database and based on the request for the category of information; and the database further operable to receive informational items from the client, associate the informational items received from the client with one or more categories of information, and store the informational items; and the interface also operable to receive the information page from the server, the interface further operable to communicate informational items associated with one or more categories of information to the server.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 335 words

A client computer comprising: a web browser operable to receive a request for a category of information from a user, each category associated with one or more informational items and a plurality of questions and answers; an interface operable to communicate the request to a server, the server comprising: an interactive database comprising a plurality of informational items, each informational item associated with one or more categories of information, the database also comprising a discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising at least one question and answer associated with the category of information, at least one of the answers submitted in response to a question and communicated to the database by a second client, wherein a second user associated with the second client can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the interactive database, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the interactive database, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the interactive database; an information page builder operable to receive the request for a category of information, the information page builder also operable to automatically construct an information page using informational items stored in the interactive database and based on the request for the category of information; and the database further operable to receive informational items from the client, associate the informational items received from the client with one or more categories of information, and store the informational items; and the interface also operable to receive the information page from the server, the interface further operable to communicate informational items associated with one or more categories of information to the server.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

The client computer of claim 29 , wherein the web browser is operable to receive comments about informational items from the user, and wherein the interface is operable to communicate the comments to the database.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 51 words

The client computer of claim 29 , wherein the interactive database is operable to send a posted question in the discussion group to certain expert users and the expert users may read and respond to the question, and wherein the interface is further operable to receive the response from the server.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 267 words

A method for supporting a category discussion group comprising: communicating a question from a first user currently participating in the discussion group to a server, the discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising a plurality of questions and answers associated with the category of information, the category of information also associated with at least one informational item, wherein the server is operable to: add the question to the discussion group; format an electronic mail message containing the question; send the question to a select group of users not currently participating in the discussion group via electronic mail, wherein at least one of the select group of users can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the server, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the server, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the discussion group; receive an answer from one or more of the select group of users; update the discussion group with the answer to facilitate access to the answer by a user other than the first user or the select group of users; and forward the response to the first user using electronic mail; and receiving the response from the server.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 267 words

A method for supporting a category discussion group comprising: communicating a question from a first user currently participating in the discussion group to a server, the discussion group associated with one or more categories of information, the discussion group comprising a plurality of questions and answers associated with the category of information, the category of information also associated with at least one informational item, wherein the server is operable to: add the question to the discussion group; format an electronic mail message containing the question; send the question to a select group of users not currently participating in the discussion group via electronic mail, wherein at least one of the select group of users can select to serve as one of a plurality of expert types for at least one category of information, the plurality of expert types including a subject matter expert that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information and submit the answer to the server, the plurality of expert types also including a subject master that may receive the question associated with the at least one category of information, submit the answer to the server, and remove information from the at least one category of information in the discussion group; receive an answer from one or more of the select group of users; update the discussion group with the answer to facilitate access to the answer by a user other than the first user or the select group of users; and forward the response to the first user using electronic mail; and receiving the response from the server.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 32 , further comprising communicating comments about informational items to the server, wherein the server is operable to associate informational items with the comments and to store the comments.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 32 , further comprising communicating an informational item to the server, wherein the server is operable to associate the informational item with one or more of the categories of information and to store the informational item.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-08-19	2006-02-18	2006-08-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-08-19	2010-02-18	2010-08-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-08-19	2014-02-18	2014-08-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for an interactive knowledgebase

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