HK1096173B - Common point authoring system for tracking and authenticating objects in a distribution chain - Google Patents

Description

Common point authoring system for tracking and verifying objects in a distribution chain

Technical Field

The present invention is an automated system, referred to as a common Point authoring system, that facilitates immutable authoring, unique identification, verification, tracking, ownership and control, advertising, sale, and/or purchase of informational objects that are authored in or with the supply, sales, and consumption chain of an ownership segmented commodity as part of a product generation, product manufacturing, product distribution, and/or product consumption process.

Background

General problems

In the field of product production, product sales and/or product consumption, the immutable writing, maintenance and distribution of intangible information objects that identify a particular tangible product or manufactured product is a problem as it traverses the chain of ownership-segmented commodity supply, sales and consumption. This problem is further exemplified by the need for each owner in the chain who owns a tangible product or manufactured product to write an informational object that can be used to identify, characterize, and verify the product. Another problem is that in a segmented ownership commodity supply, sales and consumption chain, information objects containing immutable data are verified and updated to provide data about the history of tangible or manufactured products. Another problem is the use of information objects to track tangible or manufactured products to which the information objects relate up or down the chain of supply, sale and consumption of goods divided by ownership. Another problem is that the owner of a tangible product or manufactured product should be granted enough ownership, management, and control over the written information object so that the information object becomes the owner's own distinct good separate from the tangible product or manufactured product to which the information object relates. Another problem is to provide a globally accessible marketplace for doing business such that information objects written in relation to tangible or manufactured products can be advertised, offered (offer), purchased and sold between owners and consumers of the tangible or manufactured products.

One example of a need for information objects is the ownership segmented commodity supply, sales and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry. In the industry, validated informational objects are needed to track animals and their products from genetic selection, birth to consumption in order to comply with appropriate government regulations and/or for commercial reasons. To describe the present common Point authoring system, the commodity supply, sales and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry is used as a practical example to illustrate the capabilities and operation of the present common Point authoring system.

Beef livestock industry

Historically, the beef livestock industry has operated under a split-title architecture based on separate production and sales sections. Although the production sections may overlap within one company, the supply and sales sections of the beef livestock industry (livestock breeders, livestock producers, livestock processors, distributors, retailers) have traditionally been independent of each other, as a result of specific, highly specialized production practices and economic competition.

The independence of each part and the ownership of the divisions has and does have led to a contradiction in the supply and distribution chain of the beef livestock industry. Each individual section wants to do only the minimum work required for that section and employ minimal management techniques because the owner in each section often does not feel that it is economically profitable to do so. Furthermore, because of concerns that may put one owner at a disadvantage in an economic competition with another owner, information is rarely passed up or down the supply and sales chain by owners in one part to owners in another part.

Due to the split and opposing supply and sales chains of the beef livestock industry, product quality can vary, which often fails to achieve the basic goal of the beef livestock industry, namely producing good quality products at a profit. Thus, the supply and distribution chain of the beef livestock industry has traditionally produced and sold beef to consumers as a general product, lacking information about the source of the product or the processes and methods used to produce, process and sell the product.

Changes in the beef livestock industry have focused on the goal of producing quality beef. However, there is no effective technique for eliminating the economic opposition between different owners and consumers in the supply, sales and consumption chains. While consumers have shown that they desire safe, convenient, and consistent quality products, the ability of consumers to feed their messages back to livestock breeders, livestock producers, livestock processors, distributors, and retailers is diminished due to the inefficiency of information flow that continues to exist in the supply, distribution, and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry.

The ineffectiveness of the information flow between the parts of the supply, sales and consumption chain of the beef industry has been noted by the U.S. department of agriculture, which has found that the retroactive investigation of diseased livestock by epidemiologists now takes about two to twelve weeks, and even then the likelihood of successful retroactive is far from certain. Although identification and tracking of animals does not ensure the health of the animal or prevent the transmission of disease to the animal, the ability to track the animal quickly may allow the impact of viral disease to be mitigated by speeding up response times. The national institutes of animal husbandry (NIAA) established the national food animal identification task group at 4 months 2002 to develop a national plan covering animals from birth to harvest. Maintaining the health of the U.S. herds is the most urgent issue, and thus the most important focus of national identification work plans, according to this task group. The long-term goal was to build an animal identification and information system that was able to identify all the premises (premises) that had been in direct contact with foreign animal diseases within 48 hours after discovery. Key elements include a unified prerequisite identification system (presidentifications system) and a unified nationally identifiable numbering system for individual animals. These goals have continued to be in the successor of the U.S. animal identification program released in 9 months of 2003. The challenge to the success of this program is whether the national animal identification system can be widely distributed to and used by a relatively large number of animal breeders, animal producers, and animal processors.

Although there are a large number of vertically cooperative or vertically integrated systems for identification, data management and traceability, one problem in the supply, distribution and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry is that there is no globally accessible 'umbrella' system available to any owner of the animal or its distributed product or any consumer distributing the product, which uniquely identifies and validates data objects under the control of these owners or consumers, where the data objects relate to the uniquely identified animal and its product. Another problem is that as animals are passed from one owner to another, from birth to harvest, and later distributed to consumers, there is no umbrella system that provides an effective interconnection between these owners and consumers.

One problem in the supply, distribution and consumption chain of the beef industry is that there is no standard globally accessible system for providing compatibility and information flow between existing systems, and a method for reliably capturing animal identity and animal movement history. Moreover, the lack of information flow cannot be resolved without technically resolving the issue of data ownership and control of information objects. Ownership and control of information objects is crucial in the supply, sales and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry. For example, as described above, even if the best available method for standardizing source information and centralizing its collection is focused on in the U.S. animal identification program, the results of the U.S. animal identification program may still be distorted, have missing or unavailable data if the problem of ownership and control of the causative data is not addressed to prevent inefficiencies or inefficiencies.

Currently, there is no globally accessible, centralized system in which owners of animals or animal products or consumers of animal products can uniquely identify and authenticate, track, own and control, advertise, sell and/or purchase information objects in the supply, distribution and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry, wherein the information objects relate to animals or their products. There is therefore a need to provide owners and consumers present in the supply, sale and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry with a globally accessible system as a marketplace where uniquely identifying, immutable data about animals and their animal products can be written as information objects, and where such information objects can be advertised, sold, purchased and exchanged as a new, distinct good separate from, and where the information objects uniquely relate to, the tangible good. The beef livestock industry is illustrative of the nature of this problem and is used as an example to illustrate the operation of the present common Point authoring system, but is not intended to limit the scope of the system. The common Point authoring system may be applied to any industry where information relating to tangible or manufactured products needs to be authored, uniquely identified, verified, tracked, owner controlled, advertised, sold and/or purchased for compliance with government regulations and/or for commercial reasons.

Disclosure of Invention

The above problems are solved and an advance in the art is obtained by the present common point authoring system for use in the supply, distribution and consumption chain of beef livestock. The common point authoring system provides functionality for the invariant authoring, maintenance and distribution of intangible livestock informational objects throughout a chain of ownership divisions for animals and their distributed products, so that livestock informational objects authored by each owner of an animal or distributed animal product, or each consumer of a distributed animal product, can be used to uniquely identify and verify the animal or uniquely identified animal product to which the informational object relates. The common Point authoring system also provides functionality for validating livestock informational objects that contain immutable data, and for updating the informational objects within the ownership segmented commodity supply, sale, and consumption chain to provide data about the history of the animal or animal product. The common Point authoring system also provides functionality for tracking, upstream or downstream in the ownership segmented beef livestock supply, distribution and consumption chain, uniquely identified animals or distributed animal products to which the livestock informational object relates using the livestock informational object. The common point authoring system also provides the functionality to authorize the owner of the animal to have sufficient ownership, management and control of the authored livestock informational object to enable the informational object to become its own distinct commodity separate from the commodity of the animal or animal product to which the livestock informational object relates. The common Point authoring system also provides a globally accessible marketplace for conducting commercial activities whereby livestock informational objects related to animals or animal products may be advertised, offered, bought or sold between owners and consumers of the animals or animal products.

Moreover, the above problems are solved and an advance in the art is obtained by the present common point authoring system whose function is to provide livestock information objects by using a centralized repository of uniquely identified, immutable livestock information objects, wherein the livestock information objects comprise data on animal identification, premise identification and history of movement of the animals in the chain of commerce. The system automates the authoring, maintenance and distribution of livestock informational objects by using an internet-based paradigm (param) and a centralized repository of uniquely identified, immutable data elements. The common Point authoring system provides a set of software subsystems that animal breeders, producers, harvesters, processors, distributors and retailers can use to author, maintain and distribute livestock informational objects, and their consumers, who are users of the common Point authoring system, can retrieve, maintain and distribute livestock informational objects. The interconnectivity of the system allows for the use of an internet-based paradigm for purchasing and selling data as commodities. Interconnectivity also allows data between users of the common Point authoring system to be collected in the form of livestock informational objects, allowing for reduced burden fees for compliance with government regulations between users. In addition, the common Point authoring system can provide ancillary services by providing advertising of services and products, thereby facilitating interconnection between users, such as livestock breeders, livestock producers, livestock processors, distributors, retailers, and consumers. Moreover, the common Point authoring system may allow third party vendors that provide services and products related to the information and instructions contained in the livestock informational object to advertise to potential consumers.

The common Point authoring system uses an object-oriented architecture to transport livestock informational objects and other informational objects between livestock producers, consumers of livestock producers, end consumers of animal products, and third party vendors. The livestock information object is not a document file or a database file but an object containing the sequence of instructions and information to which the instructions relate for operation. The specific livestock informational object includes pointers identifying immutable "building blocks" of the plurality of information, which, when collected, comprise the livestock informational object. Each building zone is comprised of a data element and a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the data element.

Since the data elements are fixed they do not need to be updated and the new version of the animal-specific livestock informational object includes only a unique identifier pointing to the replacement data element, while the original data element is maintained in the central database. Thus, for each location (venue), the contents of the livestock information object remain immutable, even though the format may change. Furthermore, if the content of the relevant part of the livestock information object is identical to the data element, a new livestock information object can be created from the central database using the existing data element. Thus, authoring new livestock informational objects may benefit from a standardized repository of data elements, only the unique portions of which need to be generated. The conversion of data elements into other languages is also simplified because the common point authoring system requires the use of standardized phrases and other related data in creating the various data elements. Further, the data elements may be exported to other database systems.

The common point authoring system is also an integrated identification system that allows compatibility of the system through established standards and defined data elements while providing efficient availability of information between each part of the animal husbandry. The source and identification component, including the animal and premise identification envisioned by the U.S. animal identification program, as described above, can be used to support animal disease tracking and management, as well as to provide production management information in a production management environment. Although the basic animal health component appears different from the production and marketing components, the exchange of data between the two components will provide a fit that benefits both parts in terms of cost reduction and improved quality of the final product.

The common point authoring system can support various granularities at the object recognition level. The granularity of identification required may be a function of the product and its management of movement in the business chain. Thus, in some cases each individual animal must be tracked, while in other cases where a collection of animals born on the same premises moves as a group in the production chain to harvest, group identification can be used to identify all animals in the complete collection.

In addition to tracking animals from birth to harvest, an extension of this process will track the production produced as a result of harvesting. This reflects the need to provide food safety to the consumer and since they are processed separately into different end products and sold to the consumer, it is required that the animal tracking paradigm should be extended to be applicable also to the manufactured parts of the animal, which are usually in different chains of commerce. Common point writing systems contemplate cost effective, efficient and extensive product identification systems such as DNA or genetic identification and tracking of manufactured parts of animals or animal products from animal harvesting and creation of these products to their consumption.

As livestock information objects are authored, maintained and distributed, relevant data regarding these processes and entities participating in these processes may be used to trigger advertising of participants. The common Point authoring system has the ability for a user to allow or disallow advertisers from using or accessing information in livestock informational objects owned or controlled by the user. The authoring, maintenance or distribution of livestock informational objects, if permitted by a user in a member ID informational object, may be used as an opportunity for permitted advertisers to identify products and services related to animals identified in the livestock informational object in a context sensitive manner for advertising access in real time to users accessing the livestock informational object.

Drawings

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate in block diagram form the overall architecture of the present common Point authoring system and its operational environment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical information object and its contents that may be composed, distributed, and maintained by the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 3 illustrates, in flow diagram form, the operation of the user registration process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 4 illustrates, in flow diagram form, the operation of the data element creation process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 5 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the information object creation process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 6 illustrates, in flow diagram form, the operation of the information object registration process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 7 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the data element license definition process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 8 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the information object access permission definition process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 9 illustrates, in flow diagram form, the operation of the user access process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 10 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the advertisement authoring process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 11 illustrates, in flow diagram form, the operation of the advertisement registration process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 12 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the advertising access recording process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate in flow chart form the operation of the registered advertisement retrieval process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 15 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the member ID information object creation process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIG. 16 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the member ID information object creation or update process of the present common Point authoring system;

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate in flow chart form the license resetting and license providing process of the present common Point authoring system; and

fig. 19 illustrates in block diagram form typical parts of the product production, supply, distribution and consumption chain of the livestock beef industry, and the flow of livestock informational objects related to these typical parts and the common Point authoring system.

Detailed Description

The present common Point authoring system 10 is used to enable a user to invariably author, uniquely identify, authenticate, track, own and control, advertise, sell and/or purchase informational objects describing animals or their products in the beef livestock supply, distribution and consumption chain. To complete the verification task, the information object must contain immutable data, and the information object must also be able to be updated with data regarding the history of movement of the animal or its product in the livestock beef industry supply, distribution and consumption chain 19.

There are many examples of products and associated manufacturing and/or production processes to which the present system may be applied. To illustrate the concept of the present common point authoring system, a supply chain consisting of the livestock industry and a food distribution network is taken as an example. In a beef livestock supply, distribution and consumption chain environment, a common point authoring system is used to provide livestock informational objects through the use of a centralized repository of uniquely identified, immutable livestock informational objects. The system automates the authoring, maintenance, and distribution of livestock informational objects by using a network-based paradigm and a centralized repository of uniquely identified, immutable data elements. The common point authoring system can be equipped with a set of software components or subsystems that livestock producers and processors can use to author, maintain and distribute livestock informational objects, and their consumers, as users of the common point authoring system, can use to retrieve, maintain and distribute livestock informational objects. The interconnectivity of the system allows for the use of a network-based paradigm for advertising, purchasing and selling livestock informational objects as separate items from the animals or animal products to which the informational objects relate among users of a common Point authoring system, and for reducing overhead costs among users who comply with government regulations. In addition, the common Point authoring system can provide ancillary services by providing advertising of services and products, facilitating interconnection between producers and consumers of the producers and other users as the common Point authoring system, including vendors and people who provide services and products related to the information and instructions contained in the livestock informational objects.

Definition of

For purposes of description, the following terms are defined:

user' sIncluding entities, either businesses or individuals, that are authorized to access and utilize the functions of the present common point authoring system. The consumer may be a livestock breeder, livestock producer, livestock processor, distributor, retailer, consumer, or any entity that owns or consumes an animal or its product in the chain of supply, sale, and consumption of the livestock beef industry. The consumer may also be a third party vendor who advertises to provide services and products related to the information and instructions contained in the livestock informational object.

MemberSynonymous with user.

Livestock breedersIncluding entities, either businesses or individuals, typically provide genetic material or feed animals and manage them during birth.

Livestock producersIncluding an entity, either a business or an individual, typically a farmhouse, feeding, or warehousing (animals), such as a beef cattle proprietor, importer, or feedlot proprietor.

Livestock processorsIncluding a solid, either a business or an individual, such as a packager, who typically harvests a manufactured product of an animal, or such as a pharmaceutical company, refineryOil producers (rendering operator), pr pet food company, typically handle the manufactured products of the animals.

DistributorIncluding an entity, either a business or an individual, that typically distributes animal products or processed animal products to retailers at wholesale prices.

Retail storeIncluding an entity, either a business or an individual, that typically sells the animal product or processed animal product to a consumer at a retail price.

ConsumersIncluding an entity, either a business or an individual, typically purchases an animal product or processed animal product from a retailer.

Terminal deviceIncluding personal computers, hand-held computing devices, cellular communication devices, wireless computer devices, or other data interface devices. Typically, the terminal devices used are full-function communication devices of the type comprising: a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, etc., or some other special purpose communication device.

Data elementsIs the smallest unit of data in the common point authoring system. A data element may be any information and/or any instruction. If a data element is registered for use in a common Point authoring system, it is immutable and uniquely identifiable.

Data element setConsisting of two or more data elements. If a set of data elements is registered for use in a common Point authoring system, it is immutable and uniquely identifiable. The set of registered data elements may be composed of one or more unregistered data elements, one or more registered data elements, or a mixture of registered and unregistered data elements.

Information objectConsisting of one or more data elements, sets of data elements, or information objects, or any combination thereof. If the information object is registeredThe system is written at a common point, and is immutable and uniquely identifiable. The informational object is the largest data group in a common Point authoring system and can be industry specific.

Registered information objectsMay be comprised of one or more registered information objects, unregistered data elements, unregistered data element sets, registered data elements, registered data element sets, or any combination thereof.

License Is an attribute associated with a data element or information object that controls access by the member. The license may have a positive effect or a negative effect. Permissions may be (1) exclusive or non-exclusive, (2) conditional or persistent, and/or (3) restricted or unrestricted, or any combination of these. After the information object is registered, a member with permission to access the object may grant, revoke, or modify permission for the information object or data element if the action taken by the member does not exceed the member's rights and does not violate the grant of previous permission.

In the context of the beef livestock industry supply, sales and consumption chain of figure 19,owner of the systemMeans livestock breeders, livestock producers, livestock processors, distributors, retailers and/or consumers who typically own or handle genetic material (genetic mater) applied to the concept of animals, or own or handle animals, animal products or processed animal products in their possession.

In the context of registering an information object,owner of the systemRepresenting a user who sets permissions for an information object or data element. The permissions set for information objects and/or data elements must have an owner and/or one or more other members that additionally control all possible permissions that can be granted, revoked or modified for each information object or data element, respectively.

Livestock information objectIs an information object that may contain information and/or instructions,wherein the information and/or instructions relate to preconception genetic information of one or more animals, to the history of such one or more animals, to the history of their animal products and/or to the history of consumption of their animal products.

Concern raised (concerns addressed)

The greater concerns raised by the common point authoring system in the supply, sales and consumption chain of the beef livestock industry are complex rather than related. The proposed concerns are: food safety, animal identification, livestock health, information flow, and beef quality. The solution is to configure the common Point authoring system as a globally accessible information technology system where data ownership is granted to owners or consumers of livestock or their products by technical means.

Livestock health & animal identification

Introduction of foreign animals into herds or invasion of disease into enclosed herds requires rapid detection and response to prevent widespread contamination of resident populations. Random sampling of animals to determine whether disease is present is an expensive process and fraught with errors. The ability to collect accurate real-time data will allow the biometric process to draw science-based conclusions from which herd management decisions can be made. The ability to quickly detect and track foreign or emerging diseases across borders between countries would enable producers to prevent the spread of the disease and mitigate the negative economic impact on the production and sale of animals.

In order to have an effective system, each animal must be uniquely identified, their current location must be identified, and preferably their history of movement during the production process is tracked. The ability to recognize all the premises that an infected animal has been exposed to, and other co-colonizing animals, when exposure occurs is essential for timely traceability of the animal. The identification of all contacts and the monitoring of subgroups within the population that has been contacted with infected animals is a key factor in the ability to detect the presence of disease and to control the spread of disease. This requires that the movement of a single animal or group of animals be recorded in a central database or seamlessly linked in order to be able to access an efficient database base. To accomplish this, a standard method of identifying animals and premises must be established and performed by the producer throughout the production, harvesting and product production process. The U.S. animal identification program deals with this normalization of source information.

Location issues include the ability to record the origin of the animal and move to other locations throughout its life. This includes the reconciliation of location data on a time basis to determine the exposure of a particular animal to other animals on each premise, including other production units, transportation equipment, markets, displays, and auctions. Each site is unique if it is geographically and/or epidemiologically distinct from other sites. Each venue will also be traced back to an authorized user operating the device at that venue.

Food safety&Animal identification

The location where the animal is harvested must be recorded and the sale of all harvested products must be tracked. Thus, the unique animal identification described above is extended to a one-to-many paradigm in which a uniquely identified animal is made into a plurality of uniquely identified products, each of which can be traced back to that uniquely identified animal and their history. Likewise, the identification of multiple uniquely identified products will facilitate tracing from a manufactured product process mix from many different animals to a single uniquely identified animal.

The above process extends to food production processes in which animals are processed and the resulting animal products are sold. The ability to track animals and other agricultural products from birth to the finished product would protect consumers against impure, unsafe and fraudulently labeled food products.

Information flow & beef quality

As noted above, the source information of interest for standardization efforts in the U.S. animal identification program, as well as a wider range of process information for animal products, will ensure animal traceability and can add value to animal products through product differentiation related to the source, health, genetics and other obvious characteristics of the animal and animal products.

The presently available livestock identification software systems provide information for identification cataloging (inventorying) which is difficult and expensive to pass up and down in the chain of commerce because of the nature of the owner segmentation of the beef livestock industry. Common examples of such splits are incompatibilities of software products and the up front cost of the available software systems. The result is that the choices made by the consumer in purchasing animal products, and the reasons for those choices, cannot be passed up the supply, distribution and consumption chain to livestock breeders, livestock producers and livestock processors. Without this information, the livestock breeders, livestock producers, and livestock processors are unable to adjust their management processes to provide higher quality products. Also, livestock breeders, livestock producers, and livestock processors are unable to communicate the information that exists about their animals to consumers because there is no efficient way to do so. The beef livestock industry as a whole cannot improve its product because it cannot effectively move information up or down the supply, sales and consumption chain 19.

Centralizing&Data ownership

The need to increase information flow between various parts of the industry and improve beef quality is unmet in the beef livestock industry because there is no globally accessible 'umbrella' information technology system that facilitates immutable authoring, unique identification, verification, tracking, ownership and control, advertising, sale and/or purchase of information objects authored in and along the livestock beef industry supply, distribution and consumption chain 19.

The technical authorization of data ownership in the livestock owners through the umbrella information technology system is absolutely essential to meet industry needs, as only the assurance of data ownership control can attract a considerable amount of use of the globally accessible system. Only by the introduction of globally accessible umbrella systems, and the introduction of livestock informational objects as new profit centers for livestock owners, the problems of food safety, animal identification, livestock health, information flow, and beef quality can be practically solved.

Product stream

FIG. 19 illustrates, in block diagram form, a typical production environment and product flow within the environment involving the present common Point authoring system. In this environment, the common point authoring system 10 tracks each animal from origin to harvest in a production chain, and can also be used to track harvested products in transit to consumers. Fig. 19 is merely an exemplary representation of such supply, sales, and consumption chains. For example, FIG. 19 may be reconfigured into the following parts for collection and aggregation of data:

1. a pre-concept genetic product associated with animal feeding,

2. from birth to the source and location of the harvested animal,

3. the processes from birth to harvest which are associated with the growth of animals,

4. the harvested animal products are then used as the feed,

5. the processing of animal products, in particular of animal products,

6. the sale and delivery of animal products to consumers,

7. consumer consumption of animal products and evaluations related thereto.

There are a large number of data elements that can be collected at each stage and these may be mandatory or arbitrary data elements, all of which are animal related and data related for the purpose of being used in the common point authoring system 10. Since animals and animal products are affected by the time channel, both the data collection process and the movement of the tracked animals or animal products, which are tracked by the time they pass each location, are time-based.

The operation of the common point authoring system 10 is thus hierarchical in nature, with each change in ownership and/or location of an animal requiring an update of the data stored in the common point authoring system 10. As a specific matter of simplifying the implementation of the common point writing system 10, animal identification may require the attachment of a device to the animal that is human-readable and/or electronically readable, such as radio frequency technology.

Terminal device and communication environment

FIGS. 1A &1B illustrate, in block diagram form, the overall architecture of a common point authoring system 10 and a typical environment in which it may operate. Typically, a user is equipped with one or more personal computers T1, T2, handheld computing or other devices T5, cellular communication devices T3, wireless computer devices T4 or other data interface devices, collectively referred to herein as "terminal devices". The data communication connection between the user's terminal device T1 and the present common Point authoring system 10 may occur via the Internet 103 using known personal computer modem and Internet browser technology available on the user's terminal device T1. The subscriber's terminal equipment is typically served by the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) which consists of a plurality of local switching systems 101, 102 interconnected by a long distance telecommunications office (IXC) network 100. The physical connection supporting this data communication connection is typically from the user's terminal equipment T1 through a local switching system 102 of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) through a data communication medium such as the internet, referred to herein as an IP network 103, to an internet service provider 112 also connected thereto. The internet 103 is also connected to the local switching system 101 through an internet service provider 111 that services a firewall 122 of the system 10 for public point writing. Alternatively, in the case of the cellular communication device T3 or the wireless computer device T4, the user's terminal device is connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) through the Mobile Telecommunications Switching Office (MTSO) 104.

The common point authoring system 10 is connected to at least one data communication medium 103 (such as the internet) to enable users to obtain a data communication connection with the common point authoring system 10, as described in more detail below. A typical architecture for the common point authoring system 10 includes a firewall 122 for protecting the system against unauthorized access, as is known in the art. The intranet 115 is used to connect the firewall 122 to other system elements, such as the communication server 113, which implements the communication object layer of the common point authoring system 10 by executing communication object layer applications. These applications manage communications with users accessing the common point authoring system 10. In addition, the intranet 115 is connected to an application server 121, which executes web server software to provide a user interface for accessing data stored in the common point authoring system 10. In addition, the application server 121 executes a server-side script, which is part of the application layer, to manage access by the user. Relational database server 114 is also connected to intranet 115 and to the plurality of data storage units of the database layer on which data is stored. The nature of the stored data will be described below. This architecture is used to distribute functionality among multiple servers, but it is contemplated that other implementations of the system architecture are equally applicable to the concepts described herein.

The common point authoring system 10 includes a plurality of databases, as described below. These databases include, but are not limited to, a member database 123, a registration data element database 124, a registration information object database 125, a registered advertisements database 126, a tracking/billing database 127, an advertising association database 128, and a software database 129. To simplify the description of the common Point authoring system 10, the databases described herein are functionally delimited, but these databases may be implemented by a single physical database or a lesser or greater number of databases than those shown herein. This choice is merely a matter of engineering choice and is not related to the concepts disclosed herein. Also, an application server 121 executing a plurality of software modules is illustrated herein, wherein the software modules are: authentication server 141, tracking/accounting server 142, authoring server 143, member access server 144, ad server 145, but multiple servers may be used to perform this task. Thus, the common point authoring system 10 disclosed herein represents one of many possible implementations to provide the described functionality to a given recipient.

In addition, other computer systems such as advertiser WEB site server 130 may be serviced by the common Point authoring system 10. Typically, the advertiser WEB site server system includes a firewall gateway 132, a server 131, a terminal device 133, and a mass storage device, represented here as an advertisement database 134. Such a system can be used to create advertising material for use in conjunction with the common Point authoring system 10 and can be provided to users who are linked to the advertiser Web site system through the operation of the common Point authoring system 10 as described below.

The resources illustrated herein are selected to illustrate the concept of the common point authoring system 10 and are not intended to limit the applicability of this concept to other network implementations or system configurations.

Physical system model

The common Point authoring system software is an automated document authoring and distribution system that allows users to securely author, maintain and distribute their own data for profit, to reduce the burden costs of complying with government regulations. The system may be used as a centralized repository with an internet-based authoring and delivery mechanism such that participation requires only an internet connection and a web browser. The interconnectivity of the common Point authoring system with other systems allows for the purchase and sale of data owned by users as commodities and for reducing the burden costs of complying with government regulations.

Information objects and data elements

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical information object and its contents, wherein the contents of the information object may be authored, distributed and maintained by the present common Point authoring system. In particular, the information object 200 comprises a unique identifier 201 indicating the information object 200 and further comprises a plurality of data elements 211 and 216, wherein each data element is itself identified by a corresponding unique identifier 221 and 226. The information object 200 may also contain other data 202 such as formatting data, licensing data, unregistered data elements, registered data objects, unregistered data objects, registered data sets, and unregistered data sets. Typically, the data elements 211 and 216 associated with a particular information object 200 are stored in a file system separate from the information object 200 and linked through the use of pointers, including the data element unique identifiers 221 and 226.

Operation of common Point authoring System

Fig. 3 through 19 illustrate the operation of the present common point authoring system 10 in flow chart form. The architecture of the common point authoring system 10 described herein represents a typical implementation of the common point authoring system 10 and its operating environment and is not intended to limit the scope of the underlying concepts as defined by the appended claims.

User registration procedure

Figure 3 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the user enrollment process of the present common point authoring system 10. The enrollment process is available to any livestock breeder, livestock producer, livestock processor, distributor, retailer, consumer, or third party vendor that advertises services and products related to information and/or instructions contained in the livestock informational object.

In step 301, the intended user, located at terminal device T1, initiates the registration process by initiating their terminal device T1 to establish a communication connection with the common Point authoring system 10. Once connected thereto as described above, the common Point authoring system 10 generates a uniquely numbered registration and agreement table (not shown) at step 302 and sends the table to the intended user at terminal device T1 over the communication connection at step 303, thereby making the intended user the user of the service provided by the common Point authoring system 10. The use of uniquely numbered registration and protocol tables enables the common Point authoring system 10 to display specific conditions and rules for ordering (subscriptions) to prospective users and also to track prospective users who access the common Point authoring system 10 for registration. This simplifies the user management process, since each prospective user accessing the common point authoring system 10 for registration is uniquely defined by the identifier, and the rest of the user information will be used for billing and identification. Thus, a user having multiple locations can be registered individually for each location without confusion because the company name is not the user's delimiter, which is the unique identifier distributed to the registration and agreement table.

At step 304, the prospective user provides the required information by completing the data entry area of the registration and agreement form and sending the completed form to the common Point authoring system 10. At step 305, the common Point authoring system 10 generates a unique registration number or unique electronic signature to identify and distinguish the intended user from all other users, including users with double or identical names, and the common Point authoring system 10 checks at step 306 whether the registration and agreement form has been completed correctly. If not, processing transfers to step 307 where an appropriate error message is returned to the intended user indicating that the incorrect form is complete and indicating that any registration charges will be returned if the registration process is terminated at this point because the registration has not yet been effected. If the registration form is properly completed, the process will proceed to step 308, where the name of the intended user and the unique registration number are entered into user database 123 using the process illustrated in FIG. 4. Further, since the unique identifier distributed to the registration and agreement table is a delimiter, a user who owns a plurality of locations can register each location individually without confusion.

If the process illustrated in fig. 4 rejects the name of the intended user, the process will return to step 307 and an appropriate error message will be returned to the intended user to indicate that the quality criteria are violated and to indicate that any registration charges will be returned if the registration process is terminated at this point, because the registration has not yet been effected. If the name of the intended user is acceptable, the common Point authoring system 10 will approve the registration and agreement form and distribute a username and password to the new user enabling further access to the common Point authoring system 10 at step 309. At step 310, the common Point authoring system 10 stores all the enrollment data entered by the user in the enrollment and agreement form into the user database 123 and makes a reputable initial login. A listing is generated for the tracking/billing database 127 to bill the user for the registration fee. Failure of the user to pay for the listings, liabilities, royalties, user accounts payable, and other fees related to service orders in the common Point authoring system 10 in a timely manner will result in the destruction of reputable entries in the user database 123.

At step 311, the common Point authoring system 10 sends a reputable notification to the successfully registered user and conveys the username and password generated at step 309 to the user, who is now a member of the common Point authoring system 10. Furthermore, the common Point authoring system 10 downloads from the software database 129 to the user terminal device T1 the software modules necessary for the user to be able to perform the tasks they have subscribed to. As described below, there are a number of software modules, including but not limited to: user client software, compiling client software and advertiser client software. Each of these modules corresponds to a basic function that can be used by a user. At step 312, the common Point authoring system 10 invites the user members to create and register a Member ID information object, using the process illustrated in FIG. 15, which will be added to the Member database 123 for further access by the Member. The registration process will then return to the process of figure 3 and exit at step 313.

Member ID operand creation process

FIG. 15 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the member ID information object creation and registration process of the present common Point authoring system during member registration using the process illustrated in FIG. 3. Using the process of FIG. 15, a member can select and write predefined data elements into the member's ID information object as search criteria by which the member can be found by other members in the common Point writing system, and the member can set initial permissions on other members ' access to the member's ID information object's information and/or instructions, including compensated permissions that need to be coped with before access to the member's ID information object is allowed.

At step 1501, the members are invited to create a member ID information object, including the members' decision at step 1502 as to whether they wish to receive offers (offer) or advertisements in the environment of the common Point authoring system 10. If not, processing will exit at step 1507 as indicated by the member providing a negative acknowledgement at step 1503. If the member wishes to receive such information, then at step 1504, the member will generate and register a member ID information object. At step 1505, the member selects predetermined data elements as search criteria to filter the scope of the negotiation or advertising message, and the member will set permissions to activate these parameters. At step 1506, the member selects a predetermined data element that identifies other members (or member classifications) of the common Point authoring system 10 as the search criteria to filter the range of members. The member will also set access permissions, including compensation permissions, to activate these parameters. Finally, processing exits at step 1507.

Member information object creation or update process

FIG. 16 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the Member information object creation or update process of the present common Point authoring system. The process illustrated in fig. 16 extends the process illustrated in fig. 15. The process of FIG. 16 illustrates how a member of the common Point authoring system can initiate the creation, registration, and updating of a Member ID information object.

At step 1601, the member initiates a process to create or update a member information object. In response to this action, the common Point authoring system 10 determines whether a Member ID information object exists for the Member at step 1602. If an information object exists, the process will proceed to step 1604 where the member ID information object for the member is displayed to the member for review and updating, and then the process proceeds to step 1605. If the information object does not exist, the process will execute step 1603 before the process proceeds to step 1605, where the member will be prompted to create and register a member ID information object.

The change to the registered member ID information object is implemented by the member in step 1605, and then the process will proceed to step 1606, where the member selects predetermined data elements as search criteria to thereby filter the scope of the offer or advertisement message, and the member will set permissions to activate these parameters. At step 1607, the members select predetermined data elements identifying other members (or member classifications) of the common Point authoring system 10 as search criteria to filter the scope of the members. The member will also set access permissions and compensation permissions to activate these parameters. Finally, processing exits at step 1608.

Data element creation process

FIG. 4 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the data element creation process of the present common Point authoring system 10. The members authorized to create the data elements are livestock breeders, livestock producers, livestock processors, distributors, retailers, and consumers, all of whom are individuals or companies that produce or consume products that require the information object. Thus, in the example of livestock informational objects, livestock breeders, livestock producers, and livestock processors are responsible for producing livestock informational objects for each animal or component of an animal produced or processed through regulatory measures. Members may also be distributors, retailers, or consumers who may create data elements through which they may rate or comment on the quality of the manufactured product. To prevent the generation of spurious data elements that corrupt the system, when a member accesses the common Point authoring system 10 at step 502, the member's identity is checked against the authorized member database 123 at step 503 to ensure that the member has good reputation and permission to create additional data elements at step 513 by entering the process illustrated in FIG. 4. The prospective member may also enter the process illustrated in FIG. 4 at step 308 for the limited purpose of creating a member name as a predetermined data element.

At step 402, the member in the process of creating the data element at step 513 will use the authoring client software module executing on terminal device T1 to identify and select the classification of the data element and submit the content provided for the data element. At step 402, the prospective member in the process of creating the member name as the predetermined data element at step 308 is permitted by the authentication server 141 only to identify and select a particular type for the classification of the member name. In either case, the type information indicates which of the various data entry regions shown in FIG. 2 was selected to place the particular draft of data elements. Typically, there is a distinction between these data entry regions, and the checking and authentication process performed by the common Point authoring system 10 associates the proposed draft of data elements with all other data elements of this type stored in the system database.

Thus, at step 403, the authoring server 143 of the common Point authoring system 10 will examine the draft data element to determine if the language contained therein is a specified format and content, using a content analysis inspection process to compare the language of the draft data element to the dictionary of specified words. Furthermore, in the event that the selected type accepts image data, the image data will be inspected for content and decoded, as appropriate. The format is also checked to ensure that sufficient and thorough information is provided. If the content inspection identifies any defects in the draft data element, a message is returned to the member to reject the draft data element, step 406, with an appropriate explanation of the reason for rejection. At step 404, if the draft data element is approved, the content is checked to determine if the data element content corresponds to a member name. If so, processing jumps to step 410, where a sub-process of the member name data element creation process is activated. This sub-process will produce a standard immutable data element that includes the member name for use in producing one or more information objects because the member's name appears in each information object created by the writer. At step 411, the prospective member enters the unique registration number distributed to at step 305, and at step 412, the common Point authoring system 10 distributes the unique registration number as an identifier of the prospective member's name data element. At step 413, the name of the prospective member and the registration data element identifier are permanently added to the member database 123, the sub-process ends, and processing exits at step 414.

If, at step 404, the draft data element is not a member name, then the process proceeds to step 405 where the draft data element is compared by the authoring server 143 to all previously registered data elements of that type to ensure that the draft data element is not identical to the previous data element. If the determination is the same, a message is returned to the member in step 406 rejecting the draft data element with an appropriate explanation of the reason for rejection. Otherwise, at step 407, the authoring server 143 of the common point authoring system 10 will generate and distribute a unique registered data element identifier to the draft data element, and at step 408, the common point authoring system 10 translates the data element into other languages and appends a language identifier to each translation of the data element. Processing then proceeds to step 409 where the newly created data element is permanently added to the registered data element database 124 along with its corresponding unique identifier. The process then exits at step 414.

Information object creation process

Fig. 5 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the livestock informational object authoring and creation process of the present common Point authoring system 10. The members authorized to compose and create the informational object are livestock breeders, livestock producers, livestock processors, distributors, retailers, and consumers, all of whom are individuals or companies that produce or consume animals or animal products that require the informational object.

When a member accesses the common Point authoring system 10 at step 501 and performs the authoring system logon process at step 502, the member's identity is checked against the authorized members database 123 by the authentication server 141 at step 503 to ensure that the member is a well-credited member and has authoring permissions to perform the process illustrated in FIG. 5. If not, the common Point authoring system 10 exits the login at step 504.

If the member's reputation is good, the common Point authoring system 10 validates the member as the "author" of the process and proceeds to step 505, where the authoring client software module executing on the member's terminal device T1 is checked to identify the version of the software so that the authoring session execution of the common Point authoring system 10 is compatible with the member's software. At step 505A, if the Member retrieves an existing registration information object, the common Point authoring system 10 transfers the Member to step 512, possibly after the creation and registration of the newly registered information object at step 1713. If not, the system will proceed to step 506 where the member initiates the livestock informational object authoring process by creating an unregistered or draft livestock informational object. In step 507, the authoring server 143 of the common Point authoring system 10 inserts various basic information into the unregistered livestock informational object, such as a temporary name provided by the Member and an identifier of the software version used to create the informational object. The members will identify the various formats used with the livestock information object at step 508, and thus the different members retrieving the livestock information object will receive the formatted livestock information object for their use, where the formats are referred to as document versions. Thus, in the case of livestock informational objects, there may be a breeder version, a producer version, a processor version, a distributor version, a retailer version, a consumer version, and so forth. At step 509, the member must select their name by selecting a data element from the member database 123 that corresponds to the previously stored data element whose content is the member's name.

The authoring server 143 enables the member to set permissions to access the livestock informational object and to ancillary services related to the livestock informational object at step 510. These data elements selected in step 509-. Also at step 513, 514, the member may select data elements from other accessed informational objects for insertion into the livestock informational object being composed, if permitted, or may select other accessed informational objects for insertion into the livestock informational object being composed, if permitted. Although the member may select registered data elements from the registered data elements database 124, step 513 and 514 also allow approved members to select data elements from previously composed livestock informational objects, which will facilitate the composition of information from one livestock informational object to a plurality of livestock informational objects related to an animal synthetic product.

At step 516, the tracking/accounting server 142 of the common Point authoring system 10 calculates any fees due and enters this information into the tracking/accounting database 127 and the Member determines if all necessary data elements or informational objects have been inserted into the livestock informational object. If not, processing returns to step 512 for a preferred insertion. If all the necessary data elements and information objects have been provided, the process proceeds to step 517, where the members set permissions for the unregistered livestock information object, which is then sent to register at step 518, so that it can be processed to be referred to as a registered livestock information object, and the process exits at step 519.

Information object registration process

Following the above-described step 518, FIG. 6 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the livestock informational object registration process of the present common Point authoring system 10.

At step 601, the unregistered livestock informational object created using the process described with respect to FIG. 5 is submitted to the common Point authoring system 10 for registration. At step 602, the authoring server 143 checks for unregistered livestock informational objects to ensure proper content, format, and permissions. If the content and format are correct, the authoring server 143 of the common Point authoring system 10 generates a unique livestock information object identifier and replaces the filename created by the Member with this at step 603. The server 143 of the common Point authoring system 10 dates and time stamps the livestock informational objects to complete the registration process at step 604 and stores the registered livestock informational objects in immutable form in the registered informational object database 125 at step 605. In step 605, the authoring server 143 stores permissions for the registration information object, which is composed of the data elements, and permissions for the data elements. At step 606, the common Point authoring system 10 updates the tracking/billing database 127 to credit the member's account with the cost of registering this information object. The process exits at step 607.

Data element permission definition process

FIG. 7 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the data element license definition process of the present common Point authoring system 10. In the above description of the authoring and creation process of the livestock informational object of fig. 5, the member may set default permissions for use of data elements in the registered livestock informational object after step 513.

The process illustrated in FIG. 7 details the creation of the default license settings. In particular, at step 701, the member selects at least one of a plurality of default permissions for the identified data elements in the unregistered livestock informational object. At step 702, the common Point authoring system 10 determines whether the member has indicated that the data element will be hyperlinked by default to a predetermined site. If so, the URL of the Web site is entered by the member at step 703, and processing proceeds to step 706, as described below.

If the member does not link the selected data element to the WEB site, then it is determined whether the data element is hyperlinked to an e-mail address by default at step 704. If so, then in step 705, the member enters e-mail address data and processing proceeds to step 706. If no hyperlinks are set, then processing will also proceed to step 706. At step 706, the common Point authoring system 10 determines whether the data element is viewable by default based on the particular document version of the data element that the member defined at step 509. If so, at step 708, the member identifies in which defined version of the document the data elements will be viewed by default, and processing exits at step 709. If the member has not made a selection in step 707, then the process proceeds to step 708, where default settings are automatically set in which the data elements can be viewed with all document versions. Processing exits at step 709.

Information object licensing & provisioning (offer) process

Following the above step 517, fig. 8 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the livestock information object access permission definition process of the present information object authoring and distribution system 10.

At step 801, a member initiates a process to set access permissions for a selected livestock informational object, wherein the member is the owner of the selected livestock informational object. At step 802, the member identifies whether any access is allowed. If no other member is allowed to access the information object, then the process proceeds to step 805, where the information object is annotated as unavailable to any other member, and then the process exits at step 808. If the member indicates that some form of access is allowed, then at step 803 the member may determine if only a limited set of members taken from the member database 123 may access the information object. If so, the process proceeds to step 806, wherein, using only the member database 123, the member identifies the selected other members authorized to access the livestock information object, and the information object authoring and distribution system 10 sets the information object with the list of authorized access members. Processing then exits at step 808. If the members do not restrict access to the livestock information object, then at step 804 the information object authoring and distribution system 10 registers a flag for the information object at step 601 and 607 indicating that all members have access to the information object and the process exits at step 808.

After registering the livestock informational object, the member/owner may modify the default settings of permissions for the registered livestock informational object and the data elements registered with the livestock informational object, as explained in the process of fig. 5 above. Fig. 17&18 illustrate in flow chart form the operation of the default licensing and provisioning process of the present common point authoring system. At step 1701, the common Point authoring system 10 starts the default licensing and provisioning process. A similar login procedure as described in steps 502, 503 and 504 above may be assumed.

At step 1702, the common Point authoring system 10 determines whether the required livestock informational object is to be set up as available to a list of authorized access members. If not, the required livestock informational object is set as unavailable at step 1703, and processing exits at step 1716. If the required livestock informational object is to be set as available to a list of authorized access members, then at step 1704 it is determined whether the required livestock informational object is available to all other members, and if so, the required livestock informational object is set as available at step 1706, and processing exits at step 1716. Otherwise, the member will select other members from the membership database at step 1705. At step 1707, the panelist determines whether access to all data elements in the livestock informational object is allowed. If not, a message will be returned at step 1717 and processing then exits at step 1716 so that the member can use the process of FIG. 5 to re-compose another livestock informational object containing only the desired data elements that the other members are allowed to access.

If access is to all data elements provided to the livestock informational object, then the offer member (offer member) will select the permissions to be provided at step 1708. These determine the extent and duration of changes that are allowed to be made to the registered livestock informational objects and their data elements. Also, in step 1709, the offering member sets an offering condition, such as a condition for controlling access to the data object by the offering member (offer member) during the offering pending period, and an identifier of a significant permission affecting the data object and its data elements. Once these actions are taken, the providing member will send a provide message to each provided member listed in the selected member list at step 1710. As part of the sending process, the common Point authoring system 10 checks the database to determine if each such identified member has authorized permissions in their associated Member ID object to receive delivery of the offer message at step 1711. The access of the selected members is affected in step 1712, wherein the access of the livestock informational objects is managed in accordance with the rendering process set by the rendering member. At step 1713, the common Point authoring system 10 identifies any information that the provided Member is allowed to access from informational objects authored by previous owners or processors of animal products, or any information that has been authored by any other Member. For example, such permissions may be provided to provide quick access to regulatory information that must be removed from the supply chain without restriction. At step 1714, the common Point authoring system 10 creates a new registered informational object from the livestock informational objects of the provider (referrer) members. The significance of this process is that, for example, a newly registered informational object can be traced by the common Point authoring system 10 to a provider member's livestock informational object regardless of how many times the animal is passed from owner to new owner, and then after the animal is harvested, regardless of how many times the animal's product is passed from livestock processor to distributor to retailer to consumer. When the selected members have received their respective offers, the registered livestock informational object is set to be available to the other selected members at step 1715. The common Point authoring system 10 will also set the accepted permissions and the process then exits at step 1716.

Member access procedure

Fig. 9 illustrates in flow chart form the process of accessing registered livestock informational objects by members of the present common Point authoring system 10. Any livestock breeder, livestock producer, livestock processor, distributor, retailer, consumer, or third party vendor that holds and controls one or more permissions to access registered livestock informational objects may be accessed in accordance with the process illustrated in fig. 9. Such access members may be the initial writer and registrant of the registered livestock informational object or may have passed the permission providing and accepting process of fig. 17&18 to purchase or receive one or more permissions to access the livestock informational object.

The permissions illustrated in fig. 17&18 provide and accept processes authorise data ownership and control to those holding permissions to compose and create data elements and livestock informational objects. The process illustrated in fig. 9 prevents unauthorized access to livestock informational objects or data elements without proper authorization (i.e., without proper permission).

Under the definitions described above, permissions may be (1) exclusive or non-exclusive, (2) conditional or fixed, and/or (3) restricted or unrestricted. Exclusivity may be based on criteria set forth in the member ID information object (e.g., members of a particular livestock organization may be granted exclusive access to the livestock information object and its data elements). The condition may be assumed to be a payment of a rental fee or compensation for each access of the livestock informational object and its data elements. Restrictions may be expressed as what the permission holder cannot do (e.g., a consumer may be allowed by a retailer to view information objects on a computer screen, but not to copy any viewed information into a computer file, or to print any viewed information onto paper).

When a Member accesses the common Point authoring system 10 at step 901 and performs the Member access system logon process at step 902, the Member's identity is checked against the authorized Member database 123 by the verification server 141 at step 903 to ensure that the Member is reputable and has permission to access the process illustrated in FIG. 9. If not, the common Point authoring system 10 will log out at step 904.

If the Member's reputation is good, the common Point authoring system 10 proceeds to step 905 where the Member server 144 provides the Member with access to the informational object database 125 using a predetermined set of permissions for the Member and the livestock informational objects. At step 906 the panelist selects a livestock informational object for retrieval and at step 907 selects a documentation version of the informational object. The common Point authoring system 10 retrieves the selected information object at step 908 and reconciles the software version executing on the Member's terminal device T1 with the software version defined as related to the selected livestock information object at step 909. The member access server 144 checks advertisement permissions associated with the retrieved livestock informational objects at step 910 and retrieves these advertisements at step 911 for presentation to the member with the selected livestock informational object for permitted use by the member. The member access software records member access to the livestock information object at step 912 and updates the member's entry in the tracking/billing database 127 at step 913 to retrieve billing for the member for the livestock information object. At step 914, the tracking/accounting server 142 of the common Point authoring system 10 stores data representing the members authoring the animal informational object in the tracking/accounting database 127 and gives the authoring members a quantity representing their share in the revenue obtained by the animal informational object retrieval. At step 915, the common Point authoring system 10 determines if the Member wishes to view other document versions of the livestock informational object and, if so, returns to step 907, as described above. If not, processing proceeds to step 916, where the member terminates the information object access session and deletes the advertisement data object in step 917, and processing is complete in step 918.

Advertisement authoring process

FIG. 10 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the advertisement authoring process of the present common Point authoring system 10. The advertisement may be composed by any member including a livestock breeder, livestock producer, livestock processor, distributor, retailer, consumer, or any entity that owns or consumes the animal or its product in the livestock beef industry supply, distribution, and consumption chain. The advertiser may also be a third party vendor who advertises services and products related to the information and instructions contained in the livestock informational object. The advertising process illustrated in fig. 10 through 14, and the providing and receiving process illustrated in fig. 17&18, are processes of any market that can sell goods for profit, wherein the goods may be tangible goods such as livestock, or intangible goods such as registered livestock informational objects.

When a Member accesses the common Point authoring system 10 at step 1001 and performs the logon process at step 1002, the Member's identity is checked by the authentication server 144 against the authorized Member database 123 at step 1003 to ensure that the Member is a Member who is well credited and has permission to access the advertisement authoring process illustrated in FIG. 10. If not, the common Point authoring system 10 exits the login at step 1004.

If the Member's reputation is good, the common Point authoring system 10 proceeds to step 1005 where the advertisement server 145 (or authoring server 143) of the common Point authoring system 10 reconciles the Member's software version with the software version currently executing on the common Point authoring system 10. At step 1006, the member initiates the authoring process of the advertisement by creating an unregistered or draft advertisement data object. In step 1007, the advertisement server 145 of the common Point authoring system 10 inserts the temporary name created by the Member and the software version used to create the advertisement data object into the unregistered advertisement data object. The member must select their name at step 1008 by selecting a data element from the member database 123 that corresponds to the previously stored data element whose content is the member's name. The ad server 145 enables the member to create an ad message and insert this message into the unregistered ad data object at step 1009. At step 1010, the member searches the data element database 124 to identify various data elements related to the unregistered advertising data object, and inserts data identifying these data elements into the advertising data object at step 1011. At step 1012, the member determines whether the advertisement data object is complete. If not, the process returns to step 1009, if so, the process proceeds to step 1013 where the advertising member sets permissions for the advertising data object. Referring to steps 1305, 1306 and 1307, the permissions set by the member determine whether there is retrieval of an advertisement data object at step 1310 or deletion of an advertisement related record at step 1312. At step 1014, the Member submits the unregistered Ad data object to the common Point authoring system 10 for registration, and the Ad authoring process exits at step 1015.

Advertisement registration process

FIG. 11 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the advertisement registration process of the present common Point authoring system 10.

The process of fig. 11 is used to register unregistered advertisement data objects created by the process defined in fig. 10. Specifically, the unregistered advertisement data object is submitted to the common Point authoring system 10 for registration at step 1101, and then the advertisement server 145 checks whether the unregistered advertisement data object has the correct content, format and permission at step 1102. If the content and format are correct, the advertisement server 145 of the common Point authoring system 10 generates a unique advertisement data object identifier and replaces the temporary filename created by the Member with it at step 1103. At step 1104, the ad server 145 of the common Point authoring system 10 appends a date and time stamp to the ad data object. In step 1105, the ad server 145 stores the unique ad data object identifier inserted in step 1103, the date and time stamp inserted in step 1104, the search criteria inserted in step 1011, the ad message inserted in step 1009, and the license inserted in step 1013 in an immutable form in the registered ad database 126. At step 1106, advertisement server 145 creates a record of the advertisement data object in advertisement association database 128. At step 1107, the common Point authoring system 10 updates the tracking/billing database 127 to credit the member's account with the cost of registering this advertising data object. The process exits at step 1108 back to the process defined in fig. 10.

Advertisement access record process

FIG. 12 illustrates in flow chart form the operation of the ad access recording process of the present common Point authoring system. The process begins at step 1201, according to step 1106 described above. In step 1202, the advertisement server 145 searches the registered information object database 125 for the advertisement data object registered in step 1105 using the search criteria input in step 1011. At step 1203, the registration information objects that match the search criteria entered at step 1011 are organized by their unique identifiers and listed. At step 1204, each matched unique identifier of step 1203 is associated with the unique identifier of the advertisement data object registered at step 1105. At step 1205, the association information of step 1204 is recorded in the ad association database 128 to expedite the processing at steps 1303, 1304, 1305, 1306 and 1307, the pending termination of the role of the registered ad data object, as determined by the permissions entered at step 1013. Upon completion of step 1205, or in the event that no registered information objects match the criteria of the registered advertisement data objects at step 1202, step 1106 is deemed complete and the process returns from step 1206 to step 1107.

Registered advertisement retrieval process

Fig. 13&14 illustrate in flow chart form the operation of the registered advertisement retrieval process of the present common Point authoring system 10.

When the member retrieves the information object, the registered advertisement data object may be retrieved at step 910, as described above. The retrieval process is initiated at step 1301, and at step 1302 the Member's client software sends data to the common Point authoring system 10 to check any permissions authorized to retrieve registered advertising objects with the corresponding Member ID information object to identify the selected livestock information object, the format of the livestock information object to be retrieved, and the advertising client software. The ad server determines in step 1303 whether there is a unique information object identifier in the ad association database 128 that matches the information object selected by the member. If not, processing exits at step 1315.

If the ad server 145 detects that the information object selected by the member matches a record in the ad association database 128, then at step 1304, software compatibility between the advertising client executing on the member's terminal device and the advertising client defined for the identified advertisement is checked, and if incompatibility is detected, at step 1312, the ad server 145 deletes the record of the ad association and notifies the advertiser of the record deletion at step 1313. At step 1314, the ad server 145 determines whether additional matches occurred, and if not, processing exits at step 1315. If other matches occur, processing returns to step 1304. If software compatibility is detected at step 1304, the advertisement server determines at step 1305-. If not, processing proceeds to step 1308, where the advertiser is identified and its reputation determined. If the advertiser is not in good standing or the advertisement has expired, processing proceeds to step 1312, as described above. Otherwise, processing proceeds to step 1309, where the identified advertisement data object is located in the advertisement database 126 and retrieved in step 1310 for presentation to the member in step 910. At step 1311, the ad server 145 updates the tracking/billing database 127 to record the fee due for using the ad. Processing then proceeds to step 1314, as described above.

Summary of the invention

The invention of the present common Point authoring system facilitates immutable authoring, unique identification, authentication, tracking, ownership and control, advertising, sale, and/or purchase of informational objects that are authored in and along the ownership segmented commodity supply, sales and consumption chain as part of the product creation or manufacturing, product distribution, and/or product consumption process.

Claims (23)

1. A common point authoring system for maintaining data used by authoring members and accessing members to track uniquely identified products, the common point authoring system comprising:

means for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data including a draft of an information object that uniquely identifies a product for tracking purposes;

means for verifying the draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member;

means for converting a draft of a validated information object created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable information object identified by a unique identifier;

means for writing the immutable information object to memory for use by authorized access members; and

means for updating an information object by creating a new information object, wherein the new information object is related to the information object and contains new data.

2. The common point authoring system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for enabling authorized access members to retrieve the selected information object.

3. A common point authoring system for maintaining data used by authoring members and accessing members to track uniquely identified products, the common point authoring system comprising:

apparatus for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data including a draft of an information object that uniquely identifies a product for tracking purposes, said apparatus comprising:

means for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising at least one draft of data elements;

means for verifying the draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member, comprising:

means for verifying the at least one draft of data elements created by the authorized authoring member;

means for converting a draft verified information object created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable information object identified by a unique identifier, comprising:

means for converting the verified at least one draft of data elements created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable at least one data element identified by a unique identifier; and

means for writing the immutable information object to memory for use by authorized access members, comprising:

means for writing the immutable at least one data element to memory.

4. The common Point authoring system of claim 3 wherein the means for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising at least one draft of data elements comprises:

means for maintaining a set of data defining an information object in read-only mode, the set of data comprising a plurality of the unique identifiers corresponding to a selected set of the plurality of data elements.

5. The common Point authoring system of claim 4 wherein the authorized authoring member creates an information object, the means for converting a draft of the authenticated information object created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable information object identified by a unique identifier further comprises:

means for associating the unique identifier distributed to the created information object with a plurality of the unique identifiers corresponding to the selected set of the plurality of data elements.

6. The common point authoring system of claim 1 further comprising:

means responsive to access to the information object by the authorized access member for providing to the authorized access member a data representation of an ancillary product or service related to the accessed information object.

7. The common point authoring system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for enabling authorized advertising members to create a draft advertisement data object;

means for verifying the draft advertisement data object created by the authorized advertising member; and

means for converting the verified draft advertisement data object created by the authorized advertising member into a corresponding immutable advertisement data object maintained in read-only mode.

8. The common point authoring system of claim 7 further comprising:

means responsive to said authorized access member's access to an information object for providing said authorized access member with access to one of said advertisement data objects associated with the accessed information object.

9. A method for maintaining data used by a authoring member and an access member to track uniquely identified products, the method comprising:

enabling an authorized authoring member to create data including a draft of an information object that uniquely identifies a product for tracking purposes;

verifying the draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member;

converting the verified draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable information object identified by a unique identifier;

writing the immutable information object to memory for use by an authorized access member; and

the information object is updated by creating a new information object, wherein the new information object is related to the information object and contains new data.

10. The method for maintaining data as in claim 9, further comprising:

enabling authorized access members to retrieve the selected information object.

11. A method for maintaining data used by a authoring member and an access member to track uniquely identified products, the method comprising:

enabling an authorized authoring member to create data including a draft of information objects that uniquely identifies a product for tracking purposes, comprising:

enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising at least one draft of data elements;

verifying the draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member, comprising:

verifying the at least one draft of data elements created by the authorized authoring member;

converting the verified draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable information object identified by a unique identifier, comprising:

converting the verified at least one draft of data elements created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable at least one data element identified by a unique identifier; and

writing the immutable information object to memory for use by authorized access members, comprising:

writing the immutable at least one data element to memory.

12. The method for maintaining data as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising a draft of information objects comprises:

maintaining a set of data defining an information object in a read-only mode, the set of data including a plurality of the unique identifiers corresponding to a selected set of the plurality of data elements.

13. The method for maintaining data as claimed in claim 12, wherein the authorized authoring member creates an information object, the step of converting a draft of the verified information object created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable information object identified by a unique identifier further comprising:

associating the unique identifier distributed to the created information object with a plurality of the unique identifiers corresponding to the selected set of the plurality of data elements.

14. The method for maintaining data as in claim 9, further comprising:

providing, to the authorized access member, a data representation of an auxiliary product or service related to the accessed information object in response to the authorized access member's access to the information object.

15. The method for maintaining data as in claim 9, further comprising:

enabling authorized advertising members to create a draft advertising data object;

verifying the draft advertisement data object created by the authorized advertising member; and

converting the verified draft advertisement data object created by the authorized advertising member into a corresponding immutable advertisement data object maintained in read-only mode.

16. The method for maintaining data as in claim 15, further comprising:

in response to access by the authorized access member to an information object, access is provided to the authorized access member to one of the advertisement data objects associated with the accessed information object.

17. A common point authoring system for maintaining data used by authoring members and accessing members to track uniquely identified products, the common point authoring system comprising:

authoring client server means for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising a draft of an information object;

information object database means for maintaining a set of data defining an information object in read-only mode, the set of data including a plurality of unique identifiers corresponding to the selected set of the plurality of data elements;

verifying means for verifying the draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member;

authoring server means for converting the draft of information objects created by the authorized authoring member into corresponding immutable information objects identified by unique identifiers;

database management means for writing said immutable information objects to said information object database means; and

an information object authoring client server means for updating an information object by creating a new information object, wherein the new information object is related to the information object and contains new data.

18. The common point authoring system of claim 17 further comprising:

member client server means for enabling authorized access members to retrieve the selected information object.

19. A common point authoring system for maintaining data used by authoring members and accessing members to track uniquely identified products, the common point authoring system comprising:

authoring client server apparatus for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising a draft of an information object, comprising:

a data element authoring client server means for enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising at least one draft of data elements;

information object database means for maintaining a set of data defining an information object in read-only mode, the set of data including a plurality of unique identifiers corresponding to a selected set of data elements;

verification means for verifying the draft of the information object created by the authorized authoring member, comprising:

data element verification means for verifying the at least one draft of data elements created by the authorized authoring member;

authoring server means for converting said draft of information objects created by said authorized authoring member into corresponding immutable information objects identified by unique identifiers, comprising:

data element authoring server means for converting the verified at least one draft of data elements created by the authorized authoring member into a corresponding immutable at least one data element identified by a unique identifier; and

database management means for writing said immutable information objects into information object database means, comprising:

data element writing means for writing said immutable at least one data element to memory.

20. The common point authoring system of claim 19 wherein the authorized authoring member creates an informational object, the authoring server apparatus further comprising:

mapping means for associating said unique identifier distributed to said created information object with a plurality of said unique identifiers corresponding to said selected set of said plurality of data elements.

21. The common point authoring system of claim 17 further comprising:

advertisement server means responsive to access by said authorized access member to an information object for providing to said authorized access member a data representation of an auxiliary data object for one or both of a product and a service associated with the accessed information object.

22. The common point authoring system of claim 21 further comprising:

advertising authoring means for enabling an authorized advertising member to create a draft advertising data object comprising one or more of said plurality of immutable data elements;

an advertisement verification means for verifying the advertisement data object draft created by the authorized advertising member; and

an advertisement storage means for converting the verified draft advertisement data object created by said authorized advertising member into a corresponding immutable advertisement data object maintained in read-only mode.

23. The common point authoring system of claim 22 further comprising:

advertisement access means responsive to access by said authorized access member to an information object for providing said authorized access member access to said advertisement data object associated with the accessed information object.