WO2000077691A9 - Systems for providing large arena searches - Google Patents

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention is understood as methods for administrating a search request distributed to a large arena of participants. The method can include the steps of providing a server for generating a page signal having information that is representative of a characteristic of an item to be identified by a participant in the search request (94). In another step, the method will allow each participant in the search to employ a client process operating on a client station to connect to the server through a computer network and to download the page signal from the server that provides the characteristic of the information of the item being identified. Each participant can submit an answer to an administrative body that is supervising the administration of the search, wherein the answer is representative of an item that has been identified by a respective participant as having the characteristics set forth in the page signal.

Description

SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING LARGE ARENA SEARCHES

Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to the field of electronic commerce, and more particularly to systems for distributing the search for information, goods, services, or other items over a large arena of participants.

Background ofthe Invention

The advent of the computer, and particularly computer databases and the personal computer, have enabled unprecedented ability to store, manipulate and process information, leading to what has been described as an information age.

The advent of the computer network and the client-server model of computing have permitted similarly unprecedented advances in communications among users. Through the Internet, World Wide Web, and other distributed computer networks, clients in remote locations can send and receive messages, files and other information, can access applications and data stored in files and libraries on servers located throughout the world, and can execute a virtually unlimited range of computing applications.

The Internet has also enabled a wide range of electronic commerce applications. One example is the sale of goods and services over the Internet. Goods and services are sold by vendors and consumers through on-line catalogs, on-line stores, and at on-line auction sites.

Another example of an electronic commerce application is the Internet search engine.

Internet search engines and other search engines for computer networks permit users to search for data that is stored on servers connected to the Internet. Search engines work in a variety of ways. One type of search engine has site operators enter key words, terms or categories that are searched by the search engines. Other search engines rank documents for retrieval, typically using inverted indices, calculating scores for searched documents based on the relative frequencies of appearance of search terms in the searched document and in the set of searched documents as a whole. Other search engines employ a large number of individuals who view user queries and assist users in finding Internet sites that are relevant to a query.

Current search engines and electronic commerce sites work reasonably well for well- defined searches and conventional transactions. Thus, for purchases of commodities such as books, records, CDs and the like, where quality is relatively consistent and the goods easily identified, vendors can use an on-line store, consumers can participate in on-line auctions, and the like with a reasonable likelihood of success.

Other types of information, goods and services are not handled as readily by current electronic commerce models. For example, goods, services, and information may be desired that are highly specific to the party seeking them, or that are known to or available only from a very small number of providers. In many cases, the goods, services, and information may not be stored or even listed on the Internet or any related server. In other cases, the information can be obtained through the Internet, but it is not well indexed, or the means of finding it is obscure. In fact, despite the power of the computers, databases and computer networks, the amount of information readily accessible through the Internet is dwarfed by the amount of information not accessible through the Internet, but readily accessible to some individual who is connected to the Internet.

Consider the example of a typical professional having a desktop computer connected to the Internet. That individual is likely to have access to a database of his or her own stored documents, as well as those of other individuals working for the same employer. The individual may have an electronic rolodex with contact information for various individuals. The individual may be aware of career or investment opportunities. The individual may be an expert in some subject matter area. The individual may have accumulated a collection of bookmarks of Internet sites, providing an easy path to certain information of interest. If another person wished to have access to any of these items, the easiest path by far would be through the individual; that is, none of this information, some of which might be quite valuable, is readily accessible through the Internet. By way of contrast, consider the typical amount of information the individual might make readily accessible the Internet. In many cases, the professional's employer might include some brief biographical information on an Internet site for the employer. The professional might or might not also post articles and the like written by the professional. However, a typical professional would not make much more than this minimal information available through the Internet. Accordingly, systems and methods are needed to provide access to information that is readily accessible to individuals connected to the Internet, but that is not readily accessible through the Internet.

An example of information that is not readily available on the Internet is information relevant to patentability or validity of an invention. Searching for publications relevant to the patentability or validity of an invention is a complex and time-consuming process. In most cases, the purpose of searching the prior art is to identify a reference that would affect the patentability of the proposed invention or would affect the validity of an issued patent. For either purpose, the outcome of the final analysis can turn of the existence of a single reference. In many cases the relevant reference may not be stored on a computer connected to the Internet, or to a computer at all.

There exist many other examples of information that is relevant to a particular individual or user, but that is not stored on a computer connected to the Internet (or is stored on a connected computer, but in a way that is not readily accessible or identifiable). Some efforts have been made to establish electronic commerce methods and systems for accessing that information. Thus, some search engine providers have hired subject matter experts to assist users with searches. Such providers offer users some access to information readily accessible to these subject matter experts. The problem with these systems and methods is that they are highly constrained by the number of available experts. Also, systems and methods exist for collecting and disseminating contact information for experts in particular subjects, so that users may search for an expert in their area of inquiry. The problem with such systems and methods is that desired information may be highly specialized, so that a subject-matter expert would not necessarily know the information. Taking the example of a patent search, an expert might know a great deal about biology, but might not know every publication in a particular area of biology, which would be necessary to ensure that the correct reference is identified. Pairing up a searcher with an expert only works if the expert can find an answer to the searcher's query. In many cases, queries are too specific to be answered by a subject-matter expert.

Examples of information that is difficult to access through the Internet are many. For example, today, patent searching for prior art typically involves a two-step process. In a first step, a searcher performs an electronic database search of databases that contain references relevant to the patentability or validity ofthe respective invention. In one common example, a searcher will perform a search in an electronic database containing issued U.S. patents, and published European, and international patents. The search is typically a key-word search that is designed to identify patent publications that are relevant to the patentability or validity of the respective invention. In the second step, a manual search of relevant references is performed to identify publications that are not readily obtainable through electronic data base searches. A common example of such manual searching is a hand search performed at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, wherein a trained searcher identifies categories of issued U.S. patents that are relevant to the patentability or validity of the respective invention and manually searches through every patent contained within these categories.

This process is time-consuming and demanding. Moreover, it is a difficult process to perform correctly when one is unfamiliar with the prior art. Accordingly, the ability to do a high quality manual search is often dependent upon the ability to identify a professional searcher that is familiar with the relevant prior art and has sufficient time to perform this exacting chore.

Additionally, the ability of a searcher to identify a relevant publication is further complicated by the fact that many relevant publications are published in a language foreign to the native language of the searcher. As such, these publications, although perhaps quite relevant to the patentability or validity of an invention, are outside of the scope of the vast majority of searches that can be performed. Consequently, as virtually any written publication, from anywhere in the world, can affect the patentability or validity of an invention, a searcher, in reality, can only review a fraction of the publications that are relevant to the patentability or validity of a particular invention.

Accordingly, it would advantageous to the field of intellectual property to have a method for searching for prior art that is more facile and comprehensive than the traditional methods of performing database searches and hand searches of the prior art. In fact, there are many other fields in which the present methods and systems may be relevant. Thus, more generally, systems and methods are needed to permit users to obtain specialized information that is not readily accessible through current search techniques.

Another area in which finding relevant information can be highly complex and time consuming is the area of scientific and technical research. On-line tools are currently available to researchers for finding information in databases and libraries that are already connected to the Internet. Some research libraries make their card catalogs available online. However, a researcher seeking a specific piece of information may find it impossible to obtain it through such research tools, which do not indicate the specific content of the information. Awareness of content of particular scientific and technical references may be lodged only in the minds of other researchers, librarians, and the like. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods by which researchers could have access to the insights, libraries, and databases of such other individuals.

Another area in which extensive and complex searching is required is in the collection and analysis of historical information. Historians, historical societies, history departments in colleges and universities, interested individuals, and others typically gather manuscripts, documents, artifacts, and other items. In some cases data related to the collections may be stored in databases and made available on-line. However, the amount of information available in written documents or online is dwarfed by the amount of information held in the minds of individuals. Many families and cultures have oral traditions, so that as older individuals pass away, the information is lost. Consider the example of a typical octagenarian. Such an individual would have been born in the early nineteen hundreds and would remember information about local and national events, characteristics of individuals in families and in local news, locations of now-destroyed buildings and structures, information about past fashion trends, and a host of other types of information. Some families make an effort to record some of this information, but it would be impossible to record all of the relevant information. Accordingly, systems and methods are needed to encourage the exchange of historical information.

Another area in which complex, time-consuming, and expensive research is conducted is the area of dispute resolution, including litigation, arbitration, mediation, and the like. In addition to legal research, participants in disputes typically require substantial factual research. In fact, many litigants hire private investigators in an effort to find particular facts that are particularly helpful to a case. However, private investigators are very expensive, and sources of factual information available through on-line sources are limited. As with other types of information, the amount of information stored in on-line sources such as LEXIS,

NEXIS, and on-line newspapers, libraries and the like is dwarfed by the amount of factual information held in the minds of individuals. Moreover, even if the information is available online, it may be impossible to find. Accordingly, systems and methods are needed to enable dispute participants to have access to factual information not available on the Internet, but known to individuals connected to the Internet.

Another area in which a need exists for highly specific factual information is in the area of business and personal decision-making. A wide variety of decisions, such as investment decisions, career decisions, hiring decisions, purchasing decisions, and the like, depend heavily on facts that are not readily accessible to the decision-maker. The absence of complete information creates uncertainty and is well understood to impair the efficient operation of markets. Individuals can search a variety of on-line sources for factual information relevant to their decisions, but much of the relevant factual information is not available on-line. For example, a human resources individual within a company may be required to make a hiring decision about a particular individual. The only available information may be information from the individual and certain specified references. Only minimal information, if any, is likely to be available through on-line sources. Thus, a human resources worker might wish to have systems and methods for finding out relevant information about a job candidate. Similarly, the job candidate might wish to have information about conditions of work at a particular company. Many examples exist of important decisions that require specific factual information that is not available on-line. Accordingly, systems and methods are needed to provide decision-makers with key factual information prior to making a decision.

Another area in which highly specific information is often needed is the area of health and development, whether of humans, animals or plants. Humans have highly individuals problems and needs. Those needs range from treatment of diseases and psychological conditions to needs for self-help. Internet sites currently exist to assist individuals in finding information about diseases, conditions, and the like. However, those sites are typically quite general and do not include the wealth of specific factual and technical information known to health care providers, psychologists, counselors, and other individuals. Thus, a need exists for methods and systems that connect individuals who need information or items relevant to health and development with individuals who have such information.

Another example of information that is needed by individuals but that is highly specific to the individual is information about projects. Home repair, auto repair, cooking, renovation and other projects often lead to highly factual, highly specific problems. Many general sources exist for information about such projects, some of which are available online. Also, newspapers, television and radio offer some question-and-answer formats for individuals who wish to have specific questions answered. However, these sources are either too general, or have very limited capacity. In fact, the solution to a particular problem may be known only to a few individuals. Accordingly, a need exists for systems and methods that permit users to find highly specific information relevant to such projects.

Another area in which highly specific information is sought is the area of travel. A travel information industry exists in which guide books and other publications are published containing information about travel options; however, particular individuals may have very specific needs or tastes that are not addressed in guide books. For example, a traveler with highly specific tastes might wish to know if a particular Caribbean island has a restaurant that serves venison. Another traveler might wish to know the fastest route to travel by car from Florence to Rome during commuting hours. Although answers to these types of specific questions are likely to be known by a subset of individuals in the general population, it may be difficult to identify the individuals, and the information is not likely to be contained in guidebooks or other online sources. Accordingly, systems and methods are needed to connect travelers to individuals who have specific information relevant to the travelers' desires and needs.

Another area in which specific factual information is quite valuable, but difficult to access, is in the area of purchasing information, including consumer information. Consumers making purchasing decisions need specific information about the products or services they wish to purchase. However, existing systems and methods for providing that information may be limited. Many sources of such information are proprietary to the vendor ofthe goods and services, and their reliability is therefore suspect. Online sites exist for rating products and services, but they are often limited in scope, and they may not contain highly specific information relevant to a particular individual's tastes or concerns. Thus, for example, an individual of unusual height might wish to have another individual of similar height offer a view as to whether a particular car has adequate headroom. Existing on-line sources might well not have the answer to the specific question. In some cases, the user might obtain the answer in a "chat" room, but there is no assurance that any particular chat room will be populated by an individual sharing the characteristics ofthe search requester. Thus, methods and systems are needed to support interaction between consumers seeking specific information about goods and services and individuals who have that information.

Another area in which extensive searching for highly individualized information is required is the area of professional advice, such as legal advice, tax advice, accounting advice, consulting advice and the like. Contact information for professionals is widely available online, as is some source material assisting users in answering inquiries in subject matter areas; however, advice typically must be tailored to a user's specific factual situation.

Currently users typically establish relationships with one or more service providers to obtain the information. However, many such service providers, while subject-matter experts, may have to do research, at the expense of the client, to answer a specific question, even if the question is in the professional's area of expertise. Moreover, many requests for advice are completely outside the area of expertise of the individual's regular service provider, or even that service provider's organization. Nevertheless, such information may be in the mind of some other service provider who has handled a similar matter in the past. Accordingly, methods and systems are needed for connecting individuals who need professional advice to service providers who have ready access to the specific advice needed by the individuals.

Summary Of The Invention It is an object of the invention to provide improved methods and apparatus for searching for information, goods, services and other items. In one embodiment, the subject invention provides a computer method for administering, over a wide area network, a reward- based service to allow a plurality of parties to post search requests, e.g., queries for information, to a large arena of participants. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for employing a wide area network to administer a search service to allow a plurality of users to post search requests to a large arena of participants, including: providing a server, in communication with a wide area network (such as the internet), for allowing each of a plurality of parties to post page signal(s) having information representative of a characteristic of an item, e.g., to post search requests, to be identified by a participant in response to the posted search request, and (in certain embodiments) assign rewards based on user- identified criteria; allowing a plurality of participants to employ a client process operating on a client station to connect to said server through the wide area network and to download said page signals from said server; for a posted search request, allowing each participant to submit an answer signal representative of an item identified by the respective participant as having the characteristic of an item identified in the posted search request; generating a database containing information representative of said answer signals for each of said posted search requests; providing a respective party with information representative of at least a portion of the generated database for answering the posted search request of the respective party; and reviewing the database for the posted search request and administering a reward process for providing a reward to at least one participant that identifies an item having the characteristic (e.g., meeting the reward criteria).

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for employing a wide area network to administer a search service to allow a plurality of users to post search requests to a large arena of participants, including: providing at least one database storing information representative of each of a plurality of search requests from the users, providing a server program, in communication with said at least one database and a wide area network, for generating a mark-up language page signals to generate search pages having information representative of a set of characteristics of one or more of the items to be identified by participants in the search, allowing participants in the search to employ a browser process to communicate with said server program through the network and to download said search page signals, allowing the participants to submit answers responding to said search requests, generating an answer data file containing information representative of each of said answers, and providing a reward to at least one participant that provides answers matching at least certain characteristics set forth in the set of characteristics. The subject method can include one or more features such as: providing a page signal having said characteristic presented in a plurality of languages; providing a page signal having a graphic signal; including providing a page signal having a video signal; providing a page signal having an audio signal; providing a page signal including link signals to information associated with said item; and/or providing a page signal with a database and a control for the database to allow a participant searcher to direct the downloading of the database.

In certain embodiments, the present system can provide a language-independent information representation scheme. Thus, it may be used to perform English queries on foreign text for retrieval (and vice versa) without the need for prior translation or interpretation.

The subject method may also generate a mark-up language page signal for an answer page, listing answers, if any, provided by the participants to a search request.

In certain embodiments, the subject method can include a step(s) of directing the server to provide, responsive to the submission of an answer signal from a searcher, a receipt signal representative ofthe registration of said answer signal within the database.

The subject method may also include a step(s) of providing an electronic check signal, e.g., in order to "pay" the reward to one or more searchers.

In certain embodiments, the method and system permit the generation of consortiums of users. For instance, several users can collectively (and simultaneously) provide a bounty and receive the information received in the search. In one embodiment, the consortium is established prior to the search. In other embodiments, the consortium is created during the search, e.g., increasing the bounty amount as each consortium member joins. Of course, it is specifically contemplated that the results of any search can be resold, e.g., in a secondary market, for would-be users desiring the same information. In an embodiment ofthe invention, a process may be provided whereby information submitted by a party may be archived by the host for future use. The host may store the information in a manner that permits retrieval, either tlirough conventional searching techniques, or upon receipt of a similar query or posting. The host may then, upon receipt of a query requesting the same or similar information, provide the information to the requesting party. In an embodiment, the host may share the consideration that it receives for supplying such information with one or more other parties, including previous parties who have paid rewards for that information, or previous parties who have submitted that information. Thus, the host may establish a secondary market for information that is supplied through the large arena search contests ofthe present disclosure.

Likewise, the system can permit the formation of consortiums of participant searcher (e.g., "hunting parties"). Such consortiums can involve a group of searchers who are willing to split any proceeds from one or more search requests. In certain embodiments, the system can provide for automatically splitting the bounty amongst the various members of the consortium, e.g., based on a predetermined rule for the proportions that each is to receive. The system can also (or alternatively) provide for memorializing an agreement between the members creating the consortium and, optionally, provide dispute resolution services. The method according to the present invention may include posting a page signal(s) having a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant searcher to particular queries, e.g., associated with given categories.

In certain embodiments, the user is prompted to designate the categories in which their query should be posted. In other embodiments, the system could analyze the query and/or keywords provided by the user, and suggest categories for the query. For example, the query can be compared against other queries in the query database, and such algorithms as cover-coefficient-based clustering (C3M), can be used to determine/suggest appropriate categorizing of the posted query. C3M is described, for example, by Can and Ozkarahan (1990) ACM Trans. On Database Systems. N:15, Νo:4, p.483-517. C3M is a novel but simple clustering method that uses a non-hierarchical partitioning algorithm and provides a means of estimating the number of clusters (and from that average size of clusters) as well as identifying cluster centroids and forming clusters around the centroids.

For instance, the system can use a categorization (or clustering) methodology for assigning (or recommending) categories for posting the query in. The methodology has three primary steps: identifying candidate categories, weighing candidate categories and displaying a set of recommended categories selected from the candidate categories. For instance, the categories may include: arts/entertainment; business; computers; credit rates, including credit card, mortgage, and other loan "channels"; crime prevention ; education; garden; government, such as federal, state, local; health; hobby; politics; regional information; science; shopping; sports; and travel.

Each query within the query database list can have associated subject, type, source and language characteristics. In certain embodiments, such characteristics are also determined for answers given to the various queries posted in each category. Common characteristics associated with the records are identified, and records having common characteristics are grouped into candidate categories. A list of candidate categories, being representative of possible search result categories, is compiled. Each candidate category is weighted as a function of the identified common characteristics of other queries and/or answers within that candidate category. One or more candidate categories are selected as a function of the identified common characteristics of the query with the records.

In such embodiments, the system can include, in addition to a search processor, a grouping processor for categorizing search requests. The grouping processor may include a record processor; a candidate generator; a weighing processor; and a display processor. Each of these elements can be a software module, or alternatively, each element could possibly be a hardware module or a combined hardware/software module. Responsive to a search instruction, the grouping processor determines appropriate categories for the search request.

The record processor identifies subject, type, source and language characteristics associated with categories, and the queries and answers posted therein. The candidate generator identifies common characteristics associated with the query relative to the categories and compiles a list of candidate categories. Each candidate category is representative of a possible search category. The weighting processor weights each candidate category as a function of the identified common characteristics between the query and each candidate category and queries and answers therein. The display processor selects a plurality of search categories corresponding to those candidate categories having the highest weight. The display processor provides a graphical representation ofthe search categories for display on the user's monitor.

In certain embodiments, the system allows each participant to register for an access signal representative of a password for accessing the server. In preferred embodiments, the participant searchers will register as being experts in one or more particular fields, and the system will automatically notify those experts registered in the field(s) in which the search request is posted. For example, the server program may (a) generate a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page to obtain information for contacting participants in the search, and (b) generate a database including information representative of said registered participants. The subject method may also include providing a notification system (such as email, instant messaging, ICQ or the like) for notifying a participant of an event representative of the start of a new search. For instance, the server program can send a notification signal to a registered participant when new search requests are entered in categories designated by the registered participant. In certain embodiments, the subject method includes providing a push mechanism for pushing a signal representative of at least one of said page signals to a set of predetermined sites on the wide area network.

The subject system may also include a site blocker wherein said site blocker selectively controls the availability of at least one of said page signals responsive to a signal provided by one ofthe participants.

The method may also include providing said access signal as a cookie signal, e.g., to identify the participant searcher or user, and past preferences of those visitors.

The method may be deployed such that it generates a receipt signal, e.g., a date and time stamp, that is representative ofthe registration of an answer in the answer data file. In certain embodiments, the method may be carried out such the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page to obtain information for contacting users, and (b) generates a data file including information representative of registered users. For example, the server program may send a notification signal to a registered user when answers are added to the answer data file for the registered user's search request.

In certain preferred embodiments, the server program further includes a search engine for users to search the answer data file.

In certain preferred embodiments, the server program compares answers received for a search request, and ranks the relevance ofthe answers to the search request. In certain preferred embodiments, the server program organizes search requests by categories, and said search pages include a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant to search requests in categories specified by the participant. In one embodiment of the invention, a process may be provided for allowing the host to keep one or more parties to a large arena search anonymous. In embodiments, the host may reveal the identity of a previously anonymous party upon the occurrence of one or more conditions. One such condition is the consent ofthe party. Another condition is a request by one party followed by a consent by the other party. For example, a party who has posted a request for goods, services, information or other items may wish to learn the identity of a party who has submitted or who proposes to submit a response. The host may transmit the request for the release of the identity to the other party and, with permission, release the identity of the submitting party. In embodiments, the host may, as a condition to release of the identity (or other information) of a party, require the party to agree to provide some consideration to the host, such as goods, services, information or other items, such as a brokerage fee for a transaction that is entered into by the parties following the release of the information.

Thus, in certain embodiments, the identity of the users is anonymous to the participants and/or the identity of the participants is anonymous to the users in the search. For example, the true identity (i.e., name, contact address, phone number and other identifying information) is not included in any page available to the public. Such information may be included in a database on the system and under the control of the system administrator. It is specifically contemplated by the present invention that, in such systems, there can be included a means for users to request and receive information providing the identity of a participant searcher. For example, the system can track (e.g., in a database) instances where users and participants are connected for, e.g., charging a finders fee for brokering the contact. For instance, a user can request the identity of a participant from the system and the system then activates a broker server process which contacts the participant and requests approval to release the information. In other embodiments, the participant has already agreed to release his or her identifying information at the discretion of the system administrator, in which case the user's request for the identity of a participant activates a broker server process which contacts the system administrator and requests approval to release the information. In still other embodiments, the system can be fully automated as, for example, where the participant has already agreed to release of identifying information to any requesting user, and the system administrator does not retain the discretion for providing that information.

Another aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for use in an incentive- based information retrieval system for a wide area network, comprising a request database having stored therein information representative of each of a plurality of search requests for information; an answer database having stored therein information representative of answers to said search requests that are received from participant searchers; a reward database having stored therein information representative of rewards made to participant searchers; and a server system for running thereon, one or more server programs in communication with said databases and a wide area network, which server program(s) (i) accepts search requests for information from a plurality of users on the wide area network,

(ii) adds said search requests to the request database,

(iii) generates mark-up language page signals for generating request page displays having information representative ofthe search requests, (iv) accepts answers, from the participant searchers, responding to one or more of said search requests,

(v) adds said answers to said answer database,

(vi) generates mark-up language page signals for generating answer page displays having information representative of accepted answers, and (vii) updates said reward database with information representative of a reward to one or more participant searchers that provide answers to said requests.

In certain embodiments, the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page display to obtain information for contacting users, and (b) generates a database including information representative of registered users. For instance, the server program can include means for sending a notification signal to a registered user when answers are added to the answer database for the registered user's search request.

In certain embodiments, the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page display to obtain information for contacting participant searchers, and (b) generates a database including information representative of said registered participant searchers. For instance, the server program can include means for sending a notification signal to a registered participant searcher when new search requests are entered in categories designated by the registered participant searcher. The server program may further include a search engine for users to search the answer database. In subject method and system, the server program organizes search requests by categories, and said request page displays include a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant searcher to search requests in categories specified by the participant searcher. In subject method and system, the server program compares answers received for a search request, and ranks the relevance ofthe answers to the search request.

In certain embodiments, the "query" may be for information about, for example: a locale, such as school systems, local government, municiple services and the like; prior art relevant to a patent, such as publications, brochures or other evidence of prior use or public sale; information relevant to trademark usage, such as prior usage; scientific and technical information; historical information; ancestry information; information about specialized or localized markets for goods or services; information about service providers; real estate information; career opportunity information; investment information; information relevant to litigation, including class action litigation; business or personal contact information; information pertinent to health, such as disease treatment, herbal remedies, medication, medical diagnoses, weight-loss, diet, fitness and other health matters; child care and development; individualized self-help; counseling; teaching; tutoring; psychological information; culinary information; law enforcement information; research information; consumer protection and advocacy information; information relating to antiques and other specialty goods and services; information about hotels, restaurants and other travel goods and services; information about pricing of goods and services in local areas; information about preferred travel routes; information about discounts and other product offerings; information about specialized home repair and construction problems; information about lost items or persons; biological and botanical information; information about biological materials; information about chemicals and chemical reactions; information about automotive repair; tax-related information; legal information and other professional advice; information about product quality; as well as any other type of specialized information the possession of which is limited to a particular individual or to a subset ofthe general population.

In one embodiment the methods and systems disclosed herein provide a generalized on-line platform for electronic commerce for obtaining specialized information, goods or services from other users. In general the system identifies a sought-after item, the system identifies a bounty for a participant who provides the information, goods or services and identifies the conditions for claiming the bounty. Participants in the methods and systems disclosed herein may visit a site of an administrator or host to view queries, e.g., search requests, submitted by requesters to determine whether a bounty is offered for particular goods, information, or services known to the participants. Participants can claim bounties by meeting the conditions established by the requesters or the system.

In certain embodiments, the answers are submitted electronically, e.g., by email or online forms. In other embodiments, such as when references and other evidence of prior art may be submitted, the submission is made by facsimile, postal services or other traditional means for sending paper correspondences. Of course, documents can also be submitted electronically by digital upload, e.g., digital scan of the document to create an image file. In cases where a document is being provided, the answer database may include bibliographic and other information (such as abstracts, keywords, etc) along with a digital image of the document or a pointer (filename, accession number, etc) for the document or the electronic copy thereof. Optical character recognition (OCR) can also be used to create text files, especially searchable text files, from scanned documents.

In certain embodiments, the participant is rewarded for providing an answer with regard to its accuracy, rewarded for providing an answer which meets a minimum degree of relevance to the query, rewarded for providing the best answer, rewarded for providing the answer within a set period of time or within the first X responses received, or a combination thereof. For instance, in one embodiment, the first 10 participants who respond with answers having at least a certain degree of relevance can be awarded incentive points.

In certain embodiments, illustrated herein for searches for prior art, an exemplary ranking system can work as follows. For each submission of prior art by a searcher, the system, system host and/or user rates the relevance of the submission as prior art meeting the criteria of the bounty posting. For instance, the rating system can be from 1-5. A "5" is rewarded for the reference which meets all of the criteria of the bounty posting, e.g., it is a

102(b) reference. The "4" rating is used for submissions which meet most, but not all the criteria of the bounty posting. The "3" ranking is for references which meet some, but not most of the criteria. The "2" ranking is for reference which are relevant but which do not meet any of the criteria. And the "1" ranking is for references which are not at all relevant to the bounty posting. The use of numbers and the scale is, of course, completely arbitrary. In certam embodiments, the ratings of references submitted by any individual searcher can be used to calculate the overall expert ranking for that searcher.

In an embodiment, the poster may be required to agree that it will not use a submission that it gives a rating of less than a particular amount (e.g., a rating that results in the host not paying the submitting party a reward). In the above example, with a rating of 2 or less, the bounty poster would agree not to rely on such a reference in court or in an opinion. To enforce such use rules, the host may use an honor system, or the host may limit access by the posting party to the submitted information. For example, the information may be delivered to the posting party through a secure web channel that will be closed if the poster does not comply with the rules, or the information may be delivered with copy protection or limited printing protection, using techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The rating of answers can be done by the system administrator, the bounty poster, a third party expert, or a combination thereof. Where the bounty poster and/or third party expert provide the ranking, the system administrator may provide independent auditing of the ratings. With regard to auditing, in certain embodiments the host may include one or more processes to encourage compliance with the rules ofthe host by the parties who post requests.

One such process is the rating system disclosed elsewhere herein. In an embodiment, the host may review the ratings that are applied by the posting party to one or more submissions, and, if the host disagrees with the ratings, may take one or more actions, including paying the reward to the submitting party, notwithstanding disagreement of the posting party, sanctioning the posting party, preventing the posting party from further submissions, or diminishing the rating of the posting party in a rating system. In an embodiment, the host may require the poster to pay a reward in order to have a posting removed from the host's site. For example, the host might require a posting party to agree to pay a bounty if a particular transaction is consummated (perhaps outside the control of the host). If so, removal of the posting would occur, for example, only if the host is notified of completion of the transaction and payment of the required fee. Otherwise, the posting would continue, resulting in the posting party continuing to receive (perhaps undesirable) additional responses to the posting.

Based on the ratings of the submitted references, the bounty can be awarded single searchers, or split amongst searchers, as the case may be. Merely to illustrate, awarding the bounty as part ofthe illustrated ranking system may be done as follows. The entire bounty is either (i) awarded to the searcher who first submits a reference with a 5 rating, or (ii) split between each searcher who submits a reference with a 5 rating. If no reference with a 5 rating is submitted, then all or a portion of the reward is split amongst searchers who submitted references with a 4 rating, or a 3 or 4 rating. In the instance ofthe latter, the proportion ofthe bounty going to each searcher can be weighted by the ranking (4 versus 3), the speed with which the submission was made after the bounty was posted, and/or the expert rankings ofthe searchers submitting reference. In certain preferred embodiments, the subject method only rewards a bounty for the first submission of a reference, e.g., no bounty is awarded to later submitted duplicates. This encourages the searchers to send in relevant submissions with some haste.

It will be evident that other variations on ranking and rules for awarding bounties can be applied to both prior art requests as well as any other information request made using the subject method.

Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein can extend the reach of computer network-based searches to information that is not connected to or readily available through the network, e.g., the personal experience of participants on the network. Moreover, by establishing a generalized electronic commerce marketplace for specialized information, goods or services, independent of predetermined subject-matter expertise, the systems and methods disclosed herein greatly enhance the likelihood of a search requester finding a relevant response to a particular query.

It should be understood that systems and methods described herein, while particularly advantageous for finding information, goods and services that are not readily accessible through conventional search engines or through conventional electronic commerce sites, may also be used to find and obtain conventional goods and services as well.

The systems and methods of the invention draw on the distributed knowledge of the general population, and experts and other individuals within that population, to find specified information. Merely to illustrate, the information which is sought may include references or prior uses that are relevant to the patentability or validity of an invention. To that end, systems and methods are provided that, inter alia, post HTML pages on a web site, to allow the general population to view detailed information about information, goods, services, or other items, that, if available, would satisfy an inquiry of a user. In an embodiment, the information is information relevant to the patentability or validity of an invention. In one aspect, the invention is understood as methods for administrating a search request distributed to a large arena of participants. The method can include the steps of providing a server for generating a page signal having information that is representative of a query, e.g., characteristic of an item to be identified by a participant in the search request. In another aspect, the invention may optionally include methods for establishing a prize, award, or other bounty associated with a responses to the search request. In another aspect, the invention may optionally include a step of establishing conditions for obtaining the bounty, award, or prize, and displaying such criteria in association with the displaying of said query. In another step, the method may allow each participant to employ a client process operating on a client station to connect to the server through a computer network and to download the page signal from the server that provides the characteristic of the information of the item being identified. Each participant can submit an answer to an administrative body or host that is supervising the administration of the search, wherein the answer is representative of an item that has been identified by a respective participant as having the characteristics set forth in the page signal. Optionally, the system may provide a mechanism for the participant in the search to provide access to a file, message, library, database, or other source of information to the search requester, which may be on-line access or other access.

The subject method further includes generating one or more page signals for generating an answer page(s) having information representative of answers provided to a specific query. In certam embodiments, the method ranks the answers by relevance as responses to the question, and answer page indicates that relevance. In certain embodiments, an answer page(s) for posted query is displayed only for the user who posted the corresponding query. In other embodiments, the answer page(s) are available/displayed to all users and participants. The administrative body or host can generate a database that contains information which is representative of each of the answer signals submitted by each participant in the search. Optionally, the participants can be provided access to a search engine that will search a database containing descriptive references of each of the answers previously submitted by the participants in a particular contest. The search engine can provide a statement as to whether an item that a participant has identified has been earlier provided by another participant in the search. As the winners of the search can optionally be determined to be the first participant to identify the item being sought, a participant that subsequently identifies the same item can be made to understand that he or she cannot win the search by submitting the previously identified item, and, in order to win, must identify another item that includes the same characteristics. In alternative embodiments, the winner may be identified as the participant who identifies the "best" answer to a query, either as determined by the requesting party, by the administrative body, by objective or subjective standards, or at random. For example, the administrative body can review each of the submissions offered by the individual participants, and from the review, determine the winning participant, optionally rewarding the winning participant with a prize, such as a cash reward.

In another embodiment, the system ranks the relevance of the responses, e.g., by means of some logical method, such as Boolean logic, fuzzy logic, neural network theory, or any other predictive system. For instance, the system can provide a "score" that can subsequently be used to rank candidate answers in, e.g., order of decreasing quality. Simply put, relevance ranking arranges a set of answer records so that those most likely to be relevant to the query are shown to first. For example, the relevance rank of an answer can be determined by one or more such factors as (i) statistical relativity to query terms, (ii) similarity to other answers provided by other users, and (iii) the expert ranking ofthe user who posted the answer.

For instance, the subject ranking system can rank answers for retrieval, using such techniques as inverted indices, calculating scores for answers based on the relative frequencies of appearance of search terms in the answers and in the set of answers as a whole. Such ranking algorithms are well known and are the basis of so-called natural language search engines.

Natural language search engine algorithms can adapted for the present system to rank answers (or parts of answers) according to their relevance, e.g., based on the appearance of certain terms or key words (such as those identified in a query) in the answers. For each answer, a score is obtained, and the answers are then ranked according to the score. In certain embodiments, the score for a particular answer can be determined by the sum of two components, which are the frequency of the identified terms in the answer (relative to the total number of terms in the answer) and the inverse frequency of the term in the set of answers as a whole. The first factor provides an indication of the importance of the term to the particular ranked answer, and the second factor provides an indication as to the importance ofthe term in the answer set as a whole. For example, a very frequent word, such as "a" or "the" would have a very low inverse answer frequency, so that its contribution to the sum ofthe two factors would be negligible. Meanwhile, a rare word appearing many times in a answer would result in both a high inverse answer frequency and a high term frequency, causing the answer to have a high overall score. Various techniques exist for increasing weights for particular terms and for normalizing scores based on answer lengths and the like. Such techniques are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

To further illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the system may employ a relevance-ranking system whereby each word in every answer of a collection is first assigned a weight indicating the importance of the word in comparing one answer with other answers in the collection or the query. The weight of the word may be a function of several answers: (1) a local frequency statistic (e.g., how many times the word occurs in the answer); (2) a global frequency statistic (e.g., how many times the word occurs in the entire collection of answers); (3) the DF measure (how many answers in the collection contain the word); and (4) a length normalization statistic (e.g., how many total words are in the answer). In certain embodiments, user can have the ability to specify algorithms and their parameters to compute the combined ranking of a document, e.g., to utilize the hierarchical classifications to improve the precision of answer sets, or to rank the results of an answer set. For instance, the system may employ relevance feedback, e.g., whereby the user specifies which of the answers are most helpful/accurate/relevance. Relevance feedback, which can be used to modify rankings using judgements of the relevance of a few, highly- ranked answers, can be an important method for increasing the performance of the subject information retrieval system. Preferred relevance feedback methods improve performance for a particular query by modifying the answer rankings, based on the user's reaction to the initial retrieved answers. Specifically, the user's judgements of the relevance or non- relevance of some of the answers retrieved are used to reweight and rank the entire answer list.

To illustrate, the search requester can be asked to rank the relevance of the answers s/he receive to their query. The ranking ofthe existing answers, reviewed or unreviewed, as well as the relevance of new answers added to the database, can be adjusted based on the relevance assigned to the viewed answers. In certain preferred embodiments, the requester must, after viewing an answer, click on a relevance scale in order to return to the page listing all ofthe answers to his/her query. The subject system may also rank answers in a manner which includes weighting the ranking of any particular answer in a manner dependent upon the "expert rating" of the participant searcher who submitted the answer. Based on past performance and/or other experience parameters, participant searchers can be assigned expert ratings. For instance, upon first registering on the site, participant searchers can be given a test(s), e.g., in the area for which they wish to register as an expert, and their score on the test providing the basis for an initial rating. In preferred embodiment, the expert rating of a participant searcher will go up or down as the relevance of the answers provided by that searcher are rated by requesters on the system.

In an optional practice, the server that provides a page signal having information representative of a characteristic of a response to be identified can provide a plurality of such page signals wherein each ofthe page signals provides a description in an alternate language, thereby allowing the contest to be played by an arena of participants that speak multiple languages. Optionally, the page signal can present the characteristics of the item being identified by employing text information, graphic information, video information, audio information, or any other information that is suitable for conveying information to an search participant.

Additionally, the page signals provided by the server can include information that is representative of clues for helping a participant more readily identify an item that includes the listed characteristics. For example, in a practice where the page signal is a hypertext markup language document, the page signal can include hypertext lengths to other sites on a network having information that is relevant to the participants search that is sought after item. Additionally, the page signal can include a control that allows the user to download a data file that has information that can be used by the participant as a clue during the participants search for the sought after item.

Optionally, the practices according to the invention can include the steps of directing the server to provide, responsive to the submission of an answer by a participant, a receipt signal that is representative of the registration of the answer signal within a database. The receipt signal can include a time stamp that provides the participant with a time entry for their submission. Accordingly, in a case of a race between two participants submitting the same item, that participant that made the earlier submission, as shown by the receipt, can claim earlier submission.

In one practice ofthe invention, prizes are awarded as cash rewards which, optionally, can be transmitted to the winning participant by an electronic check transfer. However, any suitable means for transmitting a prize to a participant can be employed by the present invention without departing from the scope thereof.

In an optional practice, the methods of the invention can include the step of providing a page signal that has a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant to a page having information representative of a characteristic of an item associated with the category. In this way, the server can provide multiple searches, allowing a participant to choose one or more searches to enter. If a participant likes a particular category, then in an optional practice the methods ofthe invention can provide notification to a participant that has requested to be notified in the event that a new search contest has been entered under a particular category. Therefore, a chemist could be notified each time a new search has begun to identify a chemistry reference, or a real estate agent could be notified each time a search has begun for real estate within a predetermined distance from the agent's office.

In an optional practice, the server can be provided with a site blocker mechanism that allows the server to selectively control the availability of the page signal responsive to a signal provided by the participant. For example, the server can employ cookies to identify the computer network from which a participant is accessing the server. In this way, the server can selectively block those participants that are not allowed to play in a particular search. For example, the server can choose to block computer networks that are associated with professional organizations. In this way, the search can be marginally limited to amateur participants. Similarly, the server could block networks for specifically identified organizations, such as the current organization of an individual participating in a job hunt.

In another aspect, the invention is to be understood as a development kit that allows the user to generate a mark up language page signal which is suitable for being employed by the server as a page signal that represents a new search contest to a large arena of participants.

The development kit can be a computer program that the user can use to develop a WEB page that describes an item the user wishes to identify, and which can be readily uploaded to the search server. In one embodiment, the development kit comprises a page generation mechanism that provides a page signal form to the user. The kit can further include a control for allowing the user to include within the page signal form a text signal which is representative of a set of characteristics of the item to be identified by the participants in the search contest, and a control for allowing the user to include within the page signal form a set of predetermined page links for linking one or more of a set of known pages which are controlled by the search server. Optionally, the development kit can include an automatic control for allowing a time of posting date field to be included within the page signal form, wherein the time of posting field contains a signal that is representative of the time of uploading event by the user to the search server. The server can store his time of posting signal to control how long the page signal will be presented to participants for being timed-out and removed from the server. Additionally, the development kit can include a site blocking control for allowing the user to identify at least one computer network site and for generating an instruction to a server for directing the server to prevent download of the respective markup language page to that at least one identified network. This allows the user to restrict the computer networks, and therefore some of the participants that can see that a search contest has begun for a particular item. Similarly, the development kit may include a push site control mechanism for allowing the user to specify at least one computer site to which the respective markup language can be pushed. In this way, the user can selectively target those participants that have specifically requested to be alerted each time a search contest begins in one or more categories.

Optionally, an individual establishing a search request may establish conditions for satisfying the request. For example, the user might agree to provide a bounty to the first provider of a relevant reference in a patent situation. The user might optionally provide a bounty to the best identified reference, as judged by the user. The user may guarantee to provide a bounty to some participant, or may agree to provide a bounty only if preconditions are met. The host may optionally administer the decision as to whether the conditions are met. The requester may set time limits on the desired responses.

The requester may optionally establish a bounty for meeting the search conditions. As used herein, except as context dictates otherwise, the terms "bounty", "reward", "award" and "prize" should be understood as encompassing any consideration of any kind whatsoever that a requester might offer in exchange for finding specialized information. Thus, these terms may, in embodiments, include cash awards, discounts, coupons, incentive programs, loyalty points, goods, services, incentive points, frequent flyer mileage, long distance telephone credit, reduced credit card interest rates and the like. The amount of a bounty may vary widely, depending on the value of the information, goods, services, or other items sought. In systems and methods disclosed herein, the bounty may be predetermined by the requester, or it may be negotiated later by the parties.

The invention may optionally include steps of establishing a network of participants who participate in attempts to answer search requests. The participants may be individuals who have specialized knowledge. Optionally, the host may keep track of participants who respond to search request and contact them when new search requests, or search requests of particular types, are entered into the system. Thus, the invention, by encouraging participants to answer queries, may help establish a worldwide network of participants who have specialized knowledge relevant to searchers. Thus, the invention may be viewed, in one aspect, as a method of electronic commerce for establishing a generalized market for specialized information, goods, services and other items that are not readily accessible through the Internet using conventional search engines or experts. It may be recognized that the generalized market may have enhanced value if a wide range of different search requests are supported in an organized fashion. The likelihood of a successful exchange of information is increased by the establishment of a large flow of participants who are aware that visiting the host site offers the opportunity to collect bounties in exchange for revealing goods, services, information or other items readily accessible by the search participants. Specifically, the presence of a large number of search participants in the systems and methods on a regular basis increases the likelihood that an item will be provided, and a bounty collected, for a particular search request. Thus, an optional aspect of the systems and methods disclosed herein is the establishment of search categories that make it convenient for participants to identify search requests to which they may have responses. Optionally, some consideration may be awarded to participants for visiting the site on a regular basis, thus establishing a high likelihood of successful exchanges.

Optionally, the systems and methods disclosed herein may further include establishing a database of requests and responses to requests that are made in accordance with the methods and systems disclosed herein. Thus, data may be collected about a wide range of topics and stored in a database to assist in on-line searching of the data. Data about search requests can be stored and accessed as a way of identifying desires, needs and tastes of requesters. Thus, advertising for products and services can be targeted to the population of requesters as a whole, or to particular subsets of requesters, according to those desires, needs and tastes. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking scientific and technical information, such as biological or botanical information about particular species, information about biological materials, information about elements, molecules, chemicals and chemical reactions, information about mechanical, electrical, computer and other engineering fields, and any other scientific or technical information. For example, a researcher needing to find a reaction mechanism for a particular chemical reaction in a chain of chemical reactions could describe the sought-after mechanism in a search request and offer a bounty to the first other individual who offers a successful mechanism. Search participants who happen to be experts in chemistry may be aware of the reaction mechanism and may provide the information and collect the bounty. Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein establish a convenient, centralized location where requests of this type can be entered and answered, thus establishing a marketplace for the expertise of scientific and technical experts, as well as a forum for exchange of academic ideas. Of course, the bounty in such situations might or might not be a cash bounty. Thus, a researcher could offer as a bounty a credit in an academic paper, or other non-cash consideration.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking historical information. In accordance with the systems and methods disclosed herein, a historian or other interested individual may establish a query for a particular type of information, establish conditions for satisfying the query, and establish a bounty for a participant who meets the conditions. For example, an individual seeking ancestry information could provide a bounty to the first individual who identifies a source of data indicating the great-great-grandfather in a particular family tree. Thus, the researcher could participate in a marketplace in which difficult-to-find information is exchanged. Similarly, participants who have access to such historical information could be rewarded for retaining it and sharing it. As another example, an historian could offer a bounty to the participant who offers the most detailed account of a particular historical event remembered by the participant. Again, the systems and methods reward the participants for retaining historical information, while providing searchers with a mechanism for accessing information that is not readily accessible through conventional databases. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking information relevant to disputes, such as arbitration, mediation, litigation and the like. Thus, a lawyer, legal assistant, or other dispute participant may establish a search request using a page signal such as that described herein to identify an item or items of factual information that would, if available, strengthen a legal or persuasive position. The requester could establish a bounty for the first individual who provides such information, or the individual who provides the best example of such information. The information could be any of a range of items, such as a relevant reference in a patent dispute, identification of an eye-witness in a criminal or tort dispute, identification of an expert, witness, or other individual having certain credentials or characteristics, and others. Another example of a search request relevant to litigation might be a search for other potential participants in a class-action litigation. Thus, the requester could enter the conditions for membership in the class into a search request and provide a bounty for each identification of a class member by a search participant. Participants would be rewarded upon identification of class members. As with other systems and methods disclosed herein, a marketplace is thus established where participants are rewarded for providing relevant information, and requesters find valuable information.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking factual information relevant to making decisions. Thus, a requester can identify, in a search request in accordance with the methods and systems disclosed herein, a factual item or class of items that would influence the decision. The requester can establish a bounty for specific factual items. The requester can also establish conditions for obtaining the bounty. Thus, a participant can claim a bounty by providing the relevant facts. Examples of search requests for information include requests for information about a particular business or product to support an investment or purchasing decision, requests for information about job candidates who are seeking a particular position, requests for information about job or career opportunities, whether specific requests for specific information about a particular job or requests for leads for finding a job of a particular type, requests for contact information for particular individuals, requests for information about particular real estate properties, such as whether there are any known environmental problems, whether the local schools are of high quality, and the like, requests for information about trends, such as weather trends relevant to commodity crop development, pricing trends in particular industries, resource availability trends relevant to commodity prices, and the like, as well as requests for any other fact believed to be relevant to a decision.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking information pertinent to health and development. For example, a search requester could provide a request for information about a particular health condition, with a bounty offered to the first respondent. The search participants could collect the bounty by responding first with a satisfactory description of the health condition. Many examples exist of information relevant to health that may be sought and found according the methods and systems disclosed herein. For example, a requester could seek information for diagnosis of a particular disease or condition described in a search request, information about child development stages, information about psychological conditions, information about personality types, information about child health conditions, information about pet care, information about disease treatment, information about medication, including effects and side-effects, information about weight-loss, diet and fitness programs, information about self- help, counseling, teaching, and tutoring, as well as other health and development matters. The systems and methods disclosed herein may thus establish a marketplace for health- and development-related matters where individuals seeking specific information may find participants who have that information and obtain the information in exchange for a bounty. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking goods, services, or information relevant to a project. For example, a search requester could enter a description of a project or problem, or a related question, in a search request page signal in accordance with the present invention. The search requester could establish a bounty and conditions for satisfying the request. A participant could provide the sought-after item and collect the bounty by satisfying the conditions. Examples of items sought by a search requester and provided by a search participant may include a wide variety of items, such as information about how to complete specialized home repair and construction problems, information about automotive repair products and techniques of automotive repair, information about recipes, cooking projects, and other culinary information, information about goods and services suitable for solving a problem or completing a project, information about electrical wiring, appliances, and other home items, information about products and services appropriate for renovation projects, and the like. Thus, a marketplace may be established where individuals wishing to perform highly specific projects may find individuals who have expertise in providing goods, services, information and other items relevant to those projects. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking law enforcement information. Thus, a search requester, such as a police investigator, crime victim, district attorney, U.S. attorney, or the like, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature of the information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, a homicide investigator might post a request seeking identification of any eyewitness to a particular shooting. Also, an investigator could offer a bounty for any individual providing information leading to the arrest of a particular individual. A wide variety of information types can be sought, such as information about eye-witnesses, information about specific facts relevant to an investigation, information about the location of an individual, information about facts relevant to a legal case, information about relationships of particular individuals, and the like. As with other methods and systems disclosed herein, the general public is offered a convenient general location for identifying search requests to which they may have answers and through which they may collect bounties. Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein increase the likelihood that a law enforcement official will be able to contact a relevant individual having a particular item of information.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking information relevant to purchasers, including consumers. Thus, a search requester, such as a consumer, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature of the information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, the search requester may wish to know local prices throughout the country for a particular good or service, so that the requester can identify the cheapest spot market for the item. The requester can post a modest bounty for each respondent as a method of establishing a nationwide "map" of prices for the item. Participants can collect the bounty by finding out the local price, thus distributing the effort to find the information and rewarding those who engage in the effort. In many cases, participants may already know the information, such as where the participant is a provider of the good for which pricing is sought. A wide range of information about purchasing may be sought through the systems and methods disclosed herein, such as information about the reliability of a particular product, service, or vendor, information about discounts, incentive programs, coupons and other product offerings, product safety and consumer protection information, consumer advocacy information, information about product quality, information about specialized or localized markets for goods or services, information about pricing of goods and services in local areas, information relating to finding antiques, coins, cards, collectibles, and other specialty goods and services, and a wide range of other purchasing information. Thus, a marketplace may be established in which requesters can seek highly specific information from members of the general public about information relevant to a purchasing decision. As with other embodiments, the likelihood of a successful exchange of information is increased by the establishment of a large flow of participants who are aware that visiting the host site offers the opportunity to collect bounties in exchange for revealing goods, services, information or other items readily accessible by the search participants.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking travel information. Thus, a search requester, such as a potential traveler or travel agent, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature of the information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, a travel agent might wish to find recommendations as to the best steak house in a small town along a particular travel route.

The agent could post a request with a modest bounty for each response provided by a participant. A participant from or familiar with the small town could provide a recommendations (or a warning). Many types of travel-related information could be sought and provided, such as, for example, information about hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, inns and other accommodations, information about food, restaurants, menus and other dining information, information about airline schedules and quality, information about pricing of travel-related goods and services, information about travel packages having specific characteristics, information about preferred travel routes, and the like.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking professional advice. Thus, a search requester, such as a potential participant in a business deal, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature ofthe information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, a the potential participant in a business deal might describe the proposed transaction and provide a bounty to the first professional who provides an analysis ofthe accounting and tax consequences of the proposed transaction for the specific entities involved. The request might include actual facts, or a hypothetical set of circumstances. A wide range of advice types might be requested, including legal advice, accounting advice, tax advice, consulting advice, marketing advice, and the like. Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein establish a general marketplace for specific advice that is not readily accessible through current sources, but that is readily accessible to some individual connected to the Internet. By encouraging the general public to visit the site, the likelihood of connecting an individual with need for advice to a professional who already knows the answer to the individual's question is dramatically increased. In another embodiment, the systems and method are provided for assissting search requesters who are seeking information on a musical artist, album or song recording. In certain instances, the search requester can record a portion of a song, or themselves singing, humming or playing an instrument, and save the audio file as part of their search request. For example, the audio sample can be saved as structured data (such as MIDI file) or unstructured data (such as a .WAV file -a standard Windows sound file format). Search requests may be for, to illustrate, the name of the song, the name of the artist who performed the song, the album on which the song is recorded, etc. Participants can listen to the audio file and respond to the query.

In general the subject system can review answers for product names, and hypertext link those names in the answer to online catalog entries which further describe the product and/or advertise the product to the user. For instance, in the embodiment of the system for wherein answers to music-related questions are sought, the system can analyze the answers for references to song or album titles, or artist names, and create a link (e.g., a hypertext link) to a music catalog. For example, when the system recognizes a song title in the answer, it can create a hypertext link in the answer such that a viewer of the answer, upon clicking on the linked song title, will be shown one or more pages from a music catalog (e.g., of a music seller such as CDNow.com or Amazon.com) in order to listen to and/or purchase the song.

Moreover, based on the query and corresponding answers being viewed, an advertisement engine can be programmed to deliver advertisements to the viewer which are relevant to the subject matter ofthe query and/or answer.

In certam embodiments, the subject method can include analysis by an expert of at least a portion of the answers to even given query. For instance, if a query goes unanswered for at least a predetermined period of time, or does not receive an answer meeting a minimum threshold of relevance with in the time period, the query is reviewed by an expert and, if possible, an answer to the query is added to the database by the expert.

Other objects, embodiments and features ofthe invention and the manner of obtaining them will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanied drawings. Brief Description Of Drawings

The systems and methods of the invention will be described with reference to certain figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements.

Fig. 1 illustrates a computer network system according to the invention for providing a large arena searching and electronic commerce;

Fig. 2 depicts a flow chart diagram of one process according to the invention;

Fig. 3 depicts a flow chart of a process for participating in a distributed search;

Fig. 4 depicts a screen shot of a website which may be provided by the server of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 depicts a search page ofthe type provided by the server depicted in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 depicts a flow chart diagram of an optional process according to the invention. Fig. 7 depicts an exemplary server architecture for certain embodiments ofthe subject systems.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments

The invention will now be explained with reference to certain illustrative embodiments, which are exemplary and not to be understood as limiting, or an exhaustive representation ofthe invention. Fig. 1 depicts an exemplary system 10 that comprises a computer network system for providing large arena searching. System 10 includes a search server 12, a plurality of client stations 14A, 14B, and 14C, a wide area network connection (WAN) 16, a plurality of local area network area clients 18A and 18B and a local area network (LAN) 20.

The depicted search server 12 is a search and advertisement engine that generates and serves search pages to the participants of the large arena search. By way of example, the computer platform of the search server 12 can be an MIPS R10000, based mullet-processor Silicon-Graphic Challenge server, running IRIX 6.2.

The search server 12 can connect to a database served from, for example, a series of local 7200 RPM Seagate hard drives. The search server 12 can connect to a wide area network, such as the Internet, e.g., via a shared 10 megabit ethernet connection to a router. Preferably the router is selected for its proximity to a major internet node, such as the MAE- EAST internet node. Fig. 1 depicts this ethernet connection as the WAN connector 16.

Each participant of the search can operate a client station, such as the depicted client stations 14 A, 14B and 14C. Each of the client stations can be a conventional personal computer system, such as a PC compatible computer system that is equipped with a client process that can operate as a browser, such as the Netscape browser program that allows the client station to download computer files, such as web pages, from the search server 12.

Fig. 1 further depicts that the search server 12 can connect via a local area network (LAN) 20 to a plurality of client elements, such as client stations 18A and 18B. Again, each of the depicted client stations 18A and 18B can be conventional computer stations, such as PC compatible computer systems that are equipped with a process for receiving computer files from the search server 12. Accordingly, the systems ofthe invention allow for providing a large arena search over a network. Optionally, one aspect of the systems may be establishment of a gaming complex, such as a casino, or bingo parlor, assembled from commercially available and inexpensive computer equipment that is suitable for providing a computer network.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the search server 12 and client stations 14A-14C and 18A-18C can comprise conventional commercially available computer hardware that becomes configured according to the systems ofthe invention by the operation of computer software that configures the conventional computer hardware to operate as systems according to the invention.

Fig. 2 depicts diagrammatically one embodiment of a software system suitable for configuring the computer hardware depicted in Fig. 1 to operate as a system according to the invention. In particular, Fig. 2 depicts a software system 30 that includes a client process 32, an HTTP server listener process 34, an HTTP server process 36, a server temporal process 38, a daemon 40, a log file 42, a data file 44, a database 48, and an HTML page 50.

The client process 32 can be a computer program operating on the client stations such as those depicted in Fig. 1, that are capable of downloading and responding to computer files served by the server 12. In particular, the client process 32 can be a browser program that is capable of foπriing one or more connections to an HTTP server process for transferring pages from the HTTP server process to the client process 32. Such a browser process can be the Netscape Navigator browser process, the Microsoft Explorer browser process, or any other conventional or proprietary browser process capable of downloading pages generated by the server 12.

Fig. 2 further depicts that the client process 32 forms one or more connections to the HTTP server listener process 34. The HTTP server process can be any suitable server process including the Apache server. Suitable servers are known in the art and are described in Jamsa, Internet Programming, Ja sa Press (1995), the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference. In one embodiment, the HTTP server process serves HTML pages representative of search requests to client processes making requests for such pages. An HTTP server listener process 34 can be an executing computer program operating on the server 12 which monitors a port, typically a well-known port 80, and listens for client requests to transfer a resource file, such as a hypertext document, an image, audio, animation, or video file from the server's host to the client process host. In one embodiment, the client process employs the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) wherein the client process 32 transmits a file request that specifies a file name, an internet location (host address), and a method, such as the HTTP, or any other proprietary or standard protocol suitable to retrieve the requested file. The HTTP server listener process detects the client request and passes the request to the executing HTTP server processors, such as the HTTP server process 36. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, that although Fig. 2 depicts one HTTP server process, a plurality of HTTP server process can be executing on the server 12 simultaneously. The HTTP server processors can pass the file request typically round-robin style until an HTTP server process is identified that is available to service the client's request.

In an optional embodiment, the HTTP server process that is available to service the request can cause a server temporal process, such as the server temporal process 38, to be forked off. The server temporal process 38 receives the client's request and processes it to generate, or provide, a page signal to be served to the client. In one embodiment, the server temporal process 38 is a non-parsed header CGI script that produces an HTML page that is passed to the client process 32. The client process 32 will decode the page signal and display to the participant. Continuing with the example described above, the HTML page served by the server temporal process 38 to the client process 32 will be processed by the client process 32, the browser program, to generate a graphical image of the search request page being requested by the participant. One such page is depicted in Fig. 5, and will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. The participant can view and study the search request page. To the extent that the participant can identify information that is responsive to a search request listed on the search request page, the participant can activate a control, such as a button, on the search request page to submit, typically by typing into a form provided by a JavaScript, an applet or other technique, identifying information with respect to the answer to the query, such as, for example, the title of a publication, name of a product or other identifying characteristic of the identified response to a search request.

The server temporal process 38 can create a log file 42 in which the server temporal process 38 stores a signal that identifies the participant that has submitted information in response to a search request and the identification information provided by the participant. The log file 42, or a database, can be generated by a CGI Script or any other suitable technique, including any of the techniques described in Graham, HTML Sourcebook, Wiley Computer Publishing (1997) the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference. In one practice, the server temporal process 38 directs the storage of this information within the log file 42. Accordingly, the log file 42 can act as a database that stores information relevant to responses, such as titles of references, names of products or other identifying information identified by the participants.

Optionally, the server 12 can allow a participant to search the log file to determine if information identified by the participant has been earlier located by another participant. In this embodiment, the server can provide the participant with a text field on a page, into which the participant can enter information, such as the aforementioned identifying information, for example, in the patent context, the publication title, product name, patent number, or other identifying information of the reference that the participant has located. The server can fork off another temporal process such as temporal process 38, to direct a search program to search through the file 42 to match the string entered by the participant. If the string is located, then the temporal process 38 can generate a page signal indicating that the information responsive to the search request has been earlier found and will not be credited to the later participant. Alternatively, if the string is not found, then the process 38 can generate a page indicating that the information is newly found, and the participant can be credited for it. Optionally, the file 42 can be preloaded with a list of information already known as relevant to the subject matter of the search. For example, every reference cited during patent prosecution can be stored in the file 42 in the case of a patent search, to thereby let participants know that these references have already been identified.

In one embodiment, after a search request has remained in the system for a set period of time, or by user action, the search can be deemed terminated. Optionally, the server temporal process can generate an award file 44, that indicates an award being granted for the submission of a qualifying response to a query, such as a reference deemed to invalidate a claimed invention. The award file can include the name of the participant that submitted the response, the identifying information about the query and the response to the query, and the time of the submission. Further optionally, the server can monitor a time-of-post field carried by the search request signal that indicated when the search was posted on the server 12. To the extent that the time-of-post signal indicates that the search request has been posted for a predetermined duration, the process 38 can time out the request and generate a file 44 that contains information representative of a failure to identify a successful response to a query.

In either case the file 44 can be sent to the daemon 40 that can store the file information into the database 48 for later analysis. Optionally, the daemon can generate or update an HTML page that lists the names of those participants that have been deemed to have submitted a successful query response.

Fig. 3 depicts the process that a user would perform in order to access the server 12 depicted in Fig. 1 and begin searching for responses related to a particular search request. Specifically, Fig. 2 depicts a process 60 that includes steps 62 through 82. In step 62 the user logs on to the server 12 depicted in Fig. 1. Process 60 includes an optional step 64 wherein a user would enter a password that server 12 would verify before granting access to the search requests under its control. As shown in Fig. 2, if the server 12 fails to accept the password entered by the user, then access is denied and the process 60 proceeds to step 68 and is over. Alternatively, if the server 12 accepts the password entered by the user the process 60 proceeds from step 64 to step 70. In step 70 the user is presented with a home page, such as the home page depicted in Fig. 4, which will be described in more detail hereinafter.

Optionally, in step 70, the user can select a language to proceed with. For example, the user can select to receive pages written in English, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, or any other language familiar to the user. Upon selecting a language, the process 70 proceeds to step 72 wherein the user is provided with a page, typically an HTML page and provides information about the characteristics of the publication being sought. For example, the search requester page can include a figure that depicts the proposed invention, as well as a text description of what it is that is, or has been, claimed. One such search request page is depicted in Fig. 5, and will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The user can study the search result page to determine the type of prior art that is relevant for this search request, it can formulate, if necessary, a search strategy.

After step 72, the process 60 proceeds to the optional step 74, wherein the user chooses to download data files to their computer system for use in their search. These data files can include text files that contain the gene sequence for a relevant gene, for copies of patent applications or publications, computer code listings relevant to software inventions, or any other information that would be helpful to a searcher when performing the search request.

In steps 78 through 82, the user completes the search in process. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, in step 78 the user, if possible, identifies information relevant to a query, such as, for example, a publication that is relevant to the patentability or validity of the system, method or composition described in the search requester page. The user then submits the response by e-mail, regular post, or by any other suitable means, to an administrative office, typically the organization that is administering the search requests, or running the server. After submitting the response, the process 60 proceeds to step 82 and the search process is now complete.

In one optional practice of the invention, the administrative office or host creates a database of all the responses submitted by participants to a search request. The administration office reviews the submitted responses and determines if any ofthe responses are directly relevant to the query, for example, to the patentability or invalidity of the invention disclosed by a patent-related search request. If such a response is identified, then the administrative body, optionally, can provide the user that submitted the response with an incentive award, for example a cash prize.

Optionally, the systems and methods disclosed herein permit the party submitting the query or request to the search request page to identify an award, or bounty, for finding the sought-after information, goods or services, as well as the conditions for retrieving the bounty. Such conditions could include being the first party to respond, being the party providing the best response (by any of a range of possible measures, such as objective standards, subjective standards, the judgment of the requester, or the judgment of the host) within a time period, being the nth party to respond to a particular request, being selected at random, or by any other conditions. The award or bounty could be a cash award, goods, services, information, a non-cash prize, a discount coupon, or any other consideration.

Fig.7 depicts one exemplary architecture for a system of the present invention. For ease of reading, the illustrated system will be described in terms of an embodiment wherein the system is used to post queries for evidence of publications relevant to the patentability of an invention. A server, in communication with a wide area network, can a secure application layer 130. running various programs or sub-routines for such activity as: managing email and/or instant messaging by the system and for managing a database of posted queries and, optionally, information representative of documents (publications) provided in response to posted queries. The system includes an email program 138 and/or instant message program 140. The system can include a database(s) having information representative of participant searchers and/or search requesters. The system also includes a database(s) of the search queries which are posted on the sight, along with the assigned bounty and criteria for collecting the bounty, for the search queries. The system may also include an escrow agent program 136, for managing the payment and collection of bounties. The system may also include a program for permitting search requesters to review answers/documents which have been provided by participant searchers.

The system will preferably include a secure login system 146. e.g., a firewall, for permitting users 132 (such as requesters and searchers) to have limited access to information on the system. Likewise, the secure login system 146 can be used to control access to the site for administrative personnel.

Fig. 4 depicts a home page 90 that can be provided by the server 12 of Fig. 1 for providing a participant with an interface to the search requests maintained at the server 12. When a user employs its client process, typically a browser, to access the URL of the search request web server, the server 12 provides to the user's client process the HTML page 90. The HTML page 90 provides controls that allows the user to navigate through the web pages ofthe search request web site. For example, the home page 90 includes a control 94 depicted in Fig. 4 as a button labeled The List. The control 94, when activated by the client, typically by clicking the control with a mouse, directs the server 12 to download to the client a list of search requests that have been uploaded to the server 12. Optionally, the list page that is provided to the user includes a set of categories, such as biotechnology, medical devices, electrical engineering, software, real estate, investments, career opportunities, chemistry, and others, each of which represents the general subject matter of a set of search requests associated with that category. The listed categories can each be presented as hypertext links which will again link the user to a set of web pages, this time listing the titles of search requests that are associated with the categories selected by the user. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of computer engineering and information systems that a single search request can, if applicable, be listed within several categories. By clicking on a hypertext link of any search request, the user will be presented with a search request page, such as the search request page depicted in Fig. 5, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Returning to Fig. 4, it can be seen that the home page 90 also can include a password text field 96 wherein the user can enter a password that allows them to access the server site of the search requests. In this way, at the option of the administrative office operating the server 12, participants in a search are required to have preapproval, wherein such pre- approval provides to the participant a password allowing access to the search request pages.

Fig. 4 further depicts that in an optional embodiment the home page 90 can provide controls 98 that allow a user to select the language of text provided within the pages downloaded by the user. Typically, the server 12 will maintain a separate page, or separate files, that can be incorporated as text into a page, wherein the text associated with either the pages or files is in one of the languages associated with one of the controls 98. In this way, the user by activating a selected control 98 can instruct the server 12 to provide page signals including search request signals in the preferred language ofthe user. In an optional embodiment, if the user fails to enter a valid password, the server 12 can present the user with a registration page containing a contractual agreement between the administrative office of the company administering the search requests and the prospective user. Additionally, the home page 90 can include a registration response field (not shown) that a user can employ to enter the title of a publication, or the name of the product, or any other identification for a response identified by the user. In this way, the user can, through the web site, register that the user has identified a response, such as a reference, relevant to the search request and can identify relevant information about the response. Optionally, the server can generate a return receipt for the user providing a unique identification number identifying this submission of a response to the system. The return receipt can also include a time of day stamp to indicate the time of day during which the response submitted by the user was received by the server 12. Using this information, the administrative office or the server 12 can determine, if a relevant response is found by more than one party, who submitted the earlier response. In one practice, the user that submits the response earlier is credited with finding that response. In a further optional embodiment, the home page 90 can include a search engine that allows a user to enter the name ofthe product, title of a publication, or any other identifier of a response. The search engine can search a database of existing registered responses to determine if the response has already been identified by an earlier party. If such is the case, the search engine can return a negative indicator, providing the user with a signal that instructs the user that this response will not be credited to the user, and that if the response is determined to warrant a reward, that reward would go to an earlier party having previously submitted that response. In a further optional practice, a person preparing a search request page, such as the page depicted in Fig. 5, can also submit a list of known responses deemed relevant to the query, such as to the patentability or validity ofthe subject matter ofthe search request. For example, in the case of a validity search of an issued U.S. patent, the party making the search request can identify and store the database of every publication cited during prosecution of that patent. In this way, a party that identifies a relevant response, such as a reference that was cited during prosecution, can receive an indication that publication was already known to the party, and therefore will not be credited as a response that will provide an award to the user.

Fig. 5 depicts a search request signal 100 that includes an image 102, a text field 104, a text field 106, and a hypertext link 108.

The search request page 100 can be an HTML page generated by a development kit, or a web authoring tool, or any other suitable authoring system, and will be understood to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention is not limited to any system or technique for creating search request pages. Moreover, it will be understood that the depicted search request page 100 is merely representative of one type of page that can be provided for informing users of the subject matter of a search request, and that any other suitable format for providing a search request can be practiced with the present invention without departing from the scope thereof.

In the depicted embodiment, the search request page 100 includes a graphic image 102 which reprints for the search request a figure depicting the subject matter of the search request. Accompanying Fig. 102 is a text description 104 that provides further characteristics and sets of details regarding the search. For example, in the case ofthe patent search, the text description might set forth the date of application for any response that is to be submitted by a user. The text might optionally describe a career or investment opportunity sought, a particular type of home or business real estate opportunity, or any other information that might be known to a small subset of individuals.

In the depicted embodiment, the page signal 100 further includes a text block 106 that provides a statement of the claimed subject matter, emphasizing a particular element of the text description, such as an element of claimed subject matter, by emphasizing or underlining that subject matter. Additionally, the page 100 includes a hypertext link 108 that allows the user to jump to links related to the subject matter of the search request. For example, the hypertext link 108 of the depicted embodiment can provide a link to a page providing background information of inventory control systems that may be helpful to the user in formulating a search strategy.

In alternative embodiments, the search request can employ the multimedia capabilities of the hypertext transfer protocol, or any other protocol suitable for transferring search requests, to provide to a user sound files, videos, examples of application programs, the text of gene sequences, or any other information helpful for the user to formulate a search. In one optional embodiment, the search request page can allow a user to download data files that have sets of information helpful in formulating a search strategy, or in performing a search. Other modifications and additions can be made to the search request page 100 without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

In an optional practice, the server can be provided with a site blocker mechanism that allows the server to selectively control the availability of the page signal responsive to a signal provided by the participant. For example, the server can employ cookies to identify the computer network from which a participant is accessing the server. In this way, the server can selectively block those participants that are not allowed to play in a particular search.

For example, the server can choose to block computer networks that are associated with professional organizations. In this way, the search can be marginally limited to amateur participants. In another aspect, the invention is to be understood as a development kit that allows the user to generate a mark up language page signal which is suitable for being employed by the server as a page signal that represents a new search contest to a large arena of participants. The development kit can be a computer program that the user can use to develop a WEB page that describes an item the user wishes to identify, and which can be readily uploaded to the search server.

In one embodiment, the development kit comprises a page generation mechanism that provides a page signal form to the user. The kit can further include a control for allowing the user to include within the page signal form a text signal which is representative of a set of characteristics of the item to be identified by the participants in the search, and a control for allowing the user to include within the page signal form a set of predetermined page lengths for linking one or more of a set of known pages which are controlled by the search server. Optionally, the development kit can include an automatic control for allowing a time of posting date field to be included within the page signal form, wherein the time of posting field contains a signal that is representative of the time of uploading event by the user to the search server. The server can store his time of posting signal to control how long the page signal will be presented to participants for being timed-out and removed from the server. Additionally, the development kit can include a site blocking control for allowing the user to identify at least one computer network site and for generating an instruction to a server for directing the server to prevent download of the respective markup language page to that at least one identified network. This allows the user to restrict the computer networks, and therefore some of the participants that can see that a search contest has begun for a particular item. Similarly, the development kit may include a push site control mechanism for allowing the user to specify at least one computer site to which the respective markup language can be pushed. In this way, the user can selectively target those participants that have specifically requested to be alerted each time a search contest begins in one or more categories. Referring to Fig. 6, steps are depicted in a flow chart 110 for use of systems and methods disclosed herein by a search requester and by a participant. First, in a step 112, a search requester may enter a search request, using a page signal such as that described above. The search request may be a request for goods, services, information, or any other item. The search requests may optionally be stored in a database of search requests, so that the host or another entity may access information about the search requests, such as information about the tastes, desires and needs of the requesters, which may be useful in targeting advertisements for particular goods and services to that subset of requesters.

Next, the requester may, optionally, at a step 114, establish satisfaction conditions for satisfying the search request. The conditions may include conditions relating to timing, order of responses, or the like, or may include conditions as to the quality of the retrieved responses. For example, a condition may be that the response not consist of information already in possession of the requester. Establishment of search conditions may be accomplished by a variety of mechanisms, such as via a text description, a JAVA applet, an HTML or dynamic HTML template, or other conventional mechanism for entering text or data through a network protocol. The host may establish parameters for search descriptions, or may permit free text descriptions. Depending on the conditions, it may be possible to automate the determination of whether a response satisfies them. For example, a query might offer a bounty to every response, or to the first response, regardless of content.

Next, at a step 116, the search requester may establish a bounty to be awarded upon satisfaction of the conditions established at the step 114. The bounty may be any consideration, as described above. The bounty may be entered through a similar mechanism as used in the establishment of satisfaction conditions, such as a JAVA applet, an HTML or dynamic HTML template, or other conventional mechanism for entering text or data through a network protocol. Next, at a step 118, the host or the search requester may optionally identify a category for the search request. Thus, search requests may, through the step 118, be entered into groups of similar requests, so that participants may easily identify areas in which they are likely to be able to provide successful responses. The categories may be administered by the host or established by the search requester. Next, at a step 120, a participant may view the search, such as through a browser or similar network process, to determine whether the participant has access to goods, services, information or other items that satisfy the search request. If so, then at a step 122 the participant in the search may enter a response. Entry of the response may be by electronic mail, by regular mail, or on-line via an HTML template, Java applet, or other mechanism capable of transmitting information about the response to the host and the requester. The host may optionally collect responses in a database of information. The database may include categories of information associated with the requests, so that over time information retrieved from previous searches may be found via conventional database search technology using the database. The host may also use such information for other purposes, such as collecting information about the participants, including information as to the expertise of each participant. Thus, in an aspect, the invention assists in establishing not only a marketplace for the general public, but also a mechanism by which subject matter experts can be identified and tracked. Next, at a step 124, a determination can be made whether to award the bounty. That is, it can be determined whether the conditions established at the step 114 are satisfied. Depending on the conditions, this may be done automatically, or by action of the host or the search requester.

If at the step 124 it is determined that the satisfaction conditions are met, then the bounty may be awarded at the step 126. The bounty may optionally be awarded by the host (who may collect bounties from the search requesters, either in advance or upon satisfaction of a search request), by the requester, or by a third party. The award may be fulfilled by credit card, electronic check, paper check, cash, or an appropriate fulfillment method for goods, services, or in-kind consideration. If at the step 124 it is determined that the satisfaction conditions established at the step

114 have not been met, then a message may optionally be sent to the participant at a step 128, informing the participant that no bounty will be awarded for that response.

Optionally, the systems and methods disclosed herein may further include establishing a database of requests and responses to requests that are made in accordance with the methods and systems disclosed herein. Thus, data may be collected about a wide range of topics and stored in a database to assist in on-line searching of the data. Data about search requests can be stored and accessed as a way of identifying desires, needs and tastes of requesters. Thus, advertising for products and services can be targeted to the population of requesters as a whole, or to particular subsets of requesters, according to those desires, needs and tastes. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking scientific and technical information, such as biological or botanical information about particular species, information about biological materials, information about elements, molecules, chemicals and chemical reactions, information about mechanical, electrical, computer and other engineering fields, and any other scientific or technical information. For example, a researcher needing to find a reaction mechanism for a particular chemical reaction in a chain of chemical reactions could describe the sought-after mechanism in a search request and offer a bounty to the first other individual who offers a successful mechanism. Search participants who happen to be experts in chemistry may be aware of the reaction mechanism and may provide the information and collect the bounty. Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein establish a convenient, centralized location where requests of this type can be entered and answered, thus establishing a marketplace for the expertise of scientific and technical experts, as well as a forum for exchange of academic ideas. Of course, the bounty in such situations might or might not be a cash bounty. Thus, a researcher could offer as a bounty a credit in an academic paper, or other non-cash consideration.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking historical information. In accordance with the systems and methods disclosed herein, a historian or other interested individual may establish a query for a particular type of information, establish conditions for satisfying the query, and establish a bounty for a participant who meets the conditions. For example, an individual seeking ancestry information could provide a bounty to the first individual who identifies a source of data indicating the great-great-grandfather in a particular family tree. Thus, the researcher could participate in a marketplace in which difficult-to-find information is exchanged. Similarly, participants who have access to such historical information could be rewarded for retaining it and sharing it. As another example, an historian could offer a bounty to the participant who offers the most detailed account of a particular historical event remembered by the participant. Again, the systems and methods reward the participants for retaining historical information, while providing searchers with a mechanism for accessing information that is not readily accessible through conventional databases.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking information relevant to disputes, such as arbitration, mediation, litigation and the like. Thus, a lawyer, legal assistant, or other dispute participant may establish a search request using a page signal such as that described herein to identify an item or items of factual information that would, if available, strengthen a legal or persuasive position. The requester could establish a bounty for the first individual who provides such information, or the individual who provides the best example of such information. The information could be any of a range of items, such as a relevant reference in a patent dispute, identification of an eye-witness in a criminal or tort dispute, identification of an expert, witness, or other individual having certain credentials or characteristics, and others. Another example of a search request relevant to litigation might be a search for other potential participants in a class-action litigation. Thus, the requester could enter the conditions for membership in the class into a search request and provide a bounty for each identification of a class member by a search participant. Participants would be rewarded upon identification of class members. As with other systems and methods disclosed herein, a marketplace is thus established where participants are rewarded for providing relevant information, and requesters find valuable information.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking factual information relevant to making decisions. Thus, a requester can identify, in a search request in accordance with the methods and systems disclosed herein, a factual item or class of items that would influence the decision. The requester can establish a bounty for specific factual items. The requester can also establish conditions for obtaining the bounty. Thus, a participant can claim a bounty by providing the relevant facts. Examples of search requests for information include requests for information about a particular business or product to support an investment or purchasing decision, requests for information about job candidates who are seeking a particular position, requests for information about job or career opportunities, whether specific requests for specific information about a particular job or requests for leads for finding a job of a particular type, requests for contact information for particular individuals, requests for information about particular real estate properties, such as whether there are any known environmental problems, whether the local schools are of high quality, and the like, requests for information about trends, such as weather trends relevant to commodity crop development, pricing trends in particular industries, resource availability trends relevant to commodity prices, and the like, as well as requests for any other fact believed to be relevant to a decision. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking information pertinent to health and development. For example, a search requester could provide a request for information about a particular health condition, with a bounty offered to the first respondent. The search participants could collect the bounty by responding first with a satisfactory description of the health condition. Many examples exist of information relevant to health that may be sought and found according the methods and systems disclosed herein. For example, a requester could seek information for diagnosis of a particular disease or condition described in a search request, information about child development stages, information about psychological conditions, information about personality types, information about child health conditions, information about pet care, information about disease treatment, information about medication, including effects and side-effects, information about weight-loss, diet and fitness programs, information about self- help, counseling, teaching, and tutoring, as well as other health and development matters. The systems and methods disclosed herein may thus establish a marketplace for health- and development-related matters where individuals seeking specific information may find participants who have that information and obtain the information in exchange for a bounty.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking goods, services, or information relevant to a project. For example, a search requester could enter a description of a project or problem, or a related question, in a search request page signal in accordance with the present invention. The search requester could establish a bounty and conditions for satisfying the request. A participant could provide the sought-after item and collect the bounty by satisfying the conditions. Examples of items sought by a search requester and provided by a search participant may include a wide variety of items, such as information about how to complete specialized home repair and construction problems, information about automotive repair products and techniques of automotive repair, information about recipes, cooking projects, and other culinary information, information about goods and services suitable for solving a problem or completing a project, information about electrical wiring, appliances, and other home items, information about products and services appropriate for renovation projects, and the like. Thus, a marketplace may be established where individuals wishing to perform highly specific projects may find individuals who have expertise in providing goods, services, information and other items relevant to those projects.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking law enforcement information. Thus, a search requester, such as a police investigator, crime victim, district attorney, U.S. attorney, or the like, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature of the information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, a homicide investigator might post a request seeking identification of any eyewitness to a particular shooting. Also, an investigator could offer a bounty for any individual providing information leading to the arrest of a particular individual. A wide variety of information types can be sought, such as information about eye-witnesses, information about specific facts relevant to an investigation, information about the location of an individual, information about facts relevant to a legal case, information about relationships of particular individuals, and the like. As with other methods and systems disclosed herein, the general public is offered a convenient general location for identifying search requests to which they may have answers and through which they may collect bounties. Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein increase the likelihood that a law enforcement official will be able to contact a relevant individual having a particular item of information.

In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking information relevant to purchasers, including consumers. Thus, a search requester, such as a consumer, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature of the information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, the search requester may wish to know local prices throughout the country for a particular good or service, so that the requester can identify the cheapest spot market for the item. The requester can post a modest bounty for each respondent as a method of establishing a nationwide "map" of prices for the item. Participants can collect the bounty by finding out the local price, thus distributing the effort to find the information and rewarding those who engage in the effort. In many cases, participants may already know the information, such as where the participant is a provider of the good for which pricing is sought. A wide range of information about purchasing may be sought through the systems and methods disclosed herein, such as information about the reliability of a particular product, service, or vendor, information about discounts, incentive programs, coupons and other product offerings, product safety and consumer protection information, consumer advocacy information, information about product quality, information about specialized or localized markets for goods or services, information about pricing of goods and services in local areas, information relating to finding antiques, coins, cards, collectibles, and other specialty goods and services, and a wide range of other purchasing information. Thus, a marketplace may be established in which requesters can seek highly specific information from members of the general public about information relevant to a purchasing decision. As with other embodiments, the likelihood of a successful exchange of information is increased by the establishment of a large flow of participants who are aware that visiting the host site offers the opportunity to collect bounties in exchange for revealing goods, services, information or other items readily accessible by the search participants. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking travel information. Thus, a search requester, such as a potential traveler or travel agent, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature of the information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, a travel agent might wish to find recommendations as to the best steak house in a small town along a particular travel route. The agent could post a request with a modest bounty for each response provided by a participant. A participant from or familiar with the small town could provide a recommendations (or a warning). Many types of travel-related information could be sought and provided, such as, for example, information about hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, inns and other accommodations, information about food, restaurants, menus and other dining information, information about airline schedules and quality, information about pricing of travel-related goods and services, information about travel packages having specific characteristics, information about preferred travel routes, and the like. In an optional aspect, systems and methods are provided for assisting search requesters who are seeking professional advice. Thus, a search requester, such as a potential participant in a business deal, may provide a description of sought-after information in a search request page according to the present invention. The search request may identify the nature ofthe information sought, establish a bounty for finding the information, and establish conditions for collecting the bounty. For example, a the potential participant in a business deal might describe the proposed transaction and provide a bounty to the first professional who provides an analysis of the accounting and tax consequences ofthe proposed transaction for the specific entities involved. The request might include actual facts, or a hypothetical set of circumstances. A wide range of advice types might be requested, including legal advice, accounting advice, tax advice, consulting advice, marketing advice, and the like. Thus, the systems and methods disclosed herein establish a general marketplace for specific advice that is not readily accessible through cuπent sources, but that is readily accessible to some individual connected to the Internet. By encouraging the general public to visit the site, the likelihood of connecting an individual with need for advice to a professional who already knows the answer to the individual's question is dramatically increased.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of computer science or electronic commerce that certain modifications, additions and subtractions can be made to the above- described embodiment without departing from the scope thereof.

What has been described in detail herein above are methods and apparatus meeting all of the aforementioned objectives. As previously indicated, those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing description has been presented for the sake of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise from disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

It is, therefore, to be understood that the claims appended hereto are intended to cover all such modifications and variations which fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A computer method for administering, over a wide area network, a reward-based service to allow a plurality of parties to post search requests to a large arena of participants, comprising providing a server, in communication with a wide area network, for allowing each of a plurality of parties to post a respective page signal having information representative of a characteristic of an item to be identified by a participant in response to the search request, allowing a plurality of participants to employ a client process operating on a client station to connect to said server through the wide area network and to download said page signals from said server, for a posted search request, allowing each participant to submit an answer signal representative of an item identified by the respective participant as having the characteristic of an item identified in the posted search request, generating a data file containing information representative of said answer signals for said posted search request, providing a respective party with information representative of at least a portion of the generated data file for answering the posted search request of the respective party, and reviewing the data file for the posted search request and administering a reward process for providing a reward to at least one participant that identifies an item having the characteristic. 2. The method according to claim 1, further including providing a page signal having said characteristic presented in a plurality of languages.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including providing a page signal having a graphic signal, a video signal and/or an audio signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including providing a page signal including link signals to information associated with said item.

5. The method according to claim 1, further including providing a page signal with a data file and a control for the data file to allow a participant to direct the downloading ofthe data file.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including directing the server to provide, responsive to the submission of said answer signal, a receipt signal representative of the registration of said answer signal within the database.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the reward includes the step of providing an electronic check signal. 8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein posting a page signal includes a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant to a page having information representative of a characteristic of an item associated with said category.

9. The method according to claim 1, including providing a notification system for notifying a participant of an event representative ofthe start of a new search.

10. The method according to claim 1, including allowing each participant to register for an access signal representative of a password for accessing the server.

11. The method according to claim 10, including providing said access signal as a cookie signal.

12. The method according to claim 10, including providing said access signal responsive to a network identification signal provided by one ofthe participants. 13. The method according to claim 10, including providing said access signal responsive to a verification signal provided by a respective one ofthe participants.

14. The method according to claim 1, which method ranks the relevance ofthe responses, e.g., by means of some logical method, such as Boolean logic, fuzzy logic, neural network theory, or any other predictive system.

15. The method according to any of claims 1-14, wherein the posted search requests are for prior art references. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the prior art submitted in response to a posted search request is ranked by criteria including (i) whether the submitted prior art meets all of the criteria of the posted search request, e.g., it is a novelty destroying reference; (ii) whether the submitted prior art meets most, but not all the criteria ofthe posted search request; (iii) whether the submitted prior art meets some, but not most ofthe criteria ofthe posted search request; (iv) whether the submitted prior art doe not meet any ofthe criteria ofthe posted search request.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the party posting the search request agrees that it will not use a submission that it gives a rating of less than the submitted prior art meets most, but not all the criteria ofthe posted search request.

18. A method for employing a wide area network to administer a search service to allow a plurality of users to post search requests to a large arena of participants, comprising providing at least one database storing information representative of each of a plurality of search requests from the users, providing a server program, in communication with said at least one database and a wide area network, for generating a mark-up language page signals to generate search pages having information representative of a set of characteristics of one or more ofthe items to be identified by participants in the search, allowing participants in the search to employ a browser process to communicate with said server program tlirough the network and to download said search page signals, allowing the participants to submit answers responding to said search requests, generating an answer data file containing information representative of each of said answers, and providing a reward to at least one participant that provides anwsers matching at least certain characteristics set forth in the set of characteristics.

19. The method according to claim 18, including the step of providing a page signal that includes a multi-media presentation ofthe set of characteristics.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the server program generates a receipt signal that is representative ofthe registration of an answer in the answer data file.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the receipt signal includes a date and time stamp.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page to obtain information for contacting users, and (b) generates a data file including information representative of registered users.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the server program sends a notification signal to a registered user when answers are added to the answer data file for the registered user's search request.

28. The method of any of claims 18, wherein the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page to obtain information for contacting participants in the search, and (b) generates a database including information representative of said registered participants.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the server program sends a notification signal to a registered participant when new search requests are entered in categories designated by the registered participant.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page to obtain information for contacting participants in the search, and (b) generates a database including information representative of said registered participants.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the server program further includes a search engine for users to search the answer data file. 32. The method of claim 18, wherein server program further generates a mark-up language page signal for an answer page, listing answers, if any, provided by the participants to a search request.

33. The method of any of claims 18, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 or 32, wherein the server program compares answers received for a search request, and ranks the relevance of the answers to the search request.

34. The method of any of claims 18, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 or 32, wherein the server program organizes search requests by categories, and said search pages include a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant to search requests in categories specified by the participant.

35. The method of of claim 33, wherein the server program organizes search requests by categories, and said search pages include a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant to search requests in categories specified by the participant.

36. The method of claim 18, wherein the server program further includes an advertisement engine for including advertisements in said mark-up language page signals. 37. The method of claim 18, wherein the identity of said users is anonymous to said participants in the search.

38. The method of claim 18, wherein the reward is a cash prize. 39. An apparatus for use in an incentive-based information retrieval system for a wide area network, comprising a request database having stored therein information representative of each of a plurality of search requests for information; an answer database having stored therein information representative of answers to said search requests that are received from participant searchers; a reward database having stored therein information representative of rewards made to participant searchers; and a server system for running thereon, one or more server programs in communication with said databases and a wide area network, which server program(s) (i) accepts search requests for information from a plurality of users on the wide area network, (ii) adds said search requests to the request database, (iii) generates mark-up language page signals for generating request page displays having information representative of the search requests,

(iv) accepts answers, from the participant searchers, responding to one or more of said search requests (v) adds said answers to said answer database, (vi) generates mark-up language page signals for generating answer page displays having information representative of accepted answers, and (vii) updates said reward database with information representative of a reward to one or more participant searchers that provide answers to said requests.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page display to obtain information for contacting users, and (b) generates a database including information representative of registered users.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the server program includes means for sending a notification signal to a registered user when answers are added to the answer database for the registered user's search request.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page display to obtain information for contacting participant searchers, and (b) generates a database including information representative of said registered participant searchers.

43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the server program (a) generates a mark-up language page signal for generating a registration page display to obtain information for contacting participant searchers, and (b) generates a database including information representative of said registered participant searchers.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the server program includes means for sending a notification signal to a registered participant searcher when new search requests are entered in categories designated by the registered participant searcher.

45. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the server program further includes a search engine for users to search the answer database. 46. The method of any of claims 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45, wherein the server program organizes search requests by categories, and said request page displays include a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant searcher to search requests in categories specified by the participant searcher. 47. The apparatus of any of claims 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45, wherein the server program compares answers received for a search request, and ranks the relevance of the answers to the search request.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the server program organizes search requests by categories, and said request page displays include a plurality of category controls each being operative to direct a participant searcher to search requests in categories specified by the participant searcher.

49. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the server program further includes an advertisement engine for including advertisements in said mark-up language page signals.

50. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the server program generates a receipt signal that is representative ofthe registration of an answer in the answer database.

51. A method of on-line electronic commerce, comprising: establishing an on-line marketplace wherein participants view searches established by search requesters, respond to search requests having satisfaction conditions established by the search requesters, and obtain bounties established by the search requesters upon satisfaction of the conditions.

52. A method for providing a reward-based service to allow a plurality of parties to post, over a wide area network, search requests for publications relevant to patentability of an invention, comprising providing at least one request database storing information representative of each of a plurality of search requests from the users for publications relevant to patentability of an invention, providing at least one an answer database storing information representative of publications submitted for each of said search requests that are received from participant searchers; providing a reward database having stored therein information representative of rewards for publications relevant to patentability of an invention for each search request; and providing a server program(s), in communication with said databases and a wide area network, for generating a mark-up language page signals to generate request page displays having information representative ofthe search requests, allowing participants in the search to employ a browser process to communicate with said server program(s) through the wide area network and to download said request page displays, accepting publications or information representative thereof, from the participant searchers, responding to one or more of said search requests, and providing the reward to one or more participant searchers that provide timely and/or appropriate publications or information representative thereof, to said requests.

53. A computer method for administering, over a wide area network, a reward-based service to allow a plurality of parties to post search requests to a large arena of participants, comprising providing a server, in communication with a wide area network, for allowing each of a plurality of parties to post a respective page signal having information representative of a characteristic of an item to be identified by a participant in response to the search request, allowing a plurality of participants to employ a client process operating on a client station to connect to said server through the wide area network and to download said page signals from said server, for a posted search request, allowing each participant to submit an answer signal representative of an item identified by the respective participant as having the characteristic of an item identified in the posted search request, generating a data file containing information representative of said answer signals for said posted search request, providing a respective party with information representative of at least a portion of the generated data file for answering the posted search request of the respective party, and reviewing the data file for the posted search request and administering a reward process for providing a reward to at least one participant that identifies an item having the characteristic.