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WO1996025709A1 - Systeme de collecte et de recherche d'informations destine a enregistrer des frais ou des redevances pour des utilisateurs - Google Patents

Systeme de collecte et de recherche d'informations destine a enregistrer des frais ou des redevances pour des utilisateurs Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1996025709A1
WO1996025709A1 PCT/US1996/001699 US9601699W WO9625709A1 WO 1996025709 A1 WO1996025709 A1 WO 1996025709A1 US 9601699 W US9601699 W US 9601699W WO 9625709 A1 WO9625709 A1 WO 9625709A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
data
answer
question
user
answers
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PCT/US1996/001699
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English (en)
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Michael T. Rossides
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Rossides Michael T
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Priority to AU49746/96A priority Critical patent/AU4974696A/en
Publication of WO1996025709A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996025709A1/fr

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/04—Billing or invoicing

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a fee supported data-base system for community use.
  • U.S. patent 5,359,508 disclosed a new type of data-base system.
  • the novelty of the system centers around a loop of sorts in which the system registers information about the demand for given data. From this demand information, the system calculates a Pay-off Estimate that tells users, especially the Requestors of the data, the projected amount of income they might receive for entering the data into the system. Then once the data is entered, users who request it are charged and royalties are paid to the supplier.
  • the loop is a quite basic and can be built upon.
  • U.S. application #08/327,704 added new matter in three areas.
  • a few other comments were added for clarification purposes but these did not disclose any novel matter. For example, means for checking the pay-off value for data were described but these means are obvious.
  • the SODB is a data-base system that charges users who find data in it and pays users who supply the data found. It can be a single machine or a network.
  • the key to the SODB is a built in feedback mechanism, called the Pay-off Meter, that tells users what data needs supplying based on the number of requests for that data.
  • the Pay-off Meter registers the request. Based on the rate of requests registered, this function estimates the royalties the data will generate once the data is supplied. The more requests in a period of time the greater the expected pay-off, provided the price is the same.
  • the key is that the expected pay-off is announced to each requestor of the data.
  • the beauty is that each requestor may have to find the data anyway elsewhere.
  • To collect the pay-off a requestor has only to "call" the SODB back and input the answer.
  • a sensitive and potent feedback loop is created insuring that the more a piece of data is requested, the more likely it will be supplied by a requestor or by someone a requestor tells of the pay-off.
  • this pay-off creates an incentive to correct or update faulty data.
  • Figure 1 shows a flow chart of a basic SODB.
  • Figure 2a shows the flow chart of the Request Mode of a lowest price locator.
  • Figure 2b shows the flow chart of the Supply Mode of a lowest price locator.
  • Figure 3 shows a flow chart of the steps preceding the gathering of information on what users are willing to pay for given data.
  • Figure 3a shows a flow chart of steps for gathering of information on what users are willing to pay for given data.
  • Figure 3b shows another set of steps for gathering of information on what users are willing to pay for given data.
  • Figure 3c shows another set of steps for gathering of information on what users are willing to pay for given data.
  • Figure 3d shows another set of steps for gathering of information on what users are willing to pay for given data.
  • Figure 4 shows how a price setting formula can feed into the pay-off formula.
  • Figure 5 shows a basic menu for a system that includes More Specific Questions.
  • Figure 6 shows another basic menu for a system that includes More Specific Questions.
  • Figures 7 and 7a show how a direct answer might be relabelled.
  • Figures 8-8b show a flow chart of steps for a system with More Specific Questions.
  • Figures 9 and 9a show additional steps for getting and entering More Specific Questions.
  • Figures 10-lOd show steps for creating question and answer nets using More Specific
  • Figure 1 1 shows a menu of options that includes additional kinds of questions.
  • Figures 12 shows a flow chart of of steps for a multi-lingual system.
  • Figure 13 shows a flow chart of steps for registering requests for answers in specific langauges.
  • the SODB is a data-base system that charges users for the data they receive and pays royalties to users who input that data. What differentiates the SODB from other data-bases is a function that tells users who request data what the estimated royalty value is for supplying the data. The function keeps track of the rate of requests for the data and from this rate projects a demand rate. The estimated demand multiplied by the royalty rate yields a projected royalty stream. If a person requests a piece of data that is not in the SODB, the SODB outputs the projected value of inputting the data. (If the person finds the data answer is in the SODB, the SODB still can output the projected royalties for improving, correcting or updating the data.) Then, if necessary, the SODB tells users how to input the data. In sum, the SODB is a powerful feedback system that tells users what data needs supplying, tells them the financial incentive to supply it, tells them how to supply it and then pays them for supplying it.
  • Start Mode The procedure the SODB executes to allow users to access the SODB and choose between the Request and Supply Modes. Start Mode is not strictly necessary as long as its "logging on" functions are part of the Request and Supply Modes.
  • Request Mode The procedure the SODB executes to provide answers and/or Pay-off estimates to Requestors.
  • a user inputs a question causing the SODB to search for the corresponding answer. If the answer is not found, a Pay-off Estimate is outputted. If the answer is found, the answer is outputted along with the Pay-off Estimate (see Pay-off Meter) and a Charge is registered to the user.
  • Supply Mode The procedure the SODB executes to allow users to input answers, potential answers and raw data. User identification data is registered along with the inputted data so that the user can be credited with royalties each time the data is used to supply answers.
  • Requestor User who accesses the SODB by Request Mode seeking an answer. The Requestor owes a Charge if the answer is found.
  • the Supplier User who enters the Supply Mode to input an answer or raw data. The Supplier gets paid a Royalty each time the answer or the raw data is used by the SODB as determined by the royalty rules of the SODB.
  • Check Mode The procedure the SODB executes to allow users to check the Pay-off Estimate given data. In this mode, a user is neither a Requestor nor Supplier though the Check Mode could be accessed through either the Request or Supply Modes.
  • Royalty Rules The rules, embodied in functions, that determine the amount due to a Supplier of an answer (or of the raw data that is necessary for an answer), each time that answer is outputted to a Requestor.
  • Payments Register The function the SODB executes to register payments owed by Requestors and payments due Suppliers. When an answer is outputted, the Payments Register registers who is owed a royalty and who owes a charge for the data used. What the Payments Register registers depends on the royalty rules of the SODB.
  • An answer Specific data corresponding to other specific data called the question.
  • An answer may be static, for example, the chemical structure of gasoline does not change. It may be dynamic, for example, the price gasoline does change. And, it may be improvable as well, for example, the octane of gasoline may be more accurately given.
  • An answer may be long or short. It may have one component or many. For example, the question, "What are the Chinese restaurants in Biloxi?" may yield one restaurant or many.
  • the Correspondence Between a Question and Its Answer There can only be one answer for any question, though that answer may have many components. Of course, a question may have multiple, even infinite, answers. But, the SODB requires rules that limit the answers to one, in the following sense: the answer to a question must be a finite set of data that is outputted to the requestor and charged for. The answer is what the requestor pays for. (A big problem in defining "answer" is that no one has come up with a good definition yet.) In the SODB, users input the answers they deem best. And users police the accuracy of those answers. The SODB accepts untrue or approximate answers, for it cannot divine meanings and truth, but any answer is displaced by a better answer.
  • a better answer is one that, by convention and by the rules of the SODB, satisfies a question better than the existing answer.
  • a user may displace one answer with another. If there is a dispute between users as to which answer is better, a neutral third party, the Data-Base Manager can be alerted to settle the dispute.
  • Raw Data If it has the requisite functions, the SODB can process raw data to arrive at answers.
  • a piece of raw data may itself be considered the answer to a question. For example, the question, "What is the closest McDonalds to 1234 Main Street?,” might require the SODB to have map coordinates for 1234 Main Street. Therefore, the coordinates are raw data. And, the coordinates themselves are the answer to the question, "What are the coordinates of 1234 Main Street?.” Any answer for one question may be raw data for answering other questions. (The distinction is largely artificial between data that is by itself an answer and "raw data” that is used in calculating an answer. The distinction is artificial because "raw data” usually answers at least one question by itself. We will keep this term for now but probably improve on it in a future application.)
  • Data-Request Any search for data initiated by a Requestor inputting a question. An infinite variety of searches can be done for data including searches that invoke functions to yield data. A data-request and a question can be considered synonyms. (By infinite searches we mean that there are infinite possible questions which can involve infinite different operations for finding or arriving at answers.)
  • Classifying a Data-Request The SODB classifies data requests in order to differentiate between them and count them. However, as in any classification system, arbitrary rules must be established. SODB's classification of requests can therefore be infinitely variable.
  • Data-Use When the SODB uses a piece of data as an answer or to arrive at an answer. Data- uses broadly fall into two types: a) outputting the data as an answer or as part of an answer, b) plugging the data into an algorithm that outputs the answer.
  • Classifying a Data-Use As there are infinite algorithms and infinite types of answers, there are also infinite uses of data.
  • the SODB has rules to classify these uses for the purpose of tallying the uses and paying royalties. For example the use of pi may be given a different royalty value than the use of the date of Lincoln's Birthday or the use of a passage from Shakespeare. As in classifying data-requests, there are no hard and fast rules.
  • Pay-off Meter The function that is the heart of the SODB.
  • the POM has three sub- functions:
  • the Demand Meter (D-Meter) which tallies Data-Requests and Data-Uses over time to come up with an estimated demand rate for an answer (or for a piece of raw data),
  • I-Signal Input Signal which outputs the POE and tells the answer (or the data) that may need inputting and, if necessary, instructions on how to input the answer (or the data).
  • the POM works most simply when the SODB's answers are listed under questions and the SODB can find the answers by simple lookup. For example, a Requestor may input the questions, "What is Lincoln's date of birth?.” The SODB will do a lookup. Initially, the answer will not be in the SODB. The SODB will then store the question and tally each lookup. The SODB will also register the time of each lookup so that the rate of lookups over time will be known. The rate of lookups (the demand rate) for the answer will be fed into the POF to yield the POE. The I-Signal outputs this POE to every Requestor. Since answers are listed under questions, the I-Signal need not tell what answer need inputting nor how to input it.
  • D-Meter The function that tallies data-requests and data-uses along with the time they take place in order to calculate the demand rate for a piece of data.
  • the D-Meter tallies a) data that is specifically searched for by name and not found. For example, a user may request a businesses phone number which is not in the SODB. This data-request can be tallied under the business' name; b) data that is used but not specifically searched for by name. For example, a user may request the average price of airline tickets to Boston. Dozens of prices may be fed into an averaging function to answer this request. Each of these prices is used but has not been specifically requested by name. c) data that is searched for by name and used (found). In these cases, the D-Meter only counts once. It does not count both the search and the find.
  • the D-Meter itself can be infinitely variable.
  • the key to the D-Meter is that it tallies data-requests and data-uses for data that satisfies two conditions: royalties are paid on the data and users can be instructed to input the data.
  • the point of the D-Meter is to measure demand for specific data so that the demand rate can be fed into the POF which then yields the value of inputting that data. There would be no point in tallying requests for data that could not be named and therefore not be inputted by users.
  • the D-Meter does not necessarily measure the demand for all types of data that may be input into the SODB. For example, it is important to note that the D-Meter cannot measure the demand for potential answers. But, by measuring the demand for actual answers, the D-Meter can give users an idea of what the potential value is of inputting a potential answer. An example will illustrate both this situation and the issue of classification. Assume the question inputted by a Requestor is, "What store has the lowest price on Sony Camcorder #1239?" Say there are 1,000 requests. Now it may be that ten stores have the same lowest price. What then is the demand for a given store? That depends on how the SODB classifies the answer. The SODB may have a rule that only the first store with the lowest price can be outputted as the answer.
  • This store becomes the answer and all royalties go to the inputter of this store.
  • the SODB in effect turns the data-request into, "What stores have the lowest price and which among them was entered first?"
  • the Requestor does not care which was entered first but the SODB may have default assumptions built into it to limit the size and number of answers outputted. Therefore, all other stores, even though they have the same lowest price are only potential answers (the first store may change its price so that another store takes its place).
  • An inputter of a store with the lowest price does not know whether that input will generate any royalties or not. There is no established demand for that store.
  • the SODB can have a rule, for example, that all stores with the same price are equally part of the answer so the answer then has ten components.
  • the demand rate for the store with the lowest price can then, for example, be divided by the number of components to arrive at a demand rate for each component (this calculation may actually be part of the POF).
  • the classifications can be even more complicated.
  • the second store inputted may be considered different from the first, location of the store may matter, and so on. The point is that the D- Meter tallies according to what data receives royalties and that depends on how answers are classified and that can be infinitely variable.
  • Pay-off Formula The function that calculates a Pay-off Estimate (POE).
  • the POF projects future demand for a piece of data based on the demand it has had in the past. Thus two variables are critical, N, the number of times the data has been requested and, T, the times those requests took place. Based on the rate of requests for a piece of data, the POF estimates how many future requests there will be and then multiplies that by a royalty rate to arrive at the POE.
  • N the number of times the data has been requested
  • T the times those requests took place.
  • the POF estimates how many future requests there will be and then multiplies that by a royalty rate to arrive at the POE.
  • N the tally, N, of data-requests and data-uses as supplied by the D-Meter.
  • the Pay-off formula can be infinitely diverse based on historical data and other factors.
  • the formula would include a historically based assumption of when demand would end.
  • the POF may contain estimates not based on the actual demand rate for a specific piece of data but for pieces of data that are similar. Regardless of what historical assumptions are built into it, the POF is always a function of the demand rate.
  • the values for N and T are plugged into the POF which has the royalty rate built in.
  • the royalty rate can, of course, be infinitely variable. There may be sliding scales for the royalty paid to an answer for example. And different data-requests and data-uses may have different royalty rates. (Technically, it is possible for the POF not to have a royalty rate and only calculate a projected request rate. In this case, the royalty rate would be known by users who could do their own calculations.) Also, the POF must have an arbitrary value for the POE when a piece of data has been requested zero times or one time. This value could be an amount or simply a message like, "POE unknown.”
  • the SODB can include multiple Pay-off Formulas that apply to different types of data.
  • I-Signal The function that is the output part of the POM, the signal that tells Requestors what data is needed, what the value is of supplying it and how to supply it.
  • the SODB When a Requestor requests an answer not in the SODB, the SODB outputs the POE.
  • the SODB When a Requestor requests an answer that is in the SODB, the SODB outputs the answer and the POE for correcting, updating or improving it. (The POE may be outputted only upon request rather than automatically).
  • the I-Signal When the I-Signal outputs the POE it may also output the answer needed or the data needed. Usually, the answer needed is implicit from the question asked. If raw data is needed, the data needed may not be implicit from the question. In this case, if the SODB had the requisite functions for recognizing the data needed, the I-Signal might output the type of data needed as well. For example, "Need Answer to, 'What is the speed of light?' , POE: $2.” Finally, if necessary, the I-Signal could output instructions on how to input the data.
  • the I-Signal may include an alert function whereby a user can enter ask to be told if the POE for an answer rises above a threshold amount. The I-Signal can then alert the user if the threshold is exceeded, for example by sending a message the the user's E-mailbox. 10
  • a basic SODB includes of the following elements and procedure as shown in figure 1:
  • Computing means for executing SODB functions are included in the Appendix.
  • SODB Functions a) inputting, storing, deleting and outputting data. b)start mode c) request mode d) supply mode e) lookup f) registering charges g) registering royalties h) Pay-off Meter (POM)
  • SODB stores the answer to correspond with the question inputted and stores the Supplier ID data along with the answer 18, in order to credit the Supplier with a royalty each time the Answer is requested.
  • SODB 19 if the Supplier intends to correct the existing answer, the Supplier inputs a command such as, CORRECT 20, and the SODB allows the new answer to replace the old answer 17 and allow new supplier ID data to replace the old ID data as well 18.
  • the SODB would usually include other useful functions. Before detailing some of them, an embodiment of the basic SODB is described, a self-filling telephone directory (the SFTD). Then an embodiment is described which does more than lookup answers under questions. 1.
  • the SFTD includes a list of names and corresponding telephone numbers, initially empty, a computer for storing the list and functions for inputting data into the list, outputting data from the list and looking up data in the list.
  • the SFTD also has a sign-on function that allows users to identify themselves for billing and payment purposes.
  • the SFTD stores the ED data.
  • the SFTD computer is equipped with phone- interface equipment.
  • the SFTD accepts calls from two lines, a Request line and a Supply Line.
  • the Request line automatically puts users in the Request mode, while the Supply Line puts them in the Supply Mode.
  • a Requestor accesses the SFTD list by spelling a name over the phone into the SFTD's computer. Equipped with a speech recognition function, the SFTD recognizes the request and does a lookup. Equipped with a speech synthesizer, it then responds with a speech synthesized answer.
  • the SFTD has a number corresponding to the name, it outputs the number and registers the charge due by the Requestor and the royalty due to the Supplier.
  • One is added to the POM tally of data-requests, the time of the request is registered, and a new POE is calculated and outputted along with the number.
  • the SFTD's POM is invoked and outputs a POE to the Requestor.
  • the POM has several functions: a) it registers the time of the request, b) it checks if the request has already been stored in the POM register, c)if not, it sets the request tally to 1 , stores the request and defaults the POE to the message "Insufficient Data to Estimate Pay-off," d) if the request is already stored, the POM advances the request tally by one and then calculates the POE using the POF (let us assume for illustration's sake, the POF divides the number of requests by the time period of those requests and then assumes that this rate will continue for 4 years. The formula then multiplies the number of requests over those four years by the royalty rate per request to arrive at the POE), e) outputs the POE.
  • a Supplier accesses the SFTD by spelling a name over the phone into the SFTD.
  • the SFTD's speech recognition function recognizes the request and the SFTD does a lookup to see if a corresponding telephone number is already in the list. If the number is not in the SFTD, the SFTD allows the Supplier to enter the number and stores the Supplier ID data along with the number in order to properly credit royalties. If the number is already in the SFTD, the SFTD outputs a voice synthesized message, "Number is already in directory.” If the number needs correcting, the Supplier then enters the command, CORRECT.
  • the SFTD allows the Supplier to input the number using the SFTD's speech recognition function.
  • the SFTD stores the number to correspond to the question, to the name that is, and also stores the Supplier's ED data with the number, in order to properly credit royalties.
  • a lowest price locator includes a list of product names and corresponding prices and stores, initially empty, a computer for storing the list and functions for inputting data into the list, outputting data from the list, looking up data in the list and processing data in the list.
  • the LPL also has a sign-on function 30 that allows users to identify themselves for billing and payment purposes.
  • the LPL stores the ID data.
  • the LPL computer is equipped with phone-interface equipment.
  • the LPL accepts calls from two lines, a Request Line and a Supply Line.
  • the Request line puts users in the Request mode, the Supply Line puts them in the Supply Mode.
  • a Requestor accesses the LPL list by spelling a full product name over the phone into the LPL's computer. Equipped with a speech recognition function, the LPL recognizes the request 31 and checks 32 to see if the price is in its data-base.
  • LPL finds no list of stores and prices under the product name, it checks 34 to see if the price has been requested before. If not, it stores the request 35, sets the request tally to one 36, calculates the POE 37 and outputs the POE 38. If so, it advances the tally 39, calculates the POE 40 and outputs the POE 38.
  • LPL finds a list of stores and prices under the product name, it checks 41 for the lowest price. If it finds 42 more than one store has the same lowest price, it finds 43 the store whose lowest price was entered first and outputs 44 that store and its price. If not, it outputs 44 the single lowest priced store and its price. It then registers 45 the charge owed by the Requestor and the royalty owed the Supplier. It then advances the request tally 39, calculates the POE 40 and outputs the POE 38. 14
  • a Supplier accesses LPL by the Supply Mode and spells a product name over the phone into the LPL.
  • the LPL's speech recognition function 50 registers the name and allows the Supplier to input 51 a store and price
  • the LPL registers 53 the user's identification data along with the store, price and time.
  • the LPL checks 54 to see if there is list of stores and prices under that product name. If not, the LPL creates a list and stores the data in the list.
  • the LPL checks 56 to see if the store inputted matches any store in the list. If not the store, price, time and user ID data are stored 57 in the list. If so, the data just inputted and registered is put in the list in place 58 of the data registered with the matching store.
  • the LPL finds 59 the lowest price.
  • the LPL checks 60 to see if there is more than one lowest price. If not, the single lowest price is held 61 for output. If so, the LPL finds the first, lowest price entered 62 and holds 61 it for output.
  • the SODB is well suited to collecting data that is processed in what may generally be referred to as lists and tables. I--et us then make a few comments about such data and how the SODB can be applied to collect it. Many kinds of answers can only be found by processing data in a list or table and often that data can only be collected efficiently by members of a community rather than a central authority. For example, usually the most efficient way for an economy to find the lowest price on a given item is through a system that allows people to feed in prices to a central list where the prices are sorted to find the lowest ones. This way is more efficient than having a central authority call all the sellers of the item in order to check prices. With a feed-in system, only the low price sellers need feed in.
  • the SODB is, of course, a feed-in system.
  • a single entry might include many sub-elements.
  • each company entry might have many sub-elements, such as the name of the company, its telephone number, address, sales, number of employees, top officers and so forth.
  • a single entry can be used to answer multiple questions.
  • the SODB may suggest that the Supplier enter additional data as part of the entry. For instance, a Supplier might supply the answer to the question, "What is the telephone number of IBM?" The SODB might then also suggest that the supplier enter IBM's address. The SODB could guide the Supplier in how to enter extra data.
  • the SODB can include for outputting a POE for data that answers or helps answer multiple questions.
  • This method can be especially useful for data that is entered into and processed in lists or tables, for this type of data is often used to answer multiple questions.
  • the demand meter records multiple data-uses and sends this demand information to the POF which then calculates the POE for the relevant answer or "raw data".
  • the Definitions section did not go in depth about how the Demand Meter registers multiple data-uses. It was understood that each time a piece of data was used, the use was recorded. Here we will elaborate on this topic and how multiple data-uses can lead to multiple POE's.
  • the SODB keeps a demand record and corresponding POE for each question.
  • the SODB can also keep a separate demand record for the answer itself. This record would include the demand records and POE's for all the questions involved.
  • the answer to the question, "What was the lowest temperature at the South Pole yesterday?” might answer other questions, such as, "What was the lowest temperature on the surface of the earth yesterday?”
  • a demand record would be kept for both questions and a separate POE attached to both questions.
  • the temperature data for the South Pole would also have its own demand record which could include the records of the two questions (and other questions the temperature data answers or helps answer).
  • the POE for the South Pole data could then be calculated based on a combination of the demand information of the various questions involved.
  • the POE can be the POE associated with the question or it can be the POE associated with the answer (based on demand information from all the relevant questions).
  • the Pay-off Formula determines the POE to output.
  • the answer to the question, "What is the lowest price for a Walkman in the world?" might have as the answer, "$25 at Luskins.”
  • Another question that uses the same data for an answer might be, "What is the price for a Walkman at Luskins?"
  • the first question has a high POE, say $100, because we will assume that thousands of people want to know what the lowest price in the world is for a Walkman.
  • the POE for the second question is low, say 10 cents, because we will assume that far fewer people ask the price for Walkmans at Luskins. So the same data, "$25 at Luskins,” has a POE of $100 when it answers one question and 10 cents when it answers another.
  • the SODB can include steps enabling Requestors to see more projected pay-off information than a single POE.
  • the SODB can display some or all the information kept in the demand meter for an answer.
  • the SODB can display, for example: a. all the questions that given data has answered or helped answer, b. the actual royalties paid corresponding to each question, c. the time periods the royalties were incurred and, d. the current POE's for the questions.
  • the SODB may then default to first showing the POE for this question, and then showing a combined POE and/or the POE's from other questions the data might answer.
  • the SODB can include means for anticipating multiple questions that an answer might satisfy. For example, a question might be, "What is the temperature in Moscow today?" The system might anticipate that the answer to this question can be used to answer other questions such as, "What is the average temperature in Moscow this month?" The POE would then reflect these anticipated data-uses. For the SODB to anticipate in this manner requires that the SODB have functions that identify comparable questions and answers and extrapolate demand information and POE's from them. Further, the SODB might have functions for identifying and registering that missing data could have been used to answer multiple questions. We do not describe such functions because they depend on highly specific situations. Users, of course, can make their own extrapolations.) Additional Demand Information
  • One piece of information that can be useful to register is whether a Requestor has asked the same question previously. In many cases repeat requests will mean misleading double counting of requests. For example, a Requestor might ask for the final score of a football game ten times before getting an answer (because the answer has not been entered until the time of the tenth request). It can therefore be useful for the SODB to include steps for registering whether a Requestor is making a repeat request.
  • the SODB can ask the Requestor whether he has asked for the same answer before and whether the request is new or is a "repeat.” Asking the Requestor explicitly can be important in at least two cases. In one case the system may not record the Requestors of a given answer. In the other, the Requestor may know better than a machine based rule whether a request constitutes double counting or not. For example, a person might request an answer to the question, "What is the temperature of the ocean at Ocean City?" The answer can change rapidly. The Requestor will know if he is his request is a repeat or if he expects a different answer in each case. The point is that double counting depends on the situation and the user's common sense can be more valuable in identifying double counting than a machine rule.
  • Another piece of useful demand information that the SODB can register is how long users are interested in the answers they have requested. Many answers are only valuable for short periods of time. For example, the SODB might register dozens of requests for the score of a football game. From all these requests, the SODB might project a large POE. However, the SODB does not "know” that almost no one will be interested in the score shortly after the game in question is over. For the SODB to "realize” this fact, users must "tell” it. Thus, the SODB can ask Requestors to input a time period for which they are interested in an answer. Even if the data is outputted, the SODB can still ask Requestors to input this information. Furthermore, a Requestor could also specify how long he thought others would be interested in an answer.
  • the SODB might ask users whether they want an answer sent to them and for how long the order stands.
  • the Requestor would specify the time period that the answer could be sent until.
  • the Requestor could also cancel the request. (We presume that the SODB in this case has the capability to send answers to E-mail boxes.)
  • the grandparent did not delve into the issue of gathering price information from Requestors. It was assumed that Requestors knew the price of the answers they were requesting as, for instance, a person calling directory assistance or a 1-900 number would know the charges involved. The grandparent avoided price because the goal was to describe the core steps of an SODB. These steps include the gathering demand information about answers, feeding this information into a pay-off formula and outputting a pay-off estimate to Requestors.
  • the key demand information the grandparent described (the number of times a question is asked and the times of those requests) is usually critical for making a projection of future income. Collecting this information did not, of course, preclude collecting other information about the demand for answers.
  • steps for gathering information about what Requestors are willing to pay for answers are willing to pay for answers.
  • the basic idea behind the system-offer price test is that the system can tally total requests along with the acceptance/rejection rate at a given price. This information is then fed into the POF. The resulting POE might then be correlated not only with acceptances but with total requests and with the acceptance/rejection rate.
  • the basic idea behind the Requestor-offer price test is simply that the system can register what each Requestor says he will pay. This information is also sent to the POF.
  • the Requestor's offer is not necessarily just talk. If the answer is in the system, the Requestor would usually be charged the amount offered, if the offer was accepted. Even when the answer is not in the system, the system can enable the Requestor to obligate himself to pay the amount offered provided the answer is entered into the system by a given time.
  • the significance of the price tests differs depending on the permutations and therefore the SODB can register information concerning whether the price test was done before or after the answer was in the system and whether or not the Requestor knew if the answer was in the system or not.
  • the price offers that the system makes and the price thresholds that the system includes can be set in various ways: by the data-base manager, by the Supplier, by a price setting formula, or by some combination of these. We do not show the setting of prices but assume that step is done at the appropriate time in each case. Price setting will be addressed further in a future application.
  • Figure 3 shows the basic steps for registering the number of times a question is asked and the times of those requests.
  • This demand information is stored in a demand record for the question and corresponding answer.
  • Price test information is also stored in this demand record (in the grandparent this record was called the Demand Meter).
  • the SODB inputs 100 a question, then registers 101 the time of the request and checks 102 to see the question has been entered previously.
  • the system creates 103 a demand record for the question and then stores 104 the time of the request and sets 104 the number of requests at 1.
  • the system stores 105 the time of the request and adds 105 one to the request tally.
  • FIG 3a a price testing sequence is illustrated in which the system presents 110 a price to the Requestor.
  • the system enables 11 1 the Requestor to accept or reject the offer and the system does not tell the Requestor whether or not the answer is in the system. If the Requestor rejects the price, the system registers 1 12 the rejection at that price, calculates 1 18 the POE, and outputs 1 19 the POE. If the Requestor accepts the price, the system registers 113 the acceptance at that price, and then checks 114 to see if the answer is in the system. If the answer is not found, the system tells 115 the Requestor and then calculates and outputs the POE. If the answer is found, the system outputs 1 16 the answer, registers 117 the charge due to the Requestor and the royalty due to the Supplier and, calculates and outputs the POE.
  • Figure 3b shows a different price testing sequence where the system tells the Requestor whether or not the answer is in the system before the price tests. Further, the sequence has both price tests, one where the system makes an offer and the other where the Requestor makes an offer.
  • the system checks 120 if the answer is in the system. If the answer is in, the system tells 121 the Requestor and presents 122 a price. The system then enables 123 the Requestor to accept or reject the price. As before, if the Requestor rejects the price, the system registers 124 the rejection at that price and calculates and outputs the POE. And, as before, if the Requestor accepts the price, the system register 125 the acceptance at that price, outputs the answer, registers charges and royalties and calculates and outputs the POE. Now, if the answer is not in the system, the system tells 126 the Requestor that answer is not in. The system then asks 127 the Requestor to make an offer.
  • the system can include steps for enabling the Requestor to make various offers.
  • the system can register 128 a non-binding offer.
  • the Requestor expresses what he says he is willing to pay.
  • the system can register 129 a binding offer to pay an amount up until a certain time. In this offer the Requestor not only states an amount he will pay but states a period of time his comitment is valid until. This type of offer can be quite important where certain kinds of answers are concerned.
  • binding commitments are involved, the Supplier can be fairly sure of getting a given amount of money for supplying a given answer.
  • the system would also add to the POE based on Requestors who do not make binding commitments.
  • the system can register 130 binding offers that include a commitment of earnest money as a deposit.
  • Also shown in figure 3b is a step 131 for registering the Requestor's opinion as to the reasonable price for the answer. This opinion is simply the Requestor's judgement and not a personal offer. The step is pictured because it can be important demand information in certain cases. The Requestor can have this option in other price sequences as well and can both make an offer and state an opinion.
  • Figure 3c shows another price testing sequence that includes both types of price tests.
  • the Requestor is not told before the price tests whether the answer is in the system or not.
  • the main new feature here concerns the Requestor offer.
  • the Requestor is asked to make an offer when the answer is in the system.
  • the system includes steps for registering when the Requestor makes an offer and steps for limiting the number of offers the Requestor can make.
  • step 3c the system checks 140 to see if the answer if found. If the answer is not in the system, the system presents 141 a price to the Requestor and enables the Requestor to accept or reject the price. The System then registers 142, 143 whether the price is accepted or rejected and tells 144 the Requestor that the answer is not in the system and then calculates and outputs a POE. If the answer is in the system, the system then checks 145 whether the Requestor has made a previous offer. If yes, the system tells 146 the Requestor that he is ineligible to make an offer and then, as usual, the system calculates and outputs a POE.
  • the system asks 147 the Requestor to make an offer. The system then registers 148 the offer. The system then accepts or rejects the offer. If the offer is rejected, the system tells 149 the Requestor that the offer is rejected and registers 150 that the Requestor has made an offer for this answer. Then, as usual, the system calculates and outputs a POE. If the offer is accepted, the system outputs 151 the answer, registers the charges and royalties due, and calculates and outputs the POE.
  • Figure 3d shows a price testing sequence in which only the Requestor makes offers. Here steps are shown that limit the Requestor to making one offer per time period. The point, as mentioned previously, is to limit the number of offers that a Requestor can make in order to get the Requestor to make a higher offer.
  • a Requestor makes an offer before the answer is in the system then this offer is not subject to a time period prohibition. The Requestor is free to make a different offer once the answer is in.
  • the system checks 160 whether the Requestor has made an offer that has been rejected. If yes, the system checks 161 to see if the pre-determined time period has expired. If not, the system tells 162 the Requestor that he cannot make another offer and, as usual, calculates and outputs a POE. If the time period has expired, the system asks 163 the Requestor to make an offer. The system registers 164 the offer. The system then checks 165 to see if the answer is in the system. Likewise, if the Requestor has never made an offer before that has been rejected, the system ask for an offer, registers the offer and checks to see if the answer is the system.
  • the system tells 166 the Requestor that the answer is not found and, as usual, calculates and outputs a POE. If the answer is in the system, the system checks 167 the price threshold and accepts or rejects the offer. If the system rejects the offer, it tells 168 the Requestor that the offer is rejected and sets 169 a time period for when the Requestor can make another offer for the answer, and, as usual, calculates and outputs a POE. If the system accepts the offer, it outputs the answer and registers charges and royalties and calculates and outputs a POE. Brief Note About Price Tests With Price Ranges
  • a price offer is at a single price.
  • the SODB and Requestors can each present offers as ranges, especially when an the answer requested is not yet in the system. For example, marketing research polls that ask people what they are willing to pay for an item often ask in terms of price ranges. The point is that information about price ranges can be more useful than single prices (we also note the important point that Requestors, and the SODB, can offer different prices corresponding to different times.).
  • the SODB may present a Requestor with a projected price.
  • the SODB might present an offer whereby the price of an answer is between 20 cents and $2.00, with the projected or expected price being 50 cents.
  • a Supplier who does research and compiles a list of hologram producers might want to be rather sure of being compensated for his time in compiling the list and entering it into the system. He might want, say, $20. And so, the SODB might set the initial price for the hologram answer high, in order to better insure that the Supplier will be paid the $20. Thus the first ten Requestor might be charged $2 each. However, say another 100 Requestors ask for the same hologram answer.
  • the original Requestors can be rebated an amount.
  • the actual price the original Requestors pay is not definite, but a projected or expected price. Just as the system calculates a POE, it can calculate a projected price.
  • Another type of knowledge is what might be called “algorithmic” in the sense that information is compressed in an algorithm. For example, one could ask, "What the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle with sides 3 inches and 4 inches long?" This answer could be stored to correspond to the question. One could make a huge look-up table with answers to questions about the lengths of different hypotenuses. A more efficient way of representing this information though is by the well known Pythagorean Theorem. This theorem allows you simply to plug in the relevant numbers and let the computer calculate an answer.
  • the SODB can be adapted to calculate answers from algorithms. For example, if 1 ,000 people ask questions about the length of the hypotenuses of different triangles, a user might realize that, rather than answer each of these questions, she could enter the theorem and enable people to plug in the appropriate numbers. The user that entered the formula and the interface allowing people to enter the numbers could then get the royalties for the questions the theorem answers.
  • the invention comprises a network in which terminals in various locations are used to input data requests and supply data.
  • the terminals can be anything from telephones to super computers.
  • the data itself can be stored centrally or in nodes throughout the network. For example, certain users might request the full text of Dracula. Other users might want the film version of Dracula. And all this data can be stored centrally. Or the text of Dracula, the book, might be stored in a computer owned by, say, the Library of Congress, while the film data might be stored in a computer owned by, say, a film studio.
  • the goal of the SODB is to collect the demand for given data centrally. That way the pay-off for supplying the data is higher and the data can cost less per user. Moreover, the more demand for a piece of data, the more likely the data will be entered into the system. If the demand is decentralized then there is no way to accumulate the demand and that defeats the purpose of the system. Of course it is conceivable that the demand could be registered throughout the system but it would still have to be tallied, matched up, somewhere to yield a total figure which would then lead to the maximal POE.
  • SODB The economic efficiency of accumulating demand information does not mean that a single SODB will store all the world's data-requests.
  • An SODB is meant to be used by a community and a community can be defined narrowly. For example, a company might have an SODB for its employees. Data-request demand information would be stored centrally though and not in every employee's computer.)
  • the data itself might be stored in a decentralized manner. However, if the SODB does not store data centrally, it must at least store pointers to the data centrally. For example, if a Requestor asks for a given piece of data, the SODB must be able to tell if the data is in the system or not.
  • a pointer would identify whether the data was in and where it was located. Thus a data-pointer is surrogate for the data itself.
  • a Supplier who enters data into the system would have to enter a pointer centrally while entering the data into a given storage computer.
  • the SODB only outputs routing information to the Requestor but does not make the connection to the storage computer.
  • the SODB is really a new kind of signaling mechanism that tells users where data is stored and tells users the potential pay-off of storing and selling data. This form of the invention was not envisioned in the grandparent and is noted here.
  • Another aspect of the SODB that can be decentralized is paying royalties and collecting charges. This can be done at the nodes where the data is stored. Again, this form of the invention was not envisioned in the grandparent but is noted here. However, even if payments are transacted in a decentralized manner, payment data would still be sent to the central SODB location because such data is usually important demand information to be used in calculating pay-off estimates.
  • the beauty of the SODB is that it enables the System Manager to provide incentives that can jump start the system. For example, if your plan is to start a lowest price locating system, a huge obstacle is how to convince thousands of sellers nationwide to feed in their prices so that the prices can be sorted. We met a similar problem in the very beginning when we discussed the problem of even keeping a data-base of telephone numbers up to date. The problems with a lowest price locator are worse.
  • the Manager can adjust the royalty rules so that the people who are the first to enter the lowest price of a given item get a share of future income from all the lowest prices, for that item for a period of time. For example, say that the item is a Sony Walkman (we'll pretend there is just one model in the world). Then the royalty rules can be set such that the person who enters the lowest price will get a share of the royalties of all subsequent lowest prices, for a period of, say, 5 years. Now, if there is no price in the data-base then the first person to enter the price is the lowest. That is not a reasonable way to get the system going. Therefore, the System Manager can set a rule such that the "first" lowest price Supplier is considered to be the person who has entered the lowest price that is valid at a given date and time.
  • the System Manager can set the royalty rules such that, for instance, the Supplier of the lowest price for a Walkman on December 24th, at noon, gets a small share of the royalties for all lowest prices entered for the next 5 years on a Walkman.
  • the reward might be, say, $200.
  • the System Manager can set up a competition to be the lowest price Supplier on a given date and time.
  • the competition might last, say a couple of months. At the end of this competition, a truly low price might be entered and the system may be off an running for that item.
  • An SODB should include more functions than the basic ones described above. Some useful functions are described below.
  • the SODB is a matching machine in two senses, both critical. First, it matches questions (data- requests) and keeps a tally of how many times the same, matching questions have been asked. Second, it matches answers to questions. In both types of matching, problems can arise due to the nature of language and the nature of questions and answers themselves. Therefore, the SODB should have functions to increase the chance of accurate matching. Examples of such approaches are best match algorithms.
  • the SODB can therefore have a function that takes a Requestor through a standard input structure so that Requestors have a better chance of posing Questions in matching forms when the questions have the same meaning.
  • This structure is easiest with simple questions such as, "What is the telephone number of John Smith?" A Requestor might simply input the name "John Smith,” which would of course, match other inputs of "John Smith.” This example brings us to the next problem.
  • the SODB can include a function that asks the Requestor to pose the question more specifically.
  • the SODB can also include a function that picks one answer out of a set of equivalent answers. For example, the answer to the question, "Where is the lowest price on a certain compact disc?" might be many places. The SODB might pick one at random. Quality Control Functions
  • Quality control of answers in the SODB is essential.
  • the SODB can have many functions to provide incentives and sanctions that encourage Suppliers to provide accurate answers.
  • a general incentive is that a corrected answer will displace a wrong answer and garner royalties.
  • the SODB may have rules to define what a wrong answer is but these rules cannot cover all situations. Disputes may arise as to whether answers are accurate and these dispute may have to be settled outside the system by the Manager of the SODB.
  • the SODB can have a function that stores identification information about an Answer such as the time it was supplied and the primary source (the primary source and the Supplier may or may not be one and the same).
  • the SODB can have a function that allows users to input a claim that an answer is wrong and send that claim to the Manager.
  • the SODB can have a function that allows a user to record this claim and send it to the Manager.
  • the SODB can have a function that allows a user to request that a manager inspect an answer.
  • the function can also register a charge for this inspection.
  • the SODB can have a function that allows the Manager to register that an answer is wrong and to register that wrong to a Supplier.
  • the SODB can have function that keeps a record of the wrong answers a Supplier has provided. This function can also disqualify a Supplier who has inputted too many wrong answers.
  • the SODB can have a function that charges Suppliers an amount of money, a penalty, for providing wrong answers.
  • the SODB can have a function that rewards a user who discovers that an answer is wrong. Such a function can charge a penalty to the Supplier of the wrong answer and pay the penalty fee to the discoverer of the incorrect answer.
  • the SODB can have a function that pays Suppliers to update answers. Let us call such a Supplier an Updater. For example, a price that was originally entered correctly might become outdated. A user who discovers this can be paid for changing the answer to a correct one. The user would be paid royalties that the new, correct answer would generate. However, sometimes, when an answer is changed, it may receive no royalties. This is particularly true with prices and other time sensitive offers. For example, the answer to the question "Who sells HP printers for the lowest price?" might change.
  • the Updater might find out that the current answer in the SODB is wrong. But the Updater might not be able to Supply the correct answer. That may have been supplied by someone else. In these cases, the SODB can have a function that pays the Updater a share of the Royalties owed to the Supplier of the new answer and/or of the old answer. Or the SODB may be able to credit the Updater in other ways, such as crediting him with free answers.
  • the SODB can have a function such that if an answer reverts to a previous answer within a given period of time, royalties will be paid to the Supplier of the previous answer, provided the previous answer was accurate.
  • static facts such as a person's birthday or the speed of light
  • the first person to supply the answer accurately would usually claim all royalties.
  • changing facts, such as prices, the time allowed for reversion could vary depending on the situation.
  • the SODB can have a function that "confirms" answers by making sure that they are outputted to Requestors only after having been inputted by more than one Supplier.
  • the SODB can have a function that allows Suppliers to enter answers only after having entered a passcode.
  • the SODB can have a function that records the Supplier's voice for identification.
  • the SODB can have a function that audio records the Supplier receiving an answer from the primary source of that answer. For example, a Supplier could be getting a price from a store. In order to insure that the store cannot renege on this price, the Supplier might want to record the conversation.
  • the SODB can have a call forwarding function in which the Supplier calls through the SODB, the SODB connects the Supplier to the store and then also records the conversation. To reduce recording costs, the recording might be done randomly.
  • the SODB can have a function to get rid of "deadwood" by deleting answers, raw data, data- requests and data-uses whose demand rate drops too low. For example, the SODB can automatically delete any answer that has not been requested or any question that has not been asked for a period of time.
  • the SODB can have a function that charges users for connect time, for the storage of answers and for any other usage of the data-base.
  • Pay-off Meter Functions a) A user might prefer not to have the POE outputted automatically but instead upon request. Therefore, the POM can have a function that allows Requestors to request a POE.
  • a function can be added to the POM that tells not only the Pay-off Estimate but also an estimated per hour rate.
  • the Pay-off Formula would have to include an estimate of the time it takes to input the necessary data. From this estimate, a per hour estimate follows.
  • the Pay-off Formula can calculate a second POE, one that is a percentage of the original POE and could be called a Referral Fee. This fee would be due a person, a Referrer, who alerted a Supplier to enter an answer. This function would allow a Supplier to input the name of the Referrer. The function would then credit royalties to both the Supplier and the Referrer. These two would normally share the original royalty amount.
  • the Pay-off Formula can calculate the Pay-off per component in an answer. There are infinite ways to assign a value per component.
  • the Pay-off Formula could, for example, simply take the POE and divide it by the number of components, x, in an answer.
  • the SODB would also have a function that tallies the components.
  • the SODB can include steps enabling Requestors to see more projected pay ⁇ off information than a single POE.
  • the SODB can display some or all the information kept in the demand meter for an answer.
  • the system can output a projected demand rate, without a price or cash pay-off attached to it.
  • any data in the demand record (demand meter) can be made available.
  • the Pay-off Formula can allow users to create "what-if ' scenarios, where users plug different values in for key variables in the POF, such as the price of a answer, the time period that the answer will be desired, the rate of requests, and so on. This subject will be taken up in a future application.
  • a Requestor may not want to supply certain data because another Requestor might beat him to the punch. Therefore, the SODB can have a function that reserves the right to input the data. The Requestor could enter a command, such as RESERVE, after hearing the POE for the data. The function would store the Requestor's ID data along with the Requestor's question. Then, for a period of time, the SODB would allow only that user to enter the necessary data. This function would also alert other users that the data was reserved for that time.
  • a Requestor who becomes a Supplier may not want to bother re-entering a Question that he previously asked when in the Request mode.
  • the SODB can then have a function whereby this user, when in the Request mode, could enter a command, such as "W LL SUPPLY", after hearing the POE for the answer.
  • the function would store the Requestor's ED data along with the Question.
  • the function would, upon a command, such as PREVIOUS, look-up the last question that the user had asked.
  • the data inputted by the user would then be stored to correspond to that Question.
  • a user who intends to be a Requestor might enter the Supply Mode, using that mode to check whether an answer is present in the SODB. (A user can check whether an answer is present using the Request or Supply Mode.) If the answer is present, the SODB can have a function that allows the user to automatically switch modes upon a single command and have the answer automatically outputted and a charge registered to the user. This function may seem trivial but an important issue lies behind it.
  • the SODB is a feedback system different from other data-bases in that it forms a tight feedback loop based on royalty incentives provided to users who normally would pay to receive data. With certain data-bases, suppliers, who do not pay for receiving data, may be able to check on the potential royalty revenue from a piece of data.
  • Check mode was mentioned in the the grandparent briefly. The basic idea is that a user can check the POE of an answer without registering as a Requestor or Supplier. Check Mode is not necessary for a user could always check the POE of an answer in Supply Mode. With a special Check Mode, however, the system can enable a user to check multiple questions at once. Thus the system could enable a user to conduct a search based on the value of POE's. Such a search would probably be too broad but when conducted along with a keyword search could show users answers that were potentially high yielding and that the user might be able to answer. The other reason for Check Mode is that if a Requestor just wants to check whether an answer is in without registering demand information, this can be another way to do it.
  • the system can include different types of alert functions that alert users as to relevant changes in the status of given answers. Users can direct the system to send them information on such chages. Two key alerts are the following:
  • a POE alert (mentioned in the definitions section under the I-Signal). In this alert, a user would ask that the POE for a given answer be sent to the user if the POE rises above a threshold.
  • Answer Status alerts In this alert the user ask the system to send information if an answer has been supplied, has changed, has been complained about, or has been given a change of name (has had a new question attached to it). Both Requestors and Suppliers might be interested in such information. Requestors might of course want to find out if an answer is in and Suppliers might want to know if their answer has been messed with.
  • EVPM expected value payment method
  • the main question in an EVPM is how to insure fair bets.
  • the bets are between the SODB and its users, both Requestors who owe money and Suppliers who are owed money.
  • Requestors who owe money We will take the case of Requestors who owe money.
  • the principles involved extend to Suppliers. Cheat-prevention methods are described in the patents above. Two examples of cheat prevention methods that can be applied to the SODB are given below.
  • Numbers Game Method In the illegal Numbers Game, results were often determined by one number, for example the last three digits of the handle at the track. Sandra who picked that number would win. Thus, one number decided thousands of bets. Likewise the SODB's Payments Register can set up EVPM bets with each Requestor. Charges registered one day can all be decided by the daily lotto number the next day. For example, assume the stakes are set at $10.00. The bet then is decided by the last three numbers in the daily lotto. (See EVPM patent). So, the Payments Register register the charges owed by all Requestors during one day. Then the next day, the daily lotto number is announced. The Payments Register takes this number and applies it to every bet is made with Requestors on the previous day.
  • the only problem with such a method is that it can truly be feast or famine. For example, assume all charges one day are 10 cents. The SODB only has a 1 % chance of winning bets if the stakes are $10. Therefore, the SODB stands a 99% chance of getting nothing and a 1% chance of getting 100 times its money.
  • the Payments Register might assign to each Requestor an extra number to be added to the lotto number. The extra number might be part of the Requestors ID number, for example. These extra numbers would be random or nearly so in order to even out the wins and losses from bets. As long the extra numbers are agreed upon by Requestors before the lotto number is announced, all is fair.
  • Probabilistic Metering Method Normally, when people use an on-line data-base or phone system or any usage sensitive system, there is a metering component that measures usage and ultimately determines charges.
  • the SODB has that with its Payment's Register. However, registering charges and then billing for them can be a large cost. Therefore, it would be advantageous to do the metering on a probabilistic basis by EVPM. For example, the meter might be off 90 percent of the time but, when on, the charges applied would be at 10 times the normal rate. The periods of time the meter is on and off are determined by a random number supplier that picks a number, in this case an integer from 1-10.
  • the SODB's Payment's Register can have a Probabilistic Metering Function (PMF) that randomly determines the time periods during which the SODB will register charges to Requestors (and register royalties to Suppliers).
  • PMF Probabilistic Metering Function
  • a period of time is broken up into sub-periods. For example, a day might be broken up into minutes.
  • the probability that the meter will be on during a sub-period is decided upon by the SODB manager.
  • Each sub-period has assigned to it a random number that determines whether the meter will be on or off during that period. The number is chosen by a random number generator such that the probability of the meter being on is the probability that the SODB manager has decided on. With each sub-period having a random number chosen, a sequence or list of "on's" and "off s" is created. This list is inputted into the PMF. ( The list is supplied by an independent source that generates the numbers. The independence of the source is necessary to verify whether or not the SODB's sequence if fair.)
  • the PMF has a clock and a sub-function that, upon the clock's arriving at each sub-period, checks the list to determine whether the meter should be on or off.
  • the sub-function turns the meter on and off as determined by the on/off list.
  • the clock is synchronized to an independent clock so that fairness can be assured.
  • the Payment Register When the meter is on, the Payment Register registers charges and multiplies them by the inverse of the probability that the meter would be on. Thus, if the meter is to be on 1/10 of the time, the charges would be 10 times normal.
  • Probabilistic metering by this method offers an efficient way to insure fair bets and also a way to smooth out the wins and losses from bets. Perhaps more importantly, it allows Requestors not to have to input the ID data unless they lose bets. There is no reason to input one's identity if one does not have to pay. Thus the inputting of ED data is eliminated from the Start mode. This can be a very advantageous for people in a hurry. It means they only have to identify themselves for billing purposes when they lose the bets. Of course, people might not pay if they haven't identified themselves. However, in addition to honor, it is possible in some cases to gather evidence to trace Requestors. It is possible to capture the Requestor's voice, for instance, if the SODB is accessed by voice. If the SODB is accessed by computer, the computer may be traced.
  • the foundation task of the SOD is to count the number of people who want a given answer.
  • the system must get a reasonably accurate count of how many people seek the same answer because it is from this number the system estimates of the future sales and POE of the answer.
  • a given MOAE would still need special rules for defining a satisfactory answer though. These rules could allow a lot of flexibility.
  • One such rule could be that an answer that is outputted and credited with royalites is an answer that is voted best by users.
  • the system would include rules whereby certain users would vote for the best answer to a question, or the best answer under a certain number of words. Rules like this would allow a variety of possible answers to be entered into the system, and yet the answers that could be outputted at any one time would still be very limited.
  • the scope of the SOD would be greatly broadened if people could ask it unconstrained, ambiguous, natural language questions, as if they were talking to a person or the computer on the Starship Enterprise. It would be nice to be able to ask the SOD a question like, "Hey, what books did Herman Melville write?,” and get the answer one was looking for. But natural language poses problems for the SOD because when a user enters a natural language question it is not clear what answer the user is looking for. And if it is in not clear what answer is wanted then the system cannot estimate a value for the answer.
  • Words and sentences are things we use to refer to other things.
  • words and sentences “mean,” “describe,” “represent,” “denote,” “correspond to,” “match,” and “signify” things. These terms seem simple enough but, of course, we do not actually understand how this correspondence process works; we just realize that words and sentences in our brains somehow do correspond to things outside our brains and to ideas that may be only in our brains.
  • One fact we know about the process is that a word or sentence can refer to many things, even an infinite number of things. Take the word "drive”. What does it refer to? That depends on the situation. And since the number of possible situations is infinite, the word “drive” can potentially refer to innumerable things.
  • words and sentences can potentially refer to infinite things, in practice they usually refer to a certain set of things that we generally agree on. Such a set itself may be infinite but it does not contain all things. So in fact, the meanings of words and sentences are very constrained compared to all the possible meanings they could have. And this fact makes communication with words and sentences possible. Still words and sentences can refer to enough things that an agreement process is necessary. While this agreement process is not well understood either, we do know that an essential part of it is the process of clarifying what is said.
  • a stand is a machine. It is an electronic sign with information about an answer, a vending machine that may sell an answer and, a polling station that collects information about buyer interest in the answer.
  • a question is a sign that stands twenty feet tall describing a product. (In the bazaar the products are answers but one can think of a product as anything, a pair of pants, a map, a movie, anything.) The sign is also a meeting spot where people go to find out about the product. And so the sign may also tell whether the product is in stock, what the price is, what the reward may be for supplying the product. This information may change and can be revealed at different times, depending on the type of product it is.
  • a question is also a vending machine that can dispense the product and collect money.
  • the product In order for the product to be there, it must be brought by a producer, who then gets a part of the sales.
  • a buyer can agree to pay for the product by pressing a button on the machine.
  • just the arrival of the buyer means that he buyer agrees to pay for the product if it is there.
  • the buyer must make an offer and the machine can decide whether or not to accept it. Sometimes a buyer can see the price of the answer in advance, other times not.
  • the machine automatically identifies the buyer and charges him by debitting his account at the bazaar's bank.
  • Money is electronic now, though some speak of the time when people carried gold and defended themselves with long knives.
  • a question also is a polling station. Each buyer's offer is recorded along with the time of the offer, whether a buyer has made an offer before and, whether a buyer has actually bought. From this data, the machine projects the sales of the product and displays the projection. Many scoff at this predicting, some call it fortunetelling, and it is true that many predictions have failed. Because it is an automated, multi-purpose sign, a question is sometimes called a signomat. Other times it is just called a sign.
  • the endless answers problem is that different Requestors may enter the same question string into the SOD but have different answers in mind. For example, each Requestor entering "Where is the ballgame?" may be thinking of a different game. Thus, the SOD needs to have a way for Requestors to distinguish the answers they want even though they enter the same question string initially.
  • the problem is that different Suppliers may want to supply different answers to a question.
  • One may want to supply "Fenway Park,” another, “Yankee Stadium,” another, “George Mason Field,” and so on.
  • the SOD needs to have a way for Suppliers to give different answers to the same question string.
  • a good solution to the endless answers problem should enable the SOD to distinguish between answers so that: 1. Requestors can signify which individual answers they want without signifying answers they don't want.
  • the SOD can maintain a distinct demand record for each individual answer.
  • a Requestor who enters a first question can enter a second, more specific question and link it to the first, less specific question.
  • a Supplier who attempts to supply an answer to a first question can enter a more specific question and link it to the first, less specific question. And the Supplier can then enter an answer to the more specific question.
  • an answer to a question can be a more specific question together with an answer to that more specific question. That way, when a Requestor enters a question, what can pop up is a more specific question, and possibly, its answer. We say possibly because the SOD initially might only reveal multiple more specific questions, allowing the Requestor to pick one that has the answer he wants.
  • These two operations give Requestors and Suppliers the critical ability to rephrase a question so as to give a more specific description of the answer they want or of the answer they have supplied.
  • the linking step is also critical because it allows users to "travel" from a question to a linked more specific question.
  • the SOD is a communications system. So while the system cannot understand natural language, it can enable people to better communicate their intentions. As with natural conversation, the questions in the SOD can get more and more specific so an original question can have a more specific question linked to it and then that question can have a more specific question linked to it, and so on, and so forth. The reason all this works is that eventually, through asking more specific questions, we can describe the answer we want so that our fellow human beings understand, usually, what it is we want.
  • This restrictive definition has advantages because it reduces ambiguity. For example, users can make a "ladder” like the one above that orders questions by their specificity. On the other hand, we lose some of the benefits of natural language.
  • Another test is to see whether a question is more specific than another is to check if an answer to the more specifc question will always be an answer to the less specific question.
  • an answer to Qn is always an answer to Q but, an answer to Q is not necessarily an answer Qn.
  • the answer to "What's IBM's phone number in Armonk?” will also answer “What's IBM's phone number?.”
  • the answer to "What's D3M's phone number?” will not necessarily answer "What's EBM's phone number in Armonk?.”
  • the reason is that the more specific question fits all the conditions of the less specific question but the less specific question 55 does not include all the conditions of the more specific question.
  • this test is still subjective.
  • MS-Q More Specific Question
  • part 1 we again define MS-Q's, this time giving rules about how they are stored in the system.
  • part 2 we describe new procedures that the system requires for enabling people to use MS-Q's.
  • part 3 we illustrate key steps of these procedures.
  • part 4 we give examples of Requestors and Suppliers using MS-Q's. Part 1. Rules Defining How MS-Q's Are Stored
  • An MS-Q is a question that is stored to correspond directly to another question.
  • an MS-Q is linked directly to another question, which we will call a Less Specific Question (LS-Q).
  • LS-Q Less Specific Question
  • linked directly we mean that an MS-Q is stored such that when a user enters a linked LS-Q, the MS-Q can be accessed by default or in response to a command. And further, a user can jump from one linked question to another. Rather than say that an MS-Q is a special type of question, we can just as well say that the link created between two questions is special.
  • Any question, including an MS-Q, can have an MS-Q linked to it.
  • MS-Q's can be divided into two types, restricted and unrestricted.
  • Restricted MS-Q includes the exact same information as the LS-Q it is linked to and includes extra information as well.
  • a system can eliminate this possibility by enabling users to create an MS-Q just by entering the information that is to be added to the LS-Q.
  • the system can also enable a user to choose whether the extra information is added to the beginning or end of the LS-Q.
  • Linking is a familiar term for the process of connecting two records in memory so that they can be accessed from one another.
  • the records we are concerned with are questions, not just the question strings but all the information that is collected to correspond to those strings.
  • a question string can be said to name a record.
  • the information in the record can include an answer, whether the answer is in the system, the price of the answer, the length of the answer, the POE and, any other information that the system has registered about the question and about the answer that corresponds directly to the question.
  • a first and second record are linked directly we mean several things:
  • the link is named to describe the semantic relationship between the two question strings.
  • the system may display this second string by default or in response to a command. If by command, the command would correspond to the name of the link, for example, "Get MS-Q's.” From the first record, the user may be able to access more, or even all, of the information in the second record, depending on the rules of the particular system.
  • the system can access all information at the second record and can make decisions based on that information. For example, if many MS-Q's are linked to a question, the system could determine which ones to show based on the information held in each.
  • the system enables a user to travel from the first record to the second.
  • the system can register when a user travels from one record to the other. This information can be kept in each record and/or kept in a third record created to store information about movement on the link.
  • the system can access records that are indirectly linked to each other and can enable users to access those records as well. How Answers Correspond to Questions
  • the system also requires rules that define how many answers can correspond to a question. There is no hard and fast rule; it is a design decision. For simplicity's sake, we adopt the rule below.
  • An answer can correspond directly to multiple questions.
  • each option can have many variations.
  • the option of Getting MS-Q's can display MS-Q's by default or in response to a command.
  • This option can also allow MS-Q's to be shown according to certain search parameters.
  • the user can get to a question by entering it, by confirming a best match, or by moving to it from another question. We will call the question that the user is at the current question.
  • the system presents him with a list of options.
  • the system lets the user: a. Get an answer 210, b. Get MS-Q's 211, c. Get other questions 212, d. Enter an MS-Q 213, e. Enter an answer 214, f. Enter a new question-label 215, g. Link the current question to an existing question 216, h. Zip to another question 217, i. Rephrase the last entered question 218, j. Enter a new question 219, k. Stop 220.
  • the system searches for an exact match. If there is no exact match, the system stores the question and creates a demand record for it. The system then looks for a best match. If there is no best match the system alerts the user that there is no best match. If the user likes, he can rephrase the question.
  • the user can select a match. If he does, the selected question becomes the current question.
  • the user may be satisfied with a best match candidate, but he may still prefer his original question. Further, he may want to link his original question to the best match question. Thus even though the user chooses a best match, the system stores the original question, and any rephrasings the user enters.
  • the entering a question procedure is equivalent to telling the cab driver which signomat to go to. If no such signomat is already in the bazaar, the robots of the bazaar construct the one that the rider has described. After taking him to it, the cab takes him to on a tour to see one or more similar sounding singomats. If the rider is satisfied with one of these he can tell the driver to stop. If he is not satisfied, the cab returns him to the new signomat the system has constructed for him.
  • a user When a user, especially a Requestor, enters a new question, he may be starting a new search or he may be rephrasing a previous question.
  • the system may enable the user to distinguish between starting afresh and rephrasing a question. If so, the system includes a command for identifying the next question entered as a rephrasing of the last question entered.
  • the system can enable him to move to (zip to) a linked question, or to any other question the system shows on screen or otherwise makes available to him.
  • the system includes a select command so the user can designate which question he wants to move to.
  • the command may consist of clicking on a question that is shown on screen.
  • a user would click on the zip tool 221 and then click on a question on screen.
  • the selected question would then become the current question and die information associated with that question would then also appear on screen.
  • this option is equivalent to a rider telling the driver to go to another signomat that user has seen either at the current signomat or during his trip.
  • the system When a user is at a question, the system enables him to see the directly linked MS-Q's. The system may show these automatically or in response to a command. The system can also display the number of MS-Q's that are directly linked to the current question. Once the system displays the MS-Q's, the user can select any one of them to zip to. The process can be continued in the direction of greater specificity, unless there are no MS-Q's linked to the question that the user is at.
  • the system can also enable the user to see more than one level of MS-Q's. This type of viewing is especially feasible when the MS-Q's are Restricted MS-Q's. And the system can tell the user the maximum depth and average depth of the MS-Q tree is that the user is on (the actual depth depends on the route a user takes). As shown in figure 9, the system can enable the user to select 310 only the Restricted MS-Q's. When a Restricted MS-Q is shown, the system may output only the extra information the MS- Q contains over the current question.
  • the system must include defaults to determine the order in which MS-Q's are shown when there are too many MS-Q's output at once. In this case, the system can enable the user to scroll through the MS-Q's. Also, the system can enable the user to determine which MS-Q's to see according to various criteria.
  • Getting MS-Q's is like viewing the telescreen that shows signomats that are linked to the signomat the rider is at.
  • the telescreen may show these automatically or the rider may have to press a button to see them.
  • the system can enable him to see and move to more than just the directly linked MS-Q's. For example, the system can also show linked LS-Q's. This feature is important for it allows the user to backtrack, instead of just going in the direction of greater specificity.
  • the system can also enable the user to see any question the user has previously entered or been at.
  • the system keeps a list of the questions that the user has been at and can enable the user to call up this list and select a question from it. The most important of these is the last question the user was at because returning to this question is often the most natural type of backtracking.
  • the system need not show this previous question but can just include a command for selecting it.
  • the system may include an option whereby the user may ask to see questions that are good matches for the current question but that are not directly linked to that question.
  • the reason for this feature is to enable the user to see questions in the data-base that may be related to the current question but that have not been linked together. This feature enables a user to zip to and possibly link questions that the user might not otherwise find out about.
  • a signomat's telescreen would be able to display the less specific signomats linked to the signomat. A rider could then select one of these to go to. Also, the cab meter could keep a list of all the signomats a rider has gone to in a certain trip and can let the rider pick a signomat on the list to return to. Entering an MS-Q and Linking It to a Question
  • the system When a user is at a question, the system enables him to enter an MS-Q.
  • the system includes a link command (in figure 6, "Enter MS-Q" 222).
  • the user selects the command, which signifies that the current question is to be an LS-Q, relative to a new question to be entered.
  • the user then enters a new question and the system stores it as an MS-Q to correspond directly to the LS-Q.
  • the user can repeat this process, linking multiple MS-Q's to the question he is at.
  • the system can enable the user to select 311 which type of MS-Q the user wants to enter. This choice could be presented as part of a sub-menu.
  • the system can enable users to enter an MS-Q by only entering information to be added to the LS-Q.
  • the MS-Q has an exact match in the data-base.
  • the system can look for an exact match. If one is found, the system can link it to the current question.
  • the system can also look for a best match for the MS-Q, and output best match candidates. The user might want to link one of these to the current question as well.
  • the search for a match of the MS-Q can enable the user to find and link questions he might not otherwise have seen.
  • a rider can press a button on the signomat that signifies that the next question he enters will be for a more specific signomat and that the new signomat should be linked to the signomat he is at. Then, when the rider asks for a more specific product, the robots of the bazaar construct a signomat for it and paint a magnetic path with arrows pointing from the current signomat to the new one.
  • the system When a user is at a question, the system enables him to enter an answer.
  • the system includes a command for entering an answer (the system may enable a Requestor to become a Supplier just by entering this "Enter Answer" command).
  • the Supplier After the user enters the command, and if the question has no direct answer, the Supplier enters the answer and the system stores it is as the direct answer. If the question already has a direct answer, the system tells the Supplier he can only enter an indrect answer and enables him to do so.
  • the Supplier can enter an indirect answer by entering an MS-Q and supplying a direct answer to the MS-Q. He can enter as many indirect answers as he likes.
  • the system can enable the user to designate whether he is entering a direct or indirect answer. He can enter both a direct and indirect answers, if the current question has no direct answer, or he can enter only indirect answers, if he wants.
  • the system can enable a Supplier to use a sub ⁇ menu procedure when entering an MS-Q and an answer to the MS-Q, rather than making the Supplier switch to main menu option for entering an MS-Q. So the Entering an Answer procedure can also include steps for entering MS-Q's.
  • a question is a label that identifies what information a corresponding answer will have. It is often helpful to label an answer in multiple ways. Multiple labels can help people find an answer, just as listing a business under different headings in the phone book can help people find the business. The ability to name an answer in various ways is especially important when dealing with natural language requests where people call the same thing by many diffferent names.
  • multiple labels are like having multiple advertisements for a single answer. So the system can enable users to enter multiple MS-Q's for a single answer (and the system can include short cuts so that a user does not have to re-enter the same answer each time he enters a new label for it).
  • a rider with a product to supply call it a recipe — can press a button on the appropriate signomat and the signomat will then store the product to dispense to buyers.
  • the producer must have a new signomat constructed. He can link this new machine to the original signomat he wanted to supply the product to. And he can have numerous machines set up with different signs for the same product. And he can have all these machines all linked to the original signomat.
  • the system can include a linking tool that enables users to link two questions that are already stored in the system.
  • a linking tool that enables users to link two questions that are already stored in the system.
  • One way for such a tool to work is for a user to select (click on) the tool and then select a question on screen.
  • the system then creates a link between the current question and the selected question such that the selected question is an MS-Q of the current question.
  • a linking tool can be selected and then two questions on screen can be selected. In this case, the system would create a link between the two questions with the first question selected being the LS-Q and the second the MS-Q (or vice versa).
  • the rider may press a linking button on the signomat telescreen and then select a signomat on the telescreen. The selected signomat then becomes linked to the signomat the rider is at.
  • a question can have no answer, in which case there is no problem.
  • a question can have one direct answer and no MS-Q's, in which case there is no problem.
  • a question can have no direct answer and have MS-Q's that have direct answers. Again there is no problem if the MS-Q's just have direct answers.
  • a question can have a direct answer and an MS-Q that has a direct answer. Now we may have an problem. Why? Because when a person is at the question and wants an answer, how is he to differentiate between the direct and indirect answer?
  • the question (the LS-Q) describes the direct answer but it also describes the indirect answer. As shown in figure 7, let's say the LS-Q
  • the original Supplier can do it, but he may not be easy to alert to the need and he may not be interested in doing it.
  • a system judge can do it, but judges cannot keep up with the need.
  • a Requestor can do it. He might see a direct answer and feel it needs a more accurate label. This type of labelling can help other Requestors find an answer and it can also be an excellent method of quality control. For example, a question may be,
  • the rules as to who can do the relabelling can be variable depending on the system. In any case, it can be useful for the system to include a procedure for relabelling an answer.
  • the system can include a command for selecting a direct answer, for example by selecting its "direct" question, and then entering an MS-Q to relabel (or add an extra label to) the direct answer. As shown in figure 7a, this MS-Q 240 would be linked to the original question and would correspond to the original question's direct answer 241.
  • this relabelling is like having the system construct a new, more descriptive singomat for a product that is already in a signomat. 70
  • the system can enable him to get an answer, whether direct or indirect, by entering a command.
  • the system may enable a Supplier to become a Requestor just by entering this "Get Answer " command).
  • the system may output the answer without a command.
  • arriving at a question does not necessarily mean that a person wants a corresponding answer, direct or indirect.
  • the person can just be passing through, looking for a good question. So the arrival is not necessarily registered as demand information.
  • a user may have to explicitly express interest in paying for an answer, for instance by entering a Get Answer command, in order for the system to register the demand information, and for the system to output an answer.
  • price testing could then be done, and other demand information gathered.
  • Getting an Answer can be the most complicated procedure of the ones we have discussed. That's because the point of implementing MS-Q's is to give users more choices for getting answers.
  • the available answers may be direct and indirect and there may be many available. Or there may be unanswered but linked questions. As mentioned, these expanded choices raise several design issues. For example, when there are multiple possible answers, direct and indirect: a. which one is the system to output?, b. how is demand to be registered when a user may express interest in more than one answer; what should the POE be based on?, c. what if the user is dissatisfied with an answer because didn't think the question described it well and wants to look at another answer?
  • the signomat may or may not have the product — again, call it a recipe — that the rider is looking for. If the rider is interested in the recipe, he usually presses a button. If the recipe is there, and if the rider knows the price in advance, the recipe is dispensed. Another possibility is that the signomat posts a price, and the buyer can then choose to buy or not. Or the signomat can post a message saying, "Well, I might have the recipe and I might not, what are you willing to pay for it?," and let the buyer make an offer. If the recipe is there it is dispensed, if the buyer's offer is high enough. In any case, the signomat registers the details of any buyer offer and displays a POE for the recipe.
  • the system can include functions for quality control that enable users to nullify links.
  • the system can allow users to take several actions. Two mains ones are:
  • the system can include means for a user to select an MS-Q and post a complaint marker for others to see. Further the system may reward users who properly point out invalid links and may penalize those who create such links.
  • the system can be self-regulating though without these measures because an invalid link may merely be ignored by users. An ignored link will not benefit its creator, and further, the system may have rules that cause an unused link to vanish.
  • this type of quality control is like a rider posting a complaint on the telescreen about a linked signomat and possibly asking a judge to erase the link.
  • the system a. Inputs 251 the question, b. Checks 252 for an exact match, bl . If an exact match is found, the question is the selected question 253, b2. If no exact match is found, the system stores 254 the question, creates 254 a demand record for it, and checks 255 for a best match, b2a. If no best match is found, the question is the selected question 256, b2b. If a best match is found, the system outputs 257 the match(es) and asks the user to confirm (select one) 258, b2bl. If the user selects a best match question, it is the selected question 259, b2b2. If the user selects none of the matches, the question is the selected question 256, c. Waits for an option to be selected.
  • Rephrase If the user selects "Rephrase" 260 the system registers 261 that the next question entered is a rephrasing of the previous question entered. When the user enters a question, the system continues with the procedure described just above for New Question.
  • the system a. Registers 271 demand information (the request, the time of the request, the price offered, and other information depending on the particular system), b. Checks 272 if an answer is in the data-base, bl . If no, outputs 273 a message saying the answer is not found, b2. If yes, outputs 274 the answer, registers 274 a charge to the Requestor and a credit to the Supplier, c. Waits for an option to be selected.
  • demand information the request, the time of the request, the price offered, and other information depending on the particular system
  • bl Checks 272 if an answer is in the data-base, bl . If no, outputs 273 a message saying the answer is not found, b2. If yes, outputs 274 the answer, registers 274 a charge to the Requestor and a credit to the Supplier, c. Waits for an option to be selected.
  • the system If the user selects "Zip To" 279 the system: a. Checks 280 if any MS-Q's are currently outputted, al . If no, the system remains at the menu, a2. If yes, the user selects one of the MS-Q's that has been outputted and the system inputs 281 the selection, and makes 282 the selected MS-Q the selected question, b. Waits for an option to be selected.
  • the system If the user selects "Enter Answer" 287 the system: a. Checks 288 if a direct answer is in the data-base, al . If no, the system asks 289 the user if he wants to enter a direct answer, a2a. If the user selects yes, he enters an answer, a2al. The system inputs 290 the answer, a2a2. Stores 291 it as the direct answer to the selected question and registers 292 the user's identification data in order to credit royalties, a2. If yes, outputs 293 a message telling the Supplier that a direct answer is already in the data-base, b. Asks 294 the user if he wants to enter an indirect answer, bl .
  • the system waits for an option to be selected, b2. If the user selects yes, he enters a question, b2a. The system inputs 295 the question, b2b. Stores 296 the new question as an MS-Q of the selected question, and sets 296 the MS-Q as the Latest MS-Q, b2c. Checks 297 if the user has already entered an answer to the selected question or to an MS-Q of the selected question, b2c 1. If no, the user enters an answer and the system inputs 298 it and stores it as the direct answer to the Latest MS-Q, b2c2.
  • the system asks 299 the user if he wants the last answer he entered to also answer the Latest MS-Q, b2c2a. If the user selects yes, the system stores 300 that answer as the direct answer of the Latest MS-Q, b2c2b. If the user selects no, he enters an answer and the system inputs 298 it and stores 301 it as the direct answer to the Latest MS-Q, b2c2c. Registers 292 the user's identification data in order to credit royalties, and goes to step b.
  • the question has a direct answer.
  • the Supplier selects the original question, What's IBM's phone number? 325 and enters a direct answer, 800-333-4444 326. He then enters one MS-Q, What's IBM's toll-free number for Inkjet tech support? 327, and then enters the same answer. He then selects another existing MS-Q, What's IBM's phone number for tech support? 328 and adds, for inkjets 329 to this, thus creating another MS-Q. He enters the same answer again. Finally, he selects another existing MS-Q, What's a 1-800 number for IBM? 330, and enters the same answer.
  • a Supplier selects a question that already has a direct answer he can then add an MS-Q and a direct answer to that MS-Q.
  • a Supplier selects the question, What's a 1-800 number for IBM? 340, and then adds one MS-Q to it, for laptop product information 341, and then enters an answer 342 to that new MS-Q. He then enters another MS-Q,/or laptop complaints and suggestions 343, and an answer 344 for that. Finally, he adds a third MS-Q, for laptop tech support 345, and an answer 346 to that.
  • the system can provide a linking tool that enables a user to link any two question that appear on screen.
  • a linking tool that enables a user to link any two question that appear on screen.
  • figure lOd we show how a Requestor might link a new question with best match candidates.
  • the user enters,
  • the dashed lines 355 represent possible links between the current question and the match candidates.
  • the linking tool works such that the user first selects the tool and then selects two questions, the first being designated the LS-Q and the second the MS-Q.
  • the user selects the current question 350 and then selects the first match 351 above.
  • the system creates a link between the two questions with the match candidate being the MS-Q.
  • the user repeats the process with the second match candidate 352.
  • the user selects the third candidate 353 but selects this question before selecting the current question 350.
  • the current question becomes an MS-Q relative to the third match candidate.
  • the user repeats the process with the fourth match candidate 354.
  • four links have been created, two where the current question is an LS-Q and two where the current question is an MS-Q.
  • the system registers demand information in the MS-Q's demand record.
  • the system also registers in this record whether the Requestor enters any other MS-Q's to be linked to the same current question. This registering would occur for each MS-Q the Requestor entered for that common question.
  • the Requestor can show he wants an answer by selecting the Get Answer command.
  • the system shows him, in advance of his asking for an answer, whether or not an answer is in the system for the current question, then the system needs a command so that the user can explcitly state that he wants an answer and is not "just passing through” the question.
  • the system can have a separate command for indicating that the user wants an answer even though the answer is not in the system.
  • the Get Answer command can be used here as well.
  • Get Answer would signal the system to register demand for the answer.
  • a system may show a POE for a question by default. Otherwise, the system must include a command for showing the POE.
  • the system can include a separate "Get POE" option. When a user selects this option, the system enables him to see POE information about the current question including, possibly, information about the POE's of linked MS-Q's.
  • the system can show the average POE and a maximum POE for linked MS-Q.
  • the system might show the POE's of MS-Q's by default though, along with the MS-Q's themsleves.
  • the rules for entering MS-Q's and linking questions make it possible for a question to be linked to a great number of other questions. In fact, the number of links can potentially explode. The alternative paths thus created can cause confusion for a user who wants to find an answer, or find a good question. The situation is akin to getting too many "hits" when searching in a conventional data-base. So the system can include functions for making searching easier. These functions can come in two broad types: those that restrain the linking of questions, and those that use extra selection critieria for choosing which linked questions to see and which answers to get from the linked questions.
  • Some rules the system can include for restraining the linking of questions are:
  • "Use" can mean travelling through the question or on the link.
  • questions and links can be treated like answers in the sense that storing an answer can cost a Supplier in rent but may garner royalties. Questions and links in general would have lower rents and royalties than answers.
  • Forbidding automated linking for example, by limiting a user to creating a maximum number of links per period of time.
  • the system can include defaults for determining which MS-Q's to show.
  • the system can also enable a user to enter additional search parameters to choose which MS-Q's and answers to see. These choices of parameters and of system defaults can be the same. So let us first discuss some possible parameters the system can enable a user to enter .
  • a User Selects "Get MS-Q's" When a user selects the Get MS-Q's option and there are too many MS-Q's to output at once, the system can enable the user to enter some combination of the following selection criteria for choosing which MS-Q's to see:
  • the user could enter additional information to the current question, rather than re-enter a whole new question. This information can then be best matched to the MS-Q's. (The system may also add the new information to the current question and treat the combined information as a new question and try that new question against the whole data-base.)
  • the user could specify a price level for the answer he wants.
  • the MS-Q's shown would be those that correspond to answers under a certain price.
  • the MS-Q's might correspond indirectly to answers at various price levels. In this case the system could still show an MS-Q but only if it corresponded to some answer below the stated price threshold.
  • the user could specify that he wants to see only answers that have passed certain quality control inspections. In this case the system would need ways for users to enter reviews of answers.
  • the user could specify the length of answer he wants.
  • the user could specify that he wants to see the MS-Q's that correspond to the most popular answers according to those answers that have actually been bought.
  • the user could specify that he wants to see the MS-Q's that other users have travelled to most from the current question.
  • the user could specify that he wants to see the MS-Q's that correspond to the most popular answers according to those answers that have the highest demand (by highest POE or by highest request rate), though the answers may or may not be in the system. h. By direct answers that are in the system.
  • MS-Q's may have no direct or indirect answers.
  • a user who selects the Get Other Questions option can use the same selection criteria as those above except, of course, that the questions he is referring to are not MS-Q's.
  • the user can decide whether he wants to see LS-Q's or questions he has been previously at.
  • the system can include an additional criteria, allowing the user to choose questions according to the type of linked questions he wants to see, for example, LS-Q's. (Later, when other types of links are introduced, this "select-a-link" feature becomes more important.)
  • a user who selects the Get Answer option can also use the same criteria above, though in this case the user would not want questions but answers. If there were no answers, the system could show MS-Q's without answers and register demand for the corresponding answers. If there were answers, the system would show the answer that best fit the criteria that the user entered.
  • Answers even long ones, can be entered voice if the system has voice recognition functions. An answer can be confirmed by the user or "cleaned up" at a later time.
  • the system can find an MS-Q to the original question and output an answer to the MS-Q that has satisfied the most people of should suffice for most users.
  • the answer may originally have been supplied by text, it can be outputted by text-to- speech functions, or it can be outputted on screen as well of course.
  • voice recognition and the SOD are concerned, questions have an inherent advantage. They are usually short. Thus a user can enter a question by voice in multiple ways and the system can look for a best match using the multiple phrasings. Normally, voice recognition suffers from problems of interpretation, but because questions are usually short messages, multiple phrasings can enable the system to find a good match (we will see the same principle involved in translating questions into other languages). Once the system arrives at a good match, additional selection criteria can be applied, espcially those concerning the most popular answers. Of course, using voice entails limitations, but the point is that people can find answers even in a system that has linked questions.
  • the relationship can be one way in that the answer to one question might answer the other question but not vice versa. Or it can be two way in that the answer to one question might answer the other question and vice versa.
  • Rephrase Link A user searching for an answer might enter various questions that could correspond to that answer. He might not further specify the relationship between two such questions except to say that they are both entered in pursuit of the same answer. He does this by entering a rephrase command before entering a new question. This command signifies that the question is a rephrase of the previous question. The system can then create a link between the two questions. The user may further specify the relationship between the two questions later. Or he may not and the link would remain to identify the questions as rephrases of each other.
  • a user can create the links described above between questions.
  • the links identify the relationship between two questions. Because the relationships have to do with whether the questions have the same answer, the links can help other users find answers or express interest in the same answers.
  • the system can include options for entering: Less Specific Questions 370 Synonymous Questions 371 More Complete Questions 372 Less Complete Questions 373 Related Questions 374.
  • MS-Q's are meant to solve the Endless Answers problem.
  • the type of links described above are above all meant to solve the Matching Up Questions problem.
  • an SOD is to be an international data-base where people can enter questions and answers in different languages, where a person can ask a question in, say, Swahili and get an answer back in Swahili that has been supplied originally in, say, English. It is a great goal not just because of the ideal of international cooperation but because of the economics of the system. In general, the more people who are willing to pay for an answer the more likely it is to be supplied, and further, the less it will cost per person. If 5 people speaking English want to know, What are the names of all the delegates to the United Nations?, the pay-off may be too small to induce someone to supply the answer. But if, say, 3 French speakers, 7 Japanese speakers, 2 Russian speakers, and others speaking other languages, also want the answer then it should usually have a better chance of being supplied and should cost each person less.
  • the Requestor now sees the string in French, but it is different than the one he entered originally, because it is a translation of the best match. So the Requestor has the choice of rejecting the translated match or not.
  • the system can enable 410 him to rephrase the question.
  • the system can then register 411 demand information for the question, as posed in English. In other words, at this point the system treats the situation as if an English speaker has entered the question, Anita Morris, death of?.
  • the system also can include a feature that enables a user to more easily correct a mistranslated word or phrase. When the best matches are popped back, the system can enable the user to change some word or phrase and then re-enter the question without restating the whole thing.
  • Matching up questions is one essential task of a multi-lingual SOD, the other is inputting answers in different lanauges and then outputting the answers in other languages.
  • the SOD can include functions that translate an answer into a central language. From this language, the system can translate an answer into any other language.
  • the system can overcome this problem by enabling users to: a. enter different language versions of an answer, b. enter improved versions of machine translations.
  • the system can accept an answer in any language and store it in that language.
  • the system can store an answer in French. When necessary, it can be translated into English or Spanish or any other language that the system has translation functions for.
  • the system can allow the user to select 420 a what language the user wants the answer in and can register 421 that choice.
  • the system can create a POE for that answer in that language.
  • the system can also register demand for an improved translation, whereby a user who gets a machine translation can request an improved translation.
  • the system can create and output two POE's for an answer, one combined POE 422 of all the requests for an answer regradless of language, and one POE 423 for a human translated version of an answer in a given language.
  • a person seeing the POE for a given language can provide his own answer in that language or he can improve on a machine translation of an answer that has already been entered.
  • the system can output 424 the human version if one is stored, otherwise the system outputs 425 a machine version.
  • the person who supplied the answer first may get the bulk of the royalties while the person who improved the machine translation can get a share each time his improved translation is sold.
  • the system can keep multi-lingual versions of an answer to correspond to a question, regardless of the language a question is posed in. And that is an important point, questions can be stored in various languages and need not correspond to the languages of the answers. So let us now address the issue of matching up questions when there is no central language.
  • the system may not have a central language at all. It can translate questions into multiple languages, trying various ones until it gets a match.
  • the system first checks if a match exists in the language of the question. If not, the system can translate the question into multiple languages and look for the best match. The translation procedure described above can then follow. For example, if a French speaker asks when the Louvre opens, the system checks first whether any other French speaker has asked this question. If no good match exists, the question can be translated into various languages until a good match, if any, is found.
  • the system can store the mult-lingual versions of a question.
  • This record is like a multi-lingual dictionary/thesaurus on a question (a bi-lingual dictionary, like French-English, is really a thesaurus).
  • a question can be translated from French into English. If a user confirms the translation then the system keeps a record for the question and this record has two versions of the question. Then let us say that the question is entered in Spanish and that it is translated into French and that this translation is confirmed. The the system would have three versions of the question in the record. The system will have done two translations, one of the French into the English and one of the Spanish into the French. Which languages get translated into which depends on the system.
  • the demand tally for that question is based on the sum of the times the question has been entered in each language. If the question has been entered 4 times in Japanese, 3 times in French, and 2 times in English then the tally is 9.
  • the system can keep a combination tally as well as a tally by language.

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Abstract

Cette base de données à organisation autonome débite (7) des utilisateurs qui y trouvent des informations et rémunère (7) ceux qui fournissent les informations trouvées. Ce système présente un mécanisme incorporé de retour, appelé compteur de rétribution (11, 14) qui indique aux utilisateurs quelles informations doivent être fournies d'après le nombre de demandes (13) reçues concernant ces informations, sur une certaine période de temps. Ce compteur calcule une rétribution (10) projetée pour la fourniture de ces informations.
PCT/US1996/001699 1995-02-16 1996-02-15 Systeme de collecte et de recherche d'informations destine a enregistrer des frais ou des redevances pour des utilisateurs WO1996025709A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

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AU49746/96A AU4974696A (en) 1995-02-16 1996-02-15 A data collection and retrieval system for registering charges and royalties to users

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US38940595A 1995-02-16 1995-02-16
US08/389,405 1995-02-16

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Cited By (3)

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US7813986B2 (en) 2005-03-25 2010-10-12 The Motley Fool, Llc System, method, and computer program product for scoring items based on user sentiment and for determining the proficiency of predictors
US7882006B2 (en) 2005-03-25 2011-02-01 The Motley Fool, Llc System, method, and computer program product for scoring items based on user sentiment and for determining the proficiency of predictors
US20230177576A1 (en) * 2021-12-06 2023-06-08 Adit Otomotiv Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi Income-sharing method for asking and answering questions

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US4843562A (en) * 1987-06-24 1989-06-27 Broadcast Data Systems Limited Partnership Broadcast information classification system and method
US5101352A (en) * 1989-06-29 1992-03-31 Carolina Cipher Material requirements planning system
US5003584A (en) * 1990-04-16 1991-03-26 At&T Bell Laboratories Method and apparatus for the billing of value-added communication calls
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US5418713A (en) * 1993-08-05 1995-05-23 Allen; Richard Apparatus and method for an on demand data delivery system for the preview, selection, retrieval and reproduction at a remote location of previously recorded or programmed materials

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7813986B2 (en) 2005-03-25 2010-10-12 The Motley Fool, Llc System, method, and computer program product for scoring items based on user sentiment and for determining the proficiency of predictors
US7882006B2 (en) 2005-03-25 2011-02-01 The Motley Fool, Llc System, method, and computer program product for scoring items based on user sentiment and for determining the proficiency of predictors
US20230177576A1 (en) * 2021-12-06 2023-06-08 Adit Otomotiv Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi Income-sharing method for asking and answering questions

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