Patent
Method and system for aggregating and disseminating time-sensitive information
| العنوان: | Method and system for aggregating and disseminating time-sensitive information |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 7,685,097 |
| تاريخ النشر: | March 23, 2010 |
| Appl. No: | 11/057215 |
| Application Filed: | February 15, 2005 |
| مستخلص: | A method of aggregating and disseminating time sensitive information. A data source is searched to identify recently-posted information items matching predetermined selection criteria. A respective relevance score is calculated for each identified information item. A respective urgency rating is determined for each identified information item. Each information item is triaged using the urgency rating, and disseminated to at least one client based on the triage result. |
| Inventors: | St. John, Ronald Kingsley (Manotick, CA); Nowak, Zdzislaw Rudolf (Ottawa, CA); Lake, Sean Patrick (Ottawa, CA); Mawudeku, Helen Abla (Nepean, CA); Blench, Michael Anthony (Cardinal, CA) |
| Assignees: | Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Health (Ottawa, CA) |
| Claim: | 1. A method of aggregating and disseminating time sensitive information, the method comprising steps of: searching a data source to identify recently-posted information items matching predetermined selection criteria; and for each identified information item: calculating a relevance score for the information item based on a content of the information item; determining an urgency rating for the information item based on the content of the information item; triaging the information item using the urgency rating and the relevance score; and disseminating the information item to at least one client based on the triage result; wherein triaging the information item comprises, when the urgency rating is less than a predetermined urgency threshold, and the relevance score is between predetermined first and second relevancy thresholds, passing the information item to a gatekeeper, the gatekeeper being operative to assess relevance of the information item; wherein the first relevancy threshold is less than the second relevancy threshold; and wherein the step of triaging each information item further comprises, when the urgency rating is less than the predetermined threshold, steps of: if the relevancy score is greater than a predetermined third relevancy threshold, wherein the third relevancy threshold is greater than the second relevancy threshold: generating an auto-alert in respect of the information item; and forwarding the auto-alert to the client. |
| Claim: | 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of searching a data source comprises steps of: generating a query based on the predetermined selection criteria; and repeatedly searching the data source at predetermined intervals using the query. |
| Claim: | 3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the recently posted information items comprise information items posted during a time period since an immediately previous search. |
| Claim: | 4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the predetermined interval is based on an estimated update frequency of the data source. |
| Claim: | 5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of searching a data source comprises steps of: receiving a response set containing the identified information items; parsing the response set to extract each information item from the response set; and normalizing a format of each information item. |
| Claim: | 6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the steps of parsing and normalizing comprise steps of: providing a respective item record for storing at least a content of each information item; and copying data of each information item within the response set to its respective item record. |
| Claim: | 7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising steps of: identifying duplicate information items; and discarding any identified duplicate items. |
| Claim: | 8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of searching the data source is repeated for each one of a predetermined set of two or more heterogenous data sources. |
| Claim: | 9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating a respective relevance score for each identified information item comprises steps of: providing a taxonomy of terms including at least a respective relevance weighting of each term; and processing content of the information item using the taxonomy to derive a composite relevance score for the information item. |
| Claim: | 10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the step of processing content of the information item using the taxonomy comprises steps of: searching the content of the information item to find occurrences of each terms of the taxonomy, and; for each taxonomy term located in the content, adding the respective relevancy weighting to the composite relevancy score. |
| Claim: | 11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the taxonomy comprises a plurality of categories of subject matter, and wherein each term of the taxonomy comprises a respective relevancy weighting pertaining to each category. |
| Claim: | 12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the step of processing content of the information item comprises steps of: deriving a respective composite relevancy score pertaining to each category of the taxonomy; and selecting the highest relevancy score. |
| Claim: | 13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a respective urgency rating for each identified information item comprises steps of: providing a taxonomy of terms including at least a respective alert flag value for each term; and processing content of the information item using the taxonomy to determine a composite alert status of the information item. |
| Claim: | 14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the step of processing content of the information item using the taxonomy comprises steps of: searching the content of the information item to find occurrences of each term of the taxonomy, and; for each taxonomy term located in the content: comparing the alert flag value to the composite alert status; and updating the composite alert status based on the comparison result. |
| Claim: | 15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the taxonomy comprises a plurality of categories of subject matter, and wherein each term of the taxonomy comprises a respective alert flag value pertaining to each category. |
| Claim: | 16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the step of processing content of the information item comprises steps of: deriving a respective composite alert status of the information item pertaining to each category of the taxonomy; and selecting the highest composite alert status. |
| Claim: | 17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of triaging each information item further comprises, when the urgency rating is above the predetermined threshold, steps of: generating an auto-alert in respect of the information item; and forwarding the auto-alert to the client. |
| Claim: | 18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the auto-alert comprises an e-mail containing either one or both of: information content of the information item; data identifying the information item, such that the client can access the information item. |
| Claim: | 19. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of triaging each information item further comprises a step of: if the relevancy score is between the second and third relevancy thresholds, automatically disseminating the information item to the at least one client. |
| Claim: | 20. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of triaging each information item further comprises, when the relevancy score is less than the predetermined first relevancy threshold, a step of discarding the information item. |
| Claim: | 21. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of disseminating the information item comprises a step of storing the information item in an active database accessible by the at least one client. |
| Claim: | 22. The method as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising steps of: generating a machine translated gist of the information item; and storing the machine translated gist in the database in association with the information item. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 707/2 |
| Patent References Cited: | 5175684 December 1992 Chong 5576952 November 1996 Stutman et al. 5781879 July 1998 Arnold et al. 5991799 November 1999 Yen et al. 6012053 January 2000 Pant et al. 6901398 May 2005 Horvitz et al. 2001/0018687 August 2001 Gonzalez et al. 2002/0118796 August 2002 Menard et al. 2003/0212673 November 2003 Kadayam et al. 2313385 January 2002 2313385 January 2002 |
| Other References: | Davies, John et al, “Knowledge Discovery and Delivery”, British Telecommunications Engineering, vol. 17, Apr. 1998, London, GB, pp. 25-35. cited by other Bussey, Howard E. et al. “Service Architecture, Prototype Description, and Network Implications of a Personalized Information Grazing Service”, IEEE 1990, pp. 10461053. cited by other |
| Assistant Examiner: | Jami, Hares |
| Primary Examiner: | Fleurantin, Jean B. |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Ogilvy Renault LLP Hunter, Christopher N. Eesbeek, Michael Van |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.07685097 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |