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United States Patent Application
20030126136
Kind Code
A1
Omoigui, Nosa
July 3, 2003
System and method for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an integrated implementation framework and resulting medium for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation. The system includes a first server component that is responsible for adding and maintaining domain-specific semantic information and a second server component that hosts semantic and other knowledge for use by the first server component that work together to provide context and time-sensitive semantic information retrieval services to clients operating a presentation platform via a communication medium. Within the system, all objects or events in a given hierarchy are active Agents semantically related to each other and representing queries (comprised of underlying action code) that return data objects for presentation to the client according to a predetermined and customizable theme or "Skin." This system provides various means for the client to customize and "blend" Agents and the underlying related queries to optimize the presentation of the resulting information.
Inventors:
Omoigui; Nosa
(Redmond, WA)
Correspondence Name and Address:
BLACK LOWE & GRAHAM PLLC 816 Second Avenue
David A. Lowe, Esq.
Seattle
WA
98104
US
Series Code:
179651
Filed:
June 24, 2002
U.S. Current Class:
707/10
U.S. Class at Publication:
707/10
Intern'l Class:
G06F 007/00
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A system for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation, comprising: a first server programmable to add and maintain domain-specific semantic information; a second server in communication with the first server, the second server programmable to host domain-specific information that is used to classify and categorize semantic information; a client providing a user interface for a user to communicate with the first and second servers; and wherein the processors of the first and second servers operate together to perform the steps of: securing information from information sources; semantically linking the information from the information sources; maintaining the semantic attributes of the semantically linked information; delivering requested semantic information based upon user queries; and presenting semantic information according to customizable user preferences.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server further comprises structure or methodology directed to providing at least one of the following: a Semantic Network, a Semantic Data Gatherer, a Semantic Network Consistency Checker, an Inference Engine, a Semantic Query Processor, a Natural Language Parser, an Email Knowledge Agent, or a Knowledge Domain Manager.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein: the information from the information sources consist of objects or events; and the objects or events are active agents semantically related to each other and representing queries that return data objects for presentation according to a predetermined theme.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined these according to which the data objects are presented is customizable by a user.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the client delivers and presents the semantic information resulting from the user query.
6. A method for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation for use with a server system programmed to add, maintain and host domain-specific information that is used to classify and categorize semantic information, comprising: securing information from information sources; semantically linking the information from the information sources; maintaining the semantic attributes of the semantically linked information; delivering requested semantic information based upon user queries; and presenting semantic information according to customizable user preferences.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims priority from earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/300,385 filed Jun. 22, 2001
and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/360,610 filed Feb. 28, 2002.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0002] This disclosure is protected under United States and International Copyright Laws. .COPYRGT.2002 Nosa Omoigui. All Rights Reserved. A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates generally to information management systems and, more specifically, to an integrated and seamless implementation framework and resulting medium for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Knowledge is now widely recognized as a core asset for organizations around the world, and as a tool for competitive advantage. In today's connected, information-based world, knowledge-workers must have access to the knowledge and the tools they need to make better, faster, and more-informed decisions to improve their productivity, enhance customer relationships, and to make their businesses more competitive. In addition, industry observers have touted "agility" and the "real-time enterprise" as important business goals to have in the information economy.
[0005] Many organizations have begun to realize the value of disseminating knowledge within their organizations in order to improve products and customer service, and the value of having a well-trained workforce. The investments businesses are making in e-Learning and corporate training provides some evidence of this. Companies have also invested in tools for content management, search, collaboration, and business intelligence. Companies are also spending significant resources on digitizing their business processes, particularly with respect to acquiring and retaining customers.
[0006] However, many knowledge/learning and customer-relationship assets are still stored in a diverse set of repositories that do not understand each other's language, and as a result are managed and interacted with as independent islands of information. As such, what many organizations call "knowledge" is merely data and information. The information economy in large part is a struggle to find a way to provide context, meaning and efficient access to this ever increasing body of data and information. Or, stated differently, to turn the mass of available data and information into usable knowledge.
[0007] Information has been long accessible in a variety of forms, such as in newspapers, books, radio and television media, and in electronic form, with varying degrees of proliferation. Information management and access changed dramatically with the use of computers and computer networks. Networked computer systems provide access throughout the system to information maintained at any point along the system. Users need only establish the requisite connection to the network, provide proper authorization and identify the desired information to obtain access.
[0008] Information access further improved with the advent of the Internet, which connects a large number of computers across diverse geography to provide access to a vast body of information. The most wide spread method of providing information over the Internet is via the World Wide Web. The Web consists of a subset of the computers or Web servers connected to the Internet that typically run Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), GOPHER or other servers. Web servers host Web pages at Web sites. Web pages are encoded using one or more languages, such as the original Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) or the more current extensible Markup Language (XML) or the Standard Generic Markup Language (SGML). The published specifications for these languages are incorporated by reference herein. Web pages in these formatting languages may be accessed by Internet users via web browsing software such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Netscape's Navigator.
[0009] The Web has largely been organized based on syntax and structure, rather than context and semantics. As a result, information is typically accessed via search engines and Web directories. Current search engines use keyword and corresponding search techniques that rely on textual or basic subject matter information and indices without associated context and semantic information. Unfortunately, such searching methods produce thousands of largely unresponsive results; documents as opposed to actionable knowledge. Advanced searching techniques have been developed to focus queries and improve the relevance of search results. Many such techniques rely on historical user search trends to make basic assumptions as to desired information. Alternatively, other search techniques rely on categorization of Web sites to further focus the search results to areas anticipated to be most relevant. Regardless of the search technique, the underlying organization of searchable information is index-driven rather than context-driven. The frequency or type of textual information associated the document determines the search results, as opposed to the attributes of the subject matter of the document and how those attributes relate to the user's context. The result is continued ambiguity and inefficiency surrounding the use of the Web as a tool for acquiring actionable knowledge.
[0010] In enterprises around the world today, the Web is the information platform for knowledge-workers. And there lies the problem. The Web as we know it is a platform for data and information while its users operate at the level of "knowledge." This disconnect is a very fundamental one and cannot be understated. The Web, in large measure, has fulfilled the dream of "information at your fingertips." However, knowledge-workers demand "knowledge at your fingertips" as opposed to mere "information at your fingertips." Unfortunately, today's knowledge-workers use the Web to browse and search for documents-compilations of data and information-rather than actual knowledge relevant to their inquiry. To achieve improved knowledge requires providing proper context, meaning and efficient access to data and information, all of which are missing with the traditional Web.
[0011] Efforts have been made to achieve the goal of "knowledge at your fingertips." One example is a new concept for information organization and distribution referred to as the Semantic Web. The Semantic Web is an extension of the current Web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. While conceptually a significant step forward in supporting improved context, meaning and access of information on the Internet, the Semantic Web has yet to find successful implementation that lives up to its stated potential.
[0012] Both the current Web and the Semantic Web fail to provide proper context, meaning and efficient access to data and information to allow users to acquire actionable knowledge. This is partially a problem related to the ways in which Today's Web and the contemplated Semantic Web are structured or, in other words, related to their technology layers. As shown in FIG. 1, Today's Web, for example, which is a hypertext medium, provides the three technology layers, which include "dumb" links, or links having no context-sensitivity, time-sensitivity, etc. Present conceptualizations of the Semantic Web, also referred to as a "semantic hypermedia," provide for five technology layers, as shown in FIG. 2. As explained in greater detail below, there are serious limitations associated with each of the technology layer structures.
[0013] In addition, various properties must be present in a comprehensive information management system to provide an integrated and seamless implementation framework and resulting medium for knowledge retrieval, management and delivery. A non-exhaustive list of these properties include: Semantics/Meaning; Context-Sensitivity; Time-Sensitivity; Automatic and intelligent Discoverability; Dynamic Linking; User-Controlled Navigation and Browsing; Non-HTML and Local Document Participation in the Network; Flexible Presentation that Smartly Conveys the Semantics of the Information being Displayed; Logic, Inference, and Reasoning; Flexible User-Driven Information Analysis; Flexible Semantic Queries; Read/Write Support; Annotations; "Web of Trust"; Information Packages ("Blenders"); Context Templates, and User-Oriented Information Aggregation. Each of these properties will be discussed below in the context of their application to both Today's Web and the Semantic Web.
[0014] Semantics/Meaning
[0015] Today's Web lacks semantics as an intrinsic part of the platform and user experience. Web pages convey only textual and graphical data rather than the semantics of the data they contain. As a result, users cannot issue semantic queries such as those that one might expect with natural language--for example, "find me all books less than hundred pages long, about Latin Jazz, and published in the last five years." To be able to process such a query, a Web site or search engine must "know" it contains books and must be able to intelligently filter its contents based on the semantics of the query request. Such a query is not possible on the Web today. Instead, users are forced to rely on text-based searches. These searches usually result in information overload or information loss because the user is forced to pick search terms that might not match the text in the information base. In the aforementioned example, a user might pick the search term "Books Latin Jazz" and hope that the search engine can make the connection. The user is usually then left to independently filter the search results. This sort of text-based search also implies that terms that might convey the same meaning. In the above example, results from search terms such as "Books on South or Central American Jazz" or "Publications on Jazz from Latino Lands" might be ignored during the processing of the search query.
[0016] The lack of semantics also implies that Today's Web does not allow users to navigate based on they way humans think. For example, one might want to navigate a corporate intranet using the organizational structure. For example, from people to the documents they create to the experts on that documents to the direct reports of those experts to the distribution lists the direct reports are members of to the members of the distribution lists to the documents those members created, etc. This "web" is semantic and is based on actual information classification ("things") and not just "pages" as Today's Web is.
[0017] The lack of semantics also has other implications. First, it means that the Web is not programmable. With semantics, the Web can be consumed by Smart Agents that can make sense of the pages and the links and then make inferences, recommendations, etc. With Today's Web, the only "Agent" that can make inferences is the human brain. As such, the Web does not employ the enormous processing power that computers are capable of--because it is not represented in a way that computers can understand.
[0018] The lack of semantics also implies that information is not actionable. A search engine does not "understand" the results it spits out. As such, once a user receives search results, he or she is "on his or her own." Also, a web browser does not "understand" the information it is displaying and as such cannot do smart things with the information. With semantics in place, a smart display, for example, will "know" that an event is an event and might do interesting things like check if the event is already in the user's calendar, display free/busy information, or allow the user to automatically insert the event into his/her calendar thereby making the information actionable. Information presented without semantics is not actionable or might require that the semantics be inferred, which might result in an unpleasant user experience.
[0019] The Semantic Web seeks to address semantics/meaning limitations with Today's Web by encoding information with well-defined semantics. Web pages on the Semantic Web include metadata and semantic links to other metadata, thereby allowing search engines to perform more intelligent and accurate searches. In addition, the Semantic Web includes ontologies that will be employed for knowledge representation, thereby allowing a semantic search engine to interpret terms based on meaning and not merely on text. For example, in the previous example, Latin Jazz ontology might be employed on a Semantic Web site and would allow a search engine on the site to "know" that the terms "Books on South or Central American Jazz" or "Publications on Jazz from Latino Lands" have the same meaning as the term "Books on Latin Jazz." While conceptually overcoming many of the deficiencies with Today's Web, there has not to date been a successful implementation of a well-defined data model providing context and meaning, including in particular the necessary semantic links, ontologies, etc. to provide for additional characteristics such as context-sensitivity and time-sensitivity.
[0020] Contest-Sensitivity
[0021] Today's Web lacks context-sensitivity. The implication of a lack of context is that Today's Web is not personal. For example, documents in accessible storage are independently static and therefore stupid. Information relevant to the subject matter of the document has already been published, is being newly published, or will soon be published. Because the document in storage is static, however, there is no way to dynamically associate its subject matter with this relevant information in real-time. Stated differently, users have no way to dynamically connect their private context with external information in real-time. Information sources (such as the document) that form context sit in their own islands, totally isolated from other relevant information sources. This results in information and productivity losses.
[0022] The primary reason for this is that Today's Web is a presentation-oriented medium designed to present views of information to a dumb client (e.g., remote computer). The client has virtually no role to play in the user experience, aside from merely displaying what the server tells it to display. Even in cases where there is client-side code (like Java applets and ActiveX controls), the controls usually do one specific thing and do not have coordinated action with the remote server such that code on the client is being orchestrated with code on the server.
[0023] From a productivity standpoint, the implication of this is that knowledge-workers and information consumers are totally at the mercy of information authors. Today, knowledge-workers have portals that are maintained and updated to provide custom views of corporate information, external data, etc. However, this is still very limiting because knowledge-workers are completely helpless if nothing dynamically and intelligently connects relevant information in the context of their task with information that users have access to.
[0024] If a knowledge-worker does not see a link to a relevant piece of information on his of her portal, of if a friend or colleague does not email him or her the link, the information gets dropped; information does not connect with or adapt to the user context or the context in which it is displayed. Likewise, it is not enough to just notify a user that new data for an entire portal is available and shove it down to their local hard drive. It lacks a customizable presentation with context sensitive alert notifications.
[0025] The Semantic Web suffers from the same limitations as Today's Web when it comes to context-sensitivity. On the Semantic Web, users are likewise at the mercy of information authors. The Semantic Web itself will be authored, but the authoring will include semantics. As a result, users are still largely on their own to locate and evaluate the relevance of available information. The Semantic Web, as a standalone entity, will not be able to make these dynamic connections with other information sources.
[0026] Time-Sensitivity
[0027] Today's Web lacks time-sensitivity. The Web platform (e.g., browser) is a dumb piece of software that merely presents information, without any regard to the time-sensitivity of the information. The user is left to infer time sensitivity or do without it. This results in a huge loss in productivity because the Web platform cannot make time-sensitive connections in real-time. While some Web sites focus on presenting time-sensitive information, for example, by indexing information past a predetermined date, the Web browser itself has no notion of time-sensitivity. Instead, it is left to individual Web sites to include time-sensitivity in the information they display in their own island. In other words, there is no axis of time on a Web link.
[0028] The Semantic Web, like Today's Web, also does not address time-sensitivity. A Semantic Web can have semantic links that do not internalize time. This is largely because the Semantic Web implicitly has no notion of software Web services that address context and time-sensitivity.
[0029] Automatic and Intelligent Discoverability
[0030] Today's Web lacks automatic and intelligent discoverability of newly created information. There is currently no way to know what Web sites started anew today or yesterday. Unless the user is notified or the user serendipitously discovers a new site when he or she does a search, he or she might not have any clue as to whether there are any new Web sites or pages. The same problem exists in enterprises. On Intranets, knowledge-workers have no way of knowing when new Web sites come up unless informed via some external means. The Web platform itself has no notion of announcements or discovery. In addition, there is nd context-sensitive discovery to determine new sites or pages within the context of the user's task or current information space.
[0031] The Semantic Web, like Today's Web, does not address the lack of automatic discoverability. Semantic Web sites suffer from the same problem--users either will have to find out about the existence of new information sources from external sources or through personal discovery when they perform a search.
[0032] Dynamic Linking
[0033] Today's Web employs a pure network or graph "data structure" for its information model. Each Web page represents a node in the network and each page can contain links to other nodes in the network. Each link is manually authored into each page. This has several problems. First, it means that the network needs to be maintained for it to have continuous value. If Web pages are not updated or if Web page or site authors do not have the discipline to add links to their pages based on relevance, the network loses value. Today's Web is essentially prone to having dead links, old links, etc. Another problem with a pure network or graph information model is that the information consumer is at the mercy of--rather than in control of--the presentation of the Web page or site. In other words, if a Web page or site does not contain any links, the user has no recourse to find relevant information. Search engines are of little help because they merely return pages or nodes into the network. The network itself does not have any independent or dynamic linking ability. Thus, a search engine can easily return links to Web pages that themselves have no links or dead, stale or irrelevant links. Once users obtain search results, they are on their own and are completely at the mercy of whether the author of the returned pages inserted relevant, time-sensitive links into the page.
[0034] The Semantic Web suffers from the same problem as- Today's Web because the Semantic Web is merely Today's Web plus semantics. Even though users will be able to navigate the network semantically (which they cannot currently do with the Web), they will still be at the mercy of how the information has been authored. In other words, the Semantic Web is also dependent on the discipline of the authors and hence suffers from the same aforementioned problems of Today's Web. If the Semantic Web includes pages with ontologies and metadata, but those pages are not well maintained or do not include links to other relevant sources, the user will still be unable to obtain current links and other information. The Semantic Web, as currently contemplated, will not be a smart, dynamic, self-authoring, self-healing network.
[0035] User-Controlled Navigation and Browsing
[0036] With Today's Web, the user has no control over the navigation and browsing experience, but rather is completely at the mercy of a Web page and how it is authored with links (if any). As shown with reference to prior art FIG. 3, Today's Web consists of "dumb links," or statically authored generic links that are wholly dependent on continuous maintenance to be navigable.
[0037] The Semantic Web suffers from a similar problem as Today's Web in that there is no user-controlled browsing. Instead, as shown with reference to prior art FIG. 4, the Semantic Web consists of "dumb links," further including semantic information and metadata. However, the Semantic Web links remain equally dependent on continuous maintenance to be navigable.
[0038] Non-HTML and Local Document Participation inthe Network
[0039] Another problem with Today's Web is the requirement that only documents that are authored as HTML can participate in the Web, in addition to the fact that those documents have to contain links. The implication is that other information objects like non-HTML documents (e.g., PDF, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents, etc.)--especially those on users" hard drives--are excluded from the benefits of linking to other objects in the network. This is very limiting, especially since there might be semantic relevance between information objects that are not HTML and which do not contain links.
[0040] Furthermore, search engines do not return results for the entire universe of information since vast amount of content available on the web is inaccessible to standard web crawlers. This includes, for example, content stored in databases, unindexed file repositories, subscription sites, local machines and devices, proprietary file formats (such as Microsoft Office documents and email), and non-text multimedia files. These form a vast constellation of inaccessible matter on the Internet, referred to as "the invisible Intranet" inside corporations. Today's Web servers do not provide web crawler tools that address this problem.
[0041] The Semantic Web also suffers from this limitation. It does not address the millions of non-HTML documents that are already out there, especially those on users" hard drives. The implication is that documents that do not have RDF metadata equivalents or proxies cannot be dynamically linked to the network.
[0042] Flexible Presentation that Smartly Conveysthe Semantics of the Information Being Displayed
[0043] Today's Web does not allow users to customize or "skin" a Web site or page. This is because Today's Web servers return information that is already formatted for presentation by the browser. The end user has no flexibility in choosing the best means of displaying the information--based on different criteria (e.g., the type of information, the available amount of real estate, etc.)
[0044] The Semantic Web does not address the issue of flexible presentation. While a semantic Web site conceptually employs RDF and ontologies, it still sends HTML to the browser. Essentially, the Semantic Web does not provide for specific user empowerment for presentation. As such, a Semantic Web site, viewed by Today's Web platform, will still not empower the user with flexible presentation. Moreover, despite industry movement towards XML, only a new platform can dictate that data will be separated from presentation and define guidelines for making the data programmable. Authors building content for the
[0045] Semantic Web either return XML and avoid issues with presentation entirely, or focus their efforts on a single presentation style (vertical industry scenario) for rendering. Neither approach allows the Semantic Web to achieve an optimum degree of knowledge distribution. LOGIC, INFERENCE AND REASONING
[0046] Because Today's Web does not have any semantics, metadata, or knowledge representation, computers cannot process Web pages using logic and inference to infer new links, issue notifications, etc. Today's Web was designed and built for human consumption, not for computer consumption. As such, Today's Web cannot operate on the information fabric without resorting to brittle, unreliable techniques such as screen scraping to try to extract metadata and apply logic and inference.
[0047] While the Semantic Web conceptually uses metadata and meaning to provide Web pages and sites with encoded information that can be processed by computers, there is no current implementation that is able to successfully achieve this computer processing and which illustrates new or improved scenarios that benefit the information consumer or producer.
[0048] Flexible User-Driven Information Analysis
[0049] Today's Web lacks user-driven information analysis. Today's Web does not allow users to display different "views" of the links, using different filters and conditions. For example, Web search engines do not allow users to test the results of searches under different scenarios. Users cannot view results using different pivots such as information type (e.g., documents, email, etc.), context (e.g., "Headlines," "Best Bets," etc.), category (e.g., "wireless," "technology," etc.) etc.
[0050] While providing a greater degree of flexible information analysis, the Semantic Web does not describe how the presentation layer can interact with the Web itself in an interactive fashion to provide flexible analysis.
[0051] Flexible Semantic Queries
[0052] Today's Web only allows text-based queries or queries that are tied to the schema of a particular Web site. These queries lack flexibility. Today's Web does not allow a user to issue queries that approximate natural language or incorporate semantics and local context. For example, a query such as "Find me all email messages written by my boss or anyone in research and which relate to this specification on my hard disk" is not possible with Today's Web.
[0053] By employing metadata and ontologies, the conceptual Semantic Web allows a user to issue more flexible queries than Today's Web. For example, users will be able to issue a query such as "Find me all email messages written by my boss or anyone in research." However, users will not be able to incorporate local context. In addition, the Semantic Web does not define an easy manner with which users will query the Web without using natural language. Natural language technology is an option but is far from being a reliable technology. As such, a query user interface that approximates natural language yet does not rely on natural language is required. The Semantic Web does not address this.
[0054] Read/Write Support
[0055] Today's Web is a read-only Web. For example, if users encounter a dead link (e.g., via the "404" error), they cannot "fix" the link by pointing it to an updated target that might be known to the user. This can be limiting, especially in cases where users might have important knowledge to be shared with others and where users might want to have input as to how the network should be represented and evolve.
[0056] While the Semantic Web conceptually allows for read/write scenarios as provided by independent participating applications, there is no current implementation that provides this ability.
[0057] Annotations
[0058] Today's Web has no implicit support for annotations. And while some specific Web sites support annotations, they do so in a very restricted and self-contained way. Today's Web medium itself does not address annotations. In other words, it is not possible for users to annotate any link with their comments or additional information that they have access to. This results in potential information loss.
[0059] While the Semantic Web conceptually allows for annotations to be built into the system subject to security constraints, there is no current implementation that provides this ability.
[0060] "WEB OF TRUST"
[0061] Today's Web lacks seamless integration of authentication, access control, and authorization into the Web, or what has been referred to as a "Web of Trust." With a Web of Trust, for example, users are able to make assertions, fix and update links to the Web and have access control restrictions built in for such operations. On Today's Web, this lack of trust also means that Web services remain independent islands that must implement a proprietary user subscription authorization, access control or payment system. Grand schemes for centralizing this information on 3.sup.rd party servers meet with consumer and vendor distrust because of privacy concerns. To gain access to rich content, asset users must log in individually and provide identity information at each site.
[0062] While the Semantic Web conceptually allows for a Web of Trust, there is no current implementation that provides for this ability.
[0063] Information Packages (Blenders)
[0064] Neither Today's Web nor the Semantic Web allows users to deal with related semantic information as a whole unit by combining characteristics of potentially divergent semantic information to produce overlapping results (for example, like creating a custom, personal newspaper or TV channel).
[0065] Context Templates
[0066] Neither Today's Web nor the Semantic Web allows users to independently create and map to specific and familiar semantic models for information access and retrieval.
[0067] User-Oriented Information Aggregation
[0068] Today's Web lacks support for user-oriented information aggregation. The user can only access one Web site or one search engine at a time, within the context of one browsing session. As such, even if there is context or time-sensitive information on other information sources that relate to the information that the user is currently viewing, those sources cannot be presented in a holistic fashion in the current context of the user's task.
[0069] The Semantic Web also suffers from a lack of user-oriented information aggregation. The medium itself is an extension of Today's Web. As such, users will still access one site or one search engine at a time and will not be able to aggregate information across information repositories in a context or time-sensitive manner.
[0070] Given the growing demand for "knowledge at your fingertips" as well as the deficiencies in Today's Web and the conceptual Semantic Web, many of which are noted above, there is a need for a new and comprehensive system and method of knowledge retrieval, management and delivery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0071] The present invention is directed in part to an integrated and seamless implementation framework and resulting medium for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation. The system includes a server comprised of several components that work together to provide context and time-sensitive semantic information retrieval services to clients operating a presentation platform via a communication medium. The server includes a first server component that is responsible for adding and maintaining domain-specific semantic information or intelligence. The first server component preferably includes structure or methodology directed to providing the following: a Semantic Network, a Semantic Data Gatherer, a Semantic Network Consistency Checker, an Inference Engine, a Semantic Query Processor, a Natural Language Parser, an Email Knowledge Agent and a Knowledge Domain Manager. The server includes a second server component that hosts domain-specific information that is used to classify and categorize semantic information. The first and second server components work together and may be physically integrated or separate.
[0072] Within the system, all objects or events in a given hierarchy are active Agents semantically related to each other and representing queries (comprised of underlying action code) that return data objects for presentation to the client according to a predetermined and customizable theme or "Skin." This system provides various means for the client to customize and "blend" Agents and the underlying related queries to optimize the presentation of the resulting information.
[0073] The end-to-end system architecture of the present invention provides multiple client access means of communication between diverse knowledge information sources via an independent Semantic Web platform or via a traditional Web portal (e.g., Today's Web access browser) as modified by the present invention providing additional SDK layers that enable programmatic integration with a custom client.
[0074] The methodology of the present invention is directed in part to the operational aspects of the entire system, including the retrieval, management, delivery and presentation of knowledge. This preferably includes securing information from information sources, semantically linking the information from the information sources, maintaining the semantic attributes of the body of semantically linked information, delivering requested semantic information based upon user queries and presenting semantic information according to customizable user preferences. Alternative embodiments of the methodology of the present invention are directed to the operation of Agents representing queries that are used with server-side and client-side applications to enable efficient, inferential-based queries producing semantically relevant information.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0075] The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
[0076] FIG. 1 is a table showing the technology layers of Today's Web.
[0077] FIG. 2 is a table showing the technology layers of the conceptual Semantic Web.
[0078] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing user navigation to links in Today's Web.
[0079] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing user navigation to links in the conceptual Semantic Web.
[0080] FIG. 5 is a screenshot showing a sample Information Agent Results Pane in accordance with the present invention.
[0081] FIG. 6 shows the technology platform stacks of Today's Web and the Information Nervous System of the present invention.
[0082] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an overview of the system of the present invention.
[0083] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the end-to-end system architecture for the Information Nervous System of the present invention.
[0084] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the system architecture for the. Knowledge Integration Server (KIS) of the Information Nervous System of the present invention.
[0085] FIG. 10 is a comparison between the high-level descriptive platform layers of Today's Web and the equivalents (where applicable) in the Information Nervous System of the present invention.
[0086] FIG. 11 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the Information Nervous System and illustrates the heterogeneous, cross-platform context for the present invention.
[0087] FIGS. 12-14 show exemplar screenshots of aspects of the Blender Wizard user interface according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0088] FIG. 15 is an exemplar pane of a Breaking News Agent user interface.
[0089] FIG. 16 illustrates a preferred embodiment showing the Open Agent dialog of the present invention.
[0090] FIGS. 17-19 illustrate the Tree View of a sample Semantic Environment involving the Open Agent dialog.
[0091] FIG. 20 shows the Agent schema of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0092] FIG. 21 shows the AgentTypelDs of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0093] FIG. 22 shows the AgentQueryTypelDs of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0094] FIG. 23 illustrates sample semantic queries that correspond to Agent names showing how server-side Agents are preferably configured on the KIS of the present invention.
[0095] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an overview of the KIS of the present invention.
[0096] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a sample Semantic Network directed towards an enterprise situation in accordance with the present invention.
[0097] FIG. 26 is a table showing the preferred schema of the Object type in accordance with the present invention.
[0098] FIG. 27 shows the SemanticLinks table of the present invention.
[0099] FIG. 28 is a table showing predicate type IDs of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0100] FIG. 29 is a table showing the preferred user object schema made in accordance with the present invention.
[0101] FIG. 30 is a table showing MailingAddressTypelDs preferably associated with the User (person) object schema.
[0102] FIG. 31 is a table of the preferred category object schema made in accordance with the present invention.
[0103] FIG. 32 is a table of the preferred document object schema made in accordance with the present invention.
[0104] FIG. 33 shows the Print Media Type IDs of the preferred embodiment.
[0105] FIG. 34 shows the preferred FORMATTYPEID.
[0106] FIG. 35 shows the preferred email message list object schema made in accordance with the present invention.
[0107] FIGS. 36 and 37 are exemplar tables showing the email distribution list and email public folder object schemas, respectively, of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0108] FIG. 38 shows the preferred PublicFolderTypelD of the present invention.
[0109] FIG. 39 shows the preferred event object schema message list object schema made in accordance with the present invention.
[0110] FIG. 40 shows the events types of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0111] FIG. 41 shows the preferred media object schema message list object schema made in accordance with the present invention.
[0112] FIG. 42 shows the media types of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0113] FIGS. 43-45 illustrate additional samples showing how objects are categorized and utilized in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0114] FIG. 46 is an object graph showing mapping of raw email XML metadata to the Semantic Network according to the present invention.
[0115] FIGS. 47-53 are exemplar screenshots showing aspects of Agent management by the KIS.
[0116] FIG. 54 shows a sample user interface illustrating an information object displayed in the Information Agent Results Pane.
[0117] FIG. 55 shows an example of a balloon popup associated with an Intrinsic Semantic Link showing an email sample according to the present invention.
[0118] FIG. 56 shows an example of a balloon popup associated with a Verb user interface according to the present invention.
[0119] FIG. 57 shows an example of a balloon popup associated with a Deep Information Mode user interface according to the present invention.
[0120] FIGS. 58 and 59 are illustrations showing an exemplar Semantic Environment according to the present invention.
[0121] FIGS. 60-68 provide exemplar screenshots of an Information Agent according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0122] FIGS. 69-71 provide exemplar balloon popup menus associated with the Smart Lens feature of an Information Agent according to the present invention.
[0123] FIG. 72 shows a sample of a variant of the balloon popup menu of FIG. 71 showing the relatedness measure of the two objects.
[0124] FIGS. 73-75 show sample tables illustrating the behaviors and relational contains objects types predicates when using Smart Lenses.
[0125] FIG. 76 is a user interface sample illustrating semantic results Player/Preview Control according to the present invention.
[0126] FIG. 77 is a user interface sample showing the semantic results of a Blender.
[0127] FIGS. 78 and 79 illustrate exemplar functionality mappings of the present invention.
[0128] FIG. 80 illustrates a user interface showing Agent results and corresponding Context Palettes according to the present invention.
[0129] FIG. 81 shows a sample Smart Recommendations popup context Results Pane according to the present invention.
[0130] FIG. 82 is a table showing the technology layers of the Information Nervous System of the present invention.
[0131] FIG. 83 illustrates dynamic linking and user-controlled navigation and browsing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
[0132] The Appendix attached hereto and referenced herein is incorporated by reference.
[0133] This Appendix includes exemplar code illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
CONTENTS OF DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0134] A. DEFINITIONS
[0135] B. OVERVIEW
[0136] 1. INVENTION CONTEXT
[0137] 2. VALUEPROPOSITIONS
[0138] 3. TODAY'S "INFORMATION" WEB VS. THE INFORMATION NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE PRESENTINVENTION
[0139] C. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS
[0140] 1. SYSTEM OVERVIEW
[0141] 2. SYSTEMARCHITECTURE
[0142] 3. TECHNOLOGYSTACKS
[0143] 4. SYSTEM HETEROGENEITY
[0144] 5. SECURITY
[0145] 6. EFFICIENCY CONSIDERATIONS
[0146] D. SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND OPERATION
[0147] 1. AGENCIES AND AGENTS
[0148] a. Agencies
[0149] b. Agents
[0150] 2. KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION SERVER
[0151] a. Semantic Network
[0152] b. Semantic Data Gatherer
[0153] c. Semantic Network Consistency Checker
[0154] d. Inference Engine
[0155] e. Semantic Query Processor
[0156] f. Natural Language Parser
[0157] g. Email Knowledge Agent
[0158] h. Knowledge Domain Manager
[0159] i. Other Components
[0160] 3. KNOWLEDGE BASE SERvER
[0161] 4. INFORMATION AGENT (SEMANTIC BROWSER PLA TFORM)
[0162] a. Overview
[0163] b. Client Configuration
[0164] c. Client Framework Specification
[0165] d. Client Framework
[0166] e. Semantic Query Document
[0167] f. Semantic Environment
[0168] g. Semantic Environment Manager
[0169] h. Environment Browser (Semantic Browser or Information Agent.TM.)
[0170] i. Additional Application Features
[0171] 5. PROVIDING CONTEXT IN THE PRESENTINVENTION
[0172] a. Context Templates
[0173] b. Context Skins
[0174] c. Skin Templates
[0175] d. Default Predicates
[0176] e. Context Predicates
[0177] f. Context Attributes
[0178] g. Context Palettes
[0179] h. Intrinsic Alerts
[0180] i. Smart Recommendations
[0181] 6. PROPERTYBENEFITS OF THE PRESENTINVENTION
[0182] E. SCENARIOS
[0183] 1. EXAMPLES OF SEMANTIC QUERIES UTILIZING THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0184] 2. BUSINESS PROBLEMS
[0185] 3. SITUATIONS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0186] A. Definitions
[0187] ActionScript. Scripting language of Macromedia Flash. This two-way communication assists users in creating interactive movies. See http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/action_scripts/actionscript_tutor- ial/.
[0188] Agency. A named instance of a Knowledge Integration Server (KIS) that is the semantic equivalent of a website.
[0189] Agency Directory. A directory that stores metadata information for Agencies and allows clients to add, remove, search, and browse Agencies stored within. Agencies can be published on directories like LDAP or the Microsoft Active Directory. Agencies can also be published on a proprietary directory built specifically for Agencies.
[0190] Agent. A semantic filter query that returns XML information for a particular semantic object type (e.g., documents, email, people, etc.), context (e.g., Headlines, Conversations, etc.) or Blender.
[0191] Blender.TM. or Compound Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for an Agent that contains other Agents and allows the user (in the case of client-side blenders) or the Agency administrator (in the case of server-side blenders) to create queries that generate results that are the union or intersection of the results of their contained Agents. In the case of client-side blenders, the results can be generated using different views (showing each Agent in the blender in a different frame, showing all the objects of a particular object type across the contained Agents, etc.)
[0192] Breaking News Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for a Smart Agent that users specially tag as being indicative of time-criticality. Users can tag any Smart Agent as a Breaking News Agent. This attribute is then stored in users' Semantic Environment. A Breaking News Agent preferably shows an alert if there is breaking news related to any information being displayed.
[0193] Default Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for standardized, non-user modifiable Agents presented to the user.
[0194] Domain Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for an Agent that belongs to a semantic domain. It is initialized with an Agent query that includes reference to the "categories" table.
[0195] Dumb Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for an Agent that does not have an Agency and which refers to local information (on a local hard drive), on a network share or on a Web link or URL. Dumb Agents are used to essentially load information items (e.g., documents) from a non-smart sandbox (e.g., the file-system or the Internet) to a smart sandbox (the Information Nervous System via the Information Agent (semantic browser)).
[0196] Email Agent.TM. (or Email Knowledge Agent.TM.). Trademarked names for a Public Agent used to publish or annotate information and share knowledge on an Agency.
[0197] Favorite Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for Agents that users indicate they like and access often.
[0198] Public Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for Agents that are created and managed by the system administrator.
[0199] Private or Local Agents.TM.. Trademarked names for Agents that are created and managed by users.
[0200] Search Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for a Smart Agent that is created by searching the semantic environment with keywords or by searching an existing Smart Agent, in order to invoke an additional, text-based query filter on the Smart Agent.
[0201] Simple or Standard Agent.TM.. Trademarked names for Standalone Agents that encapsulate structured, non-semantic queries (e.g., from the local file system or data source).
[0202] Smart Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for a standalone Agent that encapsulates structured, semantic queries that refers to an Agency via its XML Web Service.
[0203] Special Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for a Smart Agent that is created based on a Context Template.
[0204] Agent Discovery. The property of the information medium of the present invention that allows users to easily and automatically discover new server-side Agents or client-side Agents created by others (friends or colleagues). Also see "Discoverability."
[0205] Annotations. Notes, comments, or explanations that are used to add personal context to an information object. In the preferred embodiment, annotations are email messages that are linked to the object they qualify, and which can have attachments Oust like regular email messages). In addition, annotations are first class information objects in the system and as such can be annotated themselves, thereby resulting in threaded annotations or a tree of annotations with the initial object as the root.
[0206] Application Programming Interface (API). Defines how software programmers utilize a particular computer feature. APIs exist for windowing systems, file systems, database systems, networking systems, and other systems.
[0207] Calendar Access Protocol (CAP). Internet protocol that permits users to digitally access a calendar store based on the iCalendar standard.
[0208] Compound Agent Manager.TM.. Trademarked name for an Agency component that programmatically allows the user to create and delete Compound Agents and to manage them by adding and deleting Agents.
[0209] Context. Information surrounding a particular item that provides meaning and otherwise assists the information consumer in interpreting the item as well as finding other relevant information related to the item.
[0210] Context Results Pane. A Results Pane that displays results for context-based queries. These include results for Context Palettes, Smart Lenses, Deep Information, etc. See "Results Pane."
[0211] Context-Sensitivity. The property of an information medium that enables it to intelligently and dynamically perceive the context of all the information it presents and to present additional, relevant information given that context. A context-sensitive system or medium understands the semantics of the information it presents and provide appropriate behaviors (proactive and reactive based on the user's actions) in order to present information in its proper context (both intrinsically and relationally).
[0212] Context Template.TM.. Trademarked name for scenario-driven information query templates that map to specific and familiar semantic models for information access and retrieval. For example, a "Headlines" template in the preferred embodiment has parameters that are consistent with the delivery of "Headlines" (where freshness and the likelihood of a high interest level are the primary axes for retrieval). An "Upcoming Events" template has parameters that are consistent with the delivery of "Upcoming Events." And so on. Essentially, Context Templates can be analogized to personal, digital semantic information retrieval "channels" that deliver information to the user by employing a well-known semantic template.
[0213] Deep Information.TM.. Trademarked name for a feature of the present invention that enables the Information Agent to display intrinsic, contextual information relating to an information object. The contextual information that includes information that is mined from the Semantic Network of the Agency from whence the object came.
[0214] Discoverability. The ability of the information medium of the present invention to intelligently and proactively make information known or visible to the user without the user having to explicitly look for the information.
[0215] Domain Agent Wizard.TM.. Trademarked name for a system component and its user interface for allowing the Agency administrator to create and manage Domain Agents.
[0216] DOTNET (.NET). Microsoft.RTM. .NET is a set of Microsoft software technologies for connecting information, people, systems, and devices. It enables software integration through the use of XML Web Services: small, discrete, building-block applications that connect to each other, as well as to other, larger applications, via the Internet. NET-connected software facilitates the creation and integration of XML Web Services. See http://www.microsoft.com/net/defined/default.asp).
[0217] Dynamic Linking.TM.. Trademarked name for the ability of the Information Nervous System of the present invention to allow users to link information dynamically, semantically, and at the speed of thought, even if those information items do not contain links themselves. By virtue of employing smart objects that have intrinsic behavior and using recursive intelligence embedded in the Information Agency's XML Web Service, each node in the Semantic Network is much smarter than a regular link or node on Today's Web or the conceptual Semantic Web. In other words, each node in the Smart Virtual Network or Web of the present invention can link to other nodes, independent of authoring. Each node has behavior that can dynamically link to Agencies and Smart Agents via drag and drop and smart copy and paste, create links to Agencies in the Semantic Environment, respond to lens requests from Smart Agents to create new links, include intrinsic alerts that will dynamically create links to context and time-sensitive information on its Agency, include presentation hints for breaking news (wherein the node can automatically link to breaking news Agents in the namespace), form the basis for deep info that can allow the user to find new links, etc. A user of the present invention is therefore not at the mercy of the author of the metadata. Once the user reaches a node in the network, the user has many semantic means of navigating dynamically and automatically-using context, time, relatedness to Smart Agencies and Agents, etc.
[0218] Email XML Object. An information object with the "Email" information object type. The XML object has the "Email" SRML schema (which uses XML).
[0219] Environment Browser. See Information Agent.
[0220] Favorite Agents Manager.TM.. Trademarked name for a system component and user interface element that allows the Agency administrator to manage server-side Favorite Agents.
[0221] Flash. Macromedia Flash user interface platform that enables developers and content authors to embed sophisticated graphics and animations in their content. See http://www.macromedia.com/flash.
[0222] Flash MX. Macromedia Flash MX is a text, graphics, and animation design and development environment for creating a broad range of high-impact content and rich applications for the Internet. See http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/productinfo/product_overview/.
[0223] Global Agency Directory.TM.. Trademarked name for an instance of an Agency Directory that runs on the Internet (or other global network). The Global Agency Directory allows users to find, search, and browse Internet-based Agencies using their Information Agent (directly in their semantic environment). Also, see "Agency Directory." HTTP. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application-level protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. It is a generic, stateless, protocol that can be used for many tasks beyond its use for hypertext, such as name servers and distributed object management systems, through extension of its request methods, error codes and headers. A feature of HTTP is the typing and negotiation of data representation, allowing systems to be built independently of the data being transferred. See http://www.w3.org/Protocols/ and http://www.w3.org/Protocols/Specs.html.
[0224] Inference Engine.TM.. Trademarked name for the methodology of the present invention that observes patterns and data to arrive at relevant and logically sound conclusions by reasoning. Preferably utilizes Inference Rules (a predetermined set of heuristics) to add semantic links to the Semantic Network of the present invention.
[0225] Information. A quantitative or qualitative measure of the relevance and intelligence of content or data and which conveys knowledge.
[0226] Information Agent.TM.. Trademarked name for the semantic client or browser of the present invention that provides context and time-sensitive delivery and presentment of actionable information (or knowledge) from multiple sources, information types, and templates, and which allows dynamic linking of information across various repositories.
[0227] Information Nervous System.TM.. Trademarked name for the dynamic, self-authoring, context and time-sensitive information system of the present invention that enables users to intelligently and dynamically link information at the speed of thought, and with context and time-sensitivity, in order to maximize the acquisition and use of knowledge for the task at hand.
[0228] Information Object.TM. (or Item or Packet). Trademarked name for a unit of information of a particular type and which conveys knowledge in a given context.
[0229] Information Object Pivot.TM.. Trademarked name for an information object that users employ as a navigational pivot to find other relevant information in the same context.
[0230] Information Object Type. See Object Type.
[0231] Intelligent Agent. Software Agents that act on behalf of the user to find and filter information, negotiate for services, easily automate complex tasks, or collaborate with other software Agents to solve complex problems. By definition, Intelligent Agents must be autonomous or, in other words, freely able to execute without user intervention. Additionally, Intelligent Agents must be able to communicate with other software or human Agents and must have the ability to perceive and monitor the environment in which they reside. See http://www.findarticles- .com/cf_dls/m0FWE/7.sub.--4/64694222/p1/article.jhtml).
[0232] Internet Calendaring and Scheduling (iCalendar). Protocol that enables the deployment of interoperable calendaring and scheduling services for the Internet. The protocol provides the definition of a common format for openly exchanging calendaring and scheduling information across the Internet.
[0233] Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). Communications mechanism for mail clients to interact with mail servers, and manipulate mailboxes thereon. Perhaps the most popular mail access protocol currently is the Post Office Protocol (POP), which also addresses remote mail access needs. IMAP offers a superset of POP features, which allow much more complex interactions and provides for much more efficient access than the POP model. See http://www-smi.stanford.edu/proj ects/imap/ml/imap.html.
[0234] Intrinsic Semantic Link.TM.. Trademarked name for semantic links that are intrinsic to the schema of a particular information object. For instance, an email information object has intrinsic links like "from," "to," "cc," "bcc," and "attachments" that are native to the object itself and are defined in the schema for the email information object type.
[0235] Island. An information repository that is isolated from other repositories which may contain relevant, semantically related, context and time-sensitive information but which are disconnected from other contexts in which such information might be relevant.
[0236] J2EE. The Java.TM. 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) used for developing multi-tier enterprise applications. J2EE bases enterprise applications on standardized, modular components by providing a set of services to those components and by handling many details of application behavior automatically. See http://java.sun.com/j2ee/overview.html.
[0237] Knowledge. Information presented in a context and time-sensitive manner that enables the information consumer to learn from the information and apply the information in order to make smarter and more timely decisions for relevant tasks.
[0238] Knowledge Agent.TM.. See Information Agent.
[0239] Knowledge Base Server.TM. (KBS). Trademarked name for a server that hosts knowledge for the Knowledge Integration Server (KIS).
[0240] Knowledge Domain Manager.TM. (KDM). Trademarked name for a component of the Knowledge Integration Server that is responsible for adding and maintaining domain-specific intelligence on the Semantic Network.
[0241] Knowledge Integration Server.TM. (KIS). Trademarked name for a server that semantically integrates data from multiple diverse sources into a Semantic Network, which can also host server-side Agents that provide access to the network and which hosts XML Web Services that provide context and time-sensitive access to knowledge on the server.
[0242] Knowledge Web.TM.. See Information Nervous System.
[0243] Liberty Alliance. The vision of the Liberty Alliance is to enable a networked world in which individuals and businesses can more easily conduct transactions while protecting the privacy and security of vital identity information. To accomplish its vision, the Liberty Alliance seeks to establish an open standard for federated network identity through open technical specifications. See http://www.projectliberty.org/- index.html.
[0244] Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Technology for accessing common directory information. LDAP has been embraced and implemented in most network-oriented middleware. As an open, vendor-neutral standard, LDAP provides an extendable architecture for centralized storage and management of information that needs to be available for today's distributed systems and services. LDAP is currently supported in most network operating systems, groupware and even shrink-wrapped network applications. See http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/- Rcdbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/sg244986.html?Open.
[0245] Link Template.TM.. See Context Template.
[0246] Local Context. Local Context refers to client-side information objects and Agents accessible to the users. This includes Agents in the Semantic Environment, local files, folders, email items in users' email inboxes, users' favorite and recent Web pages, the current Web page(s), currently opened documents, and other information objects that represent users' current task, location, time, or condition.
[0247] Meaning. The attributes of behavior of information that allows the consumer of the information to locate and navigate to it based on its relevant information content (as opposed to its text or data) and to act on it in a context and time-sensitive manner, in order to maximize the utility of the information.
[0248] Metadata. "Data about data." It includes those data fields, links, and attributes that fully describe an information object.
[0249] Natural Language Parser. Parsing and interpreting software component that understands natural language queries and can translate them to structured semantic information queries.
[0250] Nervana.TM.. Trademarked name for a proprietary, end-to-end implementation of the Information Nervous System information medium/platform. The name also defines a proprietary namespace for resource type and predicate name qualifiers.
[0251] .NET Passport. Microsoft .NET Passport is a suite of Web-based services directed towards the Internet and online purchasing. .NET Passport provides users with single sign-in (SSI) and fast purchasing capability at a growing number of participating sites, reducing the amount of information users must remember or retype. .NET Passport provide a high-quality online experience for a large user base and uses powerful encryption technologies-such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and the Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) algorithm-for data protection. Privacy is a key priority as well, and all participating sites sign a contract in which they agree to post and follow a privacy policy that adheres to industry-accepted guidelines.
[0252] Network Effects. This exists when the number of other users affects the value of a product or service to a particular user. Telephone service provides a clear example. The value of telephone service to users is a function of the number of other subscribers. Few would be interested in telephones that were not connected to anyone, and most would assess higher value to a phone service linked to a national network rather than just a local network. Similarly, many computer users prize a computer system that allows them to exchange information readily with other users.
[0253] Network Effects are thus demand-side externalities that generate a positive feedback effect in which successful products become more successful. In this way, Network Effects are analogous to supply-side economies of scale and scope. As a firm increases output, economies of scale lead to lower average costs, permitting the firm to lower prices and gain, additional business from rivals. Continued expansion results in even lower average costs, justifying even lower prices. Similarly, the positive feedback from Network Effects builds upon previous successes. In the computer industry, for example, users pay more for a more popular computer system, all else equal, or opt for a system with a larger installed base if the prices and other features of two competing systems are equivalent. See http://www.ei.com/publications/1996/fall1.htm.
[0254] Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP). Protocol for the distribution, inquiry, retrieval, and posting of news articles using a reliable stream-based transmission of news among the ARPA-Intemet community. NNTP is designed so that news articles are stored in a central database allowing subscribers to select only those items they wish to read. Indexing, cross-referencing, and expiration of aged messages are also provided.
[0255] Notifications. Notifications are alerts that are,sent by the Information Agent or an Agency to indicate to a user that there is new information on an Agent (either a client-side Agent or a server-side Agent). Users can request notifications from Agents in their Semantic Environment. Users can indicate that they have received the notification. The notification source (the client or server) stores information for the user and the Agent indicating the last time the user acknowledged a notification for the Agent. The notification source polls the Agent to check if there is new information since the last acknowledge time. If there is, the notification source alerts the user. Alerts can be sent via email, pager, voice, or a custom alert mechanism such as Microsoft's .NET Alerts service. Users have the option of indicating their preferred notification mechanism for the entire notification source (client or server)--which applies to all Agents on the notification source--on a per-Agent basis (which overrides the indicated preference on the notification source.
[0256] Object. See Information Object.
[0257] Object Type. Identification data associated with information that allows the consumer to understand the nature of the information, to interpret its contents, to predict how the information can be acted upon, and to link it to other relevant information items based on how the object types typically relate in the real world. Examples include documents, events, email messages, people, etc.
[0258] Ontology. Hierarchical structuring of knowledge according to essential qualities. Ontology is an explicit specification of a conceptualization. The term is borrowed from philosophy, where "Ontology" is a systematic account of Existence. For artificial intelligence systems, what "exists" is that which can be represented. When the knowledge of a domain is represented in a declarative formalism, the set of objects that can be represented is called the universe of discourse. This set of objects, and the describable relationships among them, are reflected in the representational vocabulary with which a knowledge-based program represents knowledge. Thus, in the context of artificial intelligence, the ontology of a program is described by defining a set of representational terms. In such ontology, definitions associate the names of entities in the universe of discourse (e.g., classes, relations, functions, or other objects) with human-readable text describing what the names mean, and formal axioms that constrain the interpretation and well-formed use of these terms. Formally, ontology is the statement of a logical theory.
[0259] The subject of ontology is the study of the categories of things that exist or may exist in some domain. The product of such a study, called ontology, is a catalog of the types of things that are assumed to exist in a domain of interest D from the perspective of a person who uses a language L for the purpose of talking about D. The types in the ontology represent the predicates, word senses, or concept and relation types of the language L when used to discuss topics in the domain D. See, generally, http://www-ksl.stanford.edu/kst/what-is-an-ontology. html and http://users.bestweb.net/.about.sowa/ontology/).
[0260] Predicates. A Predicate is an attribute or link whose result represents the truth or falsehood of some condition. For example, the predicate "authored by" links a person with an information object and indicates whether a person authored the object.
[0261] Presenter.TM.. System component in the Information Agent (semantic browser) of the present invention that handles the aggregation and presentation of results from the semantic query processor (that preferably interprets SQML). The Presenter handles layout management, aggregation, navigation, Skin management, the presentation of Context Palettes, interactivity, animations, etc.
[0262] RDF. Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a foundation for processing metadata; it provides interoperability between applications that exchange machine-understandable information on the Web. RDF emphasizes facilities to enable automated processing of Web resources. RDF defines a simple model for describing relationships among resources in terms of named properties and values. RDF properties may be thought of as attributes of resources and in this sense correspond to traditional attribute-value pairs. RDF properties also represent relationships between resources. As such, the RDF data model can therefore resemble an entity-relationship diagram.
[0263] RDF can be used in a variety of application areas including, for example: in resource discovery to provide better search engine capabilities, in cataloging for describing the content and content relationships available at a particular Web site, page, or digital library, by intelligent software Agents to facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange, in content rating, in describing collections of pages that represent a single logical "document", for describing intellectual property rights of Web pages, and for expressing the privacy preferences of a user as well as the privacy policies of a Web site. RDF with digital signatures is preferably a component of building the "Web of Trust" for electronic commerce, collaboration, and other applications. See, generally, http://www.w3.org/TRIPR-rdf-syntax/ and http://www.w3.org/TR/rdf-schema/.
[0264] RDFS. Acronym for RDF Schema. Resource description communities require the ability to say certain things about certain kinds of resources. For describing bibliographic resources, for example, descriptive attributes including "author", "title", and "subject" are common. For digital certification, attributes such as "checksum" and "authorization" are often required. The declaration of these properties (attributes) and their corresponding semantics are defined in the context of RDF as an RDF schema. A schema defines not only the properties of the resource (e.g., title, author, subject, size, color, etc.) but may also define the kinds of resources being described (books, Web pages, people, companies, etc.). See http://www.w3.org/TR/rdf-schema/).
[0265] Results Pane.TM.. Trademarked name for the graphical display area within the Information Agent (semantic browser) that displays results of an SQML query. See FIG. 5, showing a sample Information Agent screenshot illustrating server-side Agents, an optional player control/navigation/filter toolbar, a "Server-Side Agents Dialog" (which allows users to browse and open server-side Agents), and sample results (with the "Documents" information object type) from a server-side Agent.
[0266] Semantics. Connotative meaning.
[0267] Semantic Environment.TM.. This refers to all the data stored on users' local machines, in addition to user-specific data on an Agency server (e.g., subscribed server-side Agencies, server-side Favorite Agents, etc.). Client-side state includes favorite and recent Agents and authentication and authorization information (e.g., user names and passwords for various Agencies), in addition to the SQML files and buffers for each client-side (user-created) Agent. The Information Agent is preferably configured to store Agents for a set amount of time before automatically deleting them, except those that have been added to the "favorites" list. For example, users-may configure the Information Agent to store Agents for two weeks. In this case, Agents older than two weeks are automatically purged from the system and the Semantic Environment is adjusted accordingly. The Semantic Environment is employed for Context Palettes (Context Palettes use the Agencies in the "recent" and "favorites" list in order to predict what default Agencies users want to view context from).
[0268] Semantic Environment Manager.TM.. Trademarked name for a software component that manages all the local state for the Semantic Environment (in the Information Agent). This includes storing and managing the metadata for all the client-side Agents (and the history and favorites Agent sub-lists), per-Agent state (e.g., Agent Skins, Agent preferences, etc.), notification management, Agency browsing (on Agency directories), listening for Agencies via multicast and peer-to-peer announcement protocols, services to allow users to browse the Semantic Environment via the semantic browser (via the Tree View, the "Open Agent" dialog, and the Results Pane), etc.
[0269] Semantic Data Gatherer.TM. (SDG). Trademarked name for XML Web Service used by the Knowledge Integration Server (KIS) and which is responsible for adding, removing and updating entries in the Semantic Network via the Semantic Metadata Store (SMS).
[0270] Semantic Metadata Store.TM. (SMS). Trademarked name for a software component on the KIS that employs a database (e.g., SQL Server, Oracle, DB2) having tables for each primary object type to store all the metadata on the KIS.
[0271] Semantic Network. System and method of linking objects associated with schemas together in a semantic way via the database tables on the Semantic Metadata Store.
[0272] Semantic Network Consistency Checker.TM.. Trademarked name for a software component that runs on an Agency of the present invention that is tasked with maintaining the integrity and consistency of the Semantic Network. The checker runs periodically and ensures that entries in the "SemanticLinks" table exist in the native object tables, that entries in the "objects" table exist in the native object tables and that all entries in the Semantic Metadata Store still exist at the repositories from where they were gathered.
[0273] Semantic Queries. Queries that incorporate meaning, context, time-sensitivity, context-templates, and richness that approach natural language. Much more powerful than simple, keyword-based queries in that they are context and time-sensitive and incorporate meaning or semantics.
[0274] Semantic Query Markup Language (SQML). A proprietary XML-based query language used by this invention to define, store, interpret and execute client-side semantic queries. SQML includes tags to define a query that gets its data from diverse resources (that represent data sources) such as files, folders, application repositories, and references to Agency XML Web Services (via resource identifiers and URLs). In addition, SQML includes tags that enable semantic filtering (via custom links and predicates) which indicate how data is to be queried and filtered from the resources, and arguments that indicate how the resources are to be queried and how the results are to be filtered. In particular, the arguments can include references to local or remote context. The context arguments are then resolved by the client-side SQP at run-time to XML metadata. The XML metadata is then passed to the appropriate resource (e.g., an Agency's XML Web Service) as a method call along with the reference to the resource and the semantic links and predicates that indicate how the query is to be resolved by the resource (e.g., the Agency's XML Web Service). SQML is to the Information Nervous System as HTML is to Today's Web. The main difference is that SQML defines the rules for semantic querying while HTML defines the rules for Hypertext presentation. However, SQML is superior in that it enables the client to recursively create new semantic queries from existing ones (by creating new SQML with new links derived from an existing SQML query), e.g., via drag and drop and smart copy and paste, the Smart Lens, Context Templates and Palettes, etc. In addition, because SQML does not define the rules for presentation, the results of the semantic query can be presented in multiple ways, using a "skin" that takes the results (in SRML) to generate presentation based on the user's preferences, interests, condition, or context. Furthermore, SQML can contain abstract links and predicates such as those that refer to or employ Context Templates. The resource (e.g., the Agency's XML Web Service) then resolves the SQML to an appropriate query format (e.g., SQL or the equivalent in the case of an Agency's XML Web Service) and then invokes the "actual" query in order to generate the results (which will then account for the user's context or Context Template). Also, an SQML buffer or file can refer to multiple resources (and Agencies), thereby empowering the client to view results in an aggregated fashion (e.g., based on context or time-sensitivity), rather than based on the source of the data--this is a powerful feature of the invention that enables user-controlled browsing and information aggregation (see the sections on both below). Lastly, every client-side Agent has an SQML definition and file, just as every Web page has an HTML file.
[0275] Semantic Query Processor.TM. (SQP). Trademarked name for the server-side semantic query processor (XML Web Service in the preferred embodiment) that takes SQML and converts it to SQL (in the preferred embodiment) and then returns the results as XML. On the Knowledge Integration Server (KIS), the SQP is the main entry point to the Semantic Network of the present invention responsible for responding to semantic queries from clients of the KIS. On the server, this is the software component that processes semantic queries represented as SQML from the client. On the client, the client-side SQP takes aggregate SQML and compiles or maps it to individual SQML queries that can be sent to a server (or Agency) XML Web Service.
[0276] Semantic Results Markup Language (SRML). A proprietary XML-based data schema and format used by this invention to define, store, interpret and present semantic results. On the client, SRML is returned from the SQP via semantic resource handlers that interpret, format, and issue query requests to semantic data sources. Semantic data sources will include an Agency's XML Web Service, local files, local folders, custom data sources from local or remote applications (e.g., a Microsoft Outlook email application inbox), etc. The XML Web Service will return SRML to a client, in response to the client's semantic query. This way, the XML Web Service will not "care" how the results are being presented at the client. This is in contrast with Today's Web and the Semantic Web where servers return already-formatted HTML for a client to present and where clients merely present presentation data (as opposed to semantic data) and cannot customize the presentation of the data. In this invention, two clients can render the same SRML in completely different ways, based on the current "skin" that has been selected or applied by the user of either client. The "skin" then converts the SRML to a presentation-ready format such as XHTML,
[0277] SRML is a meta-schema, meaning that it is a container format that can include data for different information object types (e.g., documents, email, people, events, etc.). An SRML file or buffer can contain intertwined results for each of these object types. Well-formed SRML will contain well-formed XML document sections that are consistent with the schema of the information object types that are contained in the semantic result the SRML represents. See Sample A of the Appendix hereto.
[0278] Semantic Web. Extension of Today's Web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. See Tim Bemers-Lee, James Hendler, Ora Lassila, The Semantic Web, Scientific American, May 2000.
[0279] Facilities to put machine-understandable data on Today's Web are becoming a high priority for many communities. The Web can reach its full potential only if it becomes a place where data can be shared and processed by automated tools as well as by people. For the Web to scale, tomorrow's programs must be able to share and process data even when these programs have been designed totally independently. The Semantic Web is a conceptual vision: the idea of having data on the Web defined and linked in a way that it can be used by machines not just for display purposes, but for automation, integration and reuse of data across various applications. See also http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/.
[0280] Session Announcement Protocol (SAP). In order to assist the advertisement of multicast multimedia conferences and other multicast sessions, and to communicate the relevant session setup information to prospective participants, a distributed session directory may be used. An instance of such a session directory periodically multicasts packets containing a description of the session, and these advertisements are received by other session directories such that potential remote participants can use the session description to start the tools required to participate in the session.
[0281] In its simplest form, this involved periodically multicasting a session announcement packet describing a particular session. To receive SAP, a receiver simply listens on a well-known multicast address and port. Sessions are described using the Session Description Protocol (ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc2327.txt). If a receiver receives a session announcement packet it simply decodes the SDP message, and then can display the session information for the user. The interval between repeats of the same session description message depends on the number of sessions being announced (each sender at a particular scope can hear the other senders in the same scope) such that the bandwidth being used for session announcements of a particular scope is kept approximately constant. If a receiver has been listening for a set time, and fails to hear a session announcement, then the receiver can conclude that the session has been deleted and no longer exists. The set period is based on the receivers' estimate of how often the sender should be sending.
[0282] See, generally, http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc2974.html, http://www.video.ja.net/mice/archive/sdr_docs/node1.html, ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/ rfc2327.txt.
[0283] Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Protocol designed to transfer mail reliably and efficiently. SMTP is independent of the particular transmission subsystem and requires only a reliable ordered data stream channel. An important feature of SMTP is its capability to relay mail across transport environments. See http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc0821.txt.
[0284] Skins. Presentation templates that are used to customize the user experience on a per-Agent basis or which customizes the presentation of the entire layout (independent of the Agent), or object (based on the information object type), context (based on the Context Template), Blender (for Agents that are Blenders), for the semantic domain name/path or ontology, and other considerations. Each Agent will include a Skin which in turn will have an XML metadata representation of parameters to customize the layout of the XML results that represent information objects (the layout Skin), for example, whether or not those results are animated, the manner in which each result is displayed, including a representation of the object type (the object Skin), styles, colors, graphics, filters, transforms, effects, animations (and so on) that indicate the ontology of the current results (the ontology Skin), styles that indicate the Context Template of the current results (the context Skin) and styles that indicate how to view and navigate results from Blenders (i.e., the Blender Skin).
[0285] Smart LenS.TM.. Trademarked name for a proprietary feature of this invention that allows users to select a Smart Agent or an object as a context with which to view another object or Agent. The lens then displays metadata, links, and result previews that give users an indication of what they should expect if the context is invoked. Essentially, the Smart Lens displays the results of a "potential query." The Smart Lens allows users to quickly preview context results without actually invoking queries (thereby increasing their productivity). In addition, the Smart Lens can display views that are consistent with the context, using pivots, templates and preview windows, thereby allowing users to analyze the context in different ways before invoking a query.
[0286] Smart Virtual Web.TM.. Trademarked name for the property of the present invention to integrate semantics, context-sensitivity, time-sensitivity, and dynamism in order to empower users to browse a dynamic, virtual, "on-the-fly," user-controlled "Web" that they control and can customize. This is in contrast with Today's Web and the conceptual Semantic Web, both of which employ a manually authored network wherein users are at the mercy of the authors of the information on the network.
[0287] Structured Query Language (SQL). Pronounced "ess-que-el." SQL is used to communicate with a database. According to ANSI (American National Standards Institute), it is the standard language for relational database management systems. SQL statements are used to perform tasks such as update data on a database, or retrieve data from a database. Some common relational database management systems that use SQL are: Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, Ingres, etc. Although most database systems use SQL, most of them also have their own additional proprietary extensions that are usually only used on their system. However, the standard SQL commands such as "Select", "Insert", "Update", "Delete", "Create", and "Drop" can be used to accomplish almost everything that one needs to do with a database.
[0288] SQL works with relational databases. A relational database stores data in tables (relations). A database is a collection of tables. A table consists of a list of records, each record in a table preferably includes the same structure, and each has a fixed number of "fields" of a given type.
[0289] See, generally, http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html and http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/.about.andrew/sql/0/w.htm.
[0290] Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). Language for describing two-dimensional graphics in XML. SVG allows for three types of graphic objects: vector graphic shapes (e.g., paths consisting of straight lines and curves), images and text. Graphical objects can be grouped, styled, transformed and composited into previously rendered objects. Text can be in any XML namespace suitable to the application, which enhances searchability and accessibility of the SVG graphics. The feature set includes nested transformations, clipping paths, alpha masks, filter effects, template objects and extensibility. SVG drawings can be dynamic and interactive. The Document Object Model (DOM) for SVG, which includes the full XML DOM, allows for straightforward and efficient vector graphics animation via scripting. A rich set of event handlers such as onmouseover and onclick can be assigned to any SVG graphical object. Because of its compatibility and leveraging of other Web standards, features like scripting can be done on SVG elements and other XML elements from different namespaces simultaneously within the same Web page. See http://www.w3 .org/Graphics/SVG/Overview.htm8.
[0291] Taxonomy. An organizational structure wherein divisions are ordered into groups or categories.
[0292] Time-Sensitivity. Property of an information medium to deliver and present information based on when the information would be most relevant in time. For instance, freshness is an attribute that denotes time-sensitivity. In addition, the delivery and presentation of upcoming events (which, by definition, are time-sensitive) and the manner in which the time-criticality of the events are displayed are properties of a time-sensitive medium.
[0293] Today's Web. This refers to the World Wide Web as we know it today. Today's Web is a universe of hypertext servers (HTTP servers), which are the servers that allow text, graphics, sound files, etc. to be linked together. Hypertext is simply a non-linear way of presenting information. Rather than reading or learning about things in the order that an author, or editor, or publisher sets out for us, readers of hypertext may follow their own path, create their own order or meaning out the material. This is accomplished by creating "links"between information. These links are provided so that user may "jump" to further information about a specific topic being discussed (which may have more links, leading each reader off into a different direction). The Hypertext medium can incorporate pictures, sound, and video present a multimedia approach to presenting information, also referred to as hypermedia. See, generally, http://www.w3.org/History.html and http://www.umassd.edu/Public/People/KA- maral/Thesis/hypertext.html.
[0294] Multicast Time to Live (TTL). Multicast routing protocol uses the field of datagrams to decide how "far" from a sending host a given multicast packet should be forwarded. The default TTL for multicast datagrams is 1, which will result in multicast packets going only to other hosts on the local network. A setsockopt(2) call may be used to change the TTL. As the value for TTL increases, routers will expand the number of hops they will forward a multicast packet. To provide meaningful scope control, multicast routers typically enforce the following "thresholds" on forwarding based on the TTL field:
[0295] 0 restricted to the same host
[0296] 1 restricted to the same subnet
[0297] 32 restricted to the same site
[0298] 64 restricted to the same region
[0299] 128 restricted to the same continent
[0300] 255 unrestricted
[0301] See http://www.isl.org/projects/eies/mbone/mbone27.htm.
[0302] User State. This refers to all state that is either created by a user or which is needed to cache a user's preferences, favorites, or other personal information on a client or server. Client-side User State includes authentication credential information, users' Agent lists (and all the metadata including the SQML queries for the Agents), home Agent, configuration options, preferences such as Skins, etc. Essentially, client-side User State is a persisted form of users' Semantic Environment. Server-side User State includes information such as users' Favorite Agents, subscribed Agents, Default Agent, semantic links to information objects on the server (e.g., "favorites" links) etc. Server-side User State is optional for servers but support for it is preferred. Servers preferably support user logon and a "people" object type (even without server-side Agents) because these are needed for features such as favorites, recommendations, and for Context Templates such as "Newsmakers," "Experts,""Recommendations," "Favorites," and "Classics."
[0303] Virtual Information Object Type.TM.. Trademarked name for object types that do not map to distinct object types, yet are semantically of interest to users.
[0304] Virtual Parameter.TM.. Trademarked name for variables, parameters, arguments, or names that are dynamically interpreted at runtime by the semantic query processor. This allows the Agency administrator to store Agents that refer to virtual names and then have those names be converted to actual relevant terms when the query is invoked.
[0305] Web of Trust. Term coined by members of the Semantic Web research community that refers to a chain of authorization that users of the Semantic Web can use to validate assertions and statements. Based on work in mathematics and cryptography, digital signatures provide proof that a certain person wrote (or agrees with) a document or statement. Users can preferably digitally sign all of their RDF statements. That way, users can be sure that they wrote them (or at least vouch for their authenticity). Users simply tell the program whose signatures to trust. Each can set their own levels of trust (or paranoia), and the computer cani decide how much of what it reads to believe.
[0306] By way of example, with a Web of Trust, a user can tell a computer that he or she trusts his or her best friend, Robert. Robert happens to be a rather popular guy on the Net, and trusts quite a number of people. All the people he trusts in turn trust another set of people. Each of these measures of trust is to a certain degree (Robert can trust Wendy a whole lot, but Sally only a little). In addition to trust, levels of distrust can be factored in. If a user's computer discovers a document which no one explicitly trusts, but no one has said it has totally false either, it will probably trust that information a little more than one which many people have said is false. The computer takes all these factors into account when deciding the trustworthy of a piece of information. Preferably, the computer combines all this information into a simple display (thumbs-up/thumbs-down) or a more complex explanation (a description of all the various trust factors involved). See http:/iblogspace.com/rdf/SwartzHendler.
[0307] Web Services-Interoperability (WS-I). An open industry organization chartered to promote Web services interoperability across platforms, operating systems, and& programming languages. The organization works across the industry and standards organizations to respond to user needs by providing guidance, best practices, and resources for developing Web services solutions. See http://www.ws-i.org.
[0308] Web Services Security (WS-Security). Enhancements to SOAP messaging providing quality of protection through message integrity, message confidentiality, and single message authentication. These mechanisms can be used to accommodate a wide variety of security models and encryption technologies. WS-Security also provides a general-purpose mechanism for associating security tokens with messages. No specific type of security token is required by WS-Security. It is designed to be extensible (e.g. support multiple security token formats). For example, a client might provide proof of identity and proof that they have a particular business certification. Additionally, WS-Security describes how to encode binary security tokens. Specifically, the specification describes how to encode X.509 certificates and Kerberos tickets as well as how to include opaque encrypted keys. It also includes extensibility mechanisms that can be used to further describe the characteristics of the credentials that are included with a message. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.as- p?url=/Iibrary/en-us/dnglobspec/html/ws-security.asp.
[0309] Extensible Markup Language (XML). Universal format for structured documents and data on the Web. Structured data includes things like spreadsheets, address books, configuration parameters, financial transactions, and technical drawings. XML is a set of rules (you may also think of them as guidelines or conventions) for designing text formats that let you structure your data. XML is not a programming language, and one does not have to be a programmer to use it or learn it. XML makes it easy for a computer to generate data, read data, and ensure that the data structure is unambiguous. XML avoids common pitfalls in language design: it is extensible, platform-independent, and it supports internationalization and localization. XML is fully Unicode-compliant. See http://www.w3.org/XML/1999/XML-in-10-points.
[0310] XML Web Service (also known as "Web Service"). Service providing a standard means of communication among different software applications involved in presenting dynamic context-driven information to the user. More specific definitions include:
[0311] 1. A software application identified by a URI whose interfaces and binding are capable of being defined, described and discovered by XML artifacts. Supports direct interactions with other software applications using XML based messages via Internet-based protocols.
[0312] 2. An application delivered as a service that can be integrated with other Web Services using Internet standards. It is an URL-addressable resource that programmatically returns information to clients that want to use it. The major communication protocol used is the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), which in most cases is XML over HTTP.
[0313] 3. Programmable application logic accessible using standard Internet protocols. Web Services combine aspects of component-based development and the Web. Like components, Web Services represent black-box functionality that can be reused without worrying about how the service is implemented. Unlike current component technologies, Web Services are not accessed via object-model-specific protocols, such as DCOM, RMI, or IIOP. Instead, Web Services are accessed via ubiquitous Web protocols (ex: HTTP) and data formats (ex: XML).
[0314] See http://www.xmlwebservices.cc/, http://www.perfectxml.com/WebSvc- l.asp and http://www.w3.org/2002/ws/arch/2/06/wd-wsa-reqs-20020605.html.
[0315] XQuery. Query language that uses the structure of XML to intelligently express queries across all these kinds of data, whether physically stored in XML or viewed as XML via middleware. See http://www.w3.org/TR/xquery/ and http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/xm- l/library/x-xquery.html.
[0316] XPath. The result of an effort to provide a common syntax and semantics for functionality shared between XSL Transformations (http://www.w3.org/TR/XSLT) and XPointer (http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath#XPTR- ). The primary purpose of XPath is to address parts of an XML [XML] document. In support of this primary purpose, it also provides basic facilities for manipulation of strings, numbers and Booleans. XPath uses a compact, non-XML syntax to facilitate use of XPath within URIs and XML attribute values. XPath operates on the abstract, logical structure of an XML document, rather than its surface syntax. XPath gets its name from its use of a path notation as in URLs for navigating through the hierarchical structure of an XML document.
[0317] In addition to its use for addressing, XPath is also designed so that it has a natural subset that can be used for matching (testing whether or not a node matches a pattern); this use of XPath is described in XSL.TM.. XPath models an XML document as a tree of nodes. There are different types of nodes, including element nodes, attribute nodes and text nodes. XPath defines a way to compute a string-value for each type of node. Some types of nodes also have names. XPath fully supports XML Namespaces (http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath#XMLNAMES). Thus, the name of a node is modeled as a pair consisting of a local part and a possibly null namespace URI; this is called an (http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath#dt-expanded-- name). See http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath#XPTR.
[0318] XSL. A style sheet language for XML that includes an XML vocabulary for specifying formatting. See http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt11/.
[0319] XSLT. Used by XSL to describe how a document is transformed into another XML document that uses the formatting vocabulary. See http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt11/.
[0320] B. Overview
[0321] 1. Invention Context
[0322] There is a misconception that the Holy Grail for information access is the provision of natural language searching capability. Prior technologies for information access have focused principally on improving the interface for searching for or accessing information to optimize information retrieval. The presumption has largely been that providing a natural language interface to information will perfectly solve users' information access problems and end the frustration users have with finding information.
[0323] In truth, however, many axes of analysis are involved in how people acquire knowledge in the real world. One example is context. There are many things people know only because of where they were at a certain place and time. If they were not at that place at that time, they would not know what is in fact known or, indeed, might not care to know. Having the ability to search for what is presently known with natural language does not assist in uncovering the knowledge related to that particular time and place. There are simply no natural parameters that form the correct query to retrieve the desired information.
[0324] The conundrum is that a person cannot ask for what he or she might not even know would have value until after the fact. Stated differently, one cannot query for what they do not know they do not know, or for what they do not know that they might want to know. Context-sensitivity, time-sensitivity, discovery, dynamic linking, user-controlled browsing, users' "Semantic Environment," flexible presentation, Context Skins, context attributes, Context Palettes (which bring up relevant, context and time-sensitive information based on Context Templates) and other aspects of this invention recognize and correct this fundamental deficiency with existing information systems.
[0325] For example, people may have many CDs in their library (thereby adding to the "knowledge" of music) because they attended certain parties and spoke with certain people. Those people at those parties mentioned the CDs to the person, thereby increasing the person's knowledge of music. As another example, a person may purchase a book (if read, increasing the person's knowledge on the particular topic of the book), based on a recommendation from a hitherto unknown stranger the person happened to sit beside on an airplane flight. In the real world, people acquire knowledge based not just on what they read and search for, but also based on the friends they keep, the people with whom they interact and the people whose judgment they trust. The "knowledge environment" is arguably as critical if not more critical for knowledge dissemination and acquisition as the model for retrieval (whether digital or analog).
[0326] The present invention mirrors virtually every real-world knowledge-acquisition scenario in the digital world. The resulting Information Nervous System.TM. is the medium doing most of the work but the scenarios map very cleanly to the analog (real) world. The inability of efforts such as natural-language search techniques of Today's Web as well as the Semantic Web to recognize the many ways in which knowledge is disseminated and acquired render them ultimately ineffective. The present invention accounts for the variety of ways in which humans have always acquired knowledge-independent of the actual technology used for information delivery.
[0327] By way of example, there has always been context and there has always been time. Likewise there has always been the notion of discovery and the need to link information dynamically and with user control. There have always been certain Context Templates, albeit in different mediums that presented herein, including "classics," "history," "timelines," "upcoming events," .headlines." These templates existed before the creation of the Internet, Today's Web, Email, e-Leaming, etc. Nevertheless, prior to the present invention, there was no ability in the electronic medium to focus on the mode, protocol and presentation of knowledge delivery which maps to real-world scenarios (for example, via Context Templates, context-sensitivity, time-sensitivity, dynamic linking, flexible presentation, Context Skins, context attributes, etc.) as opposed to actual information types, semantic links, metadata, etc. There will always be new information types. But the dissemination and acquisition axes of knowledge (e.g., Context Templates) have always and will always remain the same. The present invention captures this reality.
[0328] In addition, the present invention provides the ability to disseminate knowledge via serendipity. Serendipity plays a large part in knowledge acquisition in the real world and it is a first-class mode of knowledge delivery. The present invention enables a user to acquire information serendipitously (albeit intelligently) by its support for context, time, Context Templates, etc.
[0329] Information models or mediums that employ a strict, static structure like a "Web"break down because they assume the presence of an authored "network" or "Web" and fail to account for the various axes of knowledge formation. Such information models are not user-focused, do not incorporate context, time, dynamism and templates, and do not map to real-world knowledge acquisition and dissemination scenarios. The present invention minimizes information loss and maximizes information retained, even without the presence of a "Web" per se, and even if no natural language is employed to find information. This is possible because, unlike existing mediums for information access, a preferred embodiment of the present invention focuses on the knowledge disseminati