WO1993005494A1

WO1993005494A1 - Electronic data manipulation system

Info

Publication number: WO1993005494A1
Application number: PCT/GB1992/001648
Authority: WO
Inventors: David John Mcnally; Richard Yves Brown; Micheal Timothy Tobert
Original assignee: 3E Research Limited
Priority date: 1991-09-09
Filing date: 1992-09-09
Publication date: 1993-03-18
Also published as: AU2553392A; GB9119249D0; GB9402152D0; GB2274006A; GB2274006B

Abstract

In a system and method for controlling access to an electronic data system, either of first and second portable electronic data recording means (23, 25) may contain recorded information. A user is only allowed access to the recorded information in at least one, when both have been detected by a reading device (13, 15, 19, 21). The first data recording means provides prompts for data input and receives data in response to the prompts. The second data recording means records the same data as the first. The data from the first data recording means (23) is pre-processed by a pre-processor (33) and then finally processed by a processor (35). The first and second data recording means (23, 25, 27, 29) are adapted such that the data recorded by the second can be independently updated and the new data then acquired by the first.

Description

ELECTRONIC DATA MANIPULATION SYSTEM

The present invention relates to an electronic data manipulation system especially, but not exclusively, useful in the field of databases, computerised record systems and publishing.

Traditionally, creation and updating of text-intensive databases, whether manual or computer based, consumes considerable human time. To set-up and run such a system efficiently also requires experience in a plurality of disciplines which few individuals have knowledge and experience of, for example, questionnaire design, data collection, editing data input/updating and text retrieval software. Of course, for different applications, the particular skills and depth of knowledge which will be important, will vary.

We have now devised a system which is capable of use in a wide range of applications and which removes the need for human knowledge and skill in respect of such operations by subsuming them into an ingenious * electronic apparatus.

Thus, a first aspect of the present invention provides an electronic data manipulation system comprising

(a) first portable electronic data recording means adapted to provide prompts for data input and adapted for receiving data in response to the prompts;

(b) second portable electronic data recording means adapted to record the same data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; (c) a data pre-processing device adapted for receiving and pre-processing the data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; and

(d) electronic data processing means.

The first aspect of the present invention also includes a method of electronic data manipulation, the method comprising: -

(a) providing prompts from a first portable electronic data recording means and recording data in said first electronic data recording means in response to the prompts; - -

Cb) recording the same data in a second portable electronic data recording means;

(c) electronically receiving and pre-processing the data recorded in the first electronic data processing means; and

(d) electronically processing the result of the pre-processing.

Specific examples of pre-processing operations (step c) are given in a description of an embodiment hereinbelow. The main processing (step d) may for example comprise sorting the data (eg. in a database application) or sorting, formatting etc (e. g. in a publishing application).

In the system and method according to the present invention, the first and second portable electronic data recording means may take a number of different forms.

Thus, for example, these data recording means may be in the form of a magnetic recording medium such as a computer disk or magnetic tape cassette, or in the form if an optical equivalent such as a read/write video disc or CD-EPROM (compact video disk erasable (reprogrammable) read only memory). Yet again, they may be in the form of discrete miniaturised computer firmware such as a DRAM (dynamic random-access memory).

When the data recording means are in the form of computer firmware, these may be implemented in the form of a "smart-card". In the context of the present invention, the term "smart-card" means a device in the form of a credit card or similar, containing microelectronic circuity and programmed to input or output electronic data signals, for example for recognition or validation purposes.

The data pre-processing device may be implemented entirely as electronic hardware, for example a combination of appropriate logic gates, flip-flops and the like, configured in a manner determined by known methods such as Karnaugh mapping, or it may be implemented as hardware/firmware programmed with appropriate software, i. e. a computer program adapted to carry out the desired functions.

The electronic data processing means is preferably a computer although conceivably, in the simpler embodiments it could be implemented substantially solely in terms of electronic hardware.

The present invention is applicable to both text-in ensive and other (eg numerical) databases and other forms of electronic data manipulation. Examples of these are: -

(i) professional societies: assessment and tracking of expertise and interests of members (ii) personnel: databases of recruitmenr, assessment of existing in-house skills, training, recruitment, appraisal and opinion poll information

(iii) marketing: databases of visit and other marketing related reports

(iv) intellectual property: databases of patent applications by application and publication number, priority data etc

(v) proposals: business plans & research grant applications

(vi) publishing & conferences: databases (technology databases in particular) as well as publications (printed, or on floppy disk CD-ROM etc or other media), for which the information is collected by hard-copy questionnaire

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of first data recording means are disseminated to remote locations (users). The users are each provided in advance with a respective second data recording means which is adapted to act as a "pass". Thus, when the first data recording means is inserted into a reader device of a local device, the user is only permitted access to the recorded prompts if the user inserts the second data recording means into the same or another reader of the local device. The user also cannot access any data already on the second data recording means without possession of the first data recording means to insert into the same or another associated reader. However, in principle, either one of these two alternatives is possible without the other, ie. free access to one of the recording means could be permitted.

Thus, a second aspect of the present invention provides an electronic data system comprising a first portable electronic data recording means and a second portable electronic data recording means, the system being such that a user can only gain access to any information recorded on at least one of said first and second electronic data recording means when both have been detected by a reading device.

The second aspect of the present invention also includes a method of controlling access to an electronic data system, the method comprising: -

(a) providing a first portable electronic data recording means;

(b) providing a second portable electronic data recording means; and

(c) allowing a user access to said recorded information recorded on at least one of said first and second electronic data recording means only when both have been detected by a reading device.

Such access restriction may be effected by encoding on one or both of the electronic data recording means.

In one preferred embodiment, the first electronic data recording means will always have some information recorded on it in the form of questions or prompts, although if it has already been used at least once, it may also contain answers. The second data recording means might also contain information in the form of answers or it might be blank save for a file formed ready to receive answers.

In a system and method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the reading device may comprise a pair of readers into which the first and second data recording means must be respectively loaded, or it may comprise a single reader into which the data recording means are loaded sequentially. Furthermore, in a system and method according to the second aspect of the invention, preferably the information recorded in the first data recording means comprises prompts and the first data recording means is adapted to record inputs in response to the prompts and is also adapted to cause said inputs to be recorded in the second data recording means.

In the aforementioned preferred embodiment, the users retain their respective second data recording means after use and return the respective first data recording means to a central location where there is provided, the data pre-processing device and the electronic data processing means. The second data recording means may then be independently updated, that is to say, independent of the information in the first data recording means and/or of the central location. The first data recording means can be returned to the contributor users for automatically acquiring the new information.

Thus a third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic data manipulation system comprising: -

(b) second portable electronic data recording means adapted to record the same data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; wherein the first and second electronic data recording means are so adapted that the data recorded by the second electronic data recording means can be independently updated and the new data subsequently acquired by the first electronic data recording means.

The third aspect of the present invention also extends to a method of electronic data manipulation, the method comprising: -

(a) providing prompts from a first portable electronic data recording means and recording data in said first electronic data recording means in response to the prompts;

(b) recording the same data in a second portable electronic data recording means;

(c) updating the data recorded in the second electronic data recording means; and

(d) using the first electronic data recording means to acquire automatically, the new information on the second electronic data recording means.

The originality in the third aspect of the invention lies in the fact that information which is collected electronically from individuals can subsequently be electronically reproduced and submitted to those individuals for checking and updating without the need for access to a host system where that information might be stored. This is because all the information which is required to be checked during the maintenance activity resides and is gathered electronically from the second electronic data recording means rather than from a host system.

The advantages of this arrangement are that:

(a) the same data residing on separate hosts can be readily updated using one single updating operation, whereas a requirement to access these hosts would either make the updating task impractical or cumbersome if not impossible;

(b) no database administrator is required to identify in which database and which host the information to be updated resides in and to develop procedures for allowing contributors access to that information;

(c) the maintenance of information by individuals can be done on physically unconnected computers or terminals which is highly convenient for many contributors;

(d) as a by product, the second electronic data recording means can be used as a pass into the first electronic data recording means and/or vice versa, so that prompts (as opposed to answers) can be kept from prying eyes.

For the two-disk system to work well, it is important that questions are uniquely coded so that identical questions and associated answers can be matched up when the first electronic data recording means "grabs" the data off the second electronic data recording means during an updating exercise.

A more detailed description of the preferred embodiment is provided hereinbelow wherein the data pre-processing device is called a "black-box".

Preferably, the data pre-processing device is adapted to:

(i) format the data recorded in the first data processing means to make it suitable for pre-processing; and

(ii) pre-processing the thus formatted data.

The first preferred embodiment described hereinbelow is in the form of a database method and apparatus. A second preferred embodiment is in the form of a publishing method and apparatus.

Certain kinds of directory or book (be they in the form of print, CD-ROM, floppy disk or other media) are difficult to compile and produce: their contents are based on contributions from a wide range of individuals who may be geographically dispersed and have no direct electronic links with the publisher.

For example, a directory on new technological developments would traditionally be compiled by sending out hardcopy questionnaires to relevant individuals to complete. The questionnaires are filled in, returned, input into a data processing device, edited, returned for checking and so on. This process is not only administratively complex, prone to error, and labour intensive but has to be repeated when new editions are brought out.

The Publishing System described below allows almost all elements of the chain from contributor to published product to be automated, without relying on the existence of sophisticated electronic networks (particularly for updating). Thus, the need for a central editing team, including data input staff, is dispensed with, as indeed is the need for extensive systems design and maintenance.

The Publishing System may be essentially technically identical to the database variant with the following exceptions:

(i) the data processing device or pre-processing device is enhanced to provide a publishing capability which may include publishing on to floppy disk or other media;

(ii) additional publishing equipment such as a typesetter, CD-ROM mastering machine, or printer may be attached.

The present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment which concerns electronic means for assessing and correlating skills and expertise of a collection of individuals in an organisation. The embodiment is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -

Figure 1 shows in block form, the overall configuration of a system according to a first embodiment the present invention; and

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a central service location 1 and a pair of remote contributor users 3, 5. In practice, there will usually be more than two remote contributor users but for the purposes of this description, it is sufficient just to refer to two.

The remote contributor users 3, 5 are each provided with respective electronic reading devices 7, 9. The first reader 7 is connected to a display 11, a first reader port 13 and a second reader port 15. Similarly, the second reader 9 is connected to its own display 17, first reader port 19 and second reader port 21.

Respective hard-copy printers may be provided in the alternative to, or in addition to the displays. In the presently described embodiment, the reader ports are computer disk drives but it is equally possible to utilize equipment adapted for receiving other electronic data recording media such as hereinbefore described, for example "smart-cards".

The first and second contributor users are provided with respective Intelligent Questionnaire (IQ) disks 23, 25 and also with respective contributor (C) disks 27, 29. An IQ disk is an example of "first portable electronic data recording means" as referred to hereinabove and similarly, a C-disk is an example of "second portable electronic data recording means".

The central service location comprises a data pre-processing device 33 (the black-box) and a data processing device 35 in the form of a conventional personal computer.

As described in more detail hereinbelow, the information processed by the data processing device is accessible by a plurality of remote dissemination users 37, 39, 41 etc.

Each IQ disk has recorded on it, an electronic questionnaire comprising software and associated data. The IQ disks are circulated to the contributor users for them to complete and return to the central service location. Each IQ disk contains its own set of word processing instructions. There is therefore no need for hard copy questionnaires and consequent data input and checking by the database creators.

The Intelligent Questionnaire uses a variety of techniques for obtaining information such as the use of guidelines, examples, selection lists, overwrite rules and a "mind jogger" thesaurus-based system.

Each IQ disk is self-editing. The editing rules, necessary to ensure the database as a whole is searchable, are contained on the IQ disk. The editing is applied during completion and when the questionnaire is complete, so that the contributor user can check the final version immediately. There is therefore no need for a central editing team, or for contributors to receive back their questionnaires for checking.

All questions have a unique code, so that similar questions asked by different parts of an organisation in which the contributor users are located, or by the same part at different times, can be aggregated into a searchable system. As described hereinbelow, the end-user organisation draws on an extensive database of standardised questions which will help them think through their requirements. This standardisation of questions facilitates data interchange and maintenance and works in a similar way to the electronic data interchange (EDI) standard.

The data collected by each IQ disk is automatically encrypted so that it cannot be easily examined if the disk is lost or tampered with on return to the central service location. On loading into the black-box, the data is decrypted before being passed to an information management system in the data processing device, or if additional security is required, decrypted by the information management system itself only when information is searched for or displayed.

Each contributor user is separately issued his respective C disk which interfaces with the IQ disk via the reading device and functions to enable contributor users to keep a copy of their "answers". Whilst the IQ disk is returned to the central service location, the C disk is retained by the contributor user. Any newly issued Intelligent Questionnaire or update is loaded by inserting the IQ disk. The user is then asked to insert the C disk whereupon any data available on the C disk is loaded into main memory for updating. The IQ disk is then re-inserted and the user is then given access to the questionnaire. Periodically during, or at the end of the addition/amendment session, the IQ disk updates its record according to the contributor' s input.

At the end of the data entry session, the IQ Disk asks for the C Disk to be reinserted, whereupon any changes to the data are recorded on both disks. As a point of clarification, the data residing on the Q Disk at the end of the session is not necessarily identical to the data residing on the C Disk: the C Disk stores answers to every different questionnaire completed, whereas the Q Disk stores only the answers to the particular questionnaire on that Disk. Hence the data on the Contributor Disk is not necessarily a mirror image backup of the data on the Q Disk.

Specifically, when the contributor user wants to leave the IQ disk, the software on the IQ disk asks him to insert his C disk again whereupon the changes made in the session are recorded on the C disk. The C disk then contains answers to the questions as updated input during the current session and also any answers input during previous sessions in respect of other questions.

This means that if someone wants to obtain access to the data and prompts on the IQ disk, they can only do so either by having access to the pre-processing system or, effectively, by inserting the C disk used originally, when requested to do so by the IQ disk. The result is a high level of security data while the IQ disks are in transport.

Thus, at the end of the session, the data on the C disk and IQ disk are not the same because the questionnaire software only resides on the IQ disk. Moreover, the C disk may contain answers to questions from previous sessions which will not have been grabbed by the IQ disk on this occassion. In addition, the IQ might contain other questions not answered or not passed to this particular user.

In this particular embodiment, the C disk also functions as a "pass" for a dissemination user to gain access to the information management system in the data processing device, or in fact any other system which might benefit from access to the information contained on an individuals' C disk.

This is especially suited to "smart card" systems for controlling access to organisational databases and systems.

A smart card used in place of the C disk enables it to receive data from and pass data to the information management system or in fact any other system which requires it as a "pass".

Returning to the above-described specific embodiment, the user cannot gain access to the questions on the IQ disk without possession of the correct C disk. This is important for the questions (or indeed the answers transferred to the IQ disk) may be confidential and the IQ disk might be returned to the central service location through the regular postal service.

Similarly, as the answers on the C disk could be confidential and the C disk might be lost or stolen, they cannot be accessed without possession of the appropriate IQ disk.

This security is enabled by the encryption system.

The C disk confers a number of benefits:

(i) Contributor users do not have to answer each new questionnaire from scratch. Questionnaires coming from different parts of an organisation can be answered by the C disk which will look for any overlap between these questions and ones answered previously.

(ii) Contributor users have a complete record of all the answers they have given to every IQ disk issued to them. Depending on the equipment in their possession, they may also be able to print out their data or transfer it to a personal computer, eg for further editing.

(iii) The database creators can administer updates with minimal effort by merely sending out a new IQ disk. This avoids the administratively complex and expensive task, where large numbers of disks are involved, of copying each individuals' data onto respective IQ disks and sending each to the relevant individual.

(iv) The use of the C disk as a "pass" into the information management system means that contributor users will not necessarily have to remember password details. Moreover, answers to questions which may have been previously asked about computer literacy etc could be used by these systems to provide a level of interface tailored to the contributor user' s knowledge and experience.

(v) The ability of the C disk to receive data from and pass data to the systems for which it is used as a pass has a number of applications. For example information about search queries etc could be prepared before accessing the information management system. This would be a convenient time saver where computer time in the data processing device is at a premium. It also enables downloading of information on search results for example for the contributor user' s later reference on another machine.

The IQ disks when complete are returned to the central service location for assimilation. In other words, the returned disks are inserted into an appropriate reader attached to the black box. The data on the disks are then transferred to the black box for processing as described hereinbelow.

The loading of data from each IQ disk is managed by the black box which counts each disk inserted and formats the data ready for pre-processing. The counting is for the purposes of the central service location' s user tariff system. If appropriate, this can be based on the usage of disks rather than on the number of disks issued. Thus, the users are not necessarily penalised if for one reason or another, circulated IQ disks are not completed or updated.

Once the data has passed through the metering system, it is ready for pre-processing, which can begin immediately or the data can be stored in a memory of the black box for pre-processing as a batch operation at some other time.

The pre-processing may involve several operations, for example: a) It can take selected fields (ie questions) and by comparing meanings of sentences in those fields to establish the extent to which the answers are similar. Records with similar answers will then be identified and grouped together, (eg hyperlinked) and passed on to the information management system. The- main application of this is likely to be in an expertise database where it will be possible to hyperlink together all those people with similar interests or problems, but other applications include for example the ability to identify common training needs, and common issues in appraisal. In other applications it could locate similar patent applications, similar research grant applications, similar visit reports etc.

(b) The pre-processing may also do some of the processing-intensive tasks which would otherwise be left to the information management system to handle. For example, expertise "metrics" are likely to be processing intensive. After pre-processing, the black box passes the pre-processed data to the data processing device. The data processing device stores the pre-processed data and permits its retrieval, tailoring output to the particular needs of the remote dissemination users.

The remote dissemination users may access the data by using the data processing device, which may for example be a stand-alone computer such as a personal computer, a server on a network or a workstation or mainframe computer with terminals. Access may for example be effected through a telephone line/mode link. It should be noted that in some applications, the same individuals may be both contributor users and dissemination users. For a dissemination user, the Intelligent Questionnaire would provide prompts for the user to specify his requirements rather than provide data input.

Requests for information (searches) by dissemination users may be prepared off-line using a C-disk. When the C-disk is requested as a pass by the information management system, the search request will be transferred automatically. The C-disk is provided with a user interface with the appropriate prompts for off-line search request preparation.

If the dissemination users gain access to the processed data via a C disk/IQ disk system, this has additional advantages of:

(a) simplified tariff control

(b) data security in transit

(c) dissemination users have their own separate copy of questions/report requests previously made (ie both search statements and search results could be downloaded onto a C-disk for later reference)

(d) simplified, user-friendly means for the user to specify his requirements. Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in the form of a publishing system. Part of it is the same as the first embodiment but only the data processing device 35 of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 2. However, it should be assumed that the other features from Figure 1 are present in the same way.

The data processing device 35 is linked to one or more of the following additional pieces of equipment: -

(i) a typsetting machine 51 for direct production of printed books, journals or the like. In this case, the data processing device contains suitable formatting and typesetting codes;

(ii) a regular computer printer 53 for producing the processed data on a normal printout;

(iii) a CD-ROM mastering device 55 for producing a CD-ROM containing the relevant information to be accessed by purchaseurs through their own equipment;

(iv) a floppy disk drive 57 so that the data can be provided to customers wishing to view it on their own computer screens - the floppy disk may also contain its own retrieval software so that it can be operated in a self-contained manner;

(v) equipment 59 for publishing in any other suitable form.

Claims

1. An electronic data system comprising a first portable electronic data recording means and a second portable electronic data recording means, the system being configured such that a user can only gain access to any information recorded on at least one of the first and second electronic data recording means when both have been detected by a reading device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the reading device comprises a pair of readers into which the first and second data recording means are to be respectively loaded.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the reading device comprises a single reader into which the data recording means are to be loaded sequentially.

4. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein information recorded in the first data recording means comprises prompts and the first data recording means is adapted to record inputs in response to the prompts and is also adapted to cause said inputs to be recorded in the second data recording means.

5. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein said first portable electronic data recording means is adapted to provide prompts for data input and adapted for receiving data in response to the prompts; and said second portable electronic data recording means is adapted to record the same data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; said system further comprising a data pre-processing device adapted for receiving and pre-processing the data recorded by the first electronic data recording means and electronic data processing means.

6. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein either or both of said data recording means are independently in the form of a magnetic recording medium, in the form of an optical recording medium, in the form of a semiconductor memory or in the form of a smart card.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the electronic data processing means is a computer.

8. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second electronic data recording means are so adapted that the data recorded by the second electronic data recording means is adapted to be independently updatable and the new data subsequently acquired by the first electronic data recording means.

9. A system according to claim 5, wherein the data pre-processing device is adapted to format the data recorded in the first data processing means to make it suitable for pre-processing; and pre-process the thus formatted data.

10. A publishing system comprising a system according to any preceding claim.

11. A publishing system according to claim 10, comprising print means or electronic recording means.

12. A method of controlling access to an electronic data system, the method comprising: providing a first portable electronic data recording means; providing a second portable electronic data recording means; and allowing a user access to said recorded information recorded on at least one of said first and second electronic data recording means only when both have been detected by a reading device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the reading device comprises a pair of readers into which the first and second data recording means are respectively loaded.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the reading device comprises a single reader into which the data recording means are loaded sequentially.

15. A method according to any of claims 12-14, wherein the information recorded in the first data recording means comprises prompts and the first data recording means is adapted to record inputs in response to the prompts and is also adapted to cause said inputs to be recorded in the second data recording means.

16. A method according to any of claims 12-15, the method further comprising: - providing prompts from said first portable electronic data recording means and recording data in the first electronic data recording means in response to the prompts; recording the same data in said second portable electronic data recording means; electronically receiving and pre-processing the data recorded in the first electronic data processing means; and electronically processing the result of the pre-processing.

17. A method according to any of claims 12-16, further comprising: - updating the data recorded in the second electronic data recording means; and using the first electronic data recording means to acquire automatically, the new information on the second electronic data recording means.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein said data pre-processing comprises: - formatting the data recorded in the first data processing means to make it suitable for pre-processing; and pre-processing the thus formatted data.

19. A method according to any of claims 12 to 18, further comprising publishing information processed by the method.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the information is published in printed or electronic form.

21. An electronic data manipulation system comprising: - first portable electronic data recording means adapted to provide prompts for data input and adapted for receiving data in response to the prompts; second portable electronic data recording means adapted to record the same data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; a data pre-processing device adapted for receiving and pre-processing the data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; and electronic data processing means.

22. A method of electronic data manipulation, the method comprising: providing prompts from a first portable electronic data recording means and recording data in said first electronic data recording means in response to the prompts; recording the same data in a second portable electronic data recording means; electronically receiving and pre-processing the data recorded in the first electronic data processing means; and electronically processing the result of the pre-processing.

23. An electronic data manipulation system comprising: - first portable electronic data recording means adapted to provide prompts for data input and adapted for receiving data in response to the prompts; second portable electronic data recording means adapted to record the same data recorded by the first electronic data recording means; wherein the first and second electronic data recording means are so adapted that the data recorded by the second electronic data recording means can be independently updated and the new data subsequently acquired by the first electronic data recording means.

24. A method of electronic data manipulation, the method comprising: providing prompts from a first portable electronic data recording means and recording data in said first electronic data recording means in response to the prompts; recording the same data in a second portable electronic data recording means; updating the data recorded in the second electronic data recording means; and using the first electronic data recording means to acquire automatically, the new information on the second electronic data recording means.