Patent ID: 6295535
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A networked computer-implemented system for determining collaboratively via a computer network characteristic data regarding at least one characteristic of a physical object, comprising:an ontology of queries for structuring data transmitted across the network regarding the characteristics of the physical object;a query communicator connected to the network for generating and structuring based on the ontology of queries, a first query regarding a first characteristic of the physical object to be sent across the network;a first model agent having;a first physical object characteristic communicator connected to the network for receiving via the network the generated first query from the query communicator;a first physical object characteristic determinator connected to the first physical object communicator for determining first characteristic data regarding the first characteristic of the physical object based upon the first query, the first characteristic communicator structuring the determined first characteristic data based upon the ontology of queries and communicating the determined first characteristic data via the network;at least one join function for managing data collection from at least one external location on the network; anda first assembler function connected to the join function and the first physical object characteristic communicator for providing the first query to the join function from the first physical object characteristic communicator and for receiving the determined first physical characteristic from the join function.