Patent ID: 8886592
Filing Date: 2014-11-11
Classification: A63F,G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of building an online genealogical repository using a computer network, the method comprising: making a website hosted by a centralized genealogical system available on the computer network, the centralized genealogical system comprising a computer having a processor in communication with a database residing on a storage medium; registering a plurality of users in the database, the plurality of users communicating with the centralized genealogical system over the computer network through the website using remote computers; providing one or more webpages of the website to a surname workspace creator on a remote computer that prompts the surname workspace creator to select a surname and an ancient ancestor associated with the surname; initializing a surname workspace in the database based upon the surname selected by the surname workspace creator, the surname workspace comprising a descendent-sequence tree structure beginning with the ancient ancestor; defining in the database one of the registered users as a surname workspace administrator; defining in the database selected ones of the registered users as members of a surname workgroup for the surname workspace; defining update rights to the descendent-sequence tree structure in the database for each member of the surname workgroup as determined by the surname workspace administrator, the update rights being one of provisional update rights and intermediate update rights; receiving descendent information at the centralized genealogical system submitted by the members of the surname workgroup using remote computers; populating the descendent-sequence tree structure in the database without review by the surname workspace administrator based upon descendent information submitted by members of the surname workgroup having immediate update rights; provisionally populating the descendent-sequence tree structure in the database based upon descendent information submitted by members of the surname workgroup having provisional update rights such that the provisional updates remain hidden from view from other users of the website hosted by the centralized genealogical system until an after-the-fact review is performed by the surname workspace administrator; processing the descendent information submitted by the members of the surname workgroup to define data quality levels for the descendent information, the data quality level comprising a high quality level and a low quality level, wherein data in the high quality level are restricted to descendent information supported by source documents; improving a data quality level of descendent information from a lower one of the data quality levels to a higher one of the data quality levels through a semi-automated process to find source documents, wherein the semi-automated process utilizes a web crawler that searches third-party websites for source documents, the semi-automated process linking descendent information to applicable source documents found on the third-party websites; improving data quality level of descendent information from a lower one of the data quality levels to higher one of the data quality levels through one of the members of the surname workgroup manually linking descendent information to source documents on third-party websites; providing a search creation interface to a user on a remote computer that allows the user to define a search request of the descendent information and select one of the data quality levels for restricting search results in accordance with the selected data quality level; and returning search results to the user on the remote computer, wherein the search results are restricted in accordance with the selected data quality level.