Patent Publication Number: US-2015081509-A1

Title: Online marketplace for investment in diamonds

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 61/879,473 filed Sep. 18, 2013 and entitled “online Marketplace for Investment Diamonds.” Provisional patent application No. 61/879,473 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The technical field relates generally to electronic commerce and, more specifically, to an online marketplace for diamonds. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With the advent of the Internet and the World Wide Web, the financial services industry as a whole has transitioned onto an e-commerce platform. This is well evidenced by the dwindling number of brick and mortar investment houses that require a customer to be physically present to engage in an investment. With the transition of the financial services industry onto an e-commerce platform, there has been a dramatic effect in the way financial services are rendered, giving rise to a new set of e-commerce sites that are designed especially to cater to investors seeking to purchase investments on their own, i.e., without the use of a broker or intermediary. For example, online financial service sites such as GoldLine.com and BlanchardOnline.com offer e-commerce sites that sell gold directly to investors. Gold and other tangible precious commodities have enjoyed increasing popularity recently, since investors often revert to tangible commodities when the economy is down. 
     Such tangible precious commodities, however, have their drawbacks. Gold and silver, for example are very heavy, in proportion to their volume. A standard gold bar (measuring approximately 6 inches by 3 inches by 2 inches), for example, weighs more than 27 pounds or 400 ounces. At gold&#39;s current price of about $1300 per ounce, a standard gold bar represents about $500,000 in value. Thus, an investor desiring to convert a modest $1 million into gold, would require over 50 pounds of gold. A $2 million investment would require over 100 pounds of gold. Consequently, the heavy weight of gold and other precious metals eliminate the use of gold as an easily carried or easily stored commodity. 
     Another drawback to tangible precious commodities is the inability of lay investors to evaluate the commodity being purchased and verify its authenticity. Gold, for example, comes in many different forms, such as 10 karat, 14 karat and 18 karat, and in many different shapes, such as bars, bullion, and coins. Most lay investors do not have the ability to test the authenticity of the precious commodity being purchased. This lack of information and lack of confidence prevents many investors from entering into the market for tangible precious commodities. 
     Therefore, a dire need exists for improvements over the prior art, and more particularly, a consolidated method and system for facilitating the purchase of certified or authenticated investments in easily-transported tangible, precious commodities via an e-commerce medium. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to the aspects illustrated herein, an online marketplace embodied in a computer system for facilitating investment in diamonds is disclosed. The online marketplace includes a database for storing a plurality of customer records, wherein each customer record includes identifying information for a customer, contact information for the customer, an investment profile for the customer, and electronic payment information for the customer, and a plurality of diamond records, wherein each diamond record includes identifying information for a diamond, characteristic information for the diamond, certification information for the diamond, and price information for the diamond. The online marketplace further includes a server comprising a network interface device communicatively coupled to a communications network and a processor configured for publishing the plurality of diamond records on a publicly available forum via the communications network, providing to customers a graphical user interface via the communications network for allowing customers to search for and browse the diamond records, and executing a matching algorithm that determines which diamond records most closely match a customer, based on the information in the corresponding customer record, namely, the customer&#39;s investment profile, and displaying for the customer said diamond records that most closely match the customer. 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of disclosed concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description including the drawings provided. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this Summary intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter&#39;s scope. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various example embodiments. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a network architecture of an online marketplace embodied in a computer system for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the control flow for an online marketplace embodied in a computer system for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the data flow for an online marketplace embodied in a computer system for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a system including an example computing device and other computing devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While embodiments of the invention may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the proper scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. 
     The disclosed embodiments overcome shortcomings of the prior art by providing investors with an e-commerce platform that allows investors to purchase certified diamonds that match their investment profile. The disclosed embodiments further overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by providing investors with a precious commodity that is easy to transport, store and carry. At a price of $50 to $10,000 a carat (depending on the size of the diamond, as well as its color, clarity, etc.), a pound of diamonds can represent anywhere from about $100,000 to about $22 million in value—making diamonds a tangible, precious commodity that is very easy to transport, carry in person and store. Additionally, the disclosed embodiments are further advantageous because they ensure that each diamond is verified or authenticated by a certifying body, thereby providing investors with the information and confidence required when making large investments. 
     Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in  FIG. 1  an illustration of a block diagram  100  showing the network architecture of an online marketplace embodied in a computer system for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network. 
     A prominent element of  FIG. 1  is the server  102  associated with repository or database  104  and further coupled with network  106 , which can be a circuit switched network, such as the Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN), or a packet switched network, such as the Internet or the World Wide Web, the global telephone network, a cellular network, a mobile communications network, or any combination of the above. Server  102  is a central controller or operator for functionality of the disclosed embodiments, namely, an online marketplace for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network  106 . 
       FIG. 1  includes stationary or mobile computing devices  112  and  122 , which may be desktop computers, workstations, smart phones, mobile phones, tablet computers, handheld computers, laptops, or the like. Computing devices  112  and  122  correspond to users  110  and  120 , who may be any user of a computing device. 
       FIG. 1  further shows that server  102  includes a database or repository  104 , which may be a relational database comprising a Structured Query Language (SQL) database stored in a SQL server. Devices  112 ,  122  may also each include their own database. The repository  104  serves data from a database, which is a repository for data used by server  102  and devices  112 ,  122  during the course of operation of the disclosed embodiments. Database  104  may be distributed over one or more nodes or locations that are connected via network  106 . 
     The database  104  may include a user record for each user  110  or  120 . A user record may include: contact/identifying information for the user (name, address, telephone number(s), email address, date of birth, social security number, a photo, etc.), a user address identifier (such as an email address, text message address, UseNet address, mobile phone number, etc), etc. A user record may also include a unique identifier for each user, a residential address for each user, the current location of each user (based on location-based services from the user&#39;s mobile computer) and demographic data for each user, such as age, sex, income data, race, color, marital status, etc. 
     A user record may also include a user name, a user account password, personal information, professional information, an investment profile for the customer (amount of investment, frequency, risk profile, time of investment, etc.), and electronic payment information for the customer (purchase card information, credit card information, bank account information, etc.). 
     The database  104  may further include a diamond record for each diamond system  100  manages, which may include identifying information for a diamond (unique identifier, name, SKU, code, etc.), characteristic information for the diamond (cut, clarity, carat size, color, etc.), certification information for the diamond, and price information for the diamond (in U.S. dollars, for example). Certification information for the diamond refers to any independently produced report or certification data attesting to the authenticity of a diamond and its characteristics. Certification information may include a unique identifier that corresponds to a certification report or a certificate. 
     All diamonds in the marketplace of the disclosed embodiments conform to specified physical/gemological standards and optical standards, such as the applicable physical/gemological standards of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Each diamond is associated with a certification or report, such as a Diamond Grading Report or Diamond Dossier from the Gemological Institute of America. All diamonds in the marketplace shall have the certification or report number laser inscribed on their girdle, along with an applicable trademark and an identification serial number for authentication purposes. Further, diamonds may be pre-packaged in a tamper proof package, such as a shrunk wrap plastic packaging material or a sealed enclosure with tamper proof capabilities. The tamper proof package may include the date of verification, a unique identifier, a description of the diamond, and certifying trademarks or indicia. In one embodiment, all diamonds in the marketplace shall be natural, non-enhanced diamonds. In addition, all diamonds shall be certified to be other than a “conflict” diamond and purchased only from regulated sources. Diamond records and customer records may be linked or contain references to other records. 
     Certification information for a diamond may include a certification or report, such as a Diamond Grading Report or Diamond Dossier from the Gemological Institute of America. Certification information for a diamond may also include a high resolution photograph of said selected diamond showing the certification or report number laser inscribed on the girdle, along with an applicable trademark and an identification serial number for authentication purposes. Certification information for a diamond may also include a high resolution photograph of said tamper proof package, which may include the date of verification, a unique identifier, a description of the diamond, and certifying trademarks or indicia. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the present invention wherein networked computing devices  112 ,  122  interact with server  102  and repository  104  over the network  106  in the course of engaging in diamond trading or investing activities. Server  102  includes a software engine that delivers applications, data, program code and other information to networked computing devices  112 ,  122 . It should be noted that although  FIG. 1  shows only the networked computers  102 ,  112 ,  122 , the system of the disclosed embodiments supports any number of networked computing devices connected via network  106 . Further, server  102  and devices  112 ,  122  include program logic such as computer programs, mobile applications, executable files or computer instructions (including computer source code, scripting language code or interpreted language code that may be compiled to produce an executable file or that may be interpreted at run-time) that perform various functions of the disclosed embodiments. 
     Note that although server  102  is shown as a single and independent entity, in one embodiment, the functions of server  102  may be integrated with another entity, such as one of the devices  112 ,  122 . Further, server  102  and its functionality, according to a preferred embodiment, can be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system or in a distributed fashion wherein different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. 
     The system  100  for the online marketplace for diamonds may be used when a user or multiple customers, engage with the server  102  to log into the marketplace as a first time user or as an existing user. Said user, such as user  110 , first connects a computing device  112  to server  102  via the network  106 . First time users or customers may create a new account, including entering user information such as username, password, re-entering password and populating other applicable user information to be stored in the user account database  104 . Existing users, who have already created a user account, may access the user account by re-entering user information such as username, password and/or other applicable user information. The server  102  will retrieve stored information from the user account database  104  for the existing user. Wherein the user has an existing account, the user may simply log in to the existing account. With a registered account, a first time user becomes a member of the online marketplace of the disclosed embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  also shows a payment authority  145 , which acts to effectuate payments by users for investment diamonds, products, services or the like. In the course of a sales or investment transaction, server  102  may interface with payment authority  145  to effectuate payment. In one embodiment, the payment authority  145  is a payment gateway, which is an e-commerce Application Service Provider (ASP) service that authorizes and processes payments from one party to another. The payment authority  145  may accept payment via the use of wire transfer, bank transfer, or purchase cards, i.e., credit cards, charge cards, bank cards, gift cards, account cards, etc. Note that although party  145  is shown as a single and independent entity, in one embodiment of the present invention, the functions of party  145  may be integrated with another entity, such as server  102 . Further, the functionality of party  145  may be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system or in a distributed fashion wherein different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. 
       FIG. 1  further shows fulfillment party  148 , which performs product fulfillment or order fulfillment services, i.e., the process of fulfilling the obligation of server  102  (or the entity represented by server  102 ) to send a customer or user one or more diamonds or precious stones that the customer has ordered, purchased, or requested from the server  102  (or the entity represented by server  102 ). Fulfillment party  148  may store products, receive orders for the products, package the products, and then ship the ordered products to the end customer. In the course of a sales or investment transaction, the server  102  may interface with fulfillment party  148  to effectuate the delivery of purchased products to the customers after payment has been effectuated via the payment authority  145 . Note that although party  148  is shown as a single and independent entity, in one embodiment of the present invention, the functions of party  148  may be integrated with another entity, such as server  102 . Further, the functionality of party  148  may be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system or in a distributed fashion wherein different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. 
       FIG. 1  further shows optional third party  150 , which may be the owner, holder, possessor and/or the clearinghouse for the diamonds or precious stones that the customer has ordered, purchased, or requested from the server  102  (or the entity represented by server  102 ). Third party  150  may store diamonds or precious stones that are fulfilled by itself or by party  148 . In the course of a sales or investment transaction, the server  102  may interface with third party  150  to effectuate the supply of purchased diamonds or precious stones to the customers or fulfillment party  148  after payment has been effectuated via the payment authority  145 . Note that although party  150  is shown as a single and independent entity, in one embodiment of the present invention, the functions of party  150  may be integrated with another entity, such as server  102  or party  148 . Further, the functionality of party  150  may be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system or in a distributed fashion wherein different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. 
     The process for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network over a communications network  106  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 3  below, which provide diagrams  200  and  300  illustrating the control flow and data flow, respectively, for a system for facilitating investment in diamonds over a communications network, in accordance with one embodiment. 
     In a first step  202 , a user  110  may enter various data sets into database  104  for processing and management by server  102 . User  110  may enter enrollment data  302  (i.e., any of data defined above for a customer record) into database  104  via network  106 . User  110  may enter enrollment data  302  into his device  112  by manually entering data into a client or mobile application via keypad, touchpad, or via voice. User  110  may enter purchase card data, or a portion thereof, into his device  112  by swiping the purchase card through a card reader communicatively coupled with the device  112 . A card reader is a data input device that reads data from a card-shaped storage medium. One example of a card reader is a magnetic card reader, which reads magnetic stripe cards, such as credit cards. A mobile card reader is a card reader that is communicatively coupled with a mobile computing device. User  110  may alternatively enter purchase card data into his device  112  by using RFID or NFC. In one embodiment, upon reading any purchase card data from purchase card, the device  112  immediately encrypts the purchase card data that was read, so as to produce encrypted purchase card data. In this embodiment, the encrypted purchase card data from the purchase card is transmitted to the server  102  in enrollment data  302 . 
     In one embodiment, server  102  may provide to customers a graphical user interface via the communications network  102  that elicits investment profile data from customers using a questionnaire. Said investment profile data is then uploaded to the server  102  via network  106  as part of enrollment data  302 . 
     Once enrollment data  302  has been entered, server  102  creates one or more unique customer records in database  104  that hold said enrollment data. In step  204 , third party  150  may enter diamond data  304  (i.e., any of data defined above for a diamond record) into database  104  via network  106 . Once diamond data  304  has been entered, server  102  creates one or more unique diamond records in database  104  that hold said diamond data. 
     In step  206 , the server  102  publishes the plurality of diamond records on a publicly available forum (such as a web site) via the communications network  106 . Said web site provides customers a graphical user interface via the communications network  106  for allowing customers  110 ,  120  to browse the diamond records. Said web site also provides customers a graphical user interface via the communications network  106  for allowing customers to search for and browse the diamond records according to user-specified search parameters. 
     In step  208 , the server  102  executes a matching algorithm that determines which diamond records most closely match a customer, based on the information in the corresponding customer record, namely, the customer&#39;s investment profile. Specifically, in step  308 , the server  102  reads the investment profile from a customer record in database  104 , including characteristic information for one or more diamonds, price information and a number of diamonds. The investment profile may also include an amount of investment, a buying/investment frequency, risk profile or risk status of the customer, and a time of investment. Next, server  102  accesses the plurality of diamond records in database  104  and compares some or all of the investment profile data from the customer record to the data in each diamond record. Finally, server  102  identifies one or more diamond records including data that match, within a predefined matching parameter, the investment profile data from the customer record. 
     In step  210 , the server  102  displays for the customer said diamond records (or some of the information in said records) that most closely match the customer. In step  212 , the server  102  provides to the customer a graphical user interface via the communications network  106  for allowing the customer to select (in data  306 ) one or more displayed diamonds and purchase customer-selected diamonds using the electronic payment information stored in the customer&#39;s record. Said data  306  is transmitted to server  102  from user  110 &#39;s device  112 . A graphical user interface may comprise an interface displayed in a web browser. 
     In optional step  214 , the server  102  provides to the customer a graphical user interface via the communications network  106  for allowing the customer to verify the certification information in the diamond record of a particular diamond. Said graphical user interface may display for each selected diamond the associated certification or report, such as a Diamond Grading Report or Diamond Dossier from the Gemological Institute of America. Said graphical user interface may also display for each selected diamond a high resolution photograph of said selected diamond showing the certification or report number laser inscribed on the girdle, along with an applicable trademark and an identification serial number for authentication purposes. Said graphical user interface may also display for each selected diamond a high resolution photograph of said tamper proof package, which may include the date of verification, a unique identifier, a description of the diamond, and certifying trademarks or indicia. 
     In step  216 , the server  102  sends a request for payment  350  to payment authority  145 . The request for payment  350  may include the monetary amount that corresponds to the diamonds that will be delivered to the customer  110  and electronic payment information from his customer record, or data garnered from his purchase card. Payment authority  145  then processes said payment using said payment information. If said payment is processed an cleared, then in step  218 , the payment authority  145  sends a confirmation of payment  352  back to server  102 . 
     In step  220 , the server  102  sends an order  370  to fulfillment party  148 . The order  370  may include a description or unique identifiers (such as SKUs) for the diamonds that will be delivered to the customer  110  (as selected by the user in data  306 ) and the contact information for the customer  110  from his customer record. In step  322 , the fulfillment party  148  fulfills the order  370  by shipping or delivering the specified diamonds to the customer  110 . In the course of shipping or delivering the specified diamonds to the customer  110 , said fulfillment party  150  may pre-package the diamonds in a tamper proof package, such as a shrunk wrap plastic packaging material or a sealed enclosure with tamper proof capabilities. The tamper proof package may include the date of verification, a unique identifier, a description of the diamond, and certifying trademarks or indicia. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a system including an example computing device and other computing devices.  FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a system including an example computing device  400  and other computing devices. Consistent with the embodiments described herein, the aforementioned actions performed by  102 ,  112 ,  122  may be implemented in a computing device, such as the computing device  400  of  FIG. 4 . Any suitable combination of hardware, software, or firmware may be used to implement the computing device  400 . The aforementioned system, device, and processors are examples and other systems, devices, and processors may comprise the aforementioned computing device. Furthermore, computing device  400  may comprise an operating environment for the methods shown in  FIGS. 2-3  above. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , a system consistent with an embodiment of the invention may include a plurality of computing devices, such as computing device  400 . In a basic configuration, computing device  400  may include at least one processing unit  402  and a system memory  404 . Depending on the configuration and type of computing device, system memory  404  may comprise, but is not limited to, volatile (e.g. random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (e.g. read-only memory (ROM)), flash memory, or any combination or memory. System memory  404  may include operating system  405 , one or more programming modules  406  (such as program module  407 ). Operating system  405 , for example, may be suitable for controlling computing device  400 &#39;s operation. In one embodiment, programming modules  406  may include, for example, a program module  407 . Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be practiced in conjunction with a graphics library, other operating systems, or any other application program and is not limited to any particular application or system. This basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 4  by those components within a dashed line  420 . 
     Computing device  400  may have additional features or functionality. For example, computing device  400  may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in  FIG. 4  by a removable storage  409  and a non-removable storage  410 . Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. System memory  404 , removable storage  409 , and non-removable storage  410  are all computer storage media examples (i.e. memory storage.) Computer storage media may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store information and which can be accessed by computing device  400 . Any such computer storage media may be part of device  400 . Computing device  400  may also have input device(s)  412  such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, a sound input device, a camera, a touch input device, etc. Output device(s)  414  such as a display, speakers, a printer, etc. may also be included. The aforementioned devices are only examples, and other devices may be added or substituted. 
     Computing device  400  may also contain a communication connection  416  that may allow device  400  to communicate with other computing devices  418 , such as over a network in a distributed computing environment, for example, an intranet or the Internet. Communication connection  416  is one example of communication media. Communication media may typically be embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” may describe a signal that has one or more characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared, and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein may include both computer storage media and communication media. 
     As stated above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in system memory  404 , including operating system  405 . While executing on processing unit  402 , programming modules  406  may perform processes including, for example, one or more of the methods shown in  FIGS. 2-3  above. The aforementioned processes are examples, and processing unit  402  may perform other processes. Other programming modules that may be used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may include electronic mail and contacts applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, slide presentation applications, drawing or computer-aided application programs, etc. 
     Generally, consistent with embodiments of the invention, program modules may include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that may perform particular tasks or that may implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, embodiments of the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Embodiments of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. 
     Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be practiced in an electrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged or integrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizing a microprocessor, or on a single chip (such as a System on Chip) containing electronic elements or microprocessors. Embodiments of the invention may also be practiced using other technologies capable of performing logical operations such as, for example, AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited to mechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition, embodiments of the invention may be practiced within a general purpose computer or in any other circuits or systems. 
     Embodiments of the present invention, for example, are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. 
     While certain embodiments of the invention have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, although embodiments of the present invention have been described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM, or other forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the disclosed methods&#39; stages may be modified in any manner, including by reordering stages and/or inserting or deleting stages, without departing from the invention. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.