US 20050149497 A1
A method of creating a family tree includes receiving a request from a user to return a file that includes the family tree and using a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request. The records indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree. The method also includes sending a file that includes the family tree to the user. The file includes the alternatives.
1. A method of creating a family tree, comprising:
receiving a request from a user to return a file comprising the family tree;
using a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request, wherein the records indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree;
sending a file comprising the family tree to the user, wherein the file comprises the alternatives.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
receiving a selection from among the alternatives from the user;
storing the selection;
using the selection to revise the family tree; and
sending a file comprising the revised family tree to the user.
5. The method of
6. The method of
using the stored selection to construct the family tree; and
sending a file comprising the family tree to the user, wherein the family tree comprises the revised family tree.
7. The method of
notifying the user of the new alternatives.
8. The method of
9. The method of
10. The method of
receiving a request from the user to view the new alternatives;
sending a file to the user comprising the new alternatives;
receiving a selection from among the new alternatives from the user;
using the selection to construct a revised family tree; and
sending a file comprising the revised family tree to the user.
11. A system for creating a family tree, comprising a processor programmed to:
receive a request from a user to return a file comprising the family tree;
use a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request, wherein the records indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree;
send a file comprising the family tree to the user, wherein the file comprises the alternatives.
12. The system of
13. The system of
14. The system of
receive a selection from among the alternatives from the user;
store the selection;
use the selection to revise the family tree; and
send a file comprising the revised family tree to the user.
15. The system of
16. The system of
thereafter receive a non-contemporaneous request from the user to view the family tree;
use the stored selection to construct the family tree; and
send a file comprising the family tree to the user, wherein the family tree comprises the revised family tree.
17. The system of
notify the user of the new alternatives.
18. The system of
19. The system of
This application is related to co-pending, commonly assigned and concurrently filed U.S. patent application No. ______, entitled, “GENEALOGY INVESTIGATION AND DOCUMENTATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS” (Attorney Docket No. 019404-001200), by Bennett Cookson, Jr., et al., and to U.S. patent application No. ______, entitled, “CORRELATING GENEALOGY RECORDS SYSTEMS AND METHODS” (Attorney Docket No. 019404-001500), by Bennett Cookson, Jr., et al., the entire disclosure of each of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.
The present invention relates generally to genealogy and more particularly to computer-based genealogy investigation tools.
Genealogy is an enjoyable hobby to some and an important life's work to many. Whether for cultural, religious, recreational or other reasons, many people wish to trace their ancestry.
The process of genealogy investigation has evolved considerably over the years. In the past, the practice involved keeping notes in family bibles handed down through the generations, and many continue to do this today. Not very long ago, the process often required traveling to the hometowns of ancestors to pore over public records, newspapers, and the like at courthouses, libraries, and such. Once found, family information was written into journals and notebooks or onto index cards. Because of the geometric expansion of information with each generation, analyzing the information became a daunting task. The advent of computers, however, has created significant opportunities for improving and simplifying the process.
Many public records are now accessible using a computer and the Internet, thus allowing investigators to search electronically using keywords and such without having to travel to where the original records are kept. Additionally, several public and private efforts to collect and catalog genealogy data have resulted in publicly accessible databases with much of the work already complete. Further still, some companies have produced commercial web sites where individuals can cooperate to extend a common family tree. Some examples of each include: <www.archives.gov>, the US National Archives and Record Administration website; <www.familysearch.org>, the LDS Church Family Search website; <www.ancestry.com>, the Ancestry.com website, which includes the Ancestry World Tree; <www.genealogy.com>, the Genealogy.com website, which (includes the World Family Tree); <www.ellisisland.org>, which includes immigration records; <www.interment.net>, which includes Cemeteries and Cemetery Records; <www.rootsweb.com>, which includes World Connect; <www.onegreatfamily.com>, the One Great Family website; <www.MyTrees.com>; and <www.GenCircles.com>. In fact, the process has become so popular that a standard data format has evolved.
GEDCOM (Genealogical Data Communication) is an industry standard data format for genealogical information. It uses a standard ASCII file format in which each line contains one data element. [A complete description of the GEDCOM file format is available at <www.gendex.com/gedcom55/55gcint.htm>, the content of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.] Many genealogy investigation services now collect and distribute data using the GEDCOM standard.
Despite the technological advances—or in some cases because of the technological advances—relating to genealogy, the activity remains ripe for improvement. One significant limitation that exists in many “open” genealogy investigation tools (i.e., those that allow independent users to submit data), is a bias in favor of the information submitted by the most recent submitter. Because of the way data is related within these systems, data conflicts are difficult to resolve. The problem is rectified by allowing the latest submitter to overwrite conflicting data submitted by a previous user. This is but one example of the many limitations of presently-available genealogy investigation tools. Embodiments of the present invention address these and many other limitations.
Embodiments of the invention thus provide a method of creating a family tree. The method includes receiving a request from a user to return a file that includes the family tree and using a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request. The records indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree. The method also includes sending a file that includes the family tree to the user. The file includes the alternatives.
In some embodiments, an alternative results from a difference relating to spelling, place, date, event relationship, ancestor, spouse, and/or children. The method may include providing an opportunity for the user to select among the alternatives. The method may include receiving a selection from among the alternatives from the user, storing the selection, using the selection to revise the family tree, and sending a file comprising the revised family tree to the user. The selection may be used to provide an alternative to another user. The method also may include receiving a non-contemporaneous request from the user to view the family tree, using the stored selection to construct the family tree, and sending a file that includes the family tree to the user. The family tree may include the revised family tree. The method also may include thereafter, receiving additional genealogy data that creates new alternatives in the family tree and notifying the user of the new alternatives. Notifying the user may include sending the user an email and/or sending the user a file that includes the family tree. The file may include a new alternatives symbol. The method also may include receiving a request from the user to view the new alternatives, sending a file to the user that includes the new alternatives, receiving a selection from among the new alternatives from the user, using the selection to construct a revised family tree, and sending a file that includes the revised family tree to the user.
Other embodiments of the invention provide a system for creating a family tree. The system includes a processor programmed to receive a request from a user to return a file that includes the family tree. The processor is also programmed to use a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request. The records indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree. The processor is also programmed to send a file that includes the family tree to the user. The file includes the alternatives.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the several drawings to refer to similar components. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for genealogy investigation. In some embodiments, the present invention comprises systems and methods for receiving data from any combination of a number of sources and storing the data as records in various standardized and/or proprietary formats. Records may correspond to persons, either living or deceased, information about the persons, and relationships among them. In some embodiments, the records are used to produce family trees, either in response to a request from a user or continuously as new data is received. Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for taking data identifying a specific individual from any source and in any format, converting it into a common format (a persona), identifying what parts of that data may define relationships with other persons on which data is available, and processing the various data elements (persona) into pedigrees, without regard to whether any of the data elements have been so combined prior to that processing, whether in GEDCOM or any other family history format.
In contrast to previously-known “open” family tree systems, embodiments of the invention described herein treat new information merely as additional data. This is the case whether the data comes from random users or from highly reliable records systems. No information is categorically deemed “correct” and thus does not “overwrite” data provided by others. Many previously-known systems sufferer from a bias in favor of the most recently submitted data, resulting in confusion when two data sources disagree. Those skilled in the art will appreciate this problem by realizing how different users with access to the same open system may alternatively and continuously overwrite each other's entries, especially if they disagree on some aspect of a family tree or a person.
Also in contrast to previously-known systems, embodiments of the invention described herein are “data-centric” as opposed to “tree-centric.” This means that embodiments described herein collect information and store the information as data records that represent tree elements (e.g., nodes and relationships). The elements, however, are not conclusively linked together and the information therein is not deemed correct, but instead the information is used to infer relationships and attributes when the likeliness exceeds a threshold. As a result, new information may either strengthen, diminish, or not affect an existing inference of a relationship or information about a person. Conversely, many previously-known systems collect data using a tree structure. New information is added only by linking off of existing trees or starting a new tree. The tree structure is the essence of the data gathering process. If a user adds new information by creating a seemingly incorrect relationship, the situation is corrected only by dissolving the relationship. Once the relationship is dissolved by a subsequent user, the previous user's interpretation of information that lead to the perceived existence of the relationship is gone.
As used herein, the term “tree” or “family tree” will refer to a hierarchical structure that links generations in parent-child relationships. It should be understood that a tree may be as simple as one parent and one child or as complex as the theoretical “single family tree” that links all individuals. Thus, any specific tree may be a part of another tree; the two may overlap, or one may completely include the other.
Trees are made up of nodes and relationships. Nodes represent persons, either living or dead. Relationships exist between nodes and represent real life relationships between the persons represented by the nodes. Relationships include mother, father, child, spouse, sibling, self or same as, and the like.
As used herein, “persona” will be understood to mean an instance of a person and a “persona record” is a data record of information from a single source that describes the person. Many different persona records may represent any given persona.
A persona may have one or more “assertions,” which are presumptive truths about the persona. An assertion (or “inference”) may be an event such as birth, death, draft registration, and the like. An assertion also may be an attribute such as name, occupation, race, hair color, fingerprint, DNA, and the like. An assertion may become such because an individual believes it to be true. As will be described, however, an individual or the system described herein may generate an assertion based on a review of other information. For example, based on a comparison between records, an inference of a relationship or an attribute may result. Assertions, however, may be rejected by users and/or may be overcome by new information.
“Primary source” or “primary source data” refers to a source of non-compiled genealogy information or the data therefrom. For example, a census database is a primary source, as is a news paper.
Having described embodiments of the invention generally, attention is directed to
The various elements than make up the host computing system 102 may be co-located at a single facility or distributed across a geographic area. The processing system 112 of the host computing system 102 may be any suitable computing device, or combination of devices, that are programmable to carry out the functions of embodiments of the present invention. Examples include mainframe computers, workstations, servers, personal computers, laptop computers, and the like. The storage system 114 may be any storage device or combination of storage devices. Examples include a server, a database, or the like, or any other type of storage arrangement, and may include magnetic, optical, solid state memory, and/or the like, or any other type of storage medium. The web server 116 may be any server capable of providing a web-like interface to a network, either internal or external. The administrative computers 118 may be any computing devices capable of providing administrative users access to the operations of the system.
The network 104 may be wired or wireless, and may include the Internet, a virtual private network, a local area network, a wide area network, and/or the like. The user computers 106 may be any computing devices capable of accessing the host computing system 102 via the network 104.
The tree databases 108 and records databases 110 may be any storage devices and/or computing systems mentioned above with respect to the host computer system. Tree databases 108 and records databases 110 also may be non-electronic primary sources. These databases may include public records databases, primary sources, commercial genealogy databases, private databases, and the like. For example, the tree and records databases may comprise any of the following: Ancestry World Tree, Social Security Death Index, World Family Tree, birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, draft registration, veterans, property records, census, motor vehicle, and the like.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing is but one example of a system according to the present invention. Other systems are possible.
Attention is directed to
The method 200 begins at block 202 wherein a host computing system, such as the system 102 described above, receives data. The data includes assertions relating to one or more personas. Assertions may include: first, middle, and last names, name prefixes (Sir, Mr., Dr. Mrs., and the like) and/or name suffixes (Sr., Jr., III, J. D., and the like); addresses; birth dates; birth places; death dates; death places; spouse names; children names; sibling names; relationships; and the like.
Data may be received in any or a number of forms. For example, data may be in the form of a family tree or in the form of records representing individual persons. In some examples, data is received as a GEDCOM file. In other examples, data is taken from indexes of primary source records such as census and vital records. Other examples are possible, including data being received in a combination of the aforementioned forms.
Data may be received from any of a number of sources. In some examples, data is received from databases such as the Ancestry World Tree Database, the World Family Tree Database, the 1930 Mini-Tree Database, and the like. In other examples, data is received from records databases such as birth records databases, death records databases, marriage records databases, census records databases, draft card databases, and the like. In other examples, data is received from individual users as either trees or individual records. In fact, potential sources include all census records (federal, state, and local) for any country, user submitted family tree data, death indexes such as SSDI for the US or Civil Registration in the UK, newspaper obituaries, various sources and forms of vital records, the Family Data Collection, military and military pension records, and/or any database that has names, dates, places and/or relationships. Other examples are possible, including data being received from any combination of the foregoing.
At block 204, data is stored as individual records. Records may include persona records, relationship records, and the like. This process involves evaluating the data and standardizing (or normalizing) its format. Many examples of this process exist, several of which will be described in more detail hereinafter. Generally, however, each record represents data from a single source and an individual person may be represented by many different records. Thus, unlike many previously-known genealogy investigation tools, embodiments of the present invention do not necessarily assume new data to be the most accurate data and use it to overwrite existing data. In most embodiments of the invention, each time data is added, it is stored as at least one new record. In a specific example, name, birth, birth place, death, and death place are stored in a record in an “individual nodes” database, and, if the data indicates a relationship, the related names and the relationship type are stored as a record in an “individual links” database. If the data includes other information, this information is stored in an “other data” database in some embodiments.
At block 206, one or more individual node records are compared. The comparison may operate on any or all of the information in the records and may use methods know to those skilled in the art or methods that are apparent in light of this disclosure. In some cases, the comparison includes factors that account for the reliability of the source. For example, public records may be considered more reliable than user-submitted data. The comparisons also may include adjustments based on other records. For example, if a draft registration exists for an individual, a birth certificate indicating the person was born only five years prior to the registration date is likely not for the same person. Many such factors may be included. In a specific embodiment, each comparison between two individual node records results in a factor P(s) that quantifies the likelihood that the two records represent the same person. If P(s) is greater than a predetermined threshold, the two records are provisionally determined to represent the same person. This process may be referred to as “individual correlation.”
Properly correlating all individual records theoretically requires comparing every individual record to every other individual record. This process, however, quickly may become an overwhelming task given the possible number of records. Thus, the process may be simplified in any of a number of ways. In a specific example, individual correlation may be simplified using, for example, a surname index to partition data into groups based on surname. The comparison process may be further simplified using, for example, a sort on first name, birth date, or other relevant data within the individual record. The partitioning process will be explained in more detail hereinafter.
Following individual correlation, at block 208 those records that have been determined provisionally to represent the same person (i.e., “same as records”) undergo “relationship correlation” as will be described. In a specific example, the individual links records relating to the same as records are consulted to determine whether parent relationships exist for each. If so, the respective parent records are compared to one another, if the comparison was not previously completed during individual correlation. Each comparison results in a factor, P(f) that represents a comparison of the father records, and a factor P(m) that represents a comparison of the mother records. The P(s), P(f), and P(m) factors are then collectively used in the following formula to calculate P(s|f,m) representing a revised likelihood that the two same as records relate to the same person:
At block 210, records are consolidated into person pages. Person pages comprise records of consolidated information about a person and may include assertions, alternative assertions, relationships, alternative relationships, sources of the information used to compile the person page, and the like. This involves consolidating all information from same as records into a single person page, and creating a single person page for unique records. One specific example of a person page 230 is illustrated in
At block 212, a request is received from a user to display a family tree. The request minimally includes a name of a person; however, in most instances, at least one additional piece of information about the person may be required. The additional piece of information may be an assertion about the person (e.g., birth, death, birthplace, death place, and the like).
At block 214, a file is constructed using the information provided in the request. The file comprises assertions about the person identified by the requester, and a family tree using the person as the root. The information is compiled by locating a person page relating to the person, then using the person page to locate other person pages related to the person. Alternative relationships also may be included. The file also may include scores relating to the likelihood that assertions and relationships are correct. The scoring process for relationships was described above; assertions may be similarly scored. At block 216, the file is sent to the user.
In some embodiments the user is given the opportunity to “drill down” to more detailed information about someone or something in the file. In response, the additional information is located and sent to the user. In some embodiments, this information is located in the original person page or a related person page. For example, the user may be able to navigate up a family tree by selecting children of the root and having a new tree generated based on the child as a root. In other embodiments, responding to the request involves selecting information from the records in the other data database. Many such examples are possible. The drill down process is shown as block 218.
In some embodiments the user is provided the option of selecting among alternatives. If provided and the user does so, the tree may be updated based on the selected alternative. In some embodiments, the user's selections are saved for the next time the user access the same tree. The iterative process of selecting and storing alternatives is shown in as block 220.
In some embodiments, the user is given the opportunity to provide information. The information may comprise one or more digital pictures, files of text (e.g., a journal of a person in the requested tree, or a note about what a user knows about the person or about the sources used to evaluate information), and the like. This information may be made available to other users. The user also may submit genealogy data. User-submitted genealogy data is received, stored, and processed as described above. The receipt of user information is shown as block 222.
The foregoing process may be repeated periodically or continuously as new data is received. In some embodiments, a records update process takes place in batch mode. In other embodiments, the process takes place each time new data is submitted. In still other embodiments, the update process is a combination of batch and continuous and may depend on the source from which the data originates.
As new data is added to the system, probability factors relating to assertions about personas and links between personas may change. Thus, a family tree originating from the same root and presented to a user on subsequent visits may be different. This may be handled in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the user is presented with the new information upon re-accessing the system. The user then may be presented with a summary of the changed inferences and given an opportunity to accept, partially accept or reject the resulting effect on the user's family tree. In other embodiments, the information shows up as an alternative selection and the user may select among the alternatives. In still other embodiments, the system generates a message, such as an email or a list of changes on a web page, that is sent to affected users when new calculations are made that affect their trees. The options then may be presented to affected users when they next access the system. Other embodiments use a combination of the foregoing. The process of notifying users regarding updates is shown as block 224.
Attention is directed to
As shown in
It should be noted that the three data extraction examples just described are merely exemplary. Many other such examples are possible and apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure.
Continuing with the example, attention is directed to
To simplify the comparison process, the individual records may be partitioned into smaller groups. In this example, the surname index 316 is used, together with a surname partition function 340 to partition data into manageable pieces. Because surnames for the same individual may be spelled slightly differently, a phonetic algorithm such as double metaphone, SOUNDEX, and/or the like may be used to keep similar names in the same partition even if they are spelled differently. The process then may be further simplified by sorting a partition on, for example, first name, birth data and/or year or other relevant data. Records within a partition and/or within ranges in the partition are compared to each other, thus significantly reducing the total number of comparisons that must be made.
The individual correlation process discussed immediately above may fail to identify records for individuals that completely changed their name. To avoid the problems this may cause, related records may undergo individual correlation after relationship correlation. Thus, two records for the same woman who changed her name at marriage may be identified once her father is identified if, for example, her first name and birth date are the same in the two records in which her last name is different.
The foregoing example depicted in
Attention is directed to
In some embodiments, attention symbols 408 are used to indicate the presence of alternatives relating to the information marked by the attention symbol. In this example, Ruth Pabodie's father is marked by a attention symbol 408. By selecting the attention symbol 408 next to Ruth's father, the user is presented with the display screen 410 of
The display screen 410 of
Users may also view the records associated to each of the conflicting data references by clicking on a hyperlinked number or list of source document types to view the records or sources which provided the conflicting data. This will better inform the user where the information came from and allow them to make a more informed decision about which conflicting data may be correct. Users' choices of which alternative data they believe to be correct may also be logged in the system as votes. These votes may then be tallied and used to inform the system of which choice users thought was more likely correct. This voting may then be used to change which piece of alternative data the system believes to be most likely.
As described above with reference to block 224 of
Attention symbols may also be used to denote which nodes have new messages, comments, pictures, stories, or other new or modified data. Attention symbols may also be used to help a user locate nodes which are missing key data such as birth date, death place, etc.
The foregoing display screens are merely exemplary of display screens that may be used in connection with embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments may include more, fewer, or different display screens, as is apparent to those skilled in the are in light of this disclosure.
Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Additionally, a number of well known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. For example, those skilled in the art know how to arrange computers into a network and enable communication among the computers. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.