System and method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices

Abstract

A system and method for establishing and retrieving data based upon global indices established on the date of first use by a user. The system uses a distributed data name service (DDNS) which uniquely identifies users of the system based upon the unique ID of devices on the system combined with the date and time of first use by the user. Both the unique device ID and the uniques user ID's are stored on servers of the system. This unique user ID generated is used for all subsequent uses of the system by the user. Searching for data generated by devices of the system relating to a particular user is accomplished by searching for instances of the user ID on servers of the system rather than by searching for the data itself. A simplified data transport protocol allows for the transfer of data from one location to another after the data is located.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices comprising: 
 establishing a unique device ID for each of a plurality of data generating devices on a network;    registering the unique device ID of each of the plurality of data generating devices on the network on at least one server connected to the network when the data generating equipment is first used on the network;    establishing a unique user ID for each user of the data generating devices when the user uses one of the plurality of data generating devices for the first time; and    retrieving data generated by the plurality of data generating devices by searching for instances of the unique user ID.    
     
     
         2 . The method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 1  wherein establishing the unique user ID further comprises combining the device ID of the data generating device being used by the user with a date/time stamp of the first use by the user.  
     
     
         3 . The method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 2  further comprising storing the unique user ID on a token given to the user.  
     
     
         4 . The method for establishing and retrieving data based on gloval indices of  claim 3  further comprising the user using the token with the unique user ID for all subsequent uses of any of the plurality of data generating devices.  
     
     
         5 . The method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 1  wherein the data generated is medical data concerning the user.  
     
     
         6 . The method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 1  wherein the data generated is commercial data.  
     
     
         7 . A system for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices comprising: 
 a network;    a plurality of servers connected to the network for storing data and responding to search requests;    a plurality of data generating devices connected to the servers, wherein each data generating device has a unique ID that is registered with at least one server when the data generating device is first used of the network;    unique user ID generator associated with each data generating device whereby a unique user ID is established by combining the unique device ID with a date time stamp of when the user first used any of the plurality of data generating devices on the network; and    search logic for searching for instances of the unique user ID on any of the plurality of servers.    
     
     
         8 . The system for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 7  wherein the data generating devices are medical data generating devices.  
     
     
         9 . The system for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 7  further comprising tokens generated by each of the plurality of data generating devices on which is stored each unique user ID.  
     
     
         10 . The system for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 7  wherein the data generated is commercial data.  
     
     
         11 . The system for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of data generating devices further comprises a token reader for reading the unique user ID stored on the token of a user.  
     
     
         12 . The system for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 7  further comprising data transport logic for transporting data generated from one data generating device to another once the location of the data has been determined by the search logic identifying instances of the unique user ID on any of the plurality of servers.  
     
     
         13 . A method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices comprising: 
 establishing a unique device ID for each of a plurality of data generating devices on a network;    registering the unique device ID of each of the plurality of data generating devices on the network on at least one server connected to the network when the data generating equipment is first used on the network;    establishing a unique record ID for each record of the data generating devices when the record is created using one of the plurality of data generating devices for the first time; and    retrieving data generated by the plurality of data generating devices by searching for instances of the unique record ID.    
     
     
         14 . The method for establishing and retrieving data based on global indices of  claim 13  wherein the records creating is creating records of parts of an assembly.