System and method for collecting and managing product information in a database

Abstract

A system is disclosed which allows for consumer regulated access to data for the consumer by other users of the system. Once access to the data is granted to other users, the other users analyze the data and send information to the consumer, where the information is based on the consumer data.

1 . A networked database management system having access by consumers and providers, the system comprising: 
 a database, comprising user data for at least one user, the user data comprising profile information, one or more user interests, and an access control list; and    a matching service configured to selectively allow access to the database by at least one other user of the system based on the access control list and to identify user interests that can be satisfied by an inventory of products.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the profile information comprises at least one of age, marital status, number of children, ages of children, household income; contact information, name, phone number, address, email address; financial information, credit card balances, investment information, clothing sizes, body measurements, weight, hair color, eye color, education courses, education degree, past travel destinations, hobbies, awards, vehicle make, vehicle model, and residence attributes.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interests comprise at least one of a general interest, a desired product, and an anticipated purchase.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the access control list comprises at least one of a manufacturer, a vendor, and a provider having products corresponding to one or more user interests.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user data further comprises a user transaction history, and the matching service is further configured to allow access based at least in part on the user transaction history.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user data further comprises an inventory of user possessions, and the matching service is further configured to allow access based at least in part on the inventory.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further configured to calculate a charge to the other user of the system as a result of the other user being allowed access to the database.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a communication module configured to send information to the user, the information to send being selected based at least in part on the user data.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected information comprises information related to one or more products.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user data is sufficiently detailed that the matching service is further configured to select information related to no more than five products, the no more than five products being selected as being preferable over all other products accessible to the matching service.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more products are available from a plurality of providers and the selected information comprises competing offers from the plurality of providers.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein one or more of the competing offers is modified in response to another competing offer.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected information comprises a query.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected information comprises an advertisement or an offer to sell for one or more products.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected information has a format which allows the information to be presented to the user according to rules defined by the user.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected information comprises an alert based at least in part on at least one of a location, a price, an inventory, a item status.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising an evaluation service, configured to generate an evaluation for the user based at least in part on the user data.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the evaluation is based at least in part on actions taken by the user in response to past information received by the user.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the selected information is based at least in part on the evaluation.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , further configured to calculate a charge to the other user of the system based at least in part on the evaluation.  
     
     
         21 . A networked database access system for a provider, the system comprising: 
 a communication module configured to access data from a database, the database comprising user data comprising profile information for the user, one or more interests of the user, and an access control list, the access of the communication module to the database data being granted based at least in part on the provider being identified in the access control list;    a product database comprising information related to the one or more interests of the user; and    a matching service configured to select information from the product database based at least in part on the user data,    wherein the communication module is further configured to send the selected information to the user.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the profile information comprises at least one of age, marital status, number of children, ages of children, household income; contact information, name, phone number, address, email address; financial information, credit card balances, investment information, clothing sizes, body measurements, weight, hair color, eye color, education courses, education degree, past travel destinations, hobbies, awards, vehicle make, vehicle model, and residence attributes.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the user interests comprise at least one of a general interest, a desired product, and an anticipated purchase.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the access control list comprises at least one of a manufacturer, a vendor, and a provider having products corresponding to one or more user interests.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the matching service is further configured to select the information based at least in part on at least one of a time, a location, a product, an inventory level, and an advertising venue.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the user data further comprises an order for a purchase.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the selected information comprises a confirmation of the purchase.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the selected information comprises information related to a product.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the selected information comprises a query.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the selected information comprises an advertisement or an offer to sell.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the selected information comprises an offer, the offer generated so as to be compared by the user to one or more other offers.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising an equipment controller configured to modify equipment behavior based at least in part on the user data.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the selected information is sent exclusively to the user.  
     
     
         34 . A user communication device, comprising: 
 a data upload module configured to communicate user data comprising at least one of profile information for the user, one or more interests of the user, and an access control list to a networked database management system, the system comprising a matching service configured to selectively allow access to the user data by at least one other user of the system based on the access control list and to identify user interests that can be satisfied by an inventory of products;    a communication module configured to receive information selected by the system based at least in part on the user data; and    an interface module configured to present the information to the user.    
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the user interests comprise at least one of a desired product and an anticipated purchase.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the access control list comprises a list of providers having products corresponding to one or more user interests.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the communication module is configured to communicate wirelessly.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the interface module comprises a display.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the selected information comprises information related to a product.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising a bar code scanner.  
     
     
         41 . A computer readable medium, comprising instructions, which, when executed cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising: 
 communicating user data comprising at least one of profile information for the user, one or more interests of the user, and an access control list to a networked database management system, the system comprising a matching service configured to selectively allow access to the user data by at least one other user of the system based on the access control list and to identify user interests that can be satisfied by an inventory of products;    receiving information selected by the system based at least in part on the user data; and    presenting the information to the user.    
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the user interests comprise at least one of a desired product and an anticipated purchase.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the access control list comprises a list of providers having products corresponding to one or more user interests.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the communication module is configured to communicate wirelessly.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the interface module comprises a display.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the selected information comprises information related to a product.