Methods of Providing a Registry Service and a Registry Service

Abstract

Embodiments of an on-line registry system comprise information relating to a plurality of deceased persons and a web based interface. Subscribers associated with a deceased person may establish an account for the on-line registry system. Each subscriber may be associated with a unique identification. A subscriber may submit information relating to the deceased person, which may be entered into the on-line registry system. A plurality of additional persons may be permitted to access at least a portion of the entered information via the web based interface. The additional persons may also be permitted to submit additional information related to the deceased person into the on-line registry system via the web based interface. An identifier may be provided on or near a good or concrete memorial, such as a headstone, to indicate that a deceased person is associated with the on-line registry system.

1 . A method of administering a registry system, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing an on-line registry system, wherein the on-line registry system comprises information relating to a plurality of deceased persons, wherein the on-line registry system further comprises a web based interface;    (b) receiving a request from a subscriber to establish an account relating to the on-line registry system, wherein the subscriber is associated with a deceased person;    (c) establishing an account for the subscriber, wherein the act of establishing an account comprises associating the subscriber with a unique identification;    (d) receiving, from the subscriber, information relating to the deceased person associated with the subscriber;    (e) entering at least a portion of the information relating to the deceased person into the on-line registry system;    (f) permitting a plurality of additional persons to access at least a portion of the entered information via the web based interface, wherein the plurality of additional persons are also associated with the deceased person; and    (g) permitting the plurality of additional persons to submit additional information into the on-line registry system via the web based interface, wherein the additional information further relates to the deceased person that is associated with the subscriber and the plurality of additional persons.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a concrete memorial, wherein the concrete memorial is associated with the deceased person.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the concrete memorial comprises a headstone.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising an identifier on or near the concrete memorial, wherein the identifier indicates that information relating to the associated deceased person is available on the on-line registry system.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the identifier comprises a mark or seal.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the identifier comprises a website address.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the concrete memorial is located within a cemetery.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a good to a person associated with the deceased person, wherein the good includes a feature identifying the on-line registry system.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the good is associated with the deceased person.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each deceased person having related information on the on-line registry system is associated with a respective tag.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the web based interface includes a voice interface.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the voice interface is operable to convert speech to text.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically mining information from the Internet to provide additional information relating to the deceased person.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the automatic mining is based at least in part on information submitted by the subscriber or by one of the additional persons.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the on-line registry is operable to render information in any of a plurality of media types, wherein the method further comprises: 
 (a) receiving a selection of media type by one of the additional persons; and    (b) providing information relating to the deceased person to the additional person in the media type selected by the additional person.    
   
   
       16 . A method of administering a registry system, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing an on-line registry system, wherein the on-line registry system comprises information relating to a plurality of deceased persons, wherein the on-line registry system further comprises a web based interface;    (b) receiving a request from a subscriber to establish an account with the on-line registry system, wherein the subscriber is associated with a deceased person;    (c) establishing an account for the subscriber, wherein the act of establishing an account comprises associating a unique identifier with the subscriber;    (d) receiving, from the subscriber, information relating to the deceased person associated with the subscriber;    (e) entering at least a portion of the information relating to the deceased person into the on-line registry system;    (f) executing an automated data mining application to search for additional information on the Internet based at least in part on information submitted by the subscriber, wherein the automated data mining application is configured to obtain hyperlinks associated with at least a portion of the information submitted by the subscriber;    (g) permitting a plurality of additional persons to access, via the web based interface: 
 (i) at least a portion of the entered information, and  
 (ii) at least a portion of the hyperlinks obtained by the data mining application.  
   
   
   
       17 . A system for commemorating a deceased person, the system comprising: 
 (a) a concrete memorial for a deceased person, the concrete memorial comprising discernable information including the name of the deceased person;    (b) an on-line web site accessible over the Internet, the on-line web site comprising one or more web pages having information related to the deceased person; and    (c) an identifier on or near the concrete memorial for the deceased person, the identifier indicating to people visiting the concrete memorial that the information related to the deceased person is available on the on-line web site, wherein the identifier is not the name of the deceased person.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a feature configured to permit automatic acquisition of information via the on-line web site, wherein the feature is provided on or near the concrete memorial.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the feature configured to permit automatic acquisition of information via the on-line web site comprises a bar code.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the on-line web site further comprises web pages having information related to a plurality of deceased persons.