DE20016746U1 - Information service system - Google Patents

Description

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

LAW FIRM

Boduncit & Bochmcrt · POB. 10 71 27 · D-28071 Bremen

German Patent and Trademark Office Zweibrückenstr. 12
80297 Munich

New registration
Utility model

DR.-ING. KARL BOEHMERT,PA(1899-97J) DIPL-ING. ALBERT BOEHMERT, PA (1902-1993) WILHELM I. H. STAHLBERG, RA. Brno» DR.-ING. WALTER HOORMANN, PA·. Bremen DIPL-PHYS. DR.HEINZGODDAR.PA·,Moon*» DR.-1NG. ROLAND LIESEGANG, PA'.Moncnen WOLF-DIETER KUNTZE. R.A. Ban Alicsnle DIPL.-PHYS. ROBERT MÜNZHUBER, PA (1933-1992) DR. LUDWIG KOUKER, LAWYER, Bremen DR. (CHEM.) ANDREAS WINKLER. PA·, Bremen MICHAELA HUTH-DIERIG, BA, Somerset DlPL PHYS. DR. MARION TÖNHARDT. PA·, DOjjddoif DR ANDREAS EBERT-WEIDENFELLER, LAWYER Bremen DIPL.-ING. EVA LIESEGANG, PA·, Manchen DR. AXEL NORDEMANN, Attorney, Messenger DIPL-PHYS. DR. DOROTHEE WEBER-BRULS.PA'.Fmrifuri DIPL-PHYS. DR.STEFANSCHOHE,PA".Munich DR.-ING. MATTHIAS PHILIPP, PA·, Bidden DR. JAN BERND NORDEMANN, LLM, RA, Berlin

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A10026

PROF. DR. WILHELM NORDEMANN, RA. BRB ⁴ DIPL.-PHYS. EDUARD BAUMANN, PA·, Httnlarchen DR-ING. GERALD KLOPSCH, PA·, Dassddcrf DIPL.-ING. HANS W. GROENING, PA·. Munich DIPL.-ING. SIEGFRIED SCHIRMER, PA-, Bielefeld DIPL.-PHYS. LORENZ HANEWINKEL, PA·. Paderborn DIPL-ING. DR. JAN TONNIES, PA. RA, KkI DIPL-PHYS. CHRISTIAN BlEHL, PA·. Kid MARTIN WIRTZ, RA, Ddoektaf DR. DETMAR SCHAFER. RA, Bremen DIPL-PHYS. DR.-ING. UWEMANASSE, PA·,Bremen DR. CHRISTIAN CZYCHOWSKI, RA, Berlin DR. CARL-RICHARD HAARMANN. RA. Manchen DIPL.-PHYS. DR. THOMAS L. BTTNER, PA·, Berlin DR. VOLKER SCHMITZ, RA. Some DR. FRIEDRICH NlCOLAUS HEISE, RA. Poudun DlPL-PHYS. CHRISTIAN W. APPELT, PA. Some DR. ANKE NORDEMANN-SCHIFFEL, RA=, Poödam KERSTIN MAUCH, LLM., RA. Pcodun

m cooperation mil/in cooperation with

DIPL-CHEM. DR HANS ULRICH MAY. PA'.Monchen

Bremen,

27 September 2000

Andersen Consulting Management Consultancy GmbH, Otto-Vogler-Straße 15, 65843 Sulzbach

"Information service system"

The present invention relates to an information service system, in particular for the police.

Despite overall excellent conditions, the police in Germany - as in other countries - are currently facing challenges that are often becoming increasingly difficult to meet using conventional means.

These challenges include

- internal factors, such as restructuring within police organisations and increasing cost pressures, and

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Hollerallee 32 · D-28209 Bremen · POB 10 71 27 · D-28071 Bremen · Telephone +49-421-34090 · Fax +49-421-3491768
MUNICH - BREMEN - BERLIN - DÜSSELDORF - FRANKFURT - BIELEFELD - POTSDAM - BRANDENBURG - KIEL - PADERBORN - HÖHENKIRCHEN - ALICANTE

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- external factors, such as an increase in complex forms of crime, e.g. economic crime or organised crime, and larger police geographical areas (Germany, Europe) and an associated increase in cross-border crime.

Such challenges can only be met by giving the police the necessary skills. However, the access to relevant information required for this, among other things, has so far only existed in fragments, i.e. the police organizations of the 16 federal states, the Federal Criminal Police Office, the Federal Border Police and the Customs Administration, some of which also perform police tasks, cannot currently access information in sufficient quantities to process an order.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing an information service system that enables a user to easily access the tools he requires, such as information and applications, regardless of the available access channel (access route).

According to the invention, this object is achieved by an information service system with application devices, in particular for the police, with information systems, an intelligent, dynamically implemented portal for uniform access to the downstream information systems with a scope dependent on the user, at least one terminal for access to the portal, and at least one communication device for connecting the terminal to the portal. An intelligent portal is a portal that also provides its own functions. A dynamically implemented portal is a portal that is generated depending on the context (e.g. date, time of day, special events, logged-in user, etc.). The counterpart to this is a static portal that is regularly "filled" with new information, but which otherwise does not provide a flexible, context-dependent display.

•♦

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Furthermore, it can be provided that the information systems include at least one external and/or at least one local database. These can, for example, be databases of private or public organizations.

Ideally, the information systems include at least one local media database.

In addition, the information systems can include at least one local data warehouse. A data warehouse is a data storage facility for image or video data, for example.

Ideally, the information systems include at least one local facility for an application. For example, the application can be used for operational planning.

According to a further special embodiment, it can be provided that the information systems comprise at least one local office communication system. For example, the office communication system can be used for entering, processing, sending and managing documents as well as for receiving, creating, sending and documenting e-mails.

In addition, the portal may include a server.

Conveniently, the portal comprises an engine layer with at least one engine on a layer with an administration facility for managing users, configuring the engine(s) and administering upstream and downstream layers. The engines are machines for performing certain tasks of the portal.

Preferably, the portal includes a device for authenticating a user and the server in an upstream layer. This is a hardware layer that serves to clarify who is communicating with whom.

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Furthermore, the means for authentication conveniently comprises a means for identifying a user.

Advantageously, the portal comprises an authorization control and storage device in the upstream layer for regulating the scope of a user's access. Authorization control can be carried out via user and user group rights.

Advantageously, the portal has a facility for displaying the possible uses of the portal depending on the external context, such as date, time of day, user, special events.

According to a further special embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the portal in the upstream layer comprises a device for encrypting the data sent via the communication device and for decrypting the data received via the communication device. Such a device serves to protect the sensitive data that can be retrieved via the information service system from unauthorized interception.

Furthermore, the portal advantageously includes a device for maintaining or determining the integrity of the data sent and received via the communication device. This is intended to prevent or detect any unauthorized manipulation of the transmitted data.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the engine layer can comprise a subscription engine for a user to subscribe to information, directories and other services. This allows a user to communicate his interests to the information service system (active personalization) and to receive news in these areas of interest, e.g. after logging in.

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The engine layer advantageously includes a filter engine. The filter engine can examine the different information areas for each user according to predefined criteria. This means that as soon as a user makes a person, subject or other type of query, the filter engine accesses the information sources it knows and compiles a list of all the search results.

It can also be provided that the engine layer includes an information repository engine and/or an application repository engine and/or an office communication repository engine. The information repository engine can contain a metadata structure of the downstream information systems and path information for accessing them. The information repository engine is used by services for which the type of information (thing, person, etc.) is relevant, rather than the storage location. For example, personal information is stored in various information systems: LKA, BKA and Interpol. Instead of giving all services the information about which information systems contain personal information, it is sufficient for the service to determine all the necessary storage locations via the information repository engine based on the query "persons". An application repository engine contains a directory of the applications that are available to users of the information service system via the portal in the downstream information systems. In addition to the location of the application, it also contains information about the user and user group rights required for access. For example, if INPOL is accessed by a PVB (police officer), this access is permitted due to his user group membership and the connection to INPOL is established. If, on the other hand, an VB (administrative officer) wants to access INPOL, access is denied because the VB does not have authorization due to his user group membership. In the case of extended authorization, the VB can be assigned INPOL authorization at user level and access to INPOL can be enabled. The Office communication Repository Engine provides uniform access to a local office communication system and its associated functionalities.

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The portal preferably includes an output engine. The output engine enables a user to obtain information objects in different formats via different access channels.

The portal conveniently includes an interface integrator for the downstream information systems. The portal must support different interfaces, as large organizations, such as the police organization, require access to a wide variety of information systems. In addition to the various platforms and system architectures, this also includes different information sources, data representations and different databases, such as relational and multidimensional databases as well as unstructured data storage. This also enables interfaces to data warehouse and data mining systems to be implemented.

The portal preferably includes at least one value-added service system. The value-added service system offers a specific service and is part of the portal and therefore does not belong to a downstream information system. Each value-added service system controls the access authorization itself, i.e. when such a value-added service system is called up, it checks based on the user profile and the authorizations required for the value-added service whether the user or user group rights are sufficient to use the value-added service. If the authorization is insufficient, access to the value-added service is denied.

The portal also conveniently contains a request broker. This assigns the user request to the correct engine based on the type of request and, once the request has been processed, ensures that the information obtained is sent back to the correct user.

A further particular embodiment of the invention is characterized by a firewall machine between the portal and the at least one communication device.

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This serves to implement a firewall and monitors all data traffic between the end devices and the portal in order to prevent unauthorized intrusion into the information service system, introduction of virus programs and similar attacks.

Finally, another particular embodiment of the invention is characterized by a firewall machine between the portal and the downstream information systems. This has the same function as the aforementioned firewall machine, but with regard to the portal-downstream information systems transition.

The invention is based on the surprising discovery that the available data and application facilities of the most diverse organizations can be made easily accessible via a uniform access, namely the portal, so that every police officer, for example, can receive function-related information regardless of the access channel and is thus able to carry out his task. In addition, the portal enables the information and application facilities that have become accessible to be linked, making them an indirect part of the portal. By establishing a connection between the data from the existing information systems and application facilities, a new quality of information can be created and thus the added value that is necessary for the police, for example. The necessary information is presented in its context, which enables the police to better carry out their tasks and strategic goals can be pursued more consistently.

In addition, the use of a portal enables the integration of existing information systems and application facilities as well as the identification, implementation and integration of future information systems and application facilities. After their creation, new information systems and application facilities can be made available in a simple and uniform manner on the basis of the architecture of the existing information service system and linked to existing information systems. The police can thus be supported in those areas in which a lack of

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Instruments that currently do not fully exploit the existing potential. For example, operational controlling, risk management instruments or training and knowledge applications could be integrated.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the claims and the following description, in which an embodiment is explained with reference to drawings.

Figure 1 schematically shows the technical architecture of a particular embodiment of an information service system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 schematically shows security zones resulting from different access authorizations;

Figure 3 schematically shows the functional system of the particular embodiment of the information service system of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 shows a schematic example of an application.

Figure 1 shows schematically the technical architecture of a particular embodiment of an information service system according to the present invention. The information service system can be roughly divided into three components: A: access channels; B: intelligent portal and C: downstream information systems. The access channels serve to establish access to an intelligent, dynamically implemented portal and are implemented by respective terminals 10 to 16 and communication devices. With regard to access, a distinction is made between a

- local access

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- Location-independent access via a mobile PC

- location-independent access with data-capable devices and

- Location-independent access with non-data-capable devices

Each authorized user can use any access channel alternately.

With local access, users have fixed workstations tied to a location, as is to be represented by the terminal 10 in the form of a PC. The communication device for connecting the terminal to the portal B comprises a remote data transmission device 18 in the form of a fixed telephone or mobile network, a router 20 (node computer between data networks) and the Internet, with HTML-based web browsers and standardized TCP/IP networks being used for the latter as a network product. An HTTP server 22 represents the Internet in Figure 1. This allows for continuous and standardized use of office communication systems.

Full-fledged workstations that are not tied to a specific location, such as the terminal 12 shown in Figure 1 in the form of a laptop or notebook, have location-independent access with mobile PCs. The communication device for connecting the terminal 12 to the portal B looks exactly like that of the terminal 10. In contrast to a PC located at a fixed location (see terminal 10), a terminal 12 has the option of allowing a user to dial into the portal B from different locations using communication mechanisms integrated in the laptop or notebook and then having the same functions available as when using a stationary PC.

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In the case of location-independent access with data-capable terminals, such as the terminal identified by reference number 14, an associated communication device comprises a remote data transmission device 18 in the form of a mobile radio network, a router 20 and a WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) server 24 with a WML-based WAP browser. Uniform TCP/IP networks are used as the network product.

Finally, classic mobile phones are an example of non-data-capable terminals 16 that enable location-independent access. The associated communication device for a classic mobile phone includes a remote data transmission device 26 in the form of a mobile network and an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) server 28, i.e. an interactive voice system that enables a user to selectively request information and also to receive specific information. If the terminal 16 is already WAP-capable, the information can also be requested and received via the WAP server 24 on a WML basis.

A fire wall machine 30 or 32 is arranged between the access channels A and the portal B and between the portal B and the downstream information systems C. The portal B comprises an application server 34. The downstream information systems C comprise, among other things, an external database 36, for example INPOL, which is accessible via a router 38 and a WAN (Wide Aria Network) 40, a local device 42 for an application, for example deployment planning, a local office communication system 44, a local data warehouse 46 and a printer 48.

Due to the sensitivity of the data available via the information service system, the security aspect is of key importance. The concept of security in the context of network-based applications is made up of the following elements:

a) Server and client-side authentication - who communicates with whom?

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b) Authorization - What access rights does the requesting user have?

c) Data security – Can data transmission be intercepted?

d) Data integrity - Does the data arrive during transmission as it was sent?

Not every user has easy access to all the data available on the portal. Access to the information is basically divided into three different security zones (see Figure 2):

Internet

All undefined users who have guest status and are not authorized to access sensitive data can access this zone. Access is only possible to static pages that provide general information about the information service system. The only way to contact the operator of Portal B in this security zone is to send an email. Personalizing the content is not possible.

Extranet

All trustworthy users 50, 52 of the information service system have the option of uploading content after authentication. Only some of the users, namely users 52, have the option of querying content. The users who access the extranet include all private or public law organizations that do not belong to the police.

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Intranet

All police-internal users can access this security zone. After authentication, a personalized setup of Portal B is carried out. In this security zone, read and write access to all information systems authorized for the user takes place. To achieve a high security standard, the server and client-side authentication mentioned above under a) can take place as follows:

- Access via data-capable devices

To ensure that the desired application server 34 is reached by an authorized client (user), the following procedure can be followed:

1. Request via HTTP server 22 or WAP server 24

2. Feedback from Portal B with certificate, public key (asymmetric encryption method) and signature

3. Client-side generation of a session key for the current connection

4. Encryption of the session key with the public key of Portal B

5. Sending to application server 34

6. Decryption of the session key with the private key of the information service system

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7. Request to identify the client via symmetric encryption (session key)

8. Identification of the user depending on the security zone, whereby no identification is necessary if a user belongs to the security zone (Internet), while an identification procedure is necessary if a user belongs to the security zones "Extranet" or "Intranet". For guest access, no identification is required, whereas for extranet access, identification can take place via user name and password, and for intranet access, identification takes place in the form of a user name/chip card in conjunction with a biometric procedure (fingerprint, speaker analysis,
iris analysis).

9. Granting access after identification in the application server 34.

When accessing via non-data-capable devices (voice connections), server and client-side authentication can proceed as follows:

1. Dial-in via a dedicated access number of the information service system

2. Enter the user ID via a telephone keypad, assuming a MFW-capable telephone

3. Additional identification via speaker recognition

4. Registration of the caller number

BOEHMERT&BQEHTttERT ;'··; · :: : ·*·· ·· ·· ·· ·*

The authorization mentioned above under b) can take place within portal B at the application level; this means that each user has a profile that allows them to access certain functions. In contrast to optimistic control, where access rights are "taken away" from the user and they have all options from the start, authorization is controlled pessimistically. A user must be explicitly assigned access rights.

Authorization is controlled via user and user group rights. Each user is assigned to at least one user group. User rights have a higher priority than user group rights. For example, if a user is not authorized to use a certain application due to membership in a user group, he or she can be assigned this authorization personally based on extended authorizations. In this case, the authorization applies at user level.

Authorization storage depends on the security zone:

- Internet

The user only has guest access and cannot access any applications. The access rights are stored in a database as the "Guest" profile of the "Guests" user group.

Extranet

The user has personalized access, which means he or she must log in to the information service system. Access to police applications is denied. Content management applications are permitted. Data is stored in a database by user name and assigned to a specific user group, such as "transport companies", "diplomats", etc.

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- Intranet

The user has personalized access and usually has the role of a PVB (police enforcement officer) or VB (administrative officer). Access to police and other applications is partially or fully permitted. Data is stored in the database by user name and to one or more specific user groups, such as "PVB", "Head of Department", "SoKo", etc. Since this group of users usually also has direct access to the file system (office communication, etc.), a profile is also linked to the respective user profile of the operating system (NT, LDAP, etc.).

The data security mentioned above under c) is achieved using an encryption mechanism that encrypts and decrypts all data sent and received during an active session. A session begins when the user logs in. It ends as soon as a user has logged out or has not been active for a defined period of time, e.g. 30 minutes. Encryption is carried out using a symmetrical process. Both sides require an identical key for this. This is created as described above under a) and is only valid for one session.

In connection with the data integrity mentioned above under d), a distinction must be made between the transfer of HTML/WML data and e-mails. In the former case, data integrity is ensured by encrypting the transmitted data with a separate symmetric key for each session. In the latter case, the security is provided in two stages. Firstly, the transmitted data is encrypted as in the former case. Secondly, each e-mail receives a signature from the sender.

The functional system of the intelligent, dynamically implemented portal B will be discussed in more detail below with reference to Figure 3. This is a dynamic portal because the contents of the portal are displayed depending on the external context. The external context is made up of the following elements:

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- Date / time

- User

- special police-relevant events.

Portal B acts as an intermediary between users who are connected to Portal B via one of the access channels described above and the downstream information systems of the police. The intelligent Portal B has various tasks that are implemented using different so-called engines. In order for these engines to provide users with the data that they want and that is important and necessary for them, authentication and personalization take place in an upstream layer in a device 54 for authenticating and identifying a user. Behind this, in an engine layer, there is a subscription engine 56, a filter engine 58, an information repository engine 60, an application repository engine 62 and an office communication repository engine 64, the tasks of which have already been explained above. The filter engine and the subscription engine represent intelligent agents. The engine(s) themselves communicate with the various information processing systems working in the background via specified interfaces to cover their tasks.

The engine layer resides on a layer with an administration facility (not shown) for managing users, configuring the engine(s), and administering upstream and downstream layers.

The downstream systems C comprise two external databases 36a, 36b of a private and a public organization, a local facility 42 for an application, a local office communication system 44, a local data warehouse 46, a local media database 43 and local databases 45.

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The components shown in Figure 3 completely cover the various areas of the police's tasks. Access to the individual applications and value-added services, one of which is shown and provided with the reference number 66, through Portal B is controlled by the allocation of user and user group rights. This provides each officer with precisely those applications that he needs to carry out his specific tasks. By integrating the aforementioned components in the information service system, they are presented in their context. This makes it easier to link the existing data to information.

A request broker 68 assigns the request to the correct engine based on the request and, after processing the request, ensures that the information obtained is sent back to the correct user. An output engine 70 gives the user the option of receiving information objects in different formats via different communication channels. An interface integrator 67 is also provided.

Portal B enables the implementation of the idea of operational work by the police. The various application systems (legacy systems) of the police are made accessible and linked to one another via a uniform access point, the portal, and thus become an indirect part of the portal. It is important to establish the connection between the data from the existing application systems in order to create a new quality of information and thus generate the additional service required by the police. The necessary information is presented in its context, which enables the police to better carry out their tasks and to pursue strategic goals more consistently.

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT: '··· ' · · · :

In addition to the integration of existing application facilities on the basis of the portal architecture described above, the invention also includes the identification, implementation and integration of future application facilities into the portal.

Once created, new application facilities can be made available in a simple and uniform manner based on the architecture described here and linked to existing information systems. This can support the police in those areas where the existing potential is currently not being fully exploited due to a lack of instruments. For example, integrative controlling, risk management instruments or training and knowledge application facilities could be integrated.

The integrative aspect of the portal links information from the different applications and makes it available to users as needed. For example, recommendations for deployment and alternative courses of action can be derived from current case data and archived information about past cases. Another example would be a news page that is geographically regionalized and displayed for user groups. In this way, an officer is made familiar with current, regional, police-relevant events. For example, he receives wanted notices or local events and activities. These so-called value-added services create value for the police through the intelligent linking and presentation of given data values in the form of aggregated and selected information.

The visual core of the information service system can consist of a home page that contains links to the integrated applications and value-added services. The links are grouped into integrated applications, value-added services and personal applications. The personal applications include, for example, e-mail, operational planning and local events, but also personal search agents, and are therefore recruited from both the integrated applications and the

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as well as from the value-added services. These are the components of the portal that are used most frequently and should therefore be made most easily accessible.

The intelligent portal connects existing or future police applications and creates additional value from given data through a common interface and integrated services. The individual components can be existing applications that could also exist independently, such as email or operational information systems, or future applications that are then integrated into the portal.

To comprehensively support police tasks, the integration of applications from the following areas is possible:

Goal-oriented control

This use case includes all evaluations of operational data that serve detailed operational planning. This includes (a) recording of information, (b) linking of information, (c) geographical representation of information (regional evaluation of facts) and (d) provision of information for controlling and risk management.

Operational information and control system

This use case involves the provision of control information. Control information can be divided into the following areas:

(a) Internal result, e.g. cost accounting

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(b) External result, e.g. clearance rate, subjective sense of security, frequency figures

(c) Processes, e.g. ratio of value-added to administrative activities, average time to resolution, ratio of arrests to convictions

(d) Organisation, e.g. sickness rate, training programmes received, number of improvements implemented.

The innovation lies in the availability and accessibility of information. Currently, this information is collected manually and then sent to the persons concerned and others in the form of e-mail. Integration via the information service system portal means that the relevant information is made available to the persons concerned via the portal by means of subscriptions or search.

Qualification

The use case "Empowerment" refers to training measures that can be offered via the portal. The technology used enables civil servants to take advantage of online, needs-based training courses in their work environment (e.g. office). These training courses include interactive learning programs, ranging from electronic reference works to simple, dialogue-based training and media-based training.

Administrative support

Administrative support through the portal includes all case-related tasks as well as all personal administrative activities. These activities are necessary, but take up a lot of time. By using the portal, a

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Integration of available information resources takes place so that efficiency is increased through bundling. An example of this is the immediate acquisition of information at the scene of the incident, then the recording of further specific information and then the administration of the information in the form of individual reports. In this specific example, all necessary information is immediately available via the portal and can be further processed at another location without first having to re-acquire the information. Currently, this information is requested via radio and therefore via an additional employee. This information is then noted down and expanded to include specific information. This is then forwarded by radio to another officer (e.g. operations manager) and noted down. As further information is added, this information is recorded and, in the worst case, the initial information request is repeated.

Every civil servant also has personal administrative tasks. These can be simplified by various applications integrated into the portal. By personalizing individual information relevant to the civil servant, he or she can be provided with it automatically. The process of obtaining this type of information by the civil servant himself or herself is no longer necessary. For example, a civil servant can be automatically provided with new training offers in his or her specialist area.

Value-added services

These services are those that enable information to be retrieved and current data to be recorded. For example, current situation data can be recorded and sent on site, i.e. in the office or at the scene of the incident. The aggregation, categorization and evaluation of the data is automated. The automatically generated evaluations are then sent to the relevant officials depending on personalization mechanisms. This process can be facilitated by providing the value-added services.

BOEHMERT

The previous process required multiple manual activities and took 24 hours or more.

A possible application of the information service system according to the invention is outlined below. The application concerns the integration of the information service system into the everyday life of a police officer who is equipped with a terminal in the form of a WAP-enabled device. It also serves to illustrate how the integration of the information systems through the portal brings the police officer PVB added value that he cannot have without the portal.

Scenario: POM Peter Sicher arrives at the first precinct of his hometown of Schönstadt to start his shift. POM Sicher and his colleague PM Zabel drive their service vehicle to the city area assigned to them via the information service system.

(a) POM Sicher switches on the WAP-enabled device installed in the company vehicle. After they have reached the target area, they are informed that the duty roster has changed due to the absence of two colleagues and that they will be deployed in a different part of the city. As neither of them is informed about this part of the city, they call up the "Risk Management" value-added service of the information service system. There they both learn that there has been an increase in burglaries in the otherwise quiet residential area in recent months. Although the area has been clearly narrowed down, no suspects have been identified so far. POM Sicher and PM Zabel decide to show a greater presence in the area in question.

(b) In his personal subscription, POM Sicher receives a message that a training course will be available in 4 weeks that relates to his specialty "acquisition crime". He registers immediately and receives automatic feedback that a place has been reserved for him. Prepared documents are automatically sent to his electronic mailbox and the training is scheduled in the deployment planning system.

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His operations manager PHM Haupt also receives an electronic message, which he can immediately confirm at the DS office.

(c) When entering a side street, PM Zabel notices that a vehicle is parked illegally on the pavement. As he approaches, he notices that the vehicle is not locked. Using portal B of the information service system, he queries the vehicle's license plate number in the 36c INPOL database (see Figure 4). No messages appear. However, the filter engine (not shown) gives him the message that the vehicle owner is wanted in the 36d EUROPOL database. However, there is still no entry in the 36c INPOL database. PM Zabel registers the location of the vehicle and returns the information to the DS department. He contacts the head of operations via radio contact, who now has the recorded information as well as the EUROPOL information in his portal B.

The head of operations will arrange everything else. POM Sicher and PM Zabel should park their emergency vehicle nearby and wait for further instructions.

At the end of the day, the DL department head receives an evaluation of all incidents of that day via the local facility 42. On the basis of this information, the DL department head decides on any necessary adjustments to the duty roster for the following day. The adjustments to the duty roster are saved and the affected PVBs are automatically informed of the changes.

(d) Back at the DS office, POM Sicher and PM Zabel prepare the necessary reports using the local office communication system 44. In doing so, they refer to the entries made during the day. Since most cases are standard procedures, the majority of the work has already been done. The cases that have already been coded on site are printed out and stored in their filing cabinets.

BOEHMERT &*B0EHty£iT · ^# ' · \ ' \ i 1 _# . '

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The use case described above describes four application cases of the information service system. Each application case shows a specific function that is not available or only partially available in the current police service:

(a) Immediate information about a data evaluation

(b) Immediate information about personal interests/concerns

(c) Intelligent integration of different systems and bundling of information for further processing and

(d) Reuse of mobile data for efficient processing of standard procedures.

Figure 4 shows the information flows between a user, namely POM Secure, and components of an information service system according to the application described above. The reference symbols have the following meaning:

101 Authentication
102a Personalization .
102b Representation of the portal
103 Search query license plate
104a Search Engine INPOL

BOHMER ₁

-25-104b Search Engine EUROPOL 105a Answer INPOL
105b Reply EUROPOL

106 Feedback to PM Zabel

107 Recording of the inventory 108a Saving of data/metadata 108b Generation of standard report 109 Standard report and data to service provider 11 Oa Radio contact between PM Zabel and service provider

11 Whether instructions from the service manager to POM Sicher and PM Zabel

purple Subscription engine daily evaluation 111b Generation of daily evaluation 111c Daily evaluation to service manager 112a Further deployment planning

BOEHMERT

112b Securing operational planning

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments both individually and in any combination.

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List of reference symbols

10-16 devices

17 Communication facilities

18 Remote data transmission devices 20 Routers

22 HTTP servers

24 WAP servers

26 Remote data transmission device

28 IVR servers

30, 32 Firewall machine

34 Application Server

36,36a, 36b, 36c, 36d External database

38 routers

40 WAN

42 Local setup for an application

43 Local Media Database

44 Local office communication system

45 Local database

46 Local Data Warehouse 48 Printer

50.52 users

List of reference symbols

10-16 devices

17 Communication facilities

18 Remote data transmission devices 20 Routers

22 HTTP servers

24 WAP servers

26 Remote data transmission device

28 IVR servers

30, 32 Firewall machine

34 Application Servers

36, 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d External database

38 routers

40 WAN

42 Local setup for an application

43 Local Media Database

44 Local office communication system

45 Local database

46 Local Data Warehouse 48 Printer

50.52 users

54 Authentication and identification device

56 Subscription Engine

58 Filter Engine

60 Information Repository Engine

62 Application Repository Engine

64 Office Communication Repository Engine

66 Value-added service

67 Interface Integrator

68 Request Broker 70 Output Engine 101 Authentication 102a Personalization 102b Portal Presentation

103 Search query license plate

104a Search Engine INPOL

104b Search Engine EUROPOL

105a Answer INPOL

105b Reply EUROPOL

106 Feedback to PM Zabel

107 Recording of the inventory

108a Backup of data/metadata

108b Generation of standard report

109 Standard report and data to service providers

11 Oa Radio contact between PM Zabel and service provider

11 Whether instructions from the service provider to POM Safe and PM

··

Zabel

purple subscription engine daily analysis

111b Generation of the daily evaluation

111c Daily evaluation to service manager

112a Further operational planning

112b Securing operational planning

A Access channels

BPortal

C Downstream information systems

DL Head of Department

DS Department

PVB Police Officer

Claims (23)

1. Information service system with application facilities, in particular for the police, with - Information systems (C), - an intelligent, dynamically implemented portal (B) for uniform access to the downstream information systems (C) with a user-dependent scope, - at least one terminal ( 10 ; 12 ; 14 ; 16 ) for access to the portal (B), and - at least one communication device ( 17 ) for connecting the terminal ( 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 ) to the portal. 2. Information service system according to claim 1, characterized in that the information systems (C) comprise at least one external ( 36 ; 36 a; 36 b; 36 c; 36 d) and/or at least one local database ( 45 ). 3. Information service system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the information systems (C) comprise at least one local media database ( 43 ). 4. Information service system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the information systems (C) comprise at least one local data warehouse ( 46 ). 5. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information systems (C) comprise at least one local device ( 42 ) for an application. 6. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information systems (C) comprise at least one local office communication system ( 44 ). 7. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises a server. 8. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises an engine layer with at least one engine on a layer with an administration device for managing users, configuring the engine(s) and administering upstream and downstream layers. 9. Information service system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises in an upstream layer a device ( 54 ) for authenticating a user and the server. 10. Information service system according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for authentication comprises a means for identifying a user. 11. Information service system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the portal in the upstream layer comprises an authorization control and storage device for regulating the scope of access of a user. 12. Information service system according to claim 11, characterized in that the portal (B) has a device for displaying the usage options of the portal depending on the external context, such as date, time of day, user, special occurrences. 13. Information service system according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the portal in the upstream layer comprises a device for encrypting the data sent via the communication device ( 17 ) and for decrypting the data received via the communication device ( 17 ). 14. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises a device for maintaining or determining the integrity of the data sent and received via the communication device ( 17 ). 15. Information service system according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterized in that the engine layer comprises a subscription engine ( 56 ) for subscribing to information directories and other services by a user. 16. Information service system according to one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the engine layer comprises a filter engine ( 58 ). 17. Information service system according to one of claims 8 to 16, characterized in that the engine layer comprises an information repository engine ( 60 ) and/or an application repository engine ( 62 ) and/or an office communication repository engine ( 64 ). 18. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises an output engine ( 70 ). 19. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises an interface integrator ( 67 ) for the downstream information systems (C). 20. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises at least one value-added service system ( 66 ). 21. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (B) comprises a request broker ( 68 ). 22. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a firewall machine ( 30 ) between the portal (B) and the at least one communication device ( 17 ). 23. Information service system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a firewall machine ( 32 ) between the portal (B) and the downstream information systems (C).