Method and device for identifying species of animals, plants, and/or types of minerals

Device for identifying species of animals and/or plants and/or types of minerals, as well as parts of them or products made from them, comprising a database (5), a data display terminal (2), and a menu control assigned to the database (5),

• wherein the data display terminal (2) is preferably a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or another data processing device, which is in a data connection or can enter into a data connection with the database (5), which is stored centrally on a server (4), by means of a wired or wireless connection, in such a way that after a dialup process, the user (1), after having selected a category, is offered a matrix (10) of characteristics to identify a concrete outward appearance under this category, on the data display terminal (2), where the lines of this matrix (10) of characteristics indicate the different characteristics, and the columns of this matrix (10) of characteristics indicate the different forms of the characteristics, and the user is guided through the matrix (10) of characteristics, line by line, until the concrete outward appearance is identified or the identification process is interrupted;
• and
• means wherein if characteristics that preclude one another are selected, several concrete outward appearances of the category in question are identified and displayed to the user (1), if applicable;
• and
• means wherein any incorrect selections are recognized and displayed to the user (1) and the characteristic in question is offered for a new identification process.

Device for identifying the location of occurrence of species of animals and/or plants and/or types of minerals, as well as parts of them or products made from them, comprising a central database (5) that is stored on a central server (4), a mobile data display terminal (2), and a menu control assigned to this database (5), in which information concerning the location, in each instance, of the data display terminal (2) is automatically transmitted to the server (4) in connection with the dial-up process of the mobile data display terminal (2) to the server (4), preferably by means of radio positioning or a GPS module, or by means of manual input, and this information is entered into the database (5) in connection with the location information, on-line or off-line;

• and
• means wherein if characteristics that preclude one another are selected, several concrete outward appearances of the category in question are identified and displayed to the user (1), if applicable;
• and
• means wherein any incorrect selections are recognized and displayed to the user (1), and the characteristic in question is offered for a new identification process.