SELF-DESCRIBING DATA FRAMEWORK

• US 20080208621A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Karkanias, Chris Demetrios, Hodges, Stephen Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

A system that can enable establishment of a self-describing data network is provided. Generally, the innovation provides a mechanism by which self-describing data can be collected, validated and stored in such a way that permits each data element to be inherently self-describing. The manner in which the data is stored can be analogized to a ‘data chemistry’ whereby data is stored in the smallest meaningful bit (e.g., atom) coupled with descriptive metadata (e.g., tags). In a specific example, the data network maintains health-related data where each element includes a core data element wrapped with descriptive metadata. The descriptive metadata (e.g., tags) can be employed to interrelate the data elements for storage as well as to facilitate efficient traversal of the data network as a whole.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates data management, comprising:

a self-describing data network that comprises a plurality of health-related data elements; and

an interface layer component that provides a gateway between a source and the self-describing data network, wherein the gateway facilitates storage of the plurality of data elements.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data organization component the facilitates at least one of collection, validation or storage of a subset of the plurality of self-describing data elements.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of self-describing data elements includes a core data item portion and a descriptive metadata portion.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a collection component that enables collection of a subset of the plurality of self-describing data elements.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data atomizing component that separates the data element into a core data item portion and a descriptive metadata portion.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an attribute collection component that gathers additional descriptive metadata portion as a function of the core data item portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the additional descriptive metadata is based at least in part upon a context, relationship, source, or destination of the core data item portion.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an accuracy validation component that confirms one of integrity or consistency of a subset of the plurality of the self-describing data elements based at least in part upon a type, context, numerical value, spelling, audible content or visual content.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an origin validation component that confirms validity of the source of a subset of the plurality of self-describing data elements by way of a certificate or digital certificate.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a relationship analysis component that identifies relationships between at least a subset of the plurality of self-describing data elements.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a location determining component that identifies a storage location of a data element as a function of the analysis.

12. The system of claim 1, the source is one of an application, a sensor or a user.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning and reasoning component that employs at least one of a probabilistic or a statistical-based analysis that infers an action that a user desires to be automatically performed.

14. A computer-implemented method of establishing a health-related data network, comprising:

collecting a plurality of data elements;

atomizing each of the plurality of data elements into a core data portion and a descriptive data portion;

tagging the core data portion with the descriptive data portion;

storing the tagged core data portion in a self-describing health-related data network.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising validating one of accuracy or origin of the core data portion prior to the act of storing.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

collecting an additional descriptive data portion; and

tagging the core data portion with the additional description data portion.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying relationships between a subset of the data elements; and

employing the relationships in the act of storing to facilitate clustering of data elements.

18. A computer-executable system of establishing a self-describing health-related data network, comprising:

means for collecting a data element;

means for atomizing the data element into a core data portion and a descriptive data portion;

means for tagging the core data portion with the descriptive data portion; and

means for storing the tagged core data portion within the self-describing health-related data network.

19. The computer-executable system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for collecting a plurality of additional descriptive data portions; and

means for tagging the core data portion with a subset of the additional descriptive data portions.

20. The computer-executable system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for validating the core data portion; and

means for clustering the core data portion with disparate elements having like descriptive data portions.