METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CLASSIFYING DATA BASED ON ENTITIES RELATED TO THE DATA

• US 20090144236A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Mattox, John R., Faus, Norman Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90 Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types

Abstract

Systems and methods classify and organize data from a variety of applications based on entities associated with the data. A data classification module is configured to retrieve data from different applications. Each application can utilize data in a different format from other applications. The data classification module is configured to extract identifying information from the data, received from the applications. The identifying information includes information on entities and person related to the data. For example, entities can be companies, corporations, associations, organization, and the like.

Claims

1. A method of classifying data, the method comprising:

receiving data associated with an application;

determining identifying information for the data, wherein the identifying information comprises an entity related to the information;

organizing the identifying information into a data structure, the data structure comprising a first record including the identifying information, wherein first record is linked to a second record, the second record including an identity of the entity; and

storing the data structure in a searchable repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information further comprises an identification of the application, a subject of the data, a person related to the entity, and a reference to a storage location of the data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first record is linked to a third record, the third record including an identity of the person related to the entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identity of the person includes a name of the person and an address of the person.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating a master application, the master application configured to generate entity data, the entity data including the identity of the entity;

receiving the entity data from the master application; and

generating the second record based on the entity data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interface to receive entity data for the entity, the entity data including the identity of the entity;

receiving the entity data from the interface; and

generating the second record based on the entity data.

7. An apparatus for classifying data, the apparatus comprising:

an application interface configured to couple with a plurality of applications;

a searchable repository; and

a translation engine configured to couple with the application interface and the searchable repository, wherein the translation engine is configured to receive data associated with an application of the plurality of applications;

determine identifying information for the data, wherein the identifying information comprises an entity related to the information;

organize the identifying information into a data structure;

the data structure comprising a first record including the identifying information, wherein first record is linked to a second record, the second record including an identity of the entity; and

store the data structure in the searchable repository.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the translation engine is further configured to determine an identification of the application, a subject of the data, a person related to the entity, a reference to a storage location of the data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the translation engine is further configured to link the first record a third record, the third record including an identity of the person related to the entity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the translation engine is further configured to include in the third record a name of the person and an address of the person.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the translation engine is further configured to designate a master application, the master application configured to generate entity data, the entity data including the identity of the entity;

receive the entity data from the master application; and

generate the second record based on the entity data.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the application interface is further configured to generate an interface to receive entity data for the entity, the entity data including the identity of the entity and the translation engine is further configured to receive the entity data from the interface;

and create the second record based on the entity data.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a search engine coupled to the searchable repository, the search engine configured to search the searchable repository based on the entity.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the translation engine is further configured to include a set of rules, wherein the set of rules defines a method to determine the identifying information for the data.

15. A system for classifying data, the system comprising:

a server configured to store and execute a plurality of applications for a plurality of users, wherein each user is configured to be assigned a respective application space to execute the plurality of applications and each application of the plurality;

a searchable repository configured to be accessible to the plurality of users; and

an data classification module configured to execute in the application space and to couple with the plurality of applications and the searchable repository, wherein the data classification module is configured to receive data associated with an application of the plurality of applications;

determine identifying information for the data, wherein the identifying information comprises an entity related to the information;

organize the identifying information into a data structure;

the data structure comprising a first record including the identifying information, wherein first record is linked to a second record, the second record including an identity of the entity; and

store the data structure in the searchable repository.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the data classification module is further configured to determine an identification of the application, a subject of the data, a person related to the entity, a reference to a storage location of the data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the data classification module is further configured to link the first record a third record, the third record including an identity of the person related to the entity.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the data classification module is further configured to designate a master application, the master application configured to generate entity data, the entity data including the identity of the entity;

receive the entity data from the master application; and

generate the second record based on the entity data.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the data classification module is further configured to generate an interface to receive entity data for the entity, the entity data including the identity of the entity and the data classification module is further configured to receive the entity data from the interface;

and create the second record based on the entity data.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a search engine coupled to the searchable repository, the search engine configured to search the searchable repository based on the entity.