Data retrieval method and apparatus with multiple source capability
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising;
- providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source, wherein said first data source includes data identifiers in a first language;
using said first drivers to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source;
determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure;
creating a database for storing at least some data from said first data source, said database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure;
wherein said database includes data identifiers in a second language, different from said first language.
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Abstract
Generation of output or reports on information contained in a data source which may be any of two or more types of source data, in a standardized or uniform manner is provided. A plurality of drivers are provided specific to different types of source data which include programming for identifying structural or other characteristics of the various data sources, e.g. for use in defining a new database. Preferably the new database is configured to permit highly flexible and/or rapid output or reporting or is otherwise optimized for reporting purposes. In one embodiment, the present invention includes conversion of one or more data sources into one or more uniform databases, preferably generating one or more key categories for organizing the data, optionally generating category groupings or rollups and additional data or optional references. In one embodiment, one or more databases are created which have a degree of uniformity of structure, even though they may be based on two or more different data sources which may have very different structures. The different data sources are automatically analyzed and this analysis can be used to identify and/or create categories of data for use in organizing the database.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising;
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providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source, wherein said first data source includes data identifiers in a first language; using said first drivers to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; creating a database for storing at least some data from said first data source, said database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure; wherein said database includes data identifiers in a second language, different from said first language. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer-implemented method comprising;
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providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source; using said first drivers to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; creating at least first and second databases for storing at least some data from said first data source, at least one of said first and second databases having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure; changing data in said second database to provide changed data; and automatically writing-back said changed data from said second database to said first database. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method comprising;
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receiving instructions from a user including at least a first natural language term; providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source; using said first driver to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source, wherein said first information is information needed to perform said instructions; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A computer-implemented method comprising;
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providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source; using said first drivers to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; creating at least first and second databases for storing at least some data from said first data source, at least one of said first and second databases having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure; inputting, at a first time, at least a first query for execution by said first database to produce a first query result; storing said first query result; inputting, at a second time, said first query; and outputting said first query result, in response to said step of inputting said first query at said second time, and without executing said first query after said second time. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. Apparatus usable in connection with accessing data stored in a first data source configured to generate at least a first output, said first data source having a first data source structure, the apparatus comprising a computer coupled to said first source and programmed for:
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providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in said first data source, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source, wherein said first data source includes data identifiers in a first language; using said first driver to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; creating a database for storing at least some data from said first data source, said database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure; wherein said database includes data identifiers in a second language, different from said first language.
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15. A computer-readable medium, having stored therein a computer program usable in connection with accessing data which may be stored in either of first and second different data sources, at least one of said first and second data sources configured to generate at least a first output, the computer program comprising instructions for
providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source, wherein said first data source includes data identifiers in a first language; -
using said first driver to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; creating a database for storing at least some data from said first data source, said database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure; wherein said database includes data identifiers in a second language, different from said first language.
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16. A computer-implemented method comprising;
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providing a first driver which issues instructions for accessing data stored in a first data source, said first data source having a first data source structure, said first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source; using said first driver to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; storing at least some data from said first data source into a database different from said data source said database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method, as claimed in clam 16, further comprising obtaining user input and wherein said step of using said first driver to automatically obtain first information comprises using said user input in automatically obtaining said first information.
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19. A computer-implemented method comprising;
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providing a driver which issues instructions for accessing data which may be stored in either of first and second different data sources, at least said first data source having a first data source structure, said driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source; and using said driver to automatically obtain information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source by accessing content of information stored in said first data source; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; mapping at least some information in said data source to procedures which provide a corresponding item in a new database, said new database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure, wherein said information about the first data source structure leads to optimization of said new database in which information from said first database is to be stored. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer-implemented method usable in connection with accessing data which may be stored in either of first and second different data sources, at least said first data source having a first data source structure, the method comprising:
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a first step for providing a first driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source in the absence of said first driver being configured for use in connection with said second data source; a second step for using said first driver to automatically obtain first information about said first data source structure without the need for human analysis of the first data source by automatically accessing content of information stored in said first data source and mapping at least some information in said first data source to procedures which provide a corresponding item in a new database; determining a structure for an object database from said first data source structure, wherein said structure for said object database is different from said first data source structure; using said first information to define a structure for said new database different from said data sources, said new database having said structure determined in said step of determining a structure, wherein said new database did not exist before said step for using said first driver to automatically obtain first information.
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Specification