Collection and integration of internet and electronic commerce data in a database during web browsing

• US 6,128,624 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Papierniak, Karen A., Chiang, Luo-Jen, Thaisz, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US08/969,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-5, 707/100-104, 707/10, 707/200-204, 707/513, 707/501, 707/503, 705/35, 705/37, 705/39, 705/16, 705/26, 705/27, 705/21, 705/10, 706/45, 706/46, 706/47, 395/200.33, 395/200.48, 395/200.34, 380/9, 380/21, 380/22, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 380/201, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system integrates data elements from an operational database of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and Commerce Service Provider (CSP) into a predetermined format for supporting collection of the Internet and/or electronic commerce data. The system includes a database storing the electronic commerce data for interrogation by the ISP/CSP, a user station, and a design database. The design database includes a logical data model providing a description of the database facilitating the integration of the Internet and/or electronic commerce data and facilitating query and report access of the database. The design database also includes a formatted file library providing classifications including at least one of process characterizations, customer descriptions, preference determinations, and behavior patterns, the classifications being reusable for at least one of different technical processes and different customer problems. An optional a user interface is also provided which is capable of providing the functions of query access and report access of the design database.

Claims

1. In a computer system for supporting and analyzing Internet and electronic commerce data over the World Wide Web for service providers, the computer system including at least one user station transmitting a user request, at least one server, connectable to said at least one user station, said at least one server providing said at least one user station access to external data sources being in a plurality of different data formats, and at least one data collection and analysis system, a system of integrating data elements from an operational database of the service provider including at least one of an Internet service provider (ISP) and a commerce service provider (CSP) into a predetermined format for supporting collection and integration of the Internet and electronic commerce data, comprising:

a database storing the integrated electronic commerce and Internet data for interrogation by the service provider wherein the electronic commerce data is merchant transaction data recording a specific purchasing transaction and the Internet data is data collected during web browsing by a user; and

a user station, responsively connectable to said database and including a design database storing;

a logical data model providing a description of the database facilitating the integration of the plurality of different formats of Internet and electronic commerce data and facilitating query and report access of the database;

a formatted file library providing classifications including at least one of process characterizations, customer descriptions, preference determinations, and behavior patterns, the classifications being reusable for at least one of different technical processes and different customer problems; and

a user interface capable of providing the query access and report access of the design database.

2. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the electronic commerce data includes environmental data, and the environmental data includes at least one of how long files are kept on a server without deleting, how current is the data, how often is the data refreshed, how the data is updated, how the data is manipulated over time, the physical location, and the point of presence.

3. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and extendable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the Internet and electronic commerce data includes business data, and the business data includes at least one of pre-paid user services, how the user purchases services and products, user discounts, billing rates, free subscriptions, and free information.

4. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and extendable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the design database stores information source requirements, and the information source requirements include at least one of physical location and logical location where the information is located.

5. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the design database stores core business rules, and the core business rules include a minimum predetermined set of rules used to conduct customer business operation including administering a customer account.

6. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the design database stores core data sources, and the core data sources include a minimum predetermined data set which the customer is required to supply to perform the subsequent retrieval of the information.

7. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the Internet and electronic commerce data information is retrieved from a distributed on-line, and interactive environment including multiple client browsers.

8. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 7, wherein the multiple clients or client browsers are capable of accessing a SmartEC decisions server storing information.

9. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 8, wherein the multiple client browsers are capable of accessing a server storing information including customer support material and sales campaign schedules.

10. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined but flexible format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata is used to WebTrack and define the Internet and electronic commerce data stored in said database and sources of the Internet and electronic commerce data feeding said database.

11. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined but flexible format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein said system is capable of reading a dataset and integrating the dataset into said database as metadata.

12. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, further comprising a translator providing an access function to access the logical data model and the formatted file library stored in said design database.

13. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata includes a description of elements stored in said database in accordance with a core design.

14. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 13, wherein the core design provides an information structure that supports pre-defined decision support functionality.

15. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata provides a comprehensive description of each component and source of the Internet and electronic commerce data used to populate said database.

16. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 1, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata comprises schema for Internet/web data sources, and schema for operational data sources.

17. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 16, wherein the schema for Internet/web data sources includes type of system logs, description of each log, location of each log, data format for each log entry, and operational considerations.

18. A system of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the electronic commerce data according to claim 16, wherein the schema for operational data sources includes tables, files and/or data elements that must be added to said database to enable decision-support functionality.

19. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection and integration of the Internet and electronic commerce data being in a plurality of different data formats using a computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing the integrated electronic commerce and Internet data for interrogation by the service provider in a database wherein the electronic commerce data is merchant transaction data recording a specific purchasing transaction and the Internet data is data collected during web browsing by a user;

(b) storing in a design database a logical data model providing a description of the database facilitating the integration of the plurality of different data formats of the Internet and electronic commerce data and facilitating query and report access of at least one of the databases and the design database;

(c) storing a formatted file library providing classifications including at least one of process characterizations, customer descriptions, preference determinations, and behavior patterns, the classifications being reusable for at least one of different technical processes and different customer problems; and

(d) providing the query access and report access to the design database.

20. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 19, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata is used to track and define the Internet and electronic commerce data stored in said database and sources of the Internet and electronic commerce data feeding said database.

21. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 19, wherein said method is capable of reading a dataset and integrating the dataset into said database as metadata.

22. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 19, further comprising a translator providing an access function to access the logical data model and the formatted file library stored in said design database.

23. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 19, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata includes a description of elements stored in said database in accordance with a core design.

24. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 23, wherein the core design provides an information structure that supports pre-defined decision-support functionality.

25. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 19, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata provides a comprehensive description of each component and source of the Internet and electronic commerce data used to populate said database.

26. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 19, wherein the logical data model and the formatted file library comprise metadata, and the metadata comprises schema for Internet/web data sources, and schema for operational data sources.

27. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 26, wherein the schema for Internet/web data sources includes type of system logs, description of each log, location of each log, data format for each log entry, and operational considerations.

28. A method of integrating data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection of the Internet and electronic commerce data according to claim 26, wherein the schema for operational data sources includes tables, files and/or data elements that must be added to said database to enable decision-support functionality.

29. A computer program memory, storing computer instructions to integrate data elements from an operational database of a service provider into a predetermined and expandable format for supporting collection and integration of the Internet and electronic commerce data over one or more networks, the integrated electronic commerce and Internet data being in a plurality of different data formats, the computer instructions including:

(a) storing in a design database a logical data model providing a description of the database facilitating the integration of the plurality of different data formats of Internet and electronic commerce data and facilitating at least one of query and report access to the design database, the electronic commerce data is merchant transaction data recording a specific purchasing transaction and the Internet data is data collected during web browsing by a user;

(b) storing a formatted file library providing classifications including at least one of process characterizations, customer descriptions, preference determinations, and behavior patterns, the classifications being reusable for at least one of different technical processes and different customer problems; and

(c) providing the query access and report access to the design database.