Data extractor

• US 6,339,773 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Naphtali Rishe
• Inventors: Rishe, Naphtali
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US09/415,998
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/101, 707/10, 709/217, 709/250, 709/202, 345/357, 395/200.47, 395/200.8, 705/3, 705/39, 705/40
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/944 Business related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A data extractor system for extraction, deformatting, and postformatting of data available on the WWW. A user, connected to the Internet/Web, contacts a fee-based intermediate data service which provides an interface to determine various aspects of the user'"'"'s query, including output format. The intermediate data service generates a Java stripping agent which is sent to the user'"'"'s browser to interface with a third party data provider. The Java stripping agent contains the knowledge to strip away the formatting of user interfaces. The system will allow buffering and streamlining between the user and web data providers; converting visual presentation of information into data for further processing, translating one data request into a cascade of data requests and pasting results together, filtering data output; allowing a variety of presentations of data different from the original presentation; optional dataflow between the user'"'"'s applications and the third-party data providers bypassing interactive interfaces.

Claims

1. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user comprising the method:

receiving at said data extracion service a request from said end user comprising a database query to a data supplier;

said data extracton service providing a graphical user interface to said end user, said graphical user interface requesting at least data output formatting requirements;

said data extraction service generating a java agent based on at least said database query and formatting requirements;

said data extraction service communicating said java agent to said end user;

said end user implementing locally said java agent to extract data from said data supplier, said data further comprising multiple first data sets that are joined into a second data set, said second data set returned to said end user in said format specified, and said data exaction service billing said end user for use of the created java agents.

2. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 1, wherein said data extraction includes stripping formatting information and reformatting in the requested format.

3. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 2, wherein said step of stripping formatting information includes stripping H sML formatting.

4. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 2, wherein said step of stripping formatting information includes tripping graphics from HTML data.

5. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 2, wherein said stripping and reformatting is performed locally at the end user'"'"'s location.

6. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 5, wherein said stripping and reformatting is performed in realtime.

7. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 1, wherein said agents are retained by said data extraction service for future use.

8. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 1, wherein said user interface further includes a selection from known data suppliers.

9. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 1, wherein said user interface further includes SQL query capability.

10. An E-commerce system generating revenues by providing a data extraction service for an end user as per claim 1, wherein said user interface further requests a language formal. to return data to said end user.

12. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 1, wherein said requestor is billed for the services provided by said intermediate service provider.

11. A Web based system for data extraction comprising:

a data requestor connected to the Web;

a third party data provider;

an intermediate service provider, said intermediate service provider receiving a request for data from said requester for data located at said third party data provider;

said intermediate service provider providing a graphical user interface to said requestor, said graphical user interface requesting at least data formatting requirements;

said intermediate service provider generating a java agent based on at least said request for data and formatting requirements;

said intermediate service provider comnunicating said java agent to said requestor;

said end user implementing said java agent to extract data from said data supplier, said data further comprising multiple first data sets that are joined into a second data set, and

said second data set returned to said end user in said format specified.

13. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 11, wherein said data extraction includes stripping formatting information and reformatting in the requested format.

14. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 13, wherein said step of stripping formatting information includes stripping HTML formatting.

15. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 13, wherein said step of stripping formatting information includes stripping a graphics from HTML data.

16. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 13, wherein said stripping and reformatting is performed locally at the end user'"'"'s location.

17. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 11, wherein said stripping and reformatting is performed in real-time.

18. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 11, wherein said agents are retained by said intermediate service provider for future use.

19. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 11, wherein said graphical user interface further includes a selection from known data suppliers.

20. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 11, wherein said graphical user interface further includes SQL Capability.

21. A Web based system for data extraction as per claim 11, wherein said graphical user interface further requests a language parameter to return data to said end user.

22. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers comprising:

receiving from a request for data from a computer user connected to a computer network,

contacting a data extraction service provider;

said data extraction service provider requesting at least a source and output format of a data query, and

said data extraction service provider requesting to said computer user a stripping agent to reformat said data from said source format to said output format and to enable said computer user to obtain said data from said data source in the requested output format,

said data from said data source further comprising multiple first data sets and said reformatting of said data further comprising joining said multiple first data sets into a single, second data set.

23. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said stripping agent strips formatting information including HTML.

24. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said stripping agent strips formatting information including graphics from HTML data.

25. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said stripping and formatting is performed locally at the computer user'"'"'s location.

26. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said stripping and formatting is performed in real-time.

27. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said stripping agents are retained by said data extraction service provider for future use.

28. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said step of said data extraction service provider requesting at least a source and output format of a data query is provided by a user interface.

29. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 28, wherein said user interface further includes SQL capability.

30. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 28, wherein said graphical user interface further requests a language parameter to return data to said end user.

31. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 28, wherein said graphical user interface further includes as selection from known data suppliers.

32. A computer-based method of extracting data in a selected format from third party data providers as per claim 22, wherein said requestor is billed for the services provided by said data extraction service provider.