Data retrieval method and apparatus with multiple source capability
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising;
- providing a driver which issues instructions for accessing data which may be stored in either of first and second different data sources, said driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source;
using said driver to automatically obtain information about the data structure of said first data source without the need for human analysis of the first data source by accessing content of information stored in said first data source and mapping at least some information in said data source to procedures which provide a corresponding item in a new database, wherein said information about the data structure leads to optimization of said new database in which information from said first database is to be stored; and
creating a report from said new database.
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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
29 Claims
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1. 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, said driver containing program instructions configured for use in connection with said first data source;
using said driver to automatically obtain information about the data structure of said first data source without the need for human analysis of the first data source by accessing content of information stored in said first data source and mapping at least some information in said data source to procedures which provide a corresponding item in a new database, wherein said information about the data structure leads to optimization of said new database in which information from said first database is to be stored; and
creating a report from said new database.
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2. A computer-implemented method usable in connection with accessing data which may be stored in either of first and second different data sources, the method comprising:
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a first step in 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 the data structure of said first data source without the need for human analysis of the first data source by automatically accessing content of information stored in said first data source;
using said first information to define a structure for a first database different from said data sources wherein said first database did not exist before said step for using said first driver to automatically obtain first information; and
generating at least a first report based on information in said first database.
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3. A computer-implemented method usable in connection with at least a first data source which stores first source data, said first source data including accounting data, said accounting data being used according to an accounting system which has a plurality of account parts, the method comprising:
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using a computer to automatically obtain information about the data structure of said first data source without the need for human analysis of said first data source by accessing content of information stored in said first data source, wherein said information about the data structure includes information which can be used for optimizing a new database, if and when said new database is formed; and
storing at least some of said information about data structure in a data storage device. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented method usable in connection with at least a first data source which stores first source data, the method comprising:
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using a computer to automatically obtain information about the data structure of said first data source without the need for human analysis of said first data source by accessing content of information stored in said first data source, wherein said information about the data structure includes information which can be used for optimizing a new database, if and when said new database is formed; and
storing at least some of said information about data structure in a data storage device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification