Information system and method using analysis based on object-centric longitudinal data

• US 6,631,384 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Algoplus Consulting Limited
• Original Assignee: Algoplus Consulting Limited
• Inventors: Richman, Alex, Hudak, Mark, Richman, Elliott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu M
• Application Number:
  US09/654,911
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/102, 707/500, 707/513, 303/126, 342/29, 600/300, 701/29, 701/120, 701/123, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2465 Query processing support for facilitating data mining operations in structured databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2477 Temporal data queries
• 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 computerized information system and method using object-centric virtual database(s) and analyses advantageously suited to transportation safety applications, such as for the aviation industry (in which case aircraft may be the unit of observation i.e. the object class, and the individual object is an individual aircraft), as well as for health and other safety monitoring applications. A database comprises at least one set of data records, each data record pertaining to an event for an individual object and comprising a plurality of data fields, at least one of the data fields comprising an identifier identifying one individual object. A user interface component receives user-selected criteria for field values of the data fields and a selection component selects those data records which correspond to the user-selected criteria. An analysis component identifies the selected data records according to a chronological sequence of events for individual objects covered by the selected data records, whereby each individual object covered by the selected data records is associated with a longitudinal set of data records, and derives output data for the events from the longitudinal sets of data records.

Claims

1. An information system for analysing data comprised of events pertaining to an object class wherein the object class is aircraft and an individual object is an individual aircraft having one or more identifiers unique to that individual aircraft, the system comprising:

(a) a data access component configured for accessing a database comprising multiple, integrated sets of data records derived from different sources whereby each data record pertains to an event for an individual object and comprises data fields, the data fields comprising multiple identifiers identifying said individual object;

(b) a user interface component for receiving user-selected criteria for field values of the data fields;

(c) a pre-processor component configured for identifying multiple sub-databases from the data records of the database whereby each sub-database comprises data records identified by a different identifier, or a different set of identifiers, than those of the other sub-databases;

(d) a selection component configured for selecting from one or more of the sub-databases the data records which correspond to the user-selected criteria; and

,

(e) an analysis component configured for;

analysing the selected data records including identifying the selected data records according to a chronological sequence of events for individual objects covered by those selected data records, whereby each individual object covered by the selected data records is associated with a longitudinal set of data records; and

deriving output data for the events from the longitudinal sets of data records.

2. An information system according to claim 1 wherein the information provided by one said set of data records is used to supplement other data records of said database.

3. An information system according to claim 2 wherein the information provided by another one of said sets of data records is used to correct erroneous data field values in data records obtained from any said source.

4. An information system according to claim 3 wherein data records are service difficulty reports each said report pertaining to one said individual aircraft.

5. An information system according to claim 4 wherein said analysis component is configured for standardizing said data reports and individual objects as between the different originating sources thereof.

6. An information system according to claim 5 wherein said standardizing is performed on the basis of the traffic patterns for each aircraft and the types of aircraft models of each said originating source.

7. An information system according to claim 2 and further comprising a graphizer output component configured for graphically displaying said output data by multi-result inter-related graphs.

8. An information system according to claim 2 wherein said analysis component is configured for identifying chronological trends for one or more said individual objects and/or data records.

9. An information system according to claim 1 wherein said analysis component is configured for surveiling said events on a chronological basis for one or more said individual objects.

10. An information system according to claim 1 wherein said analysis component is configured for comparing, on a chronological basis and measured from a user-selected event, the events pertaining to one said individual object and the events pertaining to a user-selected comparison group of said objects.

11. An information system according to claim 1 wherein said analysis component is configured for normalizing the field values for a set of data fields and outputting the resulting normalized data.

12. An information system according to claim 1 wherein said analysis component is configured for identifying related data records of said data records.

13. An information system according to claim 1 wherein said analysis component is configured for identifying a statistically high number of events for an individual object within a designated time period.

14. An information system according to claim 1 wherein said analysis component is configured for rating said originating sources of said data records on the basis of the diligence of said originating sources in reporting events.

15. A method for analyzing data comprised of events pertaining to an object class, said method comprising the steps:

(a) accessing a database comprising at least one set of data records whereby each data record pertains to an individual said object and comprises a plurality of data fields, at least one of said data fields comprising an identifier identifying one said individual object;

(b) receiving user-selected criteria for field values of said data fields;

(c) selecting those of said data records which correspond to said user-selected criteria; and

,

(d) analyzing said data records including identifying said selected data records according to a chronological sequence of events for individual objects covered by said selected data records, whereby each said individual object covered by said selected data records is associated with a longitudinal set of data records, and deriving output data for said events from said longitudinal sets of data records.