Method and apparatus for compiling business data

• US 7,136,880 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Media Direct Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Market Models Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilkins, Jeffrey K., Devdhar, Prashant P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov, Igor N.
• Application Number:
  US09/910,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20020099561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/8, 705/26, 707/1, 707/3, 707/6, 707/7, 707/100, 707/102, 707/8, 707/203, 715/513, 711/111, 711/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus of compiling and providing business data in a distributed computer system, preferably the Internet or any other type of computer linked network system. The present invention also provides a computer program product that contains business data compiled from files containing business data located in a distributed computer system. The present invention to provide a cost-effective method for automatically compiling a business data as well as an automated method for refreshing business data so as to keep it current. The advantage of the present invention is that it enables one to compile business data from files in a distributed computer system in a cost effective and time effective manner taking advantage of the large number of data that is available in a distributed computer system. Another advantage is that the present invention enables one to quickly update business data to stay current.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of compiling identity and contact information of senior managers in a distributed computer system, comprising the steps of:

a) compiling in a distributed computer system multiple, unrelated, structurally different information sources other than structured databases, wherein each information source is characterized as coded in a markup language file and wherein each of said markup language files contains a unique set of information compared to the other compiled markup language files;

b) identifying and obtaining from said compiled markup language files senior management information;

wherein

said senior management information includes at least one senior management title, names respectively associated to said title, and contact information respectively associated to said names, and wherein

said contact information is selected from the group consisting of email addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, postal addresses, and a combination thereof;

c) parsing through each of said markup language files to extract said senior management titles; and

performing the following computer-implemented steps for each title extracted;

d) determining in said markup language file a local content grouping near and associated with a particular title;

e) identifying and extracting from said markup language file a name associated with said title from only said local content grouping;

f) evaluating from said markup language file a current and historic relationship between said name and said title; and

g) selecting the most current said title and said associated name based on said evaluated current and historic relationship;

h) displaying said selected the most current said title and said associated name to a user.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said files having a corresponding uniform resource locator address (URL), further comprising the steps of:

scoring a confidence level of said name and said title;

determining which of said files having the highest score of said confidence level; and

recording the URL of the file with the highest score.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

evaluating each of said files to determine a corresponding confidence level of finding said senior management information and quantity thereof.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

evaluating each of said files to determine a corresponding confidence level of finding a set of keywords therein, said keywords identifying said senior management information.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files on corporate websites.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files on magazine websites.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files on newspaper websites.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files on press release websites.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files on professional websites.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files on association websites.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files using a publicly accessible search engine.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files using a custom designed spider.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said files contain semi-structured information.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said files Contain structured information.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files using a previously generated list of said files.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of locating said files using one or more tags.

17. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of extracting said senior management information using one or more tags.

18. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of creating a concordance table for associating one or more tags and keywords related to said senior management information with a rating system so that said senior management information is rated and bounded.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

identifying boundaries around said keywords; and

bounding said local content grouping based on said boundaries.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of extracting said name using inclusion and exclusion characteristics.

21. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of normalizing names and titles extracted from said files to a standard format.

22. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of eliminating duplicate sets of names and titles extracted from said files.

23. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of extracting date or time stamps of said files.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the step of evaluating said date or time stamps of said files.

25. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the step of evaluating said date or time stamps with date or time stamps of previously extracted files.

26. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the step of updating said name and said title using said date or time stamps.

27. A computer system of compiling identity and contact information of senior managers in a distributed computer system, comprising:

a processor, wherein said processor is programmed to;

a) compiling in said distributed computer system multiple, unrelated, structurally different information sources other than structured databases, wherein each information source is characterized as coded in a markup language file and wherein each of said markup language files contains a unique set of information compared to the other compiled markup language files;

b) identifying and obtaining from said compiled markup language files senior management information;

wherein

said senior management information includes at least one senior management title, names respectively associated to said title, and contact information respectively associated to said names, and wherein

said contact information is selected from the group consisting of email addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, postal addresses, and a combination thereof;

c) parsing through each of said markup language files to extract said senior management titles; and

performing the following computer-implemented steps for each title extracted;

d) determining in said markup language file a local content grouping near and associated with a particular title;

e) identifying and extracting from said markup language file a name associated with said title from only said local content grouping;

f) evaluating from said markup language file a current and historic relationship between said name and said title; and

g) selecting the most current said title and said associated name based on said evaluated current and historic relationship;

h) displaying said selected the most current said title and said associated name to a user.

28. A system of compiling identity and contact information of senior managers, comprising:

a compiling means to compile multiple, unrelated, structurally different information sources other than structured databases, wherein each information source is characterized as coded in a markup language file and wherein each of said markup language files contains a unique representation of information relative to the other markup language files;

an identifying means for identifying and obtaining from said compiled markup language files senior management information;

an integrity evaluation means for determining whether said markup language files are available and contain senior management information;

wherein

said senior management information includes at least one senior management title, names respectively associated to said title, and contact information respectively associated to said names, and wherein

said contact information is selected from the group consisting of email addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, postal addresses, and a combination thereof;

a parsing means for extracting from said markup language files said senior management titles and names associated therewith;

a evaluation means for determining from said markup language files a current and historic relationship of said titles and said names associated therewith, respectively; and

a selection means for selecting the most current said title and said associated name based on said determined current and historic relationship;

a displaying means for displaying said selected the most current said title and said associated name to a user.

29. A computer-readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, causing said computer to implement the method steps of:

a) compiling in a distributed computer system multiple, unrelated, structurally different information sources other than structured databases, wherein each information source is characterized as coded in a markup language file and wherein each of said markup language files contains a unique set of information compared to the other compiled markup language files;

b) identifying and obtaining from said compiled markup language files senior management information;

wherein

said senior management information includes at least one senior management title, names respectively associated to said title and contact information respectively associated to said names, and wherein

said contact information is selected from the group consisting of email addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, postal addresses, and a combination thereof;

c) parsing through each of said markup files to extract said senior management titles; and

performing the following computer-implemented steps for each title extracted;

d) determining in said markup language file a local content grouping near and associated with a particular title;

e) identifying and extracting from said markup language file a name associated with said title from only said local content grouping;

f) evaluating from said markup language file a current and historic relationship between said name and said title; and

g) selecting the most current said title and said associated name based on said evaluated current and historic relationship;

h) displaying said selected the most current said title and said associated name to a user.