Systems and methods for analyzing data

• US 7,437,268 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Hitchings, Seth H., Pathak, Heeren, Artz, Jr., John C., Kommers, Jefferson M., Barlos, Foti
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US10/738,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 702/81, 702/127, 702/182, 702/183, 702/186, 702/188, 705/7, 705/11, 705/26, 705/1, 701/29, 713/200, 709/206, 709/224, 709/244, 709/245, 709/223, 707/3, 706/12
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems and methods for collecting and categorizing data and initiating analyses of the data based on the detection of conditions associated with the data. One embodiment is a method including the steps of collecting data from a data source, categorizing or otherwise transforming the data, determining when one or more predetermined conditions relating to the collected data are met, and initiating one or more corresponding analyses of the data upon detection of the predetermined conditions. The detection of the predetermined conditions and the initiation of corresponding analyses can be recursive, in that the results of one analysis can be collected and then re-analyzed, with or without other data. The analyses can be performed cooperatively by multiple devices. The method can be entirely automated in order to improve the efficiency of the analyses.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting a set of business data from a plurality of data generating devices residing on a distributed computer network;

storing the collected business data in a database;

monitoring the stored collected business data to determine whether one or more predetermined conditions are met, wherein one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions comprises the occurrence of an event related to the data, the receipt of one or more pieces of the set of business data, and a schedule;

upon detection of one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions, initiating one or more analyses of the collected business data wherein the one or more analyses correspond to the one or more predetermined conditions, wherein an analysis comprises one or more of generating additional data for further analysis, determining revenues associated with the data and determining effectiveness of resources associated with the data;

examining data resulting from the one or more analyses to determine whether one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions are met;

if a predetermined condition is met, initiating at least one additional analysis on the set of business data; and

storing analysis data resulting from one or more of the one or more analyses and the at least one additional analysis on a computer readable medium.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming the collected business data and storing the transformed collected business data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises categorizing the collected business data and wherein storing the transformed collected business data comprises storing the collected business data according to one or more categories.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises computing additional data based upon the collected business data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising examining the collected business data, wherein determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met is based at least in part on the examination of the collected business data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether one or more predetermined conditions are met comprises determining whether predetermined data has been collected.

7. The method of claim 1, where initiating one or more analyses of the collected business data comprises providing a notification to an analysis engine that a corresponding one of the one or more predetermined conditions has been met.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming the data resulting from the one or more analyses.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to at least one of the one or more analyses of the collected business data being initiated, distributing information from a first analysis device to at least one other analysis device, wherein the first analysis device and the at least one other analysis device each performs a portion of the at least one of the one or more analyses.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiation of the one or more corresponding analyses is recursive.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the business data includes at least one of sales data, revenue data, customer data, purchase orders or marketing data collected in the ordinary course of business irrespective of the first and second set of conditions.

12. A system comprising:

a data source configured to generate a set of business data independent of one or more analyses applied to the set of business data;

an analysis engine configured to initiate one or more analyses of sets of data that include the set of business data; and

a condition monitor;

wherein the data source, the analysis engine, and the condition monitor reside on a distributed computer network;

wherein the condition monitor is configured to monitor the stored collected business data to determine whether one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions has been met, wherein one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions comprises the occurrence of an event related to the data, the receipt of one or more pieces of the set of business data, and a schedule; and

wherein the condition monitor is operable to, upon detection of a condition being met, signal the analysis engine to initiate one or more analyses of the first set of business data, wherein an analysis comprises one or more of generating additional data for further analysis, determining revenues associated with one of the sets of data and determining effectiveness of resources associated with one of the sets of business data,

wherein the condition monitor is operable to examine the data resulting from the one or more analyses to determine whether any of the predetermined conditions are met,

wherein the analysis engine is further operable to, upon determination that a predetermined condition is met, initiate at least one additional analysis on the set of business data.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a transformation engine operable to transform the business data, and a storage device configured to store the transformed business data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transformation engine is operable to transform the business data by categorizing the business data and wherein the storage device is operable to store the transformed business data according to one or more categories.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the transformation engine is operable to transform the business data by computing additional data based upon the business data.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the condition monitor is operable to examine the business data, wherein determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met is based at least in part on the examination of the business data.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the condition monitor is operable to determine whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met by determining whether an event has occurred.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the condition monitor is operable to determine whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met by determining whether predetermined data has been collected.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the condition monitor is operable to initiate one or more analyses of the business data comprises by providing a notification to the analysis engine that a corresponding one of the one or more predetermined conditions has been met.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of analysis data produced by the analysis engine is collected, wherein determining whether at least one of the one or more conditions are met is based upon the collected analysis data.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the analysis engine comprises a first analysis device and at least one other analysis device, wherein the first analysis device, in response to initiation of at least one of the one or more analyses of the data, distributes information to the at least one other analysis device, wherein the first analysis device and the at least one other analysis device each performs a portion of the at least one of the one or more analyses.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the initiation of the one or more corresponding analyses is recursive.

23. A method comprising:

collecting a set of business from a plurality of data generating devices residing on a distributed computer network;

storing the collected business data in a database;

monitoring the stored collected business data to determine whether one or more predetermined conditions are met, wherein one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions comprises the occurrence of an event related to the data, the receipt of one or more pieces of the set of business data, and a schedule;

upon detection of the one or more predetermined condition, initiating one or more analyses of the stored collected business data, wherein an analysis comprises one or more of generating additional data for further analysis, determining revenues associated with the data and determining effectiveness of resources associated with the data, wherein the business data includes at least one of sales data, revenue data, customer data, purchase orders or marketing data collected in the ordinary course of business irrespective of the one or more predetermined conditions;

examining data resulting from the one or more analyses to determine whether one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions are met;

if a predetermined condition is met, initiating at least one additional analysis on the same stored collected business data and

storing data from one or more of the analysis of the business data and the at least one additional analysis on a computer readable medium.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein collecting and storing the business data comprises transforming the collected business data and storing the transformed collected business data.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises categorizing the collected business data and wherein storing the transformed collected business data comprises storing the collected business data according to one or more categories.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises computing additional data based upon the collected business data.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising examining the collected business data, wherein determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met is based at least in part on the examination of the collected business data.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether one or more predetermined conditions are met comprises determining whether predetermined data has been collected.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein initiating one or more analyses of the collected business data comprises providing a notification to the analysis engine that a corresponding one of the one or more predetermined conditions has been met.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising transforming the data resulting from the one or more analyses.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising, in response to at least one of the one or more analyses of the collected business data being initiated, distributing information from a first analyses device to at least one other analysis device, wherein the first analysis device and the at least one other analysis device each performs a portion of the at least one of the one or more analyses.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the initiation of the one or more corresponding analyses is recursive.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein initiating one or more analyses of the collected business data comprises providing a notification to the analysis engine that a corresponding one of the one or more predetermined conditions has been met.

34. A computer readable medium, comprising instructions translatable for:

collecting a set of business data from a plurality of data generating devices residing on a distributed computer network;

storing the collected business data in a database;

monitoring the stored collected business data to determine whether one or more predetermined conditions are met, wherein one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions comprises the occurrence of an event related to the data, the receipt of one or more pieces of the set of business data, and a schedule;

upon detection of the one or more predetermined conditions, initiating one or more analyses of the stored collected business data, wherein an analysis comprises one or more of generating additional data for further analysis, determining revenues associated with the data and determining effectiveness of resources associated with the data;

examining data resulting from the one or more analyses to determine whether any of the predetermined conditions are met;

if a predetermined condition is met, initiating at least one additional analysis on the data resulting from the one or more analyses; and

storing data resulting from one or more of the analysis of the business data and the at least one additional analysis on the computer readable medium.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising transforming the collected business data and storing the transformed data.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises categorizing the collected business data and wherein storing the transformed data comprises storing the collected data according to one or more categories.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises computing additional data based upon the collected business data.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising examining the collected business data, wherein determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met is based at least in part on the examination of the collected business data.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein determining whether one or more predetermined conditions are met comprises determining whether predetermined data has been collected.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising transforming the data resulting from the one or more analyses.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising, in response to at least one of the one or more analyses of the collected business data being initiated, distributing information from a first analysis device to at least one other analysis device, wherein the first analysis device and the at least one other analysis device each performs a portion of the at least one of the one or more analyses.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the initiation of the one or more corresponding analyses is recursive.

43. The compute readable medium of claim 34, wherein the business data includes at least one of sales data, revenue data, customer data, purchase orders or marketing data collected in the ordinary course of business irrespective of the first and second set of conditions.

44. A computer readable medium, comprising instructions translatable for:

collecting a set of business data from a plurality of data generating devices residing on a distributed computer network;

storing the set of collected business data in a database;

monitoring the set of stored collected business data to determine whether one or more predetermined conditions are met, wherein one or more of the one or more predetermined conditions comprises the occurrence of an event related to the data, the receipt of one or more pieces of the set of business data, and a schedule;

upon detection of the one or more predetermined condition, initiating one or more analyses of the stored collected business data, wherein an analysis comprises one or more of generating additional data for further analysis, determining revenues associated with the data and determining effectiveness of resources associated with the data, wherein the business data includes at least one of sales data, revenue data, customer data, purchase orders or marketing data collected in the ordinary course of business irrespective of the one or more predetermined conditions;

examining data resulting from the one or more analyses to determine whether any of the predetermined conditions are met;

if a predetermined condition is met, initiating at least one additional analysis on the collected business data; and

storing resulting data from one or more of the analysis of the business data and the at least one additional analysis on the computer readable medium.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, further comprising transforming the collected business data and storing the transformed collected business data.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises categorizing the collected business data and wherein storing the transformed data comprises storing the collected business data according to one or more categories.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein transforming the collected business data comprises computing additional data based upon the collected business data.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the instructions are translatable for:

examining the collected business data, wherein determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met is based at least in part on the examination of the collected business data.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein determining whether one or more conditions are met comprises determining whether predetermined data has been collected.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein initiating one or more analyses of the collected business data comprises providing a notification to the analysis engine that a corresponding one of the one or more predetermined conditions has been met.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein data resulting from at least one of the one or more analyses is collected, wherein determining whether at least one of the one or more conditions are met is based upon the collected analysis result data.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the instructions are further translatable for:

in response to at least one of the one or more analyses of the collected data being initiated, distributing information to at least one other analysis device, wherein the first analysis device and the at least one other analysis device each performs a portion of the at least one of the one or more analyses.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the initiation of the one or more corresponding analyses is recursive.