Normalizing records

• US 8,090,711 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burger, Kenneth Joseph, DeStefano, George Francis, Funk, Susan Judith, Streit, Andrew James
• Primary Examiner(s): Betit, Jacob F
• Application Number:
  US10/675,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,017 Days
• Field of Search: 707/723, 707/802, 715/201
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

A method, storage medium, and electronic device that in an embodiment register a plurality of information suppliers and a plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of respective information suppliers. One of the plurality of areas of interest associated with one of the plurality of information suppliers is found that matches a field of interest requested by a client. A plurality of records is requested from the one of the plurality of information suppliers. A model norm is created based on a data dictionary, wherein a format of the data dictionary is standardized by an agreement among the plurality of information suppliers. A subset of a plurality of characteristics is selected from the plurality of records based on the model norm. A report is prepared with the subset.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

registering a plurality of information suppliers and a plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of respective information suppliers;

finding one of the plurality of areas of interest associated with one of the plurality of information suppliers that matches a field of interest requested by a client;

requesting a plurality of records from the one of the plurality of information suppliers;

creating a model norm based on a data dictionary, wherein a format of the data dictionary is standardized by an agreement among the plurality of information suppliers;

selecting a subset of a plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records based on the model norm;

preparing a report with the subset;

ordering the subset of the plurality of characteristics in the report based on a relative significance of the characteristics in the model norm, wherein the relative significance specifies a different order of the characteristics than the plurality of records;

ordering the plurality of records in the report based on a sort rule in the model norm;

receiving a favored norm from the one of the plurality of information suppliers of a selected record in the report;

selecting a second subset of the plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records, wherein the favored norm specifies the second subset; and

creating a second report with the second subset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparing the report further comprises:

preparing extra characteristics not in the subset in a least-significant column of the report as a sequence of name-value pairs.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the preparing, extra characteristics further comprises:

ordering the name-value pairs based on a relative significance in a favored norm.

4. A storage medium comprising:

means for registering a plurality of information suppliers and a plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of respective information suppliers;

means for finding one of the plurality of areas of interest associated with one of the plurality of information suppliers that matches a field of interest requested by a client;

means for requesting a plurality of records from the one of the plurality of information suppliers;

means for creating a model norm based on a data dictionary, wherein a format of the data dictionary is standardized by an agreement among the plurality of information suppliers;

means for selecting a subset of a plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records based on the model norm;

means for preparing a report with the subset;

means for ordering the subset of the plurality of characteristics in the report based on a relative significance of the characteristics in the model norm, wherein the relative significance specifies a different order of the characteristics than the plurality of records;

means for receiving a favored norm from the one of the plurality of information suppliers of a selected record in the report;

means for selecting a second subset of the plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records, wherein the favored norm specifies the second subset; and

means for creating a second report with the second subset.

5. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the means for preparing further comprises:

means for preparing extra characteristics not in the subset in a least-significant column of the report as a sequence of name-value pairs.

6. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the means for preparing further comprises:

means for preparing extra characteristics not in the subset in a series of columns ordered based on a relative significance in a favored norm.

7. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the means for preparing further comprises:

means for preparing an indicator of whether extra characteristics not in the subset are available.

8. The storage medium of claim 4, further comprising:

means for ordering the plurality of records in the report based on a sort rule in the model norm.

9. A storage medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

registering a plurality of information suppliers and a plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of respective information suppliers;

finding one of the plurality of areas of interest associated with one of the plurality of information suppliers that matches a field of interest requested by a client;

requesting a plurality of records from the one of the plurality of information suppliers;

creating a model norm based on a data dictionary, wherein a format of the data dictionary is standardized by an agreement among the plurality of information suppliers;

selecting a subset of a plurality of characteristics from a plurality of records received from the one of a plurality of information suppliers, wherein the selecting of the subset is based on the model norm;

preparing a first report with the subset, wherein the preparing further comprises ordering the plurality of records in the first report based on a sort rule in the model norm;

ordering the subset of the plurality of characteristics in the first report based on a relative significance of the characteristics in the model norm, wherein the relative significance specifies a different order of the characteristics than the records;

receiving a favored norm from the one of the plurality of information suppliers;

selecting a second subset of the plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records, wherein the favored norm specifies the second subset; and

creating a second report with the second subset.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the creating further comprises:

ordering the subset of the plurality of characteristics in the second report based on a relative significance in the favored norm.

11. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the creating further comprises:

ordering the plurality of records in the second report based on a sort rule in the favored norm.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed on the processor comprise;

registering a plurality of information suppliers and a plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of respective information suppliers;

finding the plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of information suppliers that match a field of interest requested by a client;

requesting a plurality of records from the plurality of information suppliers;

creating a model norm based on a data dictionary, wherein a format of the data dictionary is standardized by an agreement among the plurality of information suppliers,

selecting a first subset of a plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records received from the plurality of information suppliers, wherein the selecting the first subset is based on the model norm,

preparing a first report with the first subset,

ordering the first subset of the plurality of characteristics in the first report based on a relative significance of the characteristics in the model norm, wherein the relative significance specifies a different order of the characteristics than the records,

ordering the plurality of records in the first report based on a sort rule in the model norm,

receiving a favored norm from one of the plurality of information suppliers, wherein the one of the plurality of information suppliers is associated with a selected record in the first report,

selecting a second subset of the plurality of characteristics from the plurality of records, wherein the favored norm specifies the second subset, and

creating a second report with the second subset.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the creating further comprises:

ordering the second subset in the second report based on a relative significance in the favored norm.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the creating further comprises:

ordering the plurality of records in the second report based on a sort rule in the favored norm.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise:

propagating the plurality of records with a default value specified in the model norm if the plurality of records lack a value.