Method and apparatus for gathering, categorizing and parameterizing data

• US 8,335,779 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Byteweavr, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gamroe Applications LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Keith, Robert Olan Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): DWIVEDI, MAHESH H
• Application Number:
  US13/103,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/709, 707/710, 707/711
• US Class Current: 707/710
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

An apparatus for and a method of gathering new data form a specific data source, categorizing this data into a hierarchical directory structure, and building parameters to further describe this data. A harvesting system is an application that can organize and locate external data; the harvesting system can be used to navigate, organize and locate this data. The harvesting system utilizes a defined data model, referred to as a core data structure, that describes the logical structure of the data. Within the core data structure are pointers, which refer back to the source data. The loading process can be manually done, or can be automatically accomplished using this harvesting process.

Claims

1. A method of linking data to a searchable database, the searchable database in a directory tree structure having nodes and branches, each node representing a category and each branch representing a relationship between nodes, wherein each node comprises rules for associating data with the node, the method comprising:

locating a first document to link to the searchable database;

parsing data in the first document to identify, from a plurality of attributes that are definable in the searchable database, a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the data in the first document;

parsing the data in the first document to obtain a value for each of the one or more attributes;

generating a second document associated with the first document, the second document comprising one or more tags, wherein each of the one or more tags comprises one of the one or more attributes and the parsed value for the one of the one or more attributes;

storing an object in an objects database, the object comprising the second document and a link to the first document;

determining, based on the number of attributes in the subset, that the second document satisfies the rules for associating the first document with a specific node in the searchable database; and

associating a pointer to the first document with the specific node, the pointer comprising a link based on the link in the stored object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

queuing the first document to be reviewed manually before determining the specific node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second document and determining the specific node are performed automatically.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first document is new to the searchable database before generating the second document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

determining that a predetermined number of the plurality of attributes associated with the specific node are defined by the one or more tags within the second document.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first document has been modified; and

modifying the object in the objects database corresponding to modifications to the first document.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein locating the first document comprises locating the first document on a network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that the first document is no longer accessible on the network; and

deleting, from the objects database, the object corresponding to the first document.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a plurality of nodes which are below the specific node in the directory tree structure;

determining that the one or more tags in the document satisfy the rules for associating data with at least one of the plurality of nodes; and

associating a pointer to the first document with the at least one of the plurality of nodes, the pointer comprising a link based on the link in the stored object.

10. A system for linking data to a searchable database, the searchable database in a directory tree structure having nodes and branches, the nodes representing a category and the branches representing relationships between the categories, wherein each node comprises rules for associating data with the node, the system comprising:

a communication mechanism configured to access a network;

an objects database; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to;

locate, on the network, a first document to link to the searchable database;

parse data in the first document to identify, from a plurality of attributes that are definable in the searchable database, a subset of the plurality of attributes associated with the data in the first document;

parse the data in the first document to obtain a value for each of the one or more attributes;

generate a second document associated with the first document, the second document comprising one or more tags, wherein each of the one or more tags comprises one of the one or more attributes and the parsed value for the one of the one or more attributes;

store an object in the objects database, the object comprising the second document and a link to the first document;

determine, based on the number of attributes in the subset, that the second document satisfies the rules for associating the first document with a specific node in the searchable database; and

associate a pointer to the first document with the specific node, the pointer comprising a link based on the link in the stored object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

queue the first document to be reviewed manually before determining the specific node.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the first document is new to the searchable database before generating the document.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the specific node by determining that a predetermined number of the plurality of attributes associated with the specific node are defined by the one or more tags within the second document.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the first document has been modified; and

modify the object in the objects database corresponding to modifications to the first document.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the first document is no longer accessible on the network; and

delete, from the objects database, the object corresponding to the first document.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a plurality of nodes which are below the specific node in the directory tree structure;

determine that the one or more tags in the document satisfy the rules for associating data with at least one of the plurality of nodes; and

associate a pointer to the first document with the at least one of the plurality of nodes, the pointer comprising a link based on the link in the stored object.

17. A system for linking data to a searchable database, the searchable database in a directory tree structure having nodes and branches, the nodes representing a category and the branches representing relationships between the categories, wherein each node comprises rules for associating data with the node, the method comprising:

means for locating a first document to link to the searchable database;

means for parsing data in the first document to identify, from a plurality of attributes that are definable in the searchable database, a subset of the plurality of, attributes associated with the data in the first document;

means for parsing the data in the first document to obtain a value for each of the one or more attributes;

means for generating a second document associated with the first document, the second document comprising one or more tags, wherein each of the one or more tags comprises one of the one or more attributes and the parsed value for the one of the one or more attributes;

means for storing an object in an objects database, the object comprising the second document and a link to the first document;

means for determining, based on the number of attributes in the subset, that the second document satisfies the rules for associating the first document with a specific node in the searchable database; and

means for associating a pointer to the first document with the specific node, the pointer comprising a link based on the link in the stored object.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for queuing the first document to be reviewed manually before determining the specific node.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for generating the second document and means for determining the specific node are configured to perform automatically.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining that the first document is new to the searchable database before generating the second document.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the determining comprises:

means for determining that a predetermined number of the plurality of attributes associated with the specific node are defined by the one or more tags within the second document.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining that the first document has been modified; and

means for modifying the object in the objects database corresponding to modifications to the first document.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for locating the first document is a means for locating the first document on a network.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining that the first document is no longer accessible on the network; and

means for deleting, from the objects database, the object corresponding to the first document.

25. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a plurality of nodes which are below the specific node in the directory tree structure;

means for determining that the one or more tags in the document satisfy the rules for associating data with at least one of the plurality of nodes; and

means for associating a pointer to the first document with the at least one of the plurality of nodes, the pointer comprising a link based on the link in the stored object.