Methods and systems for classifying data based on entities related to the data

• US 8,655,876 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Mattox, John R., Faus, Norman Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US11/948,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 707/737, 707/736, 707/705, 7079991-999102, 707/999.107, 707/3, 707/104.1, 709204-206
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90 Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types

Abstract

Systems and methods classify and organize data from a variety of applications based on entities associated with the data. A data classification module is configured to retrieve data from different applications. Each application can utilize data in a different format from other applications. The data classification module is configured to extract identifying information from the data, received from the applications. The identifying information includes information on entities and person related to the data. For example, entities can be companies, corporations, associations, organization, and the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a designation for a master software application of a plurality of software applications, the master software application to provide entity data for an entity record associated with an entity in response to receiving the entity data;

obtaining, by the processor, data from each of the plurality of software applications in view of the entity, wherein a format of data obtained from one of the plurality of software applications is different than a format of data obtained from another software application of the plurality of software applications;

for the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, extracting, by the processor, identifying information for the entity associated with the data from the entity data, wherein the identifying information for the entity comprises a type of the software application associated with the entity data and a description of content for the entity;

organizing, by the processor, the identifying information for the entity into a data structure for the entity by combining the identifying information for the entity from the entity data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, the data structure comprising a data record for the entity and the entity record for the entity, wherein the data record comprises the description of the content for the entity and a link to the content for the entity contained in the data, and wherein the entity record comprises an identity of the entity;

linking, by the processor, the data record and the entity record; and

storing, by the processor, the data structure for the entity in a searchable repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information further comprises an identification of an application from which the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications was obtained, a subject of the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, a person related to the entity, and a reference to a storage location of the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data record is linked to an employee record, the employee record comprising an identity of the person related to the entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identity of the person comprises a name of the person and an address of the person.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating the master application, the entity data comprising the identity of the entity;

receiving the entity data from the master application in response to receiving entity information about the entity from a user; and

generating the entity record based on the entity data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interface to receive the entity data for the entity, the entity data comprising the identity of the entity;

receiving the entity data from the interface; and

generating the entity record based on the entity data.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a searchable repository; and

a processor to execute a data classification module, wherein the data classification module is coupled to the searchable repository, and wherein the data classification module is to receive a designation for a master software application of a plurality of software applications, the master software application to provide entity data for an entity record associated with an entity in response to receiving the entity data, to obtain data from each of the plurality of software applications in view of the entity, wherein a format of data obtained from one of the plurality of software applications is different than a format of data obtained from another software application of the plurality of software applications, for the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, to extract identifying information for the entity associated with the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications from the entity data, wherein the identifying information for the entity a type of the software application associated with the entity data and a description of content for the entity, organize the identifying information for the entity into a data structure for the entity by combining the identifying information for the entity from the entity data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, the data structure comprising a data record for the entity and the entity record for the entity, wherein the data record comprises the description of the content for the entity and a link to the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, and wherein the entity record comprises an identity of the entity.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data classification module is further to determine an identification of an application from which the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications was obtained, a subject of the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, a person related to the entity, and a reference to a storage location of the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data classification module is further to link the data record to an employee record, the employee record comprising an identity of the person related to the entity.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data classification module is further to store, in the employee record, a name of the person and an address of the person.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, the entity data comprising the identity of the entity, wherein the data classification module is further to receive the entity data from the master application;

and generate the entity record based on the entity data.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data classification module is further to generate an interface to receive the entity data for the entity, the entity data comprising the identity of the entity and the data classification module is further to receive the entity data from the interface;

and create the entity record based on the entity data.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a search engine coupled to the searchable repository, the search engine to search the searchable repository based on the entity.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data classification module is further to store a set of rules, wherein the set of rules defines a method to determine the identifying information for the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule for each of the plurality of software applications.

15. A system comprising:

a server to store and execute a plurality of applications, the server comprising a processor;

a searchable repository coupled to the server; and

a data classification module executable by the processor, to receive a designation for a master software application of a plurality of software applications, the master software application to provide entity data for an entity record associated with an entity in response to receiving the entity data, to obtain data from each of the plurality of software applications in view of the entity, wherein a format of data obtained from one of the plurality of software applications is different than a format of data obtained from another software application of the plurality of software applications, for the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, to extract identifying information for the entity associated with the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications from the entity data, wherein the identifying information for the entity a type of the software application associated with the entity data and a description of content for the entity, organize the identifying information for the entity into a data structure for the entity by combining the identifying information for the entity from the entity data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, wherein the data record comprises the description of the content for the entity and a link to the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, and wherein the entity record comprises an identity of the entity, link the data record to the entity record, and store the data structure for the entity in the searchable repository.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data classification module is further to determine an application from which the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications was obtained, a subject of the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications, a person related to the entity, and a reference to a storage location of the content for the entity contained in the data obtained from each of the plurality of software applications.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data classification module is further to link the data record to an employee record, the employee record comprising an identity of the person related to the entity.

18. The system of claim 15, the entity data comprising the identity of the entity;

wherein the data classification module is further to receive the entity data from the master application; and

generate the entity record based on the entity data.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the data classification module is further to generate an interface to receive the entity data for the entity, the entity data comprising the identity of the entity and the data classification module is further to receive the entity data from the interface;

and create the entity record based on the entity data.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a search engine coupled to the searchable repository, the search engine to search the searchable repository based on the entity.