SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING STATISTICAL EXPRESSIONS

• US 20090044096A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equifax, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Equifax, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Sharmistha, Welsh, Matthew P., Reid, James R., Cothran, Shannon M., Gupta, Sandeep
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90332 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation

Abstract

Using natural language-like user inputs to provide statistics on a subset of data is described. In one embodiment, a user input that includes at least one word or phrase representing a rule is received. The rule includes an identification of a subset of data and a statistical expression to be performed on the subset of data. The subset of data includes at least part of the data elements of a data set. Each data element includes information on an individual or group. Instructions are provided for translating the rule into an executable format. The executable format includes a translated identification of the subset and a translated statistical expression. The subset of the data is accessed using the translated identification of the subset. The translated statistical expression is executed to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data. The statistics on the data elements are provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user interface generated by an interface engine stored on a computer-readable medium, the user interface being configured to receive user inputs, wherein the user inputs comprise at least one word or phrase representing a rule, the rule comprising an identification of a subset of a data and a statistical expression to be performed on the subset of data, the subset of data comprising at least part of a plurality of data elements of a data set, each of the plurality of data elements comprising information on an individual or group; and

an attribute engine stored on a computer-readable medium, the attribute engine being configured to provide instructions for translating the rule into an executable format comprising a translated statistical expression, access the subset of data, and execute the translated statistical expression to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the attribute engine is configured to access the subset of data by filtering a collection of data based on the identification of the subset.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the statistics comprise at least one attribute of the subset of data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the translated statistical expression represents a function identifying a relationship.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the attribute engine is configured to execute the translated statistical expression to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data by analyzing the subset of data using the relationship identified by the function.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to display the statistics.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a user input comprising at least one word or phrase representing a rule, the rule comprising an identification of a subset of data and a statistical expression to be performed on the subset of data, the subset of data comprising at least part of a plurality of data elements of a data set, each of the plurality of data elements comprising information on an individual or group;

providing instructions for translating the rule into an executable format comprising a translated identification of the subset and a translated statistical expression;

accessing the subset of data using the translated identification of the subset;

executing the translated statistical expression to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data; and

outputting the statistics on the data elements.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein accessing the subset of data using the translated identification of the subset comprises filtering a collection of data based on the identification of the subset.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the statistics comprise at least one attribute of the subset of data.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the translated statistical expression represents a function identifying a relationship;

and

wherein executing the translated statistical expression to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data comprises analyzing the subset of data using the relationship identified by the function.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein outputting the statistics on the data elements comprises displaying the statistics on a user interface.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the information on the individual or group comprises at least one of:

credit-related data;

income data;

employment data;

criminal history;

credit score;

commercial activity;

public record data;

age;

sex; and

address.

13. A system comprising:

a user interface generated by an interface engine stored on a computer-readable medium, the user interface comprising inputs for receiving at least one word or phrase representing a rule, the rule comprising;

an identification of a subset of a data set, the data set comprising information on a plurality of individuals or groups; and

a representation of a statistical expression as at least one word or phrase; and

an attribute engine stored on the computer-readable medium, the attribute engine being configured to provide instructions for translating the rule into an executable format and provide statistics based on the rule to the user interface,

wherein the user interface is configured to display the statistics.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface engine is configured to receive an input identifying an attribute and display a list of selectable words, symbols, or phrases.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the statistics comprise at least one attribute.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface comprises:

a first area for receiving the identification of the subset of the data set; and

a second area for receiving the representation of the statistical expression.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the attribute engine is configured to provide statistics based on the rule to the user interface by:

accessing the subset of data using the identification of the subset;

executing the statistical expression on the subset of data to generate statistics; and

providing the statistics to the interface engine.

18. A computer-readable medium on which program code is stored, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a user input comprising a phrase representing a rule, the rule comprising a filter for obtaining a subset of data and a statistical expression to be performed on the subset of data, the subset of data comprising at least part of a plurality of data elements of a data set, each of the plurality of data elements comprising credit-related information on an individual or group;

program code for accessing the subset of data using the filter;

program code for executing a translated statistical expression to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data, the statistics comprising at least one attribute of the subset of data; and

program code for outputting the statistics on the data elements by displaying the statistics on a user interface.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

program code for providing instructions for translating the rule into an executable format comprising a translated identification of the subset and the translated statistical expression.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the translated statistical expression represents a function identifying a relationship;

and

wherein program code executing the translated statistical expression to obtain statistics on data elements of the subset of data comprises program code for analyzing the subset of data using the relationship identified by the function.