System and methods for easy-to-use periodic network data capture engine with automatic target data location, extraction and storage
First Claim
1. A method for specifying, capturing, locating, extracting and storing data from a network, comprising:
- specifying at least one target datum accessible from a network location addressable by a network address;
generating one or more sets of input parameters, wherein said “
input parameters”
normally refers to hypertext markup language (HTML) or extensible markup language (XML) <
INPUT>
elements and <
FORM method=“
get”
>
or <
FORM method=“
post”
>
elements, or to variables within <
SCRIPT>
elements, allowing capture of one or more sets of network data from said network location;
capturing one or more sets of said network data from said network location at specified dates and times;
locating at least one said target datum in variable format sets of said network data, wherein said “
variable format”
normally refers to possible insertions or deletions of HTML or XML elements as well as variable text strings;
extracting at least one said target datum from said variable format sets of said network data; and
storing at least one said target datum in a file, a database, or any storage medium. Wherein said capturing from said network location further comprises substitution of said input parameters to generate one or more sets of said input parameters and repeatedly capturing from said network location for each set of said input parameters. Wherein performing said substitution of said input Darameters further comprises said substitution of one or more nested said input parameters, wherein said “
nested”
has a similar meaning as in “
nested FOR loops”
such that variables within inner FOR loops run through their entire range of values for every value of a variable in an outer FOR loop, wherein said substitution of one or more said nested said input parameters includes generating one or more sets of said input parameters, where each of one or more sets of said input parameters may provide different target data from said network location.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System and methods for automatically capturing and storing data from a network is disclosed. The system and methods include easy-to-use graphical user interfaces; integration with Web browsers; point-and-click selection of data targets; automatic input element parameter substitution to retrieve multiple pages from a single network address; periodic Web page retrieval from network servers at pre-specified intervals; dynamic tag string matching to locate text data on variable format HTML and XML pages; dynamic tree matching to locate data nodes in variable document object model representations of HTML and XML data; intelligent character recognition of graphical HTML or XML elements; graphical database, database table and table record creation; and automatic creation of formatted data files or direct storage to database.
233 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method for specifying, capturing, locating, extracting and storing data from a network, comprising:
- specifying at least one target datum accessible from a network location addressable by a network address;
generating one or more sets of input parameters, wherein said “
input parameters”
normally refers to hypertext markup language (HTML) or extensible markup language (XML) <
INPUT>
elements and <
FORM method=“
get”
>
or <
FORM method=“
post”
>
elements, or to variables within <
SCRIPT>
elements, allowing capture of one or more sets of network data from said network location;
capturing one or more sets of said network data from said network location at specified dates and times;
locating at least one said target datum in variable format sets of said network data, wherein said “
variable format”
normally refers to possible insertions or deletions of HTML or XML elements as well as variable text strings;
extracting at least one said target datum from said variable format sets of said network data; and
storing at least one said target datum in a file, a database, or any storage medium. Wherein said capturing from said network location further comprises substitution of said input parameters to generate one or more sets of said input parameters and repeatedly capturing from said network location for each set of said input parameters. Wherein performing said substitution of said input Darameters further comprises said substitution of one or more nested said input parameters, wherein said “
nested”
has a similar meaning as in “
nested FOR loops”
such that variables within inner FOR loops run through their entire range of values for every value of a variable in an outer FOR loop, wherein said substitution of one or more said nested said input parameters includes generating one or more sets of said input parameters, where each of one or more sets of said input parameters may provide different target data from said network location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- specifying at least one target datum accessible from a network location addressable by a network address;
Specification