Generation of output or reports on information contained in a data source which may be any of two or more types of source data, in a standardized or uniform manner is provided. A plurality of drivers are provided specific to different types of source data which include programming for identifying structural or other characteristics of the various data sources, e.g. for use in defining a new database. Preferably the new database is configured to permit highly flexible and/or rapid output or reporting or is otherwise optimized for reporting purposes. In one embodiment, the present invention includes conversion of one or more data sources into one or more uniform databases, preferably generating one or more key categories for organizing the data, optionally generating category groupings or rollups and additional data or optional references. In one embodiment, one or more databases are created which have a degree of uniformity of structure, even though they may be based on two or more different data sources which may have very different structures. The different data sources are automatically analyzed and this analysis can be used to identify and/or create categories of data for use in organizing the data.
The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/582,062, (attorney file number 23134/90100) filed Dec. 30, 1995 is pending for DATA RETRIEVAL METHOD AND APPARATUS WITH MULTIPLE SOURCE CAPABILITY, invented by Charles R. Osenbaugh and Daviid B. Kouchi.
The present invention relates to a computer-implemented system which is able to retrieve information stored in one or more of a number of different sources and which may be in any of a number of different formats and/or provide reports and analysis based on the information, and in particular to a computer method and apparatus which can automatically retrieve database information stored in any of a plurality of formats, including structural and/or relational information, without the need for relying on human analysis of the source data.
In order to perform format conversion between the formats of a plurality of files without any work by a user, a file system stores a relation between a conversion originating file and a conversion destination file, and synchronously with an issue of a file operation API, the format conversion processes are executed. A user performs only the tasks essential for an application, without taking into consideration various necessary format conversions (either one-step or multi-step). During the user task, it is not necessary to designate a conversion originating file and a timing of format conversion. A user can use always a latest conversion destination file.
A computer system collects, analyzes and/or transforms Internet and/or electronic commerce data of service providers. The Internet and/or electronic commerce data includes one or more of business operational data and network operational data. The mapping system includes a database storing the Internet and/or electronic commerce data for interrogation by the CSP, and at least one computer station including data transformation and database load utilities. The computer station performs one or more of the functions: of transforming and organizing the business operational data; analyzing, and organizing the web server operational data pertaining to web page requests, accesses, and browsing into the format suitable to be loaded into said database; analyzing and organizing the Internet operational data pertaining to network sessions and accesses; correlating the network sessions, and authorization and application access data to customers; creating directories of applications; translating raw system data pertaining to Internet and/or electronic commerce applications into a business context; and correlating the business operational data and the network operational data into one or more datasets.
There is provided a method of assessing total environmental load of an object product, including the steps of (a) collecting first data about environmental load at each of nodes relating to the object product, the first data including second data for retrieving data about environmental load of other node to which the each of nodes has a direct link, (b) retrieving the first data directly associated with the object product, in accordance with a predetermined condition, (c) recursively retrieving other first data about environmental load, based on second data included in the first data having been retrieved in the step (b), and (d) calculating total environmental load based on the first data having been retrieved in the steps (b) and (c). The method makes it possible to input data about environmental load with ease relative to a conventional method, and also to assess environmental load about a product comprised of a plurality of parts.
In order to perform format conversion between the formats of a plurality of files without any work by a user, a file system stores a relation between a conversion originating file and a conversion destination file, and synchronously with an issue of a file operation API, the format conversion processes are executed. A user performs only the tasks essential for an application, without taking into consideration various necessary format conversions (either one-step or multi-step). During the user task, it is not necessary to designate a conversion originating file and a timing of format conversion. A user can use always a latest conversion destination file.
An information retrieval system for presenting information by processing retrieval results obtained through data retrieval by access to data bases dispersed on a network, comprises a retrieval executing section to, upon receipt of an access request from a user, retrieve data from the data base after specifying a data base as a retrieved party and, in case of specifying a plurality of data bases as the retrieved party, retrieve data in parallel from the plurality of data bases, a retrieval result processing section to process retrieval results obtained through retrieval processing by the retrieval executing section and convert the same in a standard format, and a retrieval result supplying section to supply the retrieval results processed by the retrieval result processing section to a display.
