System method and computer program product to automate the management and analysis of heterogeneous data

Abstract

System, Method and Computer Program Product for automating the collection, management and analysis of data. Research is performed according to a methodology based on four phases: Requirements; Collection; Analysis; and Reporting. During the Requirements phase, users records objectives for the research project and items of interest in a Personal Dictionary. The items of interest are organized according to user defined or pre-defined categories. Data entered by the user during the Requirements phase is also used to automatically conduct database searches to compile information for the research project. During the Collection phase relevant data items are filtered and stored in a repository. Data files are automatically searched for items of interest from the Personal Dictionary. Automation tools are provided so users can quickly and efficiently determine the relevancy of documents based on the defined items of interest. Interactive visual displays are provided that model the contents of documents according to items of interest, so that the users can efficiently and quickly scan large volumes of information to determine their relevancy. During the Analysis phase data is analyzed, compared, related, visualized, and understood in terms of the items of interest. Relationships between data items are recorded and automatically maintained. Knowledge is added to the data items in terms of written comments and relationships between items. Relationship diagrams are provided that graphically depict relationships between any two items of interest. The relationship diagrams display relationships according to degrees of separation. Users are instantly presented with direct and distant relationships between items of interest. During the Dissemination phase users create reports that are automatically sent to other users. Documents and other data files are bookmarked during the Analysis phase so that they are instantly retrievable during the Dissemination phase and included in the final report.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for automating collection, management and analysis of data, comprising: 
 means for storing documents and related information;    means for compiling a plurality of documents;    means for displaying said documents to a user;    means for creating a personal dictionary, wherein a user defines one or more categories, each comprising one or more items of interest;    means for analyzing a first document, including: 
 means for searching said first document for one or more of said items of interest, and  
 means for saving said first document and a list of said items of interest contained therein; and  
   means for displaying a visual representation depicting the contents of said first document, wherein said visual representation includes a document icon representing said first document, and one or more category icons each representing a category that includes at least one of said items of interest in said list.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further including means, connected to said means for analyzing, for generating a report  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising means for bookmarking said documents for use by said means for generating a report.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said means for displaying includes a representation of the number of items of interest contained in said first document that are within each category represented by one of said category icons, whereby said visual representation is used to rank the relevancy of said document.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said personal dictionary includes aliases for one or more of said items of interest, wherein said aliases are used by said means for searching.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for sharing said personal dictionary.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said means for collecting documents includes accessing an external source to compile said documents.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first document is automatically associated with written comments provided by said user.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a scanner for entering said first document.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for dragging one of said plurality of icons to an item list area.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each said category icons includes a numerical representation depicting the number of said items of interest within each said category represented by said category icon.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for creating relationship links between said items of interest.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for displaying all relationships between said items of interest.  
     
     
         14 . A system for displaying a representation of a document having one or more items of interest contained therein, said system comprising: 
 means for defining one or more categories by a user, wherein each category comprises one or more of the items of interest defined by said user;    means for displaying a first visual representation depicting the contents of the document within a first window, wherein said visual representation includes a document icon representing the document and one or more category icons representing one or more of said categories that includes at least one of said items of interest.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a database that stores information about the document and means for interacting with said visual representation for navigating said database for gaining knowledge about the relevancy of the document and relationships between the document and other information stored in said database.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said means for interacting with said first visual representation includes interacting with one of said category icons to display a list of said items of interest within said category represented by said one of said category icons.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said means for interacting includes dragging said one of said category icons to a second window.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further including means for interacting with a selected item of interest from said list, and means for displaying a second visual representation of said selected item, wherein said second visual representation includes an item icon representing said selected item, and a research icon representing the number of documents that include said selected item.  
     
     
         19 . A system for displaying a visual representation depicting relationships between objects stored in a database, said system comprising: 
 a database having a plurality of records, wherein each said record represents a relationship between two objects;    means for selecting two objects for determining the relationships therebetween;    means, connected to said database, for determining relationships between said two objects, wherein said relationships include direct and indirect relationships; and    means for displaying the visual representation, wherein the visual representation is adjustable by a user according to a desired degree of separation between said two objects.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the visual representation includes a plurality of icons, each icon representing an object, and said icons are joined by connecting lines for depicting said relationships.  
     
     
         21 . A method for automating management and analysis of data, the method comprising the steps of: 
 compiling and storing a plurality of documents;    creating a personal dictionary by defining one or more categories and defining one or more items of interest within each of said categories;    analyzing a first document, comprising the steps of: 
 searching said first document for one or more of said items of interest, and  
 if said first document contains said one or more items of interest, saving said first document and a list of said items of interest contained therein; and  
   displaying a visual representation depicting the contents of said first document, wherein said visual representation includes a document icon representing said first document, and one or more category icons each representing a category that includes at least one of said items of interest in said list.    
     
     
         22 . A method for displaying a representation of a document having one or more items of interest contained therein, said method comprising the steps of: 
 defining one or more categories by a user, wherein each category comprises one or more of the items of interest defined by said user;    displaying a first visual representation depicting the contents of the document within a first window, wherein said visual representation includes a document icon representing the document and one or more category icons representing one or more of said categories that includes at least one of said items of interest.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of: 
 navigating a database that stores information about the document by interacting with said visual representation to gain knowledge about the relevancy of the document and relationships between the document and other information stored in said database.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  23 , wherein said step of navigating step includes the step of interacting with one of said category icons to display a list of said items of interest within said category represented by said one of said category icons.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said step of interacting is performed by a user dragging said one of said category icons to a second window.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of interacting with a selected item of interest from said list, and 
 displaying a second visual representation of said selected item, wherein said second visual representation includes an item icon representing said selected item, and a research icon representing the number of documents that include said selected item.    
     
     
         27 . A method for displaying a visual representation depicting relationships between objects stored in a database, said method comprising the steps of: 
 creating a database having a plurality of records, wherein each said record represents a relationship between two objects;    selecting two objects for determining the relationships therebetween;    determining relationships between said two objects, wherein said relationships include direct and indirect relationships; and    displaying the visual representation, wherein the visual representation is adjustable by a user according to a desired degree of separation between said two objects.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the visual representation includes a plurality of icons, each icon representing an object, and said icons are joined by connecting lines for depicting said relationships.  
     
     
         29 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein, said computer program logic for enabling a computer to automate management and analysis of data, wherein said computer program logic comprises: 
 means for enabling the computer to store documents and related information;    means for enabling the computer to compile a plurality of documents in said storing means;    means for enabling the computer to display said documents to a user;    means for enabling the computer to create a personal dictionary, wherein a user defines one or more categories, each comprising one or more items of interest;    means for enabling the computer to analyze a first document, including: 
 means for enabling the computer to search said first document for one or more of said items of interest, and  
 if said first document contains said one or more items of interest, means for enabling the computer to save said first document and a list of said items of interest contained therein; and  
   means for enabling the computer to display a visual representation depicting the contents of said first document, wherein said visual representation includes a document icon representing said first document, and one or more category icons each representing a category that includes at least one of said items of interest in said list.    
     
     
         30 . The computer program product of claim system of  claim 29 , wherein said display means includes a representation of the number of items of interest contained in said first document that are within each category represented by one of said category icons, whereby said visual representation is used to rank the relevancy of said document.  
     
     
         31 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , wherein said means for enabling the computer to compile documents includes means for enabling the computer to access internal and external databases.  
     
     
         32 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , further comprising means for enabling the computer to allow a user to drag one of said plurality of icons to an item list area.  
     
     
         33 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein, said computer program logic for enabling a computer to display a representation of a document having one or more items of interest contained therein, wherein said computer program logic comprises: 
 means for enabling the computer to accept from a user, a specification for one or more categories and one or more items of interest within each of said categories;    means for enabling the computer to display a first visual representation depicting the contents of the document within a first window, wherein said visual representation includes a document icon representing the document and one or more category icons representing one or more of said categories that includes at least one of said items of interest.    
     
     
         34 . The computer program product of  claim 33 , further comprising a means for enabling the computer to create a database for storing information about the document; and 
 means for enabling the computer to allow a user to interact with said visual representation for navigating said database for providing knowledge about the relevancy of the document and relationships between the document and other information stored in said database.    
     
     
         35 . The computer program product of  claim 34 , wherein said means for enabling the computer to allow a user to interact with said first visual representation includes means for enabling the computer to allow a user to interact with one of said category icons to display a list of said items of interest within said category represented by said one of said category icons.  
     
     
         36 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein said means for enabling the computer to allow a user to interact further includes means for enabling the computer to allow a user to drag said one of said category icons to a second window.  
     
     
         37 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , further including means for enabling the computer to allow a user to interact with a selected item of interest from said list; and 
 means for enabling the computer to display a second visual representation of said selected item, wherein said second visual representation includes an item icon representing said selected item, and a research icon representing the number of documents that include said selected item.    
     
     
         38 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein, said computer program logic for enabling a computer to display a visual representation depicting relationships between objects stored in a database, wherein said computer program logic comprises: 
 means for enabling the computer to maintain database having a plurality of records, wherein each said record represents a relationship between two objects;    means for enabling the computer to allow a user to select two objects for determining the relationships therebetween;    means for enabling the computer to determine relationships between said two objects, wherein said relationships include direct and indirect relationships; and    means for enabling the computer to display the visual representation, wherein the visual representation is adjustable by a user according to a desired degree of separation between said two objects.    
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein the visual representation includes a plurality of icons, each icon representing an object, and said icons are joined by connecting lines for depicting said relationships.