System and method for retrieving and displaying data, such as economic data relating to salaries, cost of living and employee benefits

Abstract

A system and method for retrieving and displaying data, such as economic data. The method can include receiving over a computer network a user request for a first item of economic data, retrieving the first item of economic data from a database, and providing a display description for view by the user over the computer network with the display description including the first item of economic data. The method can further include receiving a second item of economic data from the user over the computer network and at least reducing a fee from the user for receiving the first item of economic data. In another embodiment, the method can include displaying a plurality of discrete data items to the user and receiving a selection of one of the discrete data items from the user resulting from the user at least aligning a cursor on the graphical display with the selected discrete data item. The method can further include retrieving additional data corresponding to the selected discrete data item and providing instructions for displaying the additional data to the user.

1 - 56 . (canceled) 
   
   
       57 . A method in a computer system for exchanging economic data with a user, comprising:
 receiving from a client computer:
 a request for compensation data relating to a specified job or position; and 
 at least one item of economic data including salary or wage data specified by the user, wherein the at least one item of economic data is provided by the user in exchange for the requested compensation data; 
   checking the at least one item of economic data for validity by determining whether the at least one item of economic data is consistent with economic data in the database of a same type as the at least one item of economic data;   retrieving the requested compensation data from a database; and   providing information for display at the client computer, the information including a graph-based, chart-based, or table-based representation of the retrieved compensation data and an indication of how the specified salary or wage data compares with the retrieved compensation data.   
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising:
 if the at least one item of economic data is consistent with economic data in the database of the same type as the at least one item of economic data, updating the database to include the at least one item of economic data.   
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the specified salary or wage data is associated with salary or wage data related to a past job of the user. 
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the specified salary or wage data is associated with salary or wage data related to a current job of the user. 
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the specified salary or wage data is associated with salary or wage data related to a potential future job of the user. 
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the graph-based, chart-based, or table-based representation of the retrieved compensation data includes a graph with data points, with each data point corresponding to salary or wage data specified by a user in exchange for requested information. 
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the graph-based, chart-based, or table-based representation of the retrieved salary or wage data includes a graph with selectable data points, with each selectable data point corresponding to salary or wage data specified by a user in exchange for requested information, wherein receiving a selection of one of the selectable data points results in providing additional information for display at the client computer, the additional information comprising details about the salary or wage data associated with the selected data point. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 57  wherein determining whether the at least one item of economic data is consistent with economic data in the database includes determining whether the at least one item of economic data is within two standard deviations of a mean for data in the database. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 57  wherein receiving the at least one item of economic data includes receiving at least one of the user's geographic location, position, years of experience in the position, annual salary, and annual bonus or incentive payment. 
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the information provided for display at the client computer further includes an offer for providing additional information, wherein the additional information is provided in exchange for a fee. 
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the information provided for display at the client computer further includes domestic and/or international wage data, cost of living data, cost of labor data, and/or employee benefit data associated with the specified job or position. 
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the request for compensation data and the at least one item of economic data including salary or wage data specified by the user are received separately. 
   
   
       69 . A system for providing updated economic data to a user over the Internet, the system comprising:
 data storage means accessible to users over the Internet, the data storage means having economic data including wage data, cost of living data, and/or employee benefit data based on an initial sample size;   means for responding to a first request for economic data by
 requesting input data in exchange for the economic data; 
 in response to the request, receiving input data over the Internet, the input data including wage data, cost of living data, end/or employee benefit data; 
 retrieving first output data from the database; and 
 providing the first output data over the Internet, 
 wherein the first output data includes data related to a job or position of interest to a user and wherein the received input data is provided in exchange for providing the first output data; 
   means for updating the data storage means to include the input data received over the Internet;   means for receiving a second request for economic data over the Internet; and   means for retrieving second output data from the database and providing the second output data over the Internet in response to the second request, the second output data being based, at least in part, on the input data received over the Internet.   
   
   
       70 . The system of  claim 69  wherein the first output data includes a graph-based, chart-based, or table-based representation of the data related to a job or position of interest to a user and an indication of how the data related to a job or position of interest to a user compares with at least a portion of the input data. 
   
   
       71 . The system of  claim 69  wherein the second output data can be based on more than one data source, and wherein the method further includes receiving a request that the second output data be based on a selected subset of the more than one data source. 
   
   
       72 . The system of  claim 69 , further comprising means for checking the received input data for validity. 
   
   
       73 . The system of  claim 69 , further comprising means for checking the received input data for validity including determining whether a numerical value of the received input data is within two standard deviations of a mean for data of the same type in the database. 
   
   
       74 . The system of  claim 69  wherein the second output data is provided for a fee. 
   
   
       75 . The system of  claim 69  wherein the first output data is a preliminary compensation analysis report, wherein the second output data is a detailed compensation analysis report, and wherein a fee is charged for providing the second output data, but not for providing the first output data. 
   
   
       76 . A system for providing a user with economic data over the Internet, comprising:
 one or more databases for economic data, the economic data including at least one of compensation data, cost of living data, and employee benefits data, with at least two of the one or more databases providing similar types of data obtained from different sources and based on different populations;   a server application including
 a display description component configured to provide display descriptions to a client computer, wherein at least some of the display descriptions include user-selectable options associated with the one or more databases, 
 an economic information requestor component configured to request items of personal economic information from the user via display descriptions provided to the client computer, and 
 a query engine configured to receive, from a client computer via a network connection, an indication of a user selection from the user-selectable options and a corresponding query and configured to retrieve data from the one or more databases in response to the received indication and corresponding query; and 
   a database management component configured to update the one or more databases with personal economic information requested by the economic information requestor component, wherein the economic information is requested in exchange for performing the query and retrieving data from the one or more databases.   
   
   
       77 . The system of  claim 76  wherein the one or more databases include a first database containing data gathered by a governmental entity and a second database containing data received from users over the Internet. 
   
   
       78 . The system of  claim 76  wherein the server application further comprises a validation engine configured to check input data for validity by determining whether the input data is consistent with economic data in the database of the same type as the input data, wherein at least some of the input data includes the personal economic information requested by the economic information requestor component. 
   
   
       79 . A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, comprising:
 information for generating a display description for requesting personal economic data from a user in exchange for providing job-related data, including statistical economic data, to the user via a client computer, the display description including:
 an indication that the personal job-related information is being requested in exchange for providing the job-related data to the user, and 
 an indication of at least one specific type of personal job-related information that is being requested; and 
   information allowing personal job-related information inputted by the user in association with the display description to be incorporated into a remote economic information system configured to provide job related-data, including statistical economic information, to users over a computer network.   
   
   
       80 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the specific personal job-related information that is being requested includes a title associated with a current job or position held by the user and a time frame in which the user has held the current job or position. 
   
   
       81 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the specific personal job-related information that is being requested includes location information associated with a current job or position held by the user. 
   
   
       82 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the specific personal job-related information that is being requested includes compensation information associated with a current job or position held by the user. 
   
   
       83 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the specific personal job-related information that is being requested includes a title associated with a past job or position held by the user and a time frame in which the user held the past job or position. 
   
   
       84 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the specific personal job-related information that is being requested includes location information associated with a past or future job or position held by the user. 
   
   
       85 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the specific personal job-related information that is being requested includes compensation information associated with a potential future job or position associated with the user. 
   
   
       86 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the statistical economic information includes compensation and/or benefits information associated with a specified job or position. 
   
   
       87 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 79  wherein the job-related data includes job offer information associated with a distinct geographical area. 
   
   
       88 . A method in a computer system for exchanging economic data with a user, comprising:
 receiving over a computer network a user request for a first item of economic data;   retrieving the first item of economic data from a database;   providing a first display description for view by the user over the computer network, the first display description including the first item of economic data;   providing a second display description for receiving a second item of economic data;   receiving a second item of economic data from the user over the computer network, wherein the second item of economic data is specific to the user; and   at least reducing a fee due from the user for receiving the first item of economic data.   
   
   
       89 . The method of  claim 88  wherein at least reducing a fee due from the user includes eliminating any fee due from the user for the first item of economic data. 
   
   
       90 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising:
 assigning a first value to the first item of economic data;   assigning a second value to the second item of economic data; and   calculating a fee due from the user for receiving the first item of economic data by subtracting the second value from the first value.   
   
   
       91 . The method of  claim 88  wherein providing the first item of economic data includes providing domestic and/or international wage data, cost of living data, cost of labor data and/or employee benefit data. 
   
   
       92 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising checking the second item of economic data for validity. 
   
   
       93 . The method of  claim 88  further comprising checking the second item of economic data for validity by determining whether a numerical value of the second item is within about two standard deviations of a mean for data in the database that is of the same type as the second item of economic data and averagable with the second item of economic data. 
   
   
       94 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising updating the database to include the second item of economic data. 
   
   
       95 . The method of  claim 88  wherein the user request is a first user request and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving over the computer network a second user request for economic data;   retrieving economic data from the database in response to the second user request after the database has been updated to include the second item of economic data; and   displaying the economic data to the user over the computer network in response to the second user request, the economic data being based at least in part on the second item of economic data in the database.   
   
   
       96 . The method of  claim 88  wherein the first item of economic data can be based on a plurality of data sources, and wherein the method further includes receiving a request that the data be based on a selected subset of the plurality of data sources.