System and Method for Organizing Data

Abstract

A system and method for organizing raw data from one or more sources. The content of the raw data is converted into an appropriate number system and stored in a format that facilitates the use of efficient mathematical operations. The number system is selected to handle each of the various elements, characters, or other representative indicia found in the raw data. Furthermore, the number system is selected so that the numerical data retains semantic significance with respect to the raw data. Once converted into the numeric format, the data is processed using various techniques to extract the best information from the raw data into a distilled database.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method for converting information from a raw database into a distilled database, the raw database including a plurality of records, each of the plurality of records including a data field, the data field including a plurality of data elements, the method comprising:
 converting the plurality of data elements in at least one non-numeric data field of one of the plurality of records in the raw database to a numeric value;   forming a vector including said numeric value, said vector representative of said one of the plurality of records in the raw database;   comparing said vector with a distilled matrix to determine whether said vector is included in said distilled matrix, said comparing using said numeric value;   including said vector in said distilled matrix if said vector is not included in said distilled matrix; and   forming the distilled database using said distilled matrix.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said converting the plurality of data elements in at least one non-numeric data field of one of the plurality of records comprises:
 representing each of the plurality of data elements as a digit in a number system, said number system having a radix at least equal to a number of possible values of a data element in said non-numeric data field, said digits collectively forming said numeric value in said number system.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 maintaining information with said vector indicative of its origin in the raw database.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 including said vector in a reference database; and   identifying an appropriate position for said vector in said reference database.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said identifying an appropriate position for said vector comprises locating another vector similar to said vector. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said locating another vector similar to said vector comprises numerically comparing said vector with said another vector. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising locating a first vector in said reference database that is similar to a second vector in said reference database. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said locating a first vector comprises locating said first vector in said reference database that is identifiable as said second vector in said reference database. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said locating said first vector comprises locating said first vector in said reference database that is a duplicate of said second vector in said reference database. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising forming a distilled vector from said first vector and said second vector that includes the best information from said first vector and said second vector. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said comparing said vector with a distilled matrix comprises comparing said distilled vector with said distilled matrix to determine whether said distilled vector is included in said distilled matrix. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising locating a first vector in said reference database that is dissimilar to every other vector in said reference database. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising forming a distilled vector from said first vector. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said comparing said vector with a distilled matrix comprises comparing said distilled vector with said distilled matrix to determine whether said distilled vector is included in said distilled matrix. 
     
     
         39 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A method for generating a distilled database from a plurality of records, each of the plurality of records including at least one non-numeric data field, the non-numeric data field including a plurality of data elements, the method comprising:
 determining a numeric value for the non-numeric data field from one of the plurality of records, said numeric value having a representation in a number system having a radix greater than or equal to a number of possible values of each of the plurality of data elements in the non-numeric data field;   forming a vector from said one of the plurality of records, said vector including said numeric value; and   comparing said vector with a vector in the distilled data base.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , where said determining a numeric value from the non-numeric data field comprises determining a single numeric value for the non-numeric data field. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , where said forming a vector from said one of the plurality of records comprises forming a vector from said one of the plurality of records, said vector including said numeric value instead of the non-numeric field. 
     
     
         48 . A method for generating a database from a plurality of records, each of the plurality of records including at least one non-numeric data field, the non-numeric data field including a plurality of data elements, the plurality of data elements representing informational content, the method comprising:
 representing the content represented by the plurality of data elements of the non-numeric data field as a numeric value;   forming a vector from said one of the plurality of records, said vector including said numeric value; and   including said vector in the database.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein said representing the content represented by the plurality of data elements of the non-numeric data field as a numeric value, said numeric value maintaining semantic significance of the non-numeric data field. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein said representing the content represented by the plurality of data elements of the non-numeric data field as a numeric value, said numeric value included in a number system having a radix greater than or equal to a number of possible values each of the plurality of data elements.