System and method for aggregation and analysis of information

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for automated data analysis in which data agents are located and operate at each member site or data source (i.e., locally). These agents access stored data at the data source or member sites, process the data and also aggregate the results. The aggregated results from each of the member sites are then forwarded to and further aggregated at a central analytic hub. The central analytic hub contains a centralized application which can further aggregate each of the aggregated results and perform a final analysis. These results are then delivered to the requestor without any ability to identify individual data sources, or records from those sources.

1 . A data collection method, comprising:
 a. a computer receiving a data request from a requestor;   b. the computer formatting the request and forwarding the formatted request to at least one data location; the at least one data location retrieving data comprising raw information, confidential information, or personal data responsive to the formatted request;   c. using the data to generate summary data that does not contain the raw information, confidential information, or personal data; and transmitting the summary data to the computer; the computer aggregating and analyzing the summary data to ensure that the requestor will have no ability to identify said data or data location; and   d. the computer forwarding the aggregated and analyzed summary data to the requestor.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of creating summary data includes the step of analyzing and aggregating data resident at the at least one data location. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the requestor is at least one of a requesting member and a requesting non-member. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one data location is a non-requesting member. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein data responsive to the formatted request includes at least one of private and non-private data. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claims 1 , wherein the data responsive to the formatted request may include at least one of individual records and group records. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of creating summary data includes removing all source identifier information. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the aggregated and analyzed summary data does not include individual records, private records and source identifiers. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of the at least one data location retrieving data includes:
 a. forwarding the formatted request to at least one secondary data location;   b. creating summary data at the at least one secondary data location; and   c. transmitting the summary data to the at least one data location.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of the at least one data location retrieving data responsive to the formatted request includes multi-tiered data retrieval, analysis and aggregation. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including the step of generating a bill for the requesting non-member based upon the requesting non-member's data request. 
     
     
         12 . A system for data collection and processing, comprising:
 a. an exchange hub;   b. a requesting entity communicatively coupled to the exchange hub;   c. at least one data location communicatively coupled to the exchange hub; wherein the exchange hub receives a request for information from the requesting entity, processes the received request, forwards the received request to the at least one data location, aggregates all data responsive to the request from the at least one data location so as to create an aggregated data result to ensure that the requestor will have no ability to identify said data or data location; and transmits the aggregated data result to the requesting entity; and   d. wherein the at least one data location retrieves data comprising raw information, confidential information, or personal data responsive to the received request; aggregates the data to generate summary data that does not contain the raw information, confidential information, or personal data; and transmits the summary data to the exchange hub.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , further including a data agent located at the at least one data location for retrieving data responsive to the request. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the requesting entity is at least one of a requesting member and a requesting non-member. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the exchange hub aggregates and analyzes information received from the at least one data location and data resident to the exchange hub. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the aggregated and analyzed information does not include any source identifier information. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one data location stores at least one of private and non-private data. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 12 , exchange hub may send a further request for information based upon data received in response to the request for information. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one data location includes a multi-tiered group of secondary data locations containing responsive data. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the exchange hub includes an analytic engine for processing requests for information received from a requesting entity, receiving data responsive to the requests for information, aggregating and analyzing the received data and forwarding the aggregated and analyzed data to the requesting entity. 
     
     
         21 . The system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the exchange hub includes a summary data module for storing the results of previous requests for aggregated and analyzed data. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the exchange hub includes a central billing module for generating a billing statement for a requesting non-member. 
     
     
         23 . A multi-tiered process for directing computer information comprising the steps of:
 a. instructing a second computer to:
 i. receive information from a first computer; 
 ii. format the information into a request; said request not containing identification information about the first computer in the request; 
 iii. and send the request to a decentralized set of third computers; 
   b. instructing one of the third computers to:
 i. process the request from the second computer; 
 ii. look-up information in response to the request from a plurality of records containing raw information; 
 iii. generate a reply to the request by aggregating the information from the records which includes analyzed data but does not include the raw information, and 
 iv. send the reply to the second computer; 
   c. instructing the second computer to:
 i. receive a plurality of replies from the set of third computers; 
 ii. aggregate the replies to generate summary data which does not contain the raw information; and 
 iii. send the summary data to the first computer. 
   
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the raw information includes individual records, private records, or source identifier information. 
     
     
         25 . A data collection method, comprising:
 a. a requestor generating a data request;   b. a computer receiving the data request from the requestor;   c. the computer formatting the request and forwarding the formatted request to at least one data location;   d. the at least one data location retrieving data responsive to the formatted request, creating summary data based upon the data and transmitting the summary data to the computer; wherein the summary data does not include individual records, private records, and source identifiers;   e. the computer aggregating and analyzing the summary data;   f. the computer forwarding the aggregated and analyzed summary data to the requestor.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the step of creating summary data includes the step of analyzing and aggregating data resident at the at least one data location. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the requestor is at least one of a requesting member and a requesting non-member. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one data location is a non-requesting member. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein data responsive to the formatted request includes at least one of private and non-private data. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the data responsive to the formatted request may include at least one of individual records and group records. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the step of creating summary data includes removing all source identifier information. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the step of the at least one data location retrieving data includes:
 a. forwarding the formatted request to at least one secondary data location;   b. creating summary data at the at least one secondary data location; and   c. transmitting the summary data to the at least one data location.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the step of the at least one data location retrieving data responsive to the formatted request includes multi-tiered data retrieval, analysis and aggregation. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 27 , further including the step of generating a bill for the requesting non-member based upon the requesting non-member's data request. 
     
     
         35 . The data collection method of  claim 25 , wherein the summary data is not encrypted. 
     
     
         36 . The data collection method of  claim 25 , wherein the summary data is not de-identified. 
     
     
         37 . A system for data collection and processing, comprising:
 a. an exchange hub;   b. a requesting entity communicatively coupled to the exchange hub; and   c. at least one data location communicatively coupled to the exchange hub,   d. wherein the exchange hub receives a request for information from the requesting entity, processes the received request, forwards the request to the at least one data location, aggregates all data responsive to the request from the at least one data location so as to create an aggregated data result; and transmits the aggregated data result to the requesting entity; and   e. wherein the aggregating data does not include individual records, private records and source identifiers.   
     
     
         38 . The system in accordance with  claim 37 , further including a data agent located at the at least one data location for retrieving data responsive to the request. 
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the requesting entity is at least one of a requesting member and a requesting non-member. 
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the exchange hub aggregates and analyzes information received from the at least one data location and data resident to the exchange hub. 
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the aggregated and analyzed information does not include any source identifier information. 
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the at least one data location stores at least one of private and non-private data. 
     
     
         43 . The system according to  claim 37 , exchange hub may send a further request for information based upon data received in response to the request for information. 
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the at least one data location includes a multi-tiered group of secondary data locations containing responsive data. 
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the exchange hub includes an analytic engine for processing requests for information received from a requesting entity, receiving data responsive to the requests for information, aggregating and analyzing the received data and forwarding the aggregated and analyzed data to the requesting entity. 
     
     
         46 . The system in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein the exchange hub includes a summary data module for storing the results of previous requests for aggregated and analyzed data. 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the exchange hub includes a central billing module for generating a billing statement for a requesting non-member. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the summary data is not encrypted. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the summary data is not de-identified.