Method and apparatus for extendible information aggregationand presentation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for arbitrarily extendible information aggregation and display. This functionality is achieved by abstracting the components of the system into individual modules which communicate using a platform-independent, extendible markup language such as extensible markup language (XML). A designer adds support for new information sources or client devices by abstracting and encapsulating messages to and from the information source or client device in a wrapper using a platform-independent, extendible markup language such as XML.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 891,821 filed on Jun. 26, 2001.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for the aggregation of information from multiple sources for presentation to an end user. In particular, the present invention relates to abstracted information aggregation and presentation utilizing extendible markup languages such as extensible markup language (XML). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The closing decades of the 20th century have been characterized as the beginning of an “Information Age.” Before the widespread deployment of computers in the 1970s and 1980s, records and other data were stored in analog, human-readable formats using paper records, microfiche, and microfilm. With computerization, the storage of data became a digital task, storing information on magnetic or optical media in computer-readable formats. Unfortunately,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] This additional level of abstraction and common intermediate format reduces the effort required to support a new information source or client device. Now a designer only needs to write one conduit to support a new information source or new client device. The common intermediate format permits arbitrary processing of data from an arbitrary information source using a back-end integration server.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, computerization preceded widespread internetworking by roughly twenty years.

The result is a dizzying array of data sources often separated by geographical or legal boundaries, stored in potentially incompatible formats, and held by owners whose interests may argue against interoperability and easy access.

Moreover, the conduit model only allows the simple aggregation and conveyance of data from an information source to a client device.

If the user's preference data requires a price-to-earnings ratio, mere presentation of price data and earnings data fails to meet that request.

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