Portal Server SIFT Data Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data retrieval systems are limited in their ability to dynamically deliver information from multiple disparate data sources, particularly when dealing with periodic and aperiodic data, and often require complex client applications for formatting and customization, lacking user-defined display options and filters.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a portal server to generate portlets for retrieving data periodically and aperiodically from multiple data sources, storing it in a database, and displaying it according to user-defined options and filters, using XML configuration files to manage data retrieval and presentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data is retrieved from multiple disparate data sources and stored in a data warehouse, then data accessibility is improved, but data formatting and processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a portal server as an intermediary component between data sources and client applications. The portal server retrieves data from multiple disparate data sources, stores it in a data warehouse, and handles formatting and processing centrally, thereby improving data accessibility while managing formatting complexity in one location rather than requiring complex client-side processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the data formatting and processing functions from client applications and consolidates them in the portal server. By taking out these complex operations from multiple client endpoints and centralizing them in the server, the system improves data accessibility across clients while reducing the formatting complexity burden on individual applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex client applications are used to retrieve and format data, then data customization is improved, but application complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portal server acts as an intermediary that provides data customization capabilities to client applications without requiring the clients to be complex. The server handles data retrieval, formatting, and customization logic centrally, allowing simple client applications to access customized data through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements portlets as reusable, pluggable components that can be deployed across multiple client applications. These portlets encapsulate data retrieval and formatting logic, allowing the same customization functionality to be copied and used across different applications without increasing their complexity.
3Reliability
If data retrieval is performed periodically and aperiodically from multiple sources, then information freshness is improved, but coordination difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portal server serves as a coordinating intermediary that manages periodic and aperiodic data retrieval from multiple data sources. It centralizes the scheduling and coordination logic, tracking when data should be refreshed from each source and managing the complexity of simultaneous retrievals, thereby ensuring information freshness without requiring complex coordination in client applications.
4Ease of operation
If user-defined display options and filters are implemented, then user control is improved, but system configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements portlets as reusable components that encapsulate display options and filter configurations. These portlets can be copied and deployed across multiple users and applications, allowing user control capabilities to be shared and managed centrally while reducing the configuration complexity burden on individual users.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments are directed to a method for exchanging data between a user terminal, and a first data source and a second data source, the method including configuring a user-defined XML configuration file stored on a portal server. The method further includes retrieving data periodically from the first data source via a periodically executed application and retrieving data aperiodically from the second data source via an aperiodically executed application. The method further includes storing a combined data retrieved from the first data source and the second data sources in a database. The method further includes displaying the combined data on the user terminal in accordance with at least one option specified in the user-defined XML configuration file.