Method and System for Abstracting Information for Use in Link Analysis

Abstract

Observable data points are collected and organized into a link-oriented data set comprising nodes and links. Information is abstracted for use in link analysis by generating links between the collected data points, including deriving links and inducing links. A link can be induced by linking together a pair of nodes that satisfy a distance function. Exemplary distance functions that can be used to induce links include geo spatial proximity, attribute nearness, and name similarity. Paths can be identified between selected nodes of interest through a dataset operation, and nodes and/or links can be selectively included or excluded from the data set operation. The dataset can be augmented with pedigree information or one or more association nodes. Link information, including a trajectory and a connected path that selectively produces or excludes one or more intermediate nodes, can be displayed and/or produced in a specified format.

1 . A method for abstracting information for use in link analysis comprising:
 representing a plurality of collected observable data points in a link-oriented dataset; and   abstracting information for use in link analysis from the plurality of collected observable data points by generating links between two or more of the plurality of observable data points.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of generating links between two or more of the plurality of observable data points comprises deriving at least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of representing the plurality of collected observable data points in a link-oriented dataset further comprises organizing the plurality of collected observable data points into one or more typed nodes and one or more named links between the nodes, the named links comprising typed end points. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising displaying one or more typed nodes and one or more derived links. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising selectively concealing one or more links. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of abstracting information for use in link analysis by deriving links between one or more of the plurality of observable data points further comprises the step of performing one or more dataset operations on the link-oriented dataset. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the one or more dataset operations comprise a first dataset operation comprising one or more of the following: subgraph matching, path matching, or matrix algebra. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the one or more dataset operations further comprise a second dataset operation on a result of the first dataset operation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second dataset operation comprises aggregating all pairs of typed nodes that result from the first dataset operation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of generating links between two or more of the plurality of observable. data points comprises generating a link based solely on features inherent in the link-oriented data set. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of generating links between two or more of the plurality of observable data points comprises inducing at least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the link-oriented dataset comprises a plurality of nodes and wherein the step of inducing a least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points further comprises inducing a link between at least one pair of nodes that satisfies a distance function. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the distance function comprises geospatial proximity. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the distance function comprises nearness of an attribute. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the nearness of an attribute comprises name similarity. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 selecting a first node and a second node; and 
 identifying at least one path between the first node and the second node, wherein identifying at least one path between the first node and second node comprises performing a dataset operation. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein one or more links in the link-oriented data set are selectively included or excluded from the dataset operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein at least one of the one or more links in the link-oriented data set that are selectively included or excluded from the dataset operation is an induced link or a derived link. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein one or more nodes in the link-oriented data set are included or excluded from the dataset operation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein one or more nodes are selectively included or excluded from the dataset operation based on type. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the dataset operation comprises a shortest path algorithm. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein at least one path between the first node and second node comprises an induced link or a derived link. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  in which the link-oriented data set comprises data pedigree information. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  in which the link-oriented data set comprises at least one association node. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of producing link information. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of producing link information comprises displaying the link information. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of producing link information comprises outputting the link information in a specified format. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising producing a trajectory. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the trajectory comprises two or more data points having geospatial attributes. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the trajectory comprises group activity. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising producing an association node. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the link-oriented dataset includes a first node, a second node, and a connected path between the first node and second node that includes one or more intermediate nodes; and selectively producing or excluding from production at least one of the one or more intermediate nodes. 
     
     
         33 . A system for abstracting information for use in link analysis comprising:
 a processor;   a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory comprising a link-oriented dataset comprising a plurality of collected observable data points; and   graph analytics platform software comprising instruction code which when executed by the processor provides the function of:   abstracting information for use in link analysis from the plurality of collected observable data points by generating links between two or more of the plurality of observable data points.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor derives at least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the plurality of collected observable data points are organized into one or more typed nodes and one or more named links between the nodes, the named links comprising typed end points. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor displays one or more typed nodes and one or more derived links. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor selectively conceals one or more links. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor performs one or more dataset operations on the link-oriented dataset. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38  wherein the one or more dataset operations comprise a first dataset operation comprising one or more of the following: subgraph matching, path matching, or matrix algebra. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the one or more dataset operations further comprise a second dataset operation on a result of the first dataset operation. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the second dataset operation comprises aggregating all pairs of typed nodes that result from the first dataset operation. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor generates a link based solely on features inherent in the link-oriented data set. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor induces at least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the link-oriented dataset comprises a plurality of nodes and wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor induces a link between at least one pair of nodes that satisfies a distance function. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44  wherein the distance function comprises geospatial proximity. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 44  wherein the distance function comprises nearness of an attribute. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the nearness of an attribute comprises name similarity. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor provides the functions of:
 selecting a first node and a second node; and 
 identifying at least one path between the first node and the second node, wherein identifying at least one path between the first node and second node comprises performing a dataset operation. 
 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor selectively includes or excludes one or more links in the link-oriented data set from the dataset operation. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49  wherein at least one of the one or more links in the link-oriented data set that are selectively included or excluded from the dataset operation is an induced link or a derived link. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor selectively includes or excludes one or more nodes in the link-oriented data set from the dataset operation. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51  wherein one or more nodes are selectively included or excluded from the dataset operation based on type. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the dataset operation comprises a shortest path algorithm. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 48  wherein at least one path between the first node and second node comprises an induced link or a derived link. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 33  in which the link-oriented data set comprises data pedigree information. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 33  in which the link-oriented data set comprises at least one association node. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor produces link information. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor displays the link information on a display device coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 57  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor outputs the link information in a specified format. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 57  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor produces a trajectory. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60  wherein the trajectory comprises two or more data points having geospatial attributes. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 60  wherein the trajectory comprises group activity. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 57  wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor produces an association node. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 57  wherein the link-oriented dataset includes a first node, a second node, and a connected path between the first node and second node that includes one or more intermediate nodes; and wherein the graph analytics platform software further comprises instruction code which when executed by the processor selectively produces or excludes from production at least one of the one or more intermediate nodes. 
     
     
         65 . A software program product comprising:
 a computer readable medium; and   program code on the computer readable medium that when executed provides the functions of   representing a plurality of collected observable data points in a link-oriented dataset; and   abstracting information for use in link analysis from the plurality of collected observable data points by generating links between two or more of the plurality of observable data points.   
     
     
         66 . A software program product of  claim 65  further comprising program code on the computer readable medium that when executed provides the functions of deriving at least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points. 
     
     
         67 . A software program product of  claim 65  further comprising program code on the computer readable medium that when executed provides the functions of inducing at least one link between two or more of the plurality of observable data points. 
     
     
         68 . A software program product of  claim 65  further comprising program code on the computer readable medium that when executed provides the functions of:
 selecting a first node and a second node; and 
 identifying at least one path between the first node and the second node, wherein identifying at least one path between the first node and second node comprises performing a dataset operation. 
 
     
     
         69 . A software program product of  claim 65  further comprising program code on the computer readable medium that when executed provides the function of producing link information. 
     
     
         70 . The software program product of  claim 69  wherein the function of producing link information comprises displaying the link information.