Method, System, Apparatus, Program Code And Means For Identifying And Extracting Information

Abstract

Some embodiments include a system, method, apparatus and means for identifying and extracting information include generating a list of information sources, each selected as having information potentially relevant to a topic, the list of information sources including sources of at least a first type and sources of a second type, retrieving first information from an information source of the at least first type and determining that the first information is relevant to the topic, monitoring the information source of the at least first type to identify a change in the first information, and retrieving updated information from the information source of the at least first type upon identifying the change.

1 . A method, comprising:
 generating a list of information sources, each selected as having information potentially relevant to a topic, said list of information sources including sources of at least a first type and sources of a second type;   retrieving first information from an information source of said at least first type and determining that said first information is relevant to said topic;   monitoring said information source of said at least first type to identify a change in said first information; and   retrieving updated information from said information source of said at least first type upon identifying said change.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that said updated information is relevant to said topic.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing said first information to be stored in a database system if said first information is determined to be relevant to said topic.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing said updated information to be stored in a database system if said updated information is determined to be relevant to said topic.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving second information from an information source of said at least second type and automatically causing said second information to be treated as relevant to said topic.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said change is identified by comparing a digital representation of said updated information with a digital representation of said first information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said digital representation is a hash code generated for each page of a Web site. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said retrieving said first information includes translating said first information into a standardized format. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said translating into a standardized format includes identifying at least one portion of said first information corresponding to a pre-defined information type and tagging said at least one portion with a tag designating said pre-defined information type. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring further includes automatically comparing a representation of said first information to a representation of information contained on said information source at a time of said monitoring. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a processor;   a communication device coupled to receive data from at least a first information source and a second information source;   a storage device in communication with said processor and storing a list of information sources, each selected as having information potentially relevant to a topic, said list of information sources including sources of a first type and sources of a second type, wherein said first information source is of said first type and said second information source is of said second type, the storage device further storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:   receive first information from said first information source and determine that said first information is relevant to said topic;   monitor said first information source to identify a change in said first information; and   receive updated information from said first information source upon identifying said change.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said stored instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to:
 cause the storage of said first information and said updated information in a database system, wherein said first information is stored in said database system if said first information is determined to be relevant to said topic.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said stored instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to:
 receive second information from said second information source; and   cause the storage of said second information in a database system without determining whether said second information is relevant to said topic.   
     
     
         14 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of information sources;   a first device to store information; and   a second device in communication with the plurality of information sources and the first device, the second device configured to receive information from the plurality of information sources, perform at least one of an aggregation and a transformation on the received information, and send the information to the first device.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second device comprises:
 a first component to monitor at least one website and determine whether the at least one website contains at least one of new and changed information; and   a second component to extract information from the at least one website at least by collecting the at least one of new and changed information from the at least one website.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the second device comprises:
 a first device to receive and aggregate the information; and   a second device to convert the information into at least one standardized format.