System and method of applying globally unique identifiers to relate distributed data sources

Abstract

In a particular embodiment, a method includes sending a text string from a source device to a destination device. The destination device includes a unique identifier repository having a plurality of globally unique identifiers mapped text strings, relationship data defining associations between the plurality of globally unique identifiers, and meta-data related to the text string. Each of the plurality of globally unique identifiers includes a data value that is shared by a plurality of data sources as an identifier associated with information related to the text string. The method further includes receiving data including one or more globally unique identifiers, associated relationship data, and associated meta-data from the destination device at the source device in response to sending the text string. Additionally, the method includes storing the received data at a memory of the source device for use in searching and relating search results received from multiple data sources.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system comprising:
 a network interface configured to communicate with a network;   a processor coupled to the network interface; and   a memory accessible to the processor and configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
 receive a text input from the network; 
 automatically process the text input to determine variations of the text input; 
 automatically select a globally unique identifier from a plurality of globally unique identifiers based on the text input, the globally unique identifier configured to uniquely identify an item of information within the text input; and 
 automatically provide the globally unique identifier to a destination device through the network. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 retrieve data from one or more data sources using the globally unique identifier; and   automatically joining the retrieved data with the globally unique identifier before providing the globally unique identifier to the destination device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the globally unique identifier serves as an edge of a data cube, the data cube including the retrieved data from the one or more data sources. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the globally unique identifier comprises 128-bits or more. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the globally unique identifier comprises an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) character string that is uniquely mapped to a proper noun. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to correlate data from one or more data sources to the globally unique identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the variations by determining at least one of a possible misspelling, a possible abbreviations, and possible variants of a name of a person. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the variations by determining at least one of a possible misspelling, a possible abbreviations, and possible variants of a name of a company. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a network interface configured to communicate with a destination device through a network;   a processor coupled to the network interface; and   a memory accessible to the processor and configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
 receive a text input from the remote device; 
 automatically process the text input to determine variations of the text input; 
 automatically select a globally unique identifier from a plurality of globally unique identifiers based on one of the text input and the determined variations, the globally unique identifier configured to uniquely identify an item of information within the text input; and 
 automatically provide the globally unique identifier to the remote device through the network. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 retrieve data from one or more data sources using the globally unique identifier; and   automatically join the retrieved data with the globally unique identifier before providing the globally unique identifier to the destination device.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the globally unique identifier serves as an edge of a data cube including the retrieved data from the one or more data sources. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the globally unique identifier comprises 128-bits or more. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the globally unique identifier comprises an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) character string that is uniquely mapped to a proper noun. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to correlate data from one or more data sources to the globally unique identifier. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the variations by determining at least one of a possible misspelling, a possible abbreviations, and possible variants of a name of a person. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the variations by determining at least one of a possible misspelling, a possible abbreviations, and possible variants of a name of a company. 
     
     
         18 . A method of applying globally unique identifiers, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a processor of a device, a text input from a destination device, the text input received at a network interface coupled to a network;   automatically processing the text input to determine variations of the text input by determining possible misspellings, possible abbreviations, and possible variants of a name of at least one of a person and a company;   automatically select a globally unique identifier from a plurality of globally unique identifiers based on one of the text input and the variations, the globally unique identifier configured to uniquely identify an item of information within the text input; and   automatically provide the globally unique identifier to the remote device through the network.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein selecting the globally unique identifier comprises determining the globally unique identifier including 128-bits or more. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein wherein selecting the globally unique identifier comprises determining the globally unique identifier including an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) character string that is uniquely mapped to a proper noun. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising correlating data from one or more data sources to the globally unique identifier.