Abstract:
In a financial report distribution system of the present invention, an event and schedule information database that stores event and schedule data indicating independently occurring changes in a market environment is provided in an analysis center. Independently occurring events in a stock market, such as stock transfer, merger, and acquisition are defined for each user. The financial report distribution system is equipped with an event-ready function: whenever such events have occurred, a merging DB in the system is updated, and a sequence of processes for the user from information processing through distribution of the processed information is automatically activated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a technology for processing predetermined information and distributing the processed information to an information receiving apparatus.  
           [0003]    More specifically, the invention relates to a method and a system for processing financial information such as stock information in a market and the information on financial affairs into data table items that meet a request of the client and then distributing the processed financial information to a client&#39;s database. The financial information is distributed, based on a condition registered in advance, an environment, a format for the client, and the like.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    U.S. 2002/0065977A1 discloses the system in which information distributed from a provider is rated according to a personal profile learned in advance based on a preference of the client and then provided to the client.  
           [0006]    With this system, market information data on stock prices and interest rates, and foreign exchanges and commodities, and financial information data are distributed from various information vendors and exchanges such as a stock exchange to users who utilize the data from investment advisors at timings defined in a predetermined data format.  
           [0007]    After receiving these data, the user stores the data in databases of his company&#39;s server and his personal computer, updates the data in the databases, or utilizes information distributed in real time without alteration. Whenever performing an analysis, the user generates basic information as necessary, using the information he stores in his databases or provided in real time, creates analyzed information for supporting business by his own analysis tool, and makes use of the analyzed information for the business. However, under present circumstances, it takes much time and effort to perform this data processing. The user must receive information and generate the associated basic information as necessitated while always monitoring a market situation to see when the information he needs will occur.  
           [0008]    The user performs such operations mainly because according to a request-reply system, he must frequently specify a form of distribution every time he has received raw data, or in some cases, the data in the information distributed in real time or at a timing defined by a distributor is not always the information needed by the user. Further, when an independently occurring change in the environment such as stock transfer due to a merger, which will be referred to below as an event has occurred, accurate information is not reflected, so that a risk resulting from a time lag is generated.  
           [0009]    Still further, resources in the database that is not used might not be effectively utilized.  
           [0010]    The user who has received distribution of information needs enormous time and effort in order to generate from the distributed information the basic information needed for his analysis, which is processing after the distribution of the information. Moreover, since freshness of information differs depending on the timing of the information distributed, the timing must be managed by the user every time the information has been distributed. Enormous effort by the user is therefore required.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and a system for managing data processing information for generation of basic information by a user at a user site, and enabling distribution of the basic information capable of being analyzed by the user every time information is distributed. Another object of the invention is to provide the system that can automatically update the distributed information at a timing needed by the user, thereby providing a technology for minimizing an effort required to perform information analysis by the user of the distributed information. Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and a system for changing a request for processing financial information to accommodate an irregularly occurring event.  
           [0012]    According to the present invention, there is provided  
           [0013]    an analysis service system comprising:  
           [0014]    a financial information database;  
           [0015]    a database processor for updating the financial information database based on information received from an information vendor; and  
           [0016]    a repository for storing a pair of a first data request received from a user site and timing data indicating when repetitive data should be acquired from the financial information database in response to the first data request;  
           [0017]    wherein the repository stores a second data request received from the user site indicating independent data should be acquired from the financial information database.  
           [0018]    In the present invention, information is automatically processed and distributed according to a format required by the user or an information receiving apparatus, a schedule defined in advance, and an independently occurring event for which the information is to be acquired. As one of the information for distribution, there is provided the financial information, for example. The financial information includes all the information that can be used as market information on stock prices and interest rates, foreign exchanges and commodities, and quantitative and qualitative information on financial affairs and earnings of public limited companies and listed companies.  
           [0019]    More specifically, in order to solve the problems described above, a database for registering schedules is first provided for the system according to the present invention. Then, repetitive market information is defined and registered in advance, and a schedule table is referred to in real time or regularly. Generation and distribution of information is thereby automatically enabled at a timing needed by the user. Secondly, an information database for registering events or independently occurring changes in a market environment is provided, likewise. Then, independently occurring events in a stock market such as stock transfer, merger, and acquisition are defined for each user. With this arrangement, the system according to the present invention can be provided with a function to update a merging DB every time these events have occurred and automatically activate a sequence of processes from processing of the information for the user through distribution of the processed information. Thirdly, the format required by the user is stored. Distribution data can be extracted from a merging information database, can be processed in a form to comply with the required format, and can be distributed to a user&#39;s analysis system. With this arrangement, the user or analyzer can spend much time in performing the analysis alone. Fourthly, timings at which the user desires to acquire information are also registered in an event and schedule DB. The system according to the present invention can thereby automatically activate a sequence of program steps from generation and storage of information through processing and distribution of the information to the user, taking the event and schedule DB as an agent for the user.  
           [0020]    As shown in an embodiment that will be described below, by referring to a time schedule of an event and schedule DB, the user can receive necessary information at a timing he needed. Further, the analysis center manages and uses the data format for the user as a repository. The user can thereby omit the time and effort for data processing.  
           [0021]    Further, input of information required by the user can be performed to the user&#39;s analysis system timely and with a minimum time lag. Still further, by setting a condition needed for the analysis by the user in advance, processing and distribution of the information can be performed even if the user does not always monitor the market. Loss of time in various decision-making processes such as stock investment can be thereby prevented, and unnecessary risks such as an opportunity loss can be reduced. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a system according to the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining acquirement of event information from a distributor according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining generation of merged data;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining processing for storing a data processing format according to the embodiment;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a flowchart explaining processing for data processing according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of an event definition DB;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 is a configuration example of an event and schedule DB;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of a stock price data DB;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of a financial data DB;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 10 shows a configuration example of a stock price index data DB;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 11 shows a configuration example of a foreign exchange data DB;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 12 shows a configuration example of a brand-by-brand merging DB;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 13 shows a configuration example of a time-by-time common information merging DB; and  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 14 shows a configuration example of a repository. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    Now, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an analysis service system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system is broadly divided into following three units:  
         [0038]    (a) information sources or information vendors  
         [0039]    (b) analysis center  016   
         [0040]    (c) user site  019   
         [0041]    The information vendors include a stock exchange  001  for distributing information such as stock prices and foreign exchanges, an information vendor  0002  for distributing financial data, and an event information source  0003  for distributing a daily event such as news information. Information is distributed from the information vendors  0001  to  0003  to the analysis center  016  based on a contract whenever necessary. The analysis center  016  temporarily stores the information received from the information vendors, performs necessary processing on the information, and distributes the processed information to the user site  019  as necessary.  
         [0042]    The analysis center  016  includes a primary storage database (hereinafter referred to a DB)  004 , an event definition DB  006 , an event and schedule DB  005 , and a merging DB  008 . The primary storage DB  004  receives and stores stock price data, stock price index data, foreign exchange data, financial data, and event information in real time or regularly. The event definition DB  006  registers categories for independently occurring information (events). The event and schedule DB  005  stores schedule information, user&#39;s own definition information and pertinent brand information, or event occurring timings, for each user site. The schedule information includes the information on regularly and constantly occurring schedules such as time periods for a press release of earnings and brands associated with the press release and respective open and close times of trade markets. The user&#39;s own definition information includes information on release of specific statistical values (business and public statistics such as a production result) and the like. The merging DB  008  processes and merges primary data.  
         [0043]    The analysis center  016  further includes a repository  012  and a client distribution DB  014 . The repository  012  registers client needs concerning information distribution such as SQL (Structured Query Language) data  011  that defines a method of acquiring distributed information needed by a user, metadata  010  that defines the method of processing information. The client distribution DB  014  stores the information to be distributed to the user site. The analysis center  016  further includes a merging DB generator  007 , a data format analyzing section  009 , and a data extracting and processing section  013 . The merging DB generator  007  is a program for processing and merging the primary data. The data format analyzing section  009  is the program for converting each data format  015  received from the user site  019  into a general-purpose format that can be managed by the analysis center  016  in a unified way. The data extracting and processing section  013  extracts from the merging DB  008  distributed data and processes the extracted data according to event and schedule information in the event and schedule DB  005  and information on the methods of acquiring and processing the information acquired from the repository  012 .  
         [0044]    The user site  019  includes a receiving server  018  for receiving distributed information from the analysis center  016  and analytical data  017  for storing the received information.  
         [0045]    When information has satisfied a condition needed by the user based on this event and schedule information under management of the merging DB generator  007  and the data extracting and processing section  013 , processes from generation to distribution of the information can be automatically activated. Accordingly, after having been processed based on the data format registered by the user in advance or whenever necessary, information can be distributed in a form that can be directly input to a use environment such as a client analysis.  
         [0046]    Now, with reference to FIGS.  2  to  13 , an example will be described in which information has been acquired from the information vendor, and then based on the event and schedule information or information in the repository, information capable of being analyzed by the user is distributed in the system in this embodiment, configured as described above.  
         [0047]    FIGS.  2  to  5  are flowcharts showing information processing procedures in this embodiment.  
         [0048]    FIGS.  6  to  14  show examples of configuration of the databases used in this embodiment.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 2 is the flowchart showing processing from acquirement of information from the information vendor to storage in the event and schedule DB.  
         [0050]    At step  101 , the event information on news and market information as shown in FIGS.  7  to  10  is automatically obtained from the stock exchange  001 , information vendor  002 , and event information source  003  whenever necessary.  
         [0051]    At step  102 , event definitions, which are key words for defining the events are all extracted from event definition information as shown in FIG. 6 including the press release of earnings, revision of business results forecast, mergers and acquisitions that may affect financial affairs and stocks of companies.  
         [0052]    At step  103 , it is determined whether the event definitions acquired at step . 102  are included in the event information obtained at step  101 . If none of the event definition is included in the event information, the processing is terminated. If one of the event definitions is included in the event information, the operation transitions to step  104 .  
         [0053]    At step  104 , information on a target stock and an event occurring date and time are extracted from the event information obtained at step  101 .  
         [0054]    At step  105 , the event definition determined to be included in the event information at step  103 , the information on the target stock and the event occurring date and time extracted at step  104 , and a processing content are stored in the event and schedule DB as shown in FIG. 7. Together with the event information, the user can also register constantly occurring information as the schedule information, and performs updating the contents of the event and schedule DB.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 6 shows event definition data  501  stored in the event definition DB  006 . The event definition data  501  indicates events and the processing contents associated with the events (information on source data to be acquired). The event definition data  501  is constituted from an item number  502 , an event definition  503 , and a processing content  504 . A column for the item number  502  stores numbers representing an order of the data, as indicated by reference numerals  505  and  508 . The column for the event definition  503  stores the contents of the event definitions as indicated by reference numerals  506  and  509 . The column for the processing content  504  stores types of source data to be acquired for each event, as indicated by reference numerals  507  and  510 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 7 shows event and schedule data  601  stored in the event and schedule DB  005 . The event and schedule data  601  indicates events and their classifications, information on the brands associated with the events, event occurring dates and times, and processing contents (information on source data to be acquired). The event and schedule data  601  is constituted from an item number  602 , a classification  603 , an event  604 , a target brand  605 , an occurring date and time  606 , an updated date and time  607 , and a processing content  608 . The column for the updated date  607  stores a most recent date and time among the event occurring dates and times when the processing content was implemented. The column for the item number  602  stores numbers representing the order of the data, as indicated by reference numerals  609  and  616 . The column for the classification  603  stores the classifications as represented by reference numerals  610  and  617 , each indicating whether the event is a repetitive schedule or the event that can occur whenever necessary. The column for the event  604  stores the contents of the events as indicated by reference numerals  611  and  618 . The column for the target brand  605  stores target brand information for the events or schedules, as indicated by reference numerals  612  and  619 . The column for the occurring date and time  606  stores the dates and times as indicated by reference numerals  613  and  620 , when the events or schedules will occur. The column for the updated date  607  stores the most recent dates and times that the processing content  608  was implemented according to the event and schedule DB, as indicated by reference numerals  614  and  621 . The column for the processing content  608  stores data processing contents associated with the events, as indicated by reference numerals  615  and  622 .  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 3 is the flowchart showing the processing for generating merged data after information has been acquired from the information vendor.  
         [0058]    At step  201 , all the data with their classification  603  being the “schedule” are extracted from the event and schedule data  601  in the event and schedule DB  005  shown in FIG. 7 with a certain period regarded as an extraction cycle.  
         [0059]    At step  202 , respective event and schedule data occurring dates of the event and schedule data acquired at step  201  are compared with a current date and time. Only the event and schedule data with the occurring dates and times which are the same as and earlier than the current date and time are extracted, and the operation transitions to step  203 . If there is no such data, the operation transitions to step  207 .  
         [0060]    At step  203 , updated dates and times of the event and schedule data extracted at step  202  are compared with the occurring dates and times of the event and schedule data. Only the event and schedule data with their updated dates and times being later than their occurring dates are extracted, and the operation transitions to step  204 . If there is no such data, the operation transitions to step  207 .  
         [0061]    At step  204 , information on all the event and schedule data extracted at step  203  is extracted from associated DBs in the primary storage DB according to the method of acquiring the data stored as the processing content. FIG. 8 shows stock price data  701  stored in the primary storage DB  004 . The stock price data DB  701  indicates stock information and is constituted from a brand code  702 , a date  703 , a closing price  704 , a quotation  705 , and a volume  706  for each of the brands. The column for the brand code  702  stores brand codes as indicated by reference numerals  707  and  711 . The column for the date  703  stores the dates as indicated by reference numerals  708  and  712 , when information has been acquired. The column for the closing price  704  stores the closing prices as represented by reference numerals  709  and  713  indicating closing stock prices on associated dates, and the column for the volume  706  stores the volumes on the associated dates, as indicated by reference numerals  710  and  714 . FIG. 9 shows financial data  801  in the primary storage DB  004 . The financial data  801  indicates financial data for respective companies listed in the stock exchange, and is constituted from a brand code  802 , sales  803 , an income from operation  804 , a recurring gain  805 , and a profit for the current term  806 . The column for the brand code  802  stores the brand codes of the companies listed in the stock exchange, as indicated by reference numeral  807 . The column for the sales  803  stores the sales as indicated by reference numeral  808 . The column for the income from operation  804  stores the income from operation, as indicated by reference numeral  809 . The column for the recurring gain  805  stores the recurring gains, as indicated by reference numeral  810 . The column for the profit for the current term  806  stores the most recent profit for the current term.  
         [0062]    When the current date and time is 15:00 on Oct. 21, 2002 in the event and schedule data  601 , for example, information on a brand “ 6501 ” in the target brand  619  and information on “acquisition of financial data and stock price data” in its processing content  622  are extracted and together with the current date Oct. 21, 2002 associated data are acquired. Based on the condition in the processing content, the brand code  707 , date  708 , closing price  709 , volume  710  of the stock price data  701  are acquired, and the brand code  807 , sales  808 , income from operation  809 , recurring gain  810 , and profit for the current term  811  of the financial data  801  are acquired.  
         [0063]    At step  205 , the information in the primary storage DB  004  acquired at step  204  is stored in the merging DB  008 .  
         [0064]    [0064]FIG. 10 shows stock price index data  901  in the primary storage DB  004 . The stock price index data  901  can include a date  902 , a Tokyo stock price index (TOPIX) stock price  907 , a Nikkei Stock Average  904 , a Nikkei Stock Index  905 , and a National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ)  906 , and displays data associated with a plurality of specified dates.  
         [0065]    [0065]FIG. 11 shows foreign exchange data  1001  in the primary storage DB  004  shown in FIG. 1. The dates and exchange rates between currencies requested by the client or user are displayed.  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 13 shows a time-by-time common information merging DB in the merging DB  008  generated by the merging DB generator  007 . The time-by-time common information merging DB includes a TOPIX stock price  1204 , a Nikkei Stock Average  1205 , a yen-to-dollar exchange rate  1206 , a yen-to-euro exchange rate  1207 , and an oil price  1208  on a time basis.  
         [0067]    [0067]FIG. 12 shows brand-by-brand merged data  1101  stored in the merging DB  008 . The brand-by-brand merged data  1101  indicates information that merges financial information and stock price information for each brand and is constituted from a brand  1102 , sales  1103 , a capital  1104 , ROE  1105 , a stock price  1106 , a volume  1107 , and a date and time  1108 . The column for the brand  1102  stores brand codes as indicated by reference numerals  1109 ,  1116 , and  1120 . The column for the sales  1103  stores the sales as indicated by reference numerals  1110  and  1124 . The column for the capital  1104  stores the capital for the brand, as indicated by reference numeral  1111 . The column for the ROE  1105  stores the ROE (return on equity) as indicated by reference numeral  1112 . The column for the stock price  1106  stores the stock prices on the dates, as indicated by reference numerals  1113 ,  1117 , and  1121 . The column for the volume  1107  stores the volumes for the brands, as indicated by reference numerals  1114 ,  1118 , and  1122 . The column for the date and time  1108  stores data reference dates as indicated by reference numerals  1115 ,  1119 , and  1123 .  
         [0068]    For example, the brand code  707 , date  708 , closing price  709 , volume  710  of the stock price data  701  acquired at step  204  are stored as the brand  1116 , stock price  1117 , volume  1118 , and date and time  1119  in the brand-by-brand merging DB, and the brand code  807  and the volume  808  of the financial data  801  acquired at step  204  are stored as the sales  1124  in the brand-by-brand merging DB.  
         [0069]    At step  206 , when the information has been stored in the merging DB at step  205 , the current date and time is stored in the updated date and time  607  in the event and schedule data  601  extracted at step  204 . When the stock price data  701  and the financial data  801  have been updated at step  205 , for example, the current date and time of 15:00 on Oct. 12, 2002 is stored in the current date and time  614  in the event and schedule data  601 .  
         [0070]    At step  207 , all the data with their classification  603  being the “event” are acquired from the event and schedule data  601  from the event and schedule DB  005  shown in FIG. 7, with a certain period regarded as the cycle.  
         [0071]    At step  208 , respective event and schedule data occurring dates and times of the event and schedule data acquired at step  207  are compared with the current date and time. When the current date and time is within the certain period from the occurring dates and times of the event and schedule data, such event and schedule data are extracted, and the operation transitions to step  209 . If there is no such data, the processing is terminated.  
         [0072]    At step  209 , information on all the event and schedule data extracted at step  208  is extracted from associated DBs in the primary storage DB according to the method of acquiring data stored as the processing content. When the current date and time is 15:00 on Oct. 22, 2002 in the event and schedule data  601 , for example, information on the brand “ 6501 ” in the target brand  619  and information on “acquisition of stock price data” in its processing content  622  are extracted, and the associated data are acquired, together with the current date Oct. 22, 2002. Based on the condition in the processing content, the brand code  711 , date  712 , closing price  713 , volume  714  are acquired from the stock price data  701 .  
         [0073]    At step  210 , the information in the primary storage DB  0004  obtained at step  209  is stored in the merging DB  008 . The brand code  711 , date  712 , closing price  713 , and volume  714  of the stock price data  701  acquired at step  209  are stored as the brand  1116 , stock price  1117 , volume  1118 , and date and time  1119  in the brand-by-brand merging DB.  
         [0074]    At step  211 , when the information has been stored in the merging DB at step  210 , the current date and time is stored in the updated date and time  607  in the event and schedule data  601  extracted at step  209 . When the stock price data  701  has been updated at step  210 , for example, the current date and time of 15:00 on Oct. 22, 2002. is stored in the updated date and time  621  in the event and schedule data  601 .  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 4 is the flowchart explaining the processing of receiving a data processing format from the user, analyzing the data processing format, and storing the data processing format in the repository.  
         [0076]    At step  301 , the data processing format created at the user site  019  of the user who uses the analysis center  016  is converted according to the form of a certain data format, and then received at the analysis center  016 .  
         [0077]    At step  302 , the method of acquiring data described using a certain grammar such as the SQL data and distribution data item definitions are extracted from the data processing format described in the form of the certain data format, received at step  301 .  
         [0078]    At step  303 , from the data format described in the form of the certain data format received at step  301 , a calculation formula or metadata for distribution data items calculated by operation on data items held in the merging DB is extracted as processing logic data.  
         [0079]    At step  304 , the SQL data and the distribution data item definitions acquired at step  302  and the metadata acquired at step  303  are stored in the repository  012  as data processing information specific to the user. FIG. 14 shows repository data  1301  held in the repository  012 . The repository data  1301  stores the data processing format such as a data processing format  1303  for each user such as a user  1302 , according to the form of the certain data format (e.g. an XML format). The column for the user  1302  stores codes as indicated by reference numeral  1304 , for identifying the users, while the column for the data processing format  1303  stores the method of acquiring data and the method of processing the data for automatically generating distribution data described in the form of the certain data format, as indicated by reference numeral  1305 .  
         [0080]    [0080]FIG. 5 is the flowchart showing the processing from reception of a distribution request for distribution of data from the user to distribution of processed data information.  
         [0081]    At step  401 , the request for distribution of the data is made to the analysis center  016  from the user site  019  of the user.  
         [0082]    At step  402 , the data extracting and processing section  013  of the analysis center. 016  extracts from the event and schedule DB  005  one piece of data in the event schedule data  601 , with its classification  603  being the “event” specific to the user site  019 .  
         [0083]    At step  403 , the date and time when the request for distribution of the data has been made from the user site  019  at step  401  is compared with the event occurring date and time  606  of the one piece of data in the event and schedule data  601  extracted at step  402 . When the date and time at which the data distribution request has been made is the same as or later than the event occurring date and time, the operation transitions to step  404 . When the date and time at which the data distribution request has been made is earlier than the event occurring date and time, the operation transitions to step  405 .  
         [0084]    At step  404 , information on the event and schedule data processed at step  403  is extracted from associated DBs in the primary storage DB according to the method of acquiring data stored as the processing content  608 . When the date and time at which the data distribution request has been made is 15:00 on Oct. 22, 2002 in the event and schedule data  601 , for example, information on the brand “ 6501 ” in the target brand  619  and information on “acquisition of stock price data” in its processing content  622  are extracted, and associated data are acquired, together with the current date Oct. 22, 2002 and the current time. Based on the condition in the processing content, the brand code  711 , date  712 , closing price  713 , and volume  714  are acquired from the stock price data  701 . Then, the information acquired from the primary storage DB  004  is stored in the merging DB  008 . The brand code  711 , date  712 , closing price  713 , and volume  714  of the stock price data  701  acquired, for example, are stored as the brand  1116 , stock price  1117 , volume  1118 , and date and time  1119  in the brand-by-brand merging DB. Finally, the date and time at which the data distribution request has been made is stored in the updated date and time  607  of the event and schedule data  601 .  
         [0085]    At step  405 , if all the data of the event and schedule data  601  specific to the user site  019  from which the data distribution request has been made, having their classifications being the “event” have been extracted at step  402 , the operation transitions to step  406 . If there is the data that is not processed, the operation transitions to step  402 .  
         [0086]    At step  406 , the data processing format  1305  for the user site  019  from which the data distribution request has been made is extracted from the repository  012 .  
         [0087]    At step  407 , a portion for data acquirement represented by sentences described in an SQL, for example, is extracted from the data processing format  1305  specific to the user site extracted at step  406 , and necessary data are acquired from the merging DB  008 . A following portion between &lt;SQL&gt; and &lt;/SQL&gt; in the data processing format  1305 , for example, is determined to be the method of acquiring data (described in SQL sentences, for example):  
         [0088]    SQL 1 =select sales, capital, ROE from brand-by-brand merging DB  
         [0089]    where brand code=‘6501’ and date=“Today” 
         [0090]    SQL 2 =select closing price, volume from brand-by-brand merging DB  
         [0091]    where brand code=‘6501’ and date between “Today-2” and “Today” 
         [0092]    The above two SQL sentences are acquired and executed. When “Today” is set to Oct. 22, 2002 the sales  1110 , capital  1104 , ROE  1105  are acquired from the brand-by-brand merged data  1101  according to the SQL 1 . The stock prices  1113 ,  1117 , and  1121  and the volumes  1114 ,  1118 , and  1122  are obtained according to the SQL 2 .  
         [0093]    At step  408 , a portion for data processing such as the calculation formula is extracted from the data processing format  1305  specific to the user site extracted at step  406 . After the extraction, using information acquired from the merging DB  008  at step  407 , processed data is automatically generated. The following portion between &lt;data processing item&gt; and &lt;/data processing item&gt; in the extracted data processing format  1305 , for example, is determined to be the portion for data processing such as the calculation formula: 
         Volume Weighted Moving Average=Σ(stock price×volume)÷Σ(volume) 
         [0094]    Then, the above calculation formula is obtained. When calculation is made using the stock prices  1113 ,  1117 ,  1121 , and the volumes  1114 ,  1118 , and  1122 , acquired at step  407 , the volume weighted moving average of 683.4548 is obtained.  
         [0095]    At step  409 , the data acquired or processed at steps  407  and  408  are stored in the client distribution DB  014  specific to the user site  019  from which the data distribution request has been made. Data items for the distribution are stored based on the form in the data processing format  1303 . The sales  1110 , capital  1111 , ROE  1112 , stock prices  1113 ,  1117 , and  1121 , volumes  1114 ,  1118 , and  1122  for the brand “ 6501 ”, acquired at step  407  and the volume weighted moving average of “683.4548” calculated at step  408  are stored in the client distribution DB  014  specific to the user site  019 . The portion between &lt;distribution data items&gt; and &lt;/distribution data items&gt; is determined to be distribution data item definitions. Then, the sales  1110  is stored as the sales for distribution, the capital  1111  is stored as the capital for the distribution, the ROE  1112  is stored as the ROE for the distribution, the stock prices  1113 ,  1117 , and  1121  are stored as the stock prices for the distribution, the volumes  1114 ,  1118 , and  1122  are stored as the volumes for the distribution, the volume weighted moving average of “683.4548” is stored as the volume weighted moving average for the distribution.  
         [0096]    At step  410 , the distribution data automatically generated and stored in the client distribution DB at step  409  are transmitted to the user site  019  from which the distribution request has been made. After the transmission, the user site  019  receives the distributed data through the receiving server  018  and stores the distributed data as the analytical data  017  managed by the user site  019 .  
         [0097]    It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.