Patent ID: 8073950

Claim:
A data collection method, comprising the steps of: a requestor using an analytic engine to acquire data from a plurality of data locations controlled by different entities by routing a data request through an exchange hub; said request requesting the exchange hub return percentages derived from a plurality of data points and responsive to certain criteria specified by the requestor; the exchange hub: receiving the data request from the requestor; and forwarding the request to the plurality of data locations; the plurality of data locations: containing said data points, confidential information, sensitive data, and individual records; analyzing the data points, confidential information, sensitive data, and individual records to generate the requested percentages; continuously maintaining the data points, confidential information, sensitive data, and individual records at the data locations, but sending the requested percentages to the exchange hub, so that the exchange hub can aggregate the requested percentages from the plurality of data locations together; but not sending individual data points or confidential information contained in those data points; the exchange hub: receiving the requested percentages from the plurality of data locations; said requested percentages containing percentages from multiple data locations; and said requested percentages containing percentages responsive to the criteria specified by the requestor; and aggregating the requested percentages from the data locations together; and forwarding the aggregation of the requested percentages to the requestor; wherein individual records are not gathered for processing and storage at a central site.