Patent ID: 7698265

Claim:
A method of finding anomalous values for data from a database by using a temporal autocorrelation condition, comprising: receiving an abstract query composed from a plurality of logical fields, wherein a first logical field in the abstract query includes a temporal autocorrelation condition specifying: (i) a type of change two data values retrieved for the first logical field should exhibit to be identified as an anomalous value, (ii) a delta value specifying how much two data values retrieved for the first logical field should differ from one another to be identified as an anomalous value, and (iii) a time frame within which two data values should occur to be identified as an anomalous value; generating a resolved query of the database using the temporal autocorrelation condition, executing the resolved query to retrieve a set of query results; and returning query results to a user, wherein the query results include an indication of any anomalous values identified based on the temporal autocorrelation condition for the first logical field.