Patent ID: 8700671

Claim:
A computer implemented method for aggregating operational data acquired from at least one back-end resource, the method comprising: providing point data and non-point data including data contextualizing the point data; providing a first data structure with a current configuration for storing the non-point data, wherein the non-point data is acquired, for storage in the first data structure, from the at least one back-end resource at a first acquisition frequency; providing a second data structure with a current configuration for storing the point data, wherein the point data that is stored within the second data structure is acquired, for storage in the second data structure, from the at least one back-end resource at a second acquisition frequency defined by the current configuration of the first data structure, the second acquisition frequency being different from the first acquisition frequency; assessing the current configuration of the first data structure and providing modifications to achieve a desired configuration for the first data structure; assessing the current configuration of the second data structure and providing modifications to achieve a desired configuration for the second data structure; modifying the first and second acquisition frequencies, as necessary, to store the point data and the non-point data within the first and second data structures according to the desired configurations; and performing a synchronization process at designated times or designated time intervals to automatically detect and process changes to the first and second data structures; wherein the performing a synchronization process at designated times or designated time intervals to automatically detect and process changes to the first and second data structures comprises: using configuration rules to identify a record to be removed from the current configuration of the first data structure to reflect a change desired as a result of removal of an instrument from an operational environment; developing a tag list by a tag list acquisition process that (i) sets forth logical groupings or combinations defining how various point data and various non point data will be associated and (ii) sets forth associations that provide configuration information that aid in determining a specific back end data source from which the various point data and the various non point data is to be acquired; and insuring that the tag list comprises up-to-date information by configuring the tag list acquisition process and a non-point data acquisition process as periodic events executed at pre-designated times or pre-designated time intervals.