System and method for data collection, evaluation, information generation, and presentation

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of processing modules configured for performing a predefined set of operations on data relating to e-commerce transaction received from a first plurality of remote computer systems, at least two processing modules being selected from the group consisting of:
• a data stabilizer processing module for smoothing noisy or variable data using a computational solution of a minimum variance Bayesian estimation method;
• a saturation limited forecasting (SLF) module for using available historical or recently captured data along with an estimated and/or available saturation population function as the basis for an algorithm that defines the growth of the population to a maximum attainable level;
• a dynamic activity-level icon module for iconically indicating to the user of a remote computer system a level of activity at each of a plurality of merchant network sites, the dynamic activity-level icon module automatically causing the indication of activity to be sent to the remote computer system upon user access to an electronic page comprising a listing of a plurality of merchants;
• and an alarm filter module for monitoring data rates and sending a signal based on deviations from desired thresholds from a normative rate;
• wherein at least one of the at least two selected processing modules is the data stabilizer processing module or the saturation limited forecasting module;
• wherein the SLF module uses a pull function P0(t) which sets a population's saturation limit to growth and a penetration function r(t) which characterizes the total level of effort process, the SLF forecasting the value of a population for a given time;
• and
• wherein the system is configured to present to a second plurality of remote computer systems via a computer network a set of items or data generated from the sequential processing of the data by the at least two processing modules.

A computer implemented method, comprising:

• capturing data from a first plurality of remote computers systems over the Internet;
• performing a predefined set of operations on data received from the first plurality of computer systems at least two processing modules being selected from the group consisting of:
• a data stabilizer processing module for smoothing noisy or variable data using a computational solution of a minimum variance Bayesian estimation method;
• a saturation limited forecasting (SLF) module for using available historical or recently captured data along with an estimated and/or available saturation population function as the basis for an algorithm that defines the growth of the population to a maximum attainable level;
• a dynamic activity-level icon module for iconically indicating to the user of a remote computer system a level of activity at each of a plurality of merchant network sites, the module automatically causing the indication of activity to be sent to the remote computer system upon user access to an electronic page comprising a listing of a plurality of merchants;
• and an alarm filter module for monitoring data rates and sending a signal based on deviations from desired thresholds from a normative rate, the one or more processing modules outputting processed data or information;
• and
• presenting selected items of processed data or information following the sequential processing of the data using the at least two processing modules,
• wherein at least one of the at least two selected processing modules is the data stabilizer processing module or the saturation limited forecasting module,
• wherein the SLF module uses a Dull function P0(t) which sets a population's saturation limit to growth and a penetration function r(t) which characterizes the total level of effort process, the SLF forecasting the value of a population for a given time, and
• wherein the captured data relates to e-commerce transactions.

A presentation server that includes web pages containing data or information that has been derived from at least two processing modules selected from the group consisting of:

• a data stabilizer processing module for smoothing noisy or variable data using a computational solution of a minimum variance Bayesian estimation method;
• a saturation limited forecasting (SLF) module for using available historical or recently captured data along with an estimated and/or available saturation population function as the basis for an algorithm that defines the growth of the population to a maximum attainable level;
• a dynamic activity-level icon module for iconically indicating to the user of a remote computer system a level of activity at each of a plurality of merchant network sites, the module automatically causing the indication of activity to be sent to the remote computer system upon user access to an electronic page comprising a listing of a plurality of merchants;
• and an alarm filter module for monitoring data rates and sending a signal based on deviations from desired thresholds from a normative rate,
• the web pages being accessible to a plurality of remote merchant systems over a computer network,
• wherein at least one of the at least two selected processing modules is the data stabilizer processing module or the saturation limited forecasting module,
• and wherein the SLF module uses a Dull function P0(t) which sets a population's saturation limit to growth and a Penetration function r(t) which characterizes the total level of effort process, the SLF forecasting the value of a population for a given time.

A presentation server that includes web pages containing data or information that has been derived from at least two processing modules selected from the group consisting of:

• a data stabilizer processing module for smoothing noisy or variable data using a computational solution of a minimum variance Bayesian estimation method;
• a saturation limited forecasting (SLF) module for using available historical or recently captured data along with an estimated and/or available saturation population function as the basis for an algorithm that defines the growth of the population to a maximum attainable level;
• a dynamic activity-level icon module for iconically indicating to the user of a remote computer system a level of activity at each of a plurality of merchant network sites, the module automatically causing the indication of activity to be sent to the remote computer system upon user access to an electronic page comprising a listing of a plurality of merchants;
• and an alarm filter module for monitoring data rates and sending a signal based on deviations from desired thresholds from a normative rate,
• the web pages being accessible to a plurality of remote consumer computer systems over a computer network,
• wherein at least one of the at least two selected processing modules is the data stabilizer processing module or the saturation limited forecasting module,
• and wherein the SLF module uses a Pull function P0(t) which sets a population's saturation limit to growth and a penetration function r(t) which characterizes the total level of effort process, the SLF forecasting the value of a population for a given time.