Attribute Combination Discovery

1 . A computer based method for attribute combination discovery, comprising:

a) receiving a query attribute;

b) accessing stored attribute combinations and statistical results that indicate the strength of association of each attribute combination with the query attribute; and

c) tabulating, based on the statistical results, one or more of the attribute combinations and their strength of association with the query attribute.

2 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) storing the tabulation.

3 . The computer based method of claim 1 , wherein tabulating attribute combinations comprises tabulating those attribute combinations most likely to co-occur with the query attribute based on one or more statistical requirements for strength of association with the query attribute.

4 . The computer based method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more statistical requirements are selected from the group consisting of: greater than a minimum statistical value, and statistical significance.

5 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) ranking the tabulated attribute combinations based on the statistical results.

6 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) ranking the tabulated attribute combinations based on their attribute content and the statistical results.

7 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) repeating steps (a)-(c) for a succession of query attributes.

8 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) transmitting at least a portion of the tabulation as output.

9 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) ranking the tabulated attribute combinations based on the statistical results;

e) storing the tabulation;

f) repeating steps (a)-(c) for a succession of query attributes; and

g) transmitting at least a portion of the stored tabulations as output.

10 . The computer based method of claim 8 , wherein the portion of each tabulation transmitted is determined by a threshold that specifies the maximum number of attribute combinations of each tabulation to be transmitted.

11 . The computer based method of claim 9 , wherein the portion of each tabulation transmitted is determined by a threshold that specifies the maximum number of attribute combinations of each tabulation to be transmitted.

12 . The computer based method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) associating one or more of the tabulation, the attribute combinations, and the query attribute with an individual and storing the association.

13 . The computer based method of claim 12 , wherein storing the association comprises storing a link to one or more of: an identifier of the individual, an attribute profile of the individual, and a record of the individual.

14 . The computer based method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attribute combinations are required to lack one or more specified attributes.

15 . The computer based method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attribute combinations are required to contain one or more specified attributes.

16 . The computer based method of claim 1 , wherein the query attribute can be a query attribute combination consisting of two or more attributes.

17 . A computer based system for attribute combination discovery, comprising:

a) a data receiving subsystem for receiving a query attribute;

b) a data accessing subsystem for accessing one or more databases containing attribute combinations and statistical results that indicate the strength of association of each attribute combination with the query attribute; and

c) a data tabulating subsystem for tabulating one or more attribute combinations and their strength of association with the query attribute.

18 . The computer based system of claim 17 , further comprising:

d) a data ranking subsystem for ranking the attribute combinations based on at least the statistical results.

19 . The computer based system of claim 17 , further comprising:

d) a data storage subsystem for storing tabulations of attributes, attribute combinations and statistical results, and for storing associations of one or more of these data with an individual.

20 . The computer based system of claim 17 , further comprising:

d) a communications subsystem for transmitting one or more attributes, attribute combinations and statistical results as output.