Abstract: A data processing method for automatically identifying the underlying syntaxes of unstructured data items, where unstructured data items are strings that include incomplete syntactical information but implicitly are characterized by a nontrivial syntax. The method comprises receiving input of unstructured data items into a processing machine memory; and recognizing the underlying syntaxes of the data items by the processing machine by applying pattern recognition techniques, wherein this step comprises identifying potential syntax components; and combining the components until the underlying syntaxes emerge.

Abstract: A retail method over a wide area network. The wide area network includes a point of sale computer station, a network service provider server operated by a network service provider, a customer computer station used by a customer and connected to the wide area network through the network service provider server, and a transaction server having access to identification information of the network service provider and the point of sale computer station. The method includes the steps of connecting the customer computer station to the point of sale computer station, purchasing goods from the point of sale computer station by the customer, validation of the purchasing by the transaction server and the network service provider server, charging the customer for the purchase.