US Patent 11700303 Distributed data analysis for streaming data sources

A server system, coupled to a linear communication orbit, has a plurality of function modules. Each function module is configured to collect data from machines located at nodes of the linear communication orbit, process collected data according to a schema definition to generate result data, and store the result data in a database. Data collection requests, based on the schema definition, are sent through the linear communication orbit to collecting data from a set of machines via the linear communication orbit. In some embodiments, a central data management module of the one or more servers is configured to provide the schema definition to and receive result data reported from the function modules.