System and method for data integration using multi-dimensional, associative unique identifiers

• US 20050097111A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ids Global, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ids Global, Inc.
• Inventors: Mukherjee, Arka, Margolin, Oleg
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for associating data objects utilizing unique identifiers is provided. Data objects are modeled utilizing a data object ontology. Unique identifiers for instances of each data object are calculated utilizing a selection of unique attributes of the data object ontology. Data objects from multiple data sources can be integrated utilizing the unique identifiers for each data object.

Claims

1. A method for processing data, the method comprising:

associating a data object with a data object ontology corresponding to a hierarchy of data object dimensions; and

calculating a unique identifier for each instance of data object based upon a selection of a subset of data object dimensions.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data object ontology includes an invariance strength identifier for a source and target dimension in the hierarchy of data object dimensions.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein calculating a unique identifier includes selecting a subset of data objects corresponding to the invariance strength identifier.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein calculating a unique identifier includes selecting a subset of data objects corresponding to a uniqueness metric for each dimension in the hierarchy of data object dimensions.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising integrating data from a plurality of data sources utilizing the unique identifier.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein integrating data includes generating a table mapping unique identifiers to identifications of data in the data sources.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data objects correspond to business objects and wherein the data object ontology corresponds to a business object ontology.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein calculating a unique identifier includes creating a hash of the selection of a subset of data object dimensions.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

10. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 1.

11. A method for processing data, the method comprising:

associating a data object with a data object ontology corresponding to a hierarchy of data object dimensions, wherein the data object ontology includes a invariance strength identifier for a source and target dimension in the hierarchy of data object dimensions; and

calculating a unique identifier for each instance of data object based upon a selection of a subset of data object dimensions having a high affinity metric.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising integrating data from a plurality of data sources utilizing the unique identifier.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein integrating data includes generating a table mapping unique identifiers to identifications of data in the data sources.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the data objects correspond to business objects and wherein the data object ontology corresponds to a business object ontology.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein calculating a unique identifier includes creating a hash of the selection of a subset of data object dimensions.

16. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the affinity metric corresponds to a combination of an invariance strength identifier and a uniqueness metric.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the affinity metric further comprises a weighted combination of the invariance strength identifier and the uniqueness metric.

18. A system for processing data, the system comprising:

a number of data sources including data object dimension data corresponding to instances of data objects; and

a data integration application for obtaining the data object dimension data, wherein the data integration application integrates the data object dimension data according to a unique identifier calculated from a hash of a selection of a subset of data object dimension data.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the unique identifier is calculated from an invariance strength identifier for a source and target dimension in the hierarchy of data object dimensions.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the unique identifier is calculated from a uniqueness metric for each dimension in the hierarchy of data object dimensions.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the unique identifier is calculated from a weighted combination of the invariance strength identifier and the uniqueness metric.

22. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the data integration application maintains a table mapping unique identifiers to identifications of data in the data sources.

23. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the data objects correspond to business objects and wherein the data object ontology corresponds to a business object ontology.