Customer identification system and method
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for identifying a customer in a customer database system that tracks purchase transactions, the customer having purchased a product at a point of sale location by using a payment mechanism to pay for the product purchase, the method comprising:
- a) determining a customer name for the customer from the payment mechanism;
b) creating a computerized list of potential matches, the potential matches each being an identity of a particular person, wherein an identity constitutes information that uniquely identifies a particular person, the list of potential matches being created by i) searching in a computerized database for identities having a name similar to the customer name, with similar names being determined through at least one mechanism chosen from the set including identically matching names, nicknames, abbreviations, and known variations of the customer name, and ii) combining a plurality of the identities found by searching the computerized database into the computerized list of potential matches; and
c) selecting a best match identity from the computerized list of potential matches, the best match identity indicating which of the plurality of identities in the list of potential matches is to be selected as the identity for the customer name; and
d) using the best match identity as the identity for the customer name in the customer database system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are presented for identifying a customer in a commercial transaction using less than complete identifying information. A name for the customer is extracted from a credit card during a purchase transaction. A trade area for the point of sale location is used to restrict a search of a demographic database to find a list of potential identity matches having names similar to the name on the credit card. A best match generator creates a profile of the expected purchaser of the products in the transaction. Using demographic information about each identity in the list of potential identity matches, each identity is compared to the profile and given a score. The highest scoring identity is then considered the best match. The best match identity is then assumed to be the identity involved in the transaction, and the customer database is updated to reflect this determination
38 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for identifying a customer in a customer database system that tracks purchase transactions, the customer having purchased a product at a point of sale location by using a payment mechanism to pay for the product purchase, the method comprising:
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a) determining a customer name for the customer from the payment mechanism;
b) creating a computerized list of potential matches, the potential matches each being an identity of a particular person, wherein an identity constitutes information that uniquely identifies a particular person, the list of potential matches being created by i) searching in a computerized database for identities having a name similar to the customer name, with similar names being determined through at least one mechanism chosen from the set including identically matching names, nicknames, abbreviations, and known variations of the customer name, and ii) combining a plurality of the identities found by searching the computerized database into the computerized list of potential matches; and
c) selecting a best match identity from the computerized list of potential matches, the best match identity indicating which of the plurality of identities in the list of potential matches is to be selected as the identity for the customer name; and
d) using the best match identity as the identity for the customer name in the customer database system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computerized system for identifying a customer in a customer database system that tracks purchase transactions, the customer having purchased a product at a point of sale location by using a payment mechanism to pay for the product purchase, the system comprising:
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a) means for determining a customer name for the customer from the payment mechanism;
b) means for creating a computerized list of potential matches, the potential matches each being an identity of a particular person, wherein an identity constitutes information that uniquely identifies a particular person, the list of potential matches being created by i) searching in a computerized database for identities having a name similar to the customer name, with similar names being determined through at least one mechanism chosen from the set including identically matching names, nicknames, abbreviations, and known variations of the customer name, and ii) combining a plurality of the identities found by searching the computerized database into the computerized list of potential matches; and
c) means for selecting a best match identity from the computerized list of potential matches, the best match identity indicating which of the plurality of identities in the list of potential matches is to be selected as the identity for the customer name; and
d) means for using the best match identity as the identity for the customer name in the customer database system.
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Specification