Methods, Systems, and Computer Program Products for Generating Data Quality Indicators for Relationships in a Database

• US 20090094237A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: CREAMER, German Gonzalo, WEISSMAN, Mary, CHURI, Prashant Sharad, TRESCH, Sara
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The disclosed methods, systems, and computer-program products allow a business to generate data quality indicators for relationships in a database. In an embodiment, one or more relationships linked to a customer are retrieved from a database to form a set of relationships. A match confidence code is generated for each relationship based on a score generated by the comparison of customer data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding customer data obtained from an external industry database. A link confidence code is subsequently determined for the customer based on a score generated by the scores used to define the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and on internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships. The link confidence code for the customer and the match confidence codes and the respective scores for the set of relationships may be provided to an end user of the database in order to improve decisions made by the end user at the customer level.

Claims

1. A method for generating data quality indicators for relationships in a database, comprising:

retrieving, from a database, one or more relationships linked to a customer to form a set of relationships;

comparing, for each relationship in the set of relationships, data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding data obtained from an industry database to generate a match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships;

determining a link confidence code for the customer based on the generated match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and internal information associated with each relationship in the set of relationships; and

providing, to an end user of the database, at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships linked to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising improving data quality of relationships in the database using at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the match confidence code for each relationship linked to the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises:

matching each of a plurality of data elements associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database to generate an elemental match score for each of the plurality of data elements;

assembling the elemental match scores for the respective relationship into a set of match scores for the respective relationship;

appending an authentication code obtained from the industry database to the set of match scores for the respective relationship; and

applying a rule to generate the match confidence code for the respective relationship based on the set of match scores for the respective relationship and the authentication code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the matching step comprises matching at least one of a name, an address, a social security number, and a date of birth associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the applying step comprises selecting the match confidence code for the respective relationship from a plurality of confidence levels based on the match pattern and the authentication code of the respective relationship.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

appending the internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships; and

applying a rule to the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to generate the link confidence code for the customer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the applying step comprises selecting the link confidence code for the customer from a plurality of confidence levels based on the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the appending step comprises adding an age of the data associated with the relationship to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships.

9. A system for generating data quality indicators for relationships in a database, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory for storing a plurality of processing instructions for directing the processor to;

retrieve, from a database, one or more relationships linked to a customer to form a set of relationships;

compare, for each relationship in the set of relationships, data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding data obtained from an industry database to generate a match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships;

determine a link confidence code for the customer based on the generated match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and internal information associated with each relationship in the set of relationships; and

provide, to an end user of the database, at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the link confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships linked to the customer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to compare comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

match each of a plurality of data elements associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database to generate an elemental match score for each of the plurality of data elements;

assemble the elemental match scores for the respective relationship into a set of match scores the respective relationship;

append an authentication code obtained from the industry database to the set of match scores for the respective relationship; and

apply a rule to generate the match confidence code for the respective relationship based on the match scores for the respective relationship and the authentication code.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to match comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

match at least one of a name, an address, a social security number, and a date of birth associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements associated with the customer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to apply comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

select the match confidence code for the respective relationship from a plurality of confidence levels based on the match pattern and the authentication code of the respective relationship.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to determine comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

append the internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships; and

apply a rule to the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to generate the link confidence code for the customer.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to apply comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

select the link confidence code for the customer from a plurality of confidence levels based on the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to append comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

append an age of the data associated with the relationship to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to generate data quality indicators for relationships in a database, comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to retrieve, from a database, one or more relationships linked to a customer to form a set of relationships;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compare, for each relationship in the set of relationships, data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding data obtained from an industry database to generate a match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine a link confidence code for the customer based on the generated match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and internal information associated with each relationship in the set of relationships; and

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to provide, to an end user of the database, at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the link confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships linked to the customer.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the second computer readable program code means comprises:

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to match each of a plurality of data elements associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database to generate an elemental match score for each of the plurality of data elements;

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to assemble the elemental match scores for the respective relationship into a set of match scores the respective relationship;

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to append an authentication code obtained from the industry database to the set of match scores for the respective relationship; and

eighth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to apply a rule to generate the match confidence code for the respective relationship based on the match scores for the respective relationship and the authentication code.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the eighth computer readable program code means comprises:

ninth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select the match confidence code for the respective relationship from a plurality of confidence levels based on the match pattern and the authentication code of the respective relationship.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the third computer readable program code means comprises:

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to append the internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships; and

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to apply a rule to the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to generate the link confidence code for the customer.

20. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the sixth computer readable program code means comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to append an age of the data associated with the relationship to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships.