BEST-VALUE DETERMINATION RULES FOR AN ENTITY RESOLUTION SYSTEM

• US 20100161634A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Caceres, Barry M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,910,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409

Abstract

Primary value determination rules may be used by entity resolution system to select a “best” or “primary” value of an attribute from a plurality of attribute values. For example, the “best” name, address, phone number, etc. to use in presenting a summary of information about that entity may be determined. Further, the primary value determination rules may each be configured to assign a confidence score to the “best” values selected for of a given entity. Doing so allows a selection of a “best” value for a given attribute made by one rule to be overridden by a selection of another “best” value made by another rule for that same attribute.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selecting a primary value from a plurality of values in an entity resolution system storing identity records related to a plurality of entities, comprising:

receiving a selection of an entity from the plurality of entities stored in the entity resolution system, wherein each entity is associated with a plurality of identity records, wherein each identity record includes one or more attribute types and attribute values, and wherein each entity is presumed to represent a distinct individual; and

evaluating the selected entity against one or more primary value determination rules, wherein the evaluation for each respective primary value determination rule comprises;

identifying one or more attribute types associated with the respective primary value determination rule,

identifying a set of attribute values stored in the identity records of the selected entity that correspond to the one or more identified attribute types, and

selecting, from the identified set of attribute values, a primary value to be representative of the one or more identified attribute types for the selected entity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, generating an entity display summary, wherein the entity display summary includes the primary value selected for each of the one or more identified attribute types.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, assigning a confidence level to the primary value selected for at least one of the one or more identified attribute types.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two primary value determination rules are associated with the same respective one or more identified attribute types and the primary value is selected as the primary value having a higher assigned confidence level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more primary value determination rules are applied in a specified order determined from a ranking value assigned to each respective primary value determination rule.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

prior to selecting, from the identified set of attribute values, the primary value, determining whether the rule applies to the entity, based on one or more of the identified set of attribute values.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first identity record;

resolving the first identity record to one of the plurality of entities;

associating the first identity record; and

upon determining that the identity record satisfies a relevance detection rule;

generating an alert, wherein the alert includes the primary value selected for each identified attribute type.

8. A computer program product for selecting a primary value from a plurality of values in an entity resolution system storing identity records related to a plurality of entities, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code configured to;

receive a selection of an entity from the plurality of entities stored in the entity resolution system, wherein each entity is associated with a plurality of identity records, wherein each identity record includes one or more attribute types and attribute values, and wherein each entity is presumed to represent a distinct individual; and

evaluate the selected entity against one or more primary value determination rules, wherein the evaluation for each respective primary value determination rule comprises;

identifying one or more attribute types associated with the respective primary value determination rule,

identifying a set of attribute values stored in the identity records of the selected entity that correspond to the one or more identified attribute types, and

selecting, from the identified set of attribute values, a primary value to be representative of the one or more identified attribute types for the selected entity.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer useable program code is further configured to generate an entity display summary, wherein the entity display summary includes the primary value selected for each of the one or more identified attribute types.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer useable program code is further configured to assign a confidence level to the primary value selected for at least one of the one or more identified attribute types.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein at least two primary value determination rules are associated with the same respective one or more identified attribute types and the primary value is selected as the primary value having a higher assigned confidence level.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more primary value determination rules are applied in a specified order determined from a ranking value assigned to each respective primary value determination rule.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer useable program code is further configured to, prior to selecting, from the identified set of attribute values, the primary value, determine whether the rule applies to the entity, based on one or more of the identified set of attribute values.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer useable program code is further configured to:

receive a first identity record;

resolve the first identity record to one of the plurality of entities;

associate the first identity record; and

upon determining that the identity record satisfies a relevance detection rule;

generate an alert, wherein the alert includes the primary value selected for each identified attribute type.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a program, which, when executed by the processor is configured to select a primary value from a plurality of values in an entity resolution system storing identity records related to a plurality of entities by performing an operation comprising;

receiving a selection of an entity from the plurality of entities stored in the entity resolution system, wherein each entity is associated with a plurality of identity records, wherein each identity record includes one or more attribute types and attribute values, and wherein each entity is presumed to represent a distinct individual; and

evaluating the selected entity against one or more primary value determination rules, wherein the evaluation for each respective primary value determination rule comprises;

identifying one or more attribute types associated with the respective primary value determination rule,

identifying a set of attribute values stored in the identity records of the selected entity that correspond to the one or more identified attribute types, and

selecting, from the identified set of attribute values, a primary value to be representative of the one or more identified attribute types for the selected entity.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises, generating an entity display summary, wherein the entity display summary includes the primary value selected for each of the one or more identified attribute types.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises, assigning a confidence level to the primary value selected for at least one of the one or more identified attribute types.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least two primary value determination rules are associated with the same respective one or more identified attribute types and the primary value is selected as the primary value having a higher assigned confidence level.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more primary value determination rules are applied in a specified order determined from a ranking value assigned to each respective primary value determination rule.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises, prior to selecting, from the identified set of attribute values, the primary value, determining whether the rule applies to the entity, based on one or more of the identified set of attribute values.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a first identity record;

resolving the first identity record to one of the plurality of entities;

associating the first identity record; and

upon determining that the identity record satisfies a relevance detection rule;

generating an alert, wherein the alert includes the primary value

selected for each identified attribute type.