LIFE ARCS AS AN ENTITY RESOLUTION FEATURE

• US 20110246492A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: JONAS, JEFFREY J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for performing identity resolution using life arcs as a feature. Space and time data may be received for an entity. A life arc template may be provided that specifies data that a life arc for each entity should include. A life arc may be generated for the entity based on the space and time data and the life arc template. An assertion for identity resolution may be made for the entity, based on the generated life arc.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing data records associated with a plurality of entities, each entity represented by a respective set of data records, the method comprising:

resolving a received data record into an existing entity, resulting in a conjoined entity;

generating a life arc for the conjoined entity based on at least space and time data contained in the received data record;

selecting a candidate entity based on the life arc generated for the conjoined entity; and

determining whether the candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity based on a comparison of at least one feature of the candidate entity and the conjoined entity by operation of one or more computer processors.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that the candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity, resolving the candidate entity into the conjoined entity.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that the candidate entity does not refer to the conjoined entity, not conjoining the candidate entity into the conjoined entity.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the space and time data is selected from at least one of an address history, a credit history, and geolocational movement data, wherein the geolocational movement data comprises a latitude, a longitude, and a time stamp.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the definition for the life arc includes at least one temporal constraint, and wherein each life arc is further generated based on a life arc template specifying a definition for a life arc.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the life arc characterizes the space and time data obtained for the conjoined entity, wherein the at least one candidate entity shares at least one aspect with the conjoined entity, and wherein the at least one feature comprises the life arc.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each entity is selected from at least a person, a vehicle, and an object.

8. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for processing data records associated with a plurality of entities, each entity represented by a respective set of data records, the operation comprising:

resolving a received data record into an existing entity, resulting in a conjoined entity;

generating a life arc for the conjoined entity based on at least space and time data contained in the received data record;

selecting a candidate entity based on the life arc generated for the conjoined entity; and

determining whether the candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity based on a comparison of at least one feature of the candidate entity and the conjoined entity.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:

upon determining that the candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity, resolving the candidate entity into the conjoined entity.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:

upon determining that the candidate entity does not refer to the conjoined entity, not conjoining the candidate entity into the conjoined entity.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the space and time data is selected from at least one of an address history, a credit history, and geolocational movement data, wherein the geolocational movement data comprises a latitude, a longitude, and a time stamp.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the definition for the life arc includes at least one temporal constraint, and wherein each life arc is further generated based on a life arc template specifying a definition for a life arc.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the life arc characterizes the space and time data obtained for the conjoined entity, wherein the at least one candidate entity shares at least one aspect with the conjoined entity, and wherein the at least one feature comprises the life arc.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein each entity is selected from at least a person, a vehicle, and an object.

15. A system, comprising:

one or more computer processors;

a memory containing a program which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, is configured to perform an operation for processing data records associated with a plurality of entities, each entity represented by a respective set of data records, the operation comprising;

resolving a received data record into an existing entity, resulting in a conjoined entity;

generating a life arc for the conjoined entity based on at least space and time data contained in the received data record,

selecting a candidate entity based on the life arc generated for the conjoined entity, and

determining whether the candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity based on a comparison of at least one feature of the candidate entity and the conjoined entity.

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

upon determining that the candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity, resolving the candidate entity into the conjoined entity.

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

upon determining that the candidate entity does not refer to the conjoined entity, not conjoining the candidate entity into the conjoined entity.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the space and time data is selected from at least one of an address history, a credit history, and geolocational movement data, wherein the geolocational movement data comprises a latitude, a longitude, and a time stamp.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the definition for the life arc includes at least one temporal constraint, and wherein each life arc is further generated based on a life arc template specifying a definition for a life arc.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the life arc characterizes the space and time data obtained for the conjoined entity, wherein the at least one candidate entity shares at least one aspect with the conjoined entity, and wherein the at least one feature comprises the life arc.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein each entity is selected from at least a person, a vehicle, and an object.