System for managing database of communication of recipients

• US 5,628,004 A
• Filed: 11/18/1994
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Optima Direct, Inc. (Omnicom Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Optima Direct, Inc. (Omnicom Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gormley, Michael, Kelly, Jennifer, Potter, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US08/343,976
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/575, 395/200, 395/275, 395/700, 364/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A computer system for creating and managing a database of communication recipients which processes queries and otherwise operates in accordance with user commands to perform telemarketing, mass mailing, direct mailing and other communication functions. The computer is programmed to create automatic salutations, to automatically generate lists of carbon copy recipients, and to export data from the database to word processing systems for merging with text. In addition, the computer is programmed to analyze new records to ensure they are not duplicates of existing records. A user is provided with options to keep one or both records, or to combine both records into a new record. The computer is programmed to retrieve records on the basis of queries using one or more defined codes which can be ANDed and ORed together in accordance with Boolean logic, among other functions.

Claims

1. A database management system for storing and manipulating data relating to recipients of a communication from one or more different contact persons, comprising:

a memory device for storing data records relating to said recipients; and

a data processing device configured to receive new data records relating to said recipients and to store said records in said memory device, said records each comprising a recipient field for entering the name of one of said recipients and an address field for entering the address of said recipient therein, said data processing device being programmed to review existing records stored in said memory device and identify those of said existing records that are similar to said new record, and to prompt a user to select from a plurality of options comprising keeping said existing record in said memory device in lieu of said new record, keeping said new record in said memory device in lieu of said existing record, and storing both said new record and said existing record in said memory device.

2. A database management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data processing device is configured to provide said user with an option of combining fields of both said new record and said existing record to create another record.

3. A database management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said data processing device is configured to display both said existing record and said new record to permit said user to review both of said records and select one of said options.

4. A database management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data processing device is programmed to review said existing records after each said new record is received.

5. A database management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data processing device is programmed to review said existing records after a plurality of said new record are received.

6. A database management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data processing device is programmed to review said existing records using a match key derived from said new record.

7. A database management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said match key comprises data relating to said name field and said address field.

8. A database management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said match key is derived from data within said address field corresponding to a zip code for said recipient and data corresponding to the number of at least one of consonants and vowels in said name field.

9. A database management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said records further comprises a suppress field for entering data to indicate that particular ones of said records are to be suppressed from being retrieved for purposes of creating a communication but maintained in said database for deduplicating new records.

10. A method of storing and manipulating data relating to recipients of a communication from one or more different contact persons, comprising:

entering a new record into a temporary file in a memory device using a data processing device;

creating a match key for said new record;

searching a database in said memory device for existing records previously entered therein and assigned corresponding match keys which are similar to said new record; and

storing said new record in said database if none of said match keys corresponding to said existing records are similar to said new record match key, and storing said new record in a temporary database file if one of said match keys of said existing records is similar to said new record match key.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of displaying one of said existing records on a display device if said match key is similar to said new record match key, and displaying said new record.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a user can control said data processing device to alternately display said existing record and said new record to compare them.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

prompting said user on said display device to choose one of a plurality of options comprising replacing said matched existing record with said new record, storing said new record while maintaining said matched existing record in said database, and integrating at least one portion of said new record and said matched existing record to modify one of said new record and said existing record.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a match key comprises a plurality of slots and said creating step operates to fill said slots, said creating step comprising the steps of:

examining a first letter stored in said name field;

incrementing a consonant counter stored in said memory device by an integer value if said letter is a consonant, and incrementing a vowel counter stored in said memory device by an integer value if said letter is a vowel;

repeating said examining step and said incrementing step for each of the remaining letters in said name field until the first of two events occurs, said events comprising reaching the end of said name field, and said consonant counter reaching a predetermined integer value;

setting a VOWELS NEEDED variable to an integer value greater than said value stored in said consonant counter and restoring said consonant counter to an initial value; and

repeating said examining step and said incrementing step for each of the letters in said name field until the sum of the value of said consonant counter and a VOWEL USED counter is a predetermined value, said incrementing step further comprising the step of

incrementing a VOWEL PASSED counter by an integer value when said letter is a vowel, and incrementing said VOWEL USED counter and placing said vowel in one of said match key slots if the value of said VOWEL USED counter less said VOWELS NEEDED counter plus one is at least equal to, if not greater than, said VOWEL PASSED counter.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of filling a plurality of said match key slots with at least a portion of said address.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of filling at least one of said match key slots with a character representing an appropriate one of a plurality of name suffixes comprising junior, senior, III, and IV.