Paired keys for data structures

• US 6,801,915 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1999
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Mack
• Original Assignee: Robert Mack
• Inventors: Mack, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US09/362,530
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 707/7, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/201, 707/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A plurality of data records is provided, each data record having paired keys comprised of a first key and a second key. The first key identifies each data record in a certain manner and the second key identifies each data record in a different manner. The paired keys can be used to for example, by the first key identifying the original business identity which the data record belongs to, while the second key may identify the current business identity which the data record belongs to. In this way pre-merger data, for example, and post merger data can be retained. In one embodiment an apparatus is provided comprising a first table of data records and a second table of data records. The tables of data records may be stored in a computer memory. Each first table data record may correspond to an entity and may be comprised of a first field having a first set of data identifying a first characteristic of the corresponding entity, a second field having a second set of data identifying a second characteristic of the corresponding entity; and a third field having a third set of data identifying a third characteristic of the corresponding entity. Each second table data record may correspond to an entity and each second table data record may be comprised of a fourth field having a fourth set of data identifying a fourth characteristic of the corresponding entity. Each fourth set of data of each data record of the second table of data records may have a corresponding first set of data in a data record of the first table of data records, which is substantially the same, for the same entity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of

creating a first field for a first reference data record and placing a first identification in the first field of the first reference data record;

creating a second field for a first reference data record and placing the first identification in the second field of the first reference data record; and

wherein the first identification uniquely identifies the first reference data record.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

creating a first field for a second reference data record and placing a second identification in the first field of the second reference data record;

creating a second field for a second reference data record and placing the second identification in the second field of the second reference data record; and

wherein the second identification uniquely identifies the second reference data record.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

the first identification is an identification number;

and the second identification is an identification number.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising

determining that the first reference data record and the second reference data record are substantially duplicates;

and

replacing the first identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the second identification.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising

replacing the second identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the first identification.

6. The method of claim 2

creating a first field for a third reference data record and placing a third identification in the first field of the third reference data record;

creating a second field for a third reference data record and placing the third identification in the second field of the second reference data record;

wherein the third identification uniquely identifies the third reference data record;

determining that the first reference data record should be merged with the second reference data record;

replacing the first identification in the first field of the first data record with the third identification; and

replacing the second identification in the first field of the second reference data record with the third identification.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising

replacing the third identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the first identification;

and

replacing the third identification in the first field of the second reference data record with the second identification.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising

creating a third field for the first reference data record and placing a first status value in the third field of the first reference data record;

creating a third field for the second reference data record and placing a second status value in the third field of the second reference data record;

wherein the first status value is indicative of a first data method which was last performed upon the first reference data record, the first data method having modified a value of a field of the first reference data record; and

wherein the second status value is indicative of a second data method which was last performed upon the second reference data record, the second data method having modified a value of a field of the second reference data record.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising

determining that the first reference data record and the second reference data record are substantially duplicates;

determining that the first status value indicates that the first data method last performed on the first reference data record is a data method which permits the first reference data record to be declared a substantial duplicate of the second reference data record;

determining that the second status value indicates that the second data method last performed on the second reference data record is a data method which permits the first reference data record to be declared a substantial duplicate of the second reference data record;

replacing the first identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the second identification;

and changing the first status value in the third field of the first reference data record to indicate that the last data method performed on the first reference data record was a declare substantially duplicate data method.

10. The method of claim 9 and further comprising

determining that the first status value indicates that a declare substantially duplicate data method was the last data method performed on the first reference data record;

replacing the second identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the first identification;

and changing the first status value to indicate that the last data method performed on the first reference data record is one which permits the first reference data record to be subsequently declared a substantial duplicate of another data record.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising

creating a first field for a third reference data record and placing a third identification in the first field of the third reference data record;

creating a second field for a third reference data record and placing the third identification in the second field of the second reference data record;

wherein the third identification uniquely identifies the third reference data record;

creating a third field for the third reference data record and placing a third status value in the third field of the first reference data record;

wherein the third status value is indicative of a third data method which was last performed upon the third reference data record;

the third data method having modified a value of a field of the third reference data record; and

determining that the first reference data record should be merged with the second reference data record;

determining that the first status value in the third field of the first reference data record indicates that the first data method last performed on the first reference data record is a data method which permits the first reference data record to be merged with the second reference data record;

determining that the second status value in the third field of the second reference data record indicates that the second data method last performed on the second reference data record is a data method which permits the second reference data record to be merged with the first reference data record;

determining that the third status value in the third field of the third reference data record indicates that the third data method last performed on the third reference data record is a data method which permits the first reference data record to be merged with the second reference data record;

replacing the first identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the third identification;

replacing the second identification in the first field of the second reference data record with the third identification;

changing the first status value in the third field of the first reference data record to indicate that the last data method performed was a merge; and

changing the second status value in the third field of the second reference data record to indicate that the last data method performed was a merge.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising

determining that the first status value indicates that the last data method performed on the first reference data record was a merge;

determining that the second status value indicates that the last data method performed on the second reference data record was a merge;

determining that the third status value indicates that the last data method performed on the third reference data record permits a merging of the first and second reference data records to be reversed;

replacing the third identification in the first field of the first reference data record with the first identification;

replacing the third identification in the first field of the second reference data record with the second identification;

changing the first status value in the third field of the first reference data record to indicate that a merge can be performed; and

changing the second status value in the third field of the second reference data record to indicate that a merge can be performed.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein

the first identification is an identification number.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising

creating a third field for the first reference data record and placing a status value in the third field of the first reference data record;

wherein the status value is indicative of a data method which was last performed upon the first reference data record, the data method having modified a value of a field of the first reference data record.

15. An apparatus comprising a computer memory in which is stored a first table of data records comprised of

a first reference data record comprised of

a first field in which is placed a first identification, and

a second field in which is placed the first identification;

wherein the first identification uniquely identifies the first reference data record.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein the first table of data records is comprised of

a second reference data record comprised of

a first field in which is placed a second identification, and

a second field in which is placed the second identification;

wherein the second identification uniquely identifies the second reference data record.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein

the first identification is an identification number;

and the second identification is an identification number.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein

the first identification is an identification number.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein

the first reference data record of the first table of records is further comprised of

a third field in which is placed a status value, wherein the status value indicates the last data method performed on the first reference data record, the last data method having modified a value of a field of the first reference data record.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein

wherein the status value indicates that the last data method performed was declaring the first reference data record of the first table of records to be a substantial duplicate of another reference data record.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein

wherein the status value indicates that the last data method performed was merging the first reference-data record of the first table of records with another reference data record.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprised of

a second table of data records stored in the computer memory comprised of a first data record which is comprised of

a first field in which is placed the first identification.

23. A computer-implemented method comprised of the steps of:

forming a first table of data records comprised of a first data record and a second data record;

wherein the first data record and the second data record both have first and second fields, each first field having data uniquely identifying the particular data record;

wherein the first field of the first data record and the second field of the first data record have the same data;

wherein the first field of the second data record and the second field of the second data record have the same data;

adding a third data record comprised of first and second fields, the first field of the third data record having data uniquely identifying the third data record and the second field of the third data record having the same data as the first field of the third data record;

and changing the data in the second fields of the first and second data records so that these fields have data which identifies the third data record.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein:

the first, second, and third data records each include a third field which is placed a status value for the corresponding data record, each status value indicative of a data method which was last performed upon the corresponding data record, each data method which was last performed having modified a value of a field of the corresponding data record.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein

each status value indicates whether its corresponding data record has been merged.

26. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

taking a table of data records stored in memory;

adding first, second, and third fields to each data record;

storing data in each of the first, second and third fields;

wherein the data in each of the first fields uniquely identifies each corresponding data record;

wherein the data in each of the second fields of each of the data records is the same as the data in the first field of the same data record; and

wherein the data in each of the third fields is a status value for the corresponding data record, each status value indicating a data method which was last performed upon the corresponding data record, each data method which was last performed having modified a value of a field of the corresponding data record.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein

each status value indicates that the corresponding data record can be declared a duplicate of another data record.