System and method for data cleansing

• US 7,707,164 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp., DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.)
• Inventors: Bergelt, Cynthia, Kapochunas, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo; Thuy N
• Application Number:
  US10/810,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.X, 707/104.1, 707/204, 707/10, 707/6, 707/254, 707/3, 707/206, 707/103.Y, 705/1, 705/44, 705/400, 713/200, 713/161, 711/104, 379/201.02, 379/220.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A business information service provides data cleansing to correct and update both domestic and global addresses. A combination of processes generate cleansed data for input into a matching process. The matching process matches information about a business, including the address, to a unique business identifier in at least one database of business information. The matching process is more successful with more standard and accurate input addresses.

Claims

1. A method for data cleansing, comprising:

receiving an input postal address and a DUNS number;

comparing said input postal address to a standard;

providing a single best postal address derived from said input postal address, based on said comparison;

matching said DUNS number and said single best postal address to a database having DUNS numbers associated with postal addresses, to find a matching postal address in said database; and

correcting said input postal address based on said matching postal address.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said database is an advanced office system (AOS).

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a match project analysis report.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

converting said input postal address to a predetermined record layout, before comparing said input postal address to said standard.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating said input postal address with a code, said code being used to determine said single best postal address.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating said input postal address with a score, said score being used to determine said single best postal address.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said standard is selected from the group consisting of:

ZIP+4 coding, coding accuracy support system (CASS), Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS), delivery sequence file (DSF), and National Change of Address (NCOA).

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a status notification to a user who supplied said input postal address.

9. A computer implemented system for data cleansing, comprising:

a pre-auditor that generates a report having a plurality of views of an input address file, said input address file including a record having an input postal address and a DUNS number;

a verifier that finds and removing any invalid records from said input address file;

a vendor interface that sends said input address file and an order to a vendor, and receives a file of standardized postal addresses from said vendor;

a component that compares said input postal address to said standardized postal addresses;

a component that provides a single best postal address derived from said input postal address, based on said comparison;

a matcher that matches said DUNS number and said single best postal address to a database having DUNS numbers associated with postal addresses, to find a matching postal address in said database; and

a component that corrects said input postal address based on said matching postal address.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

an investigator that investigates any address not matched, upon request.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of views includes a view selected from the group consisting of:

alphabetical, most frequent content, and alpha characters only.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said vendor standardizes postal addresses using at a process selected from the group consisting of:

Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS), delivery sequence file (DSF), and National Change of Address (NCOA).

13. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon to perform a method for data cleansing, comprising:

receiving an input postal address and a DUNS number;

comparing said input postal address to a standard;

providing a single best postal address derived from said input postal address based on said comparison;

matching said DUNS number and said single best postal address to a database having DUNS numbers associated with postal addresses, to find a matching postal address in said database; and

correcting said input postal address based on said matching postal address.