Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating data quality indicators for relationships in a database

• US 8,060,502 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Weissman, Mary, TRESCH, Sara, CREAMER, German Gonzalo, CHURI, Prashant Sharad
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/867,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/10, 705/14.25, 705/14.27, 705/14.28, 705/14.3, 705/28, 705/38, 705/40, 705/1.1, 707/1, 707/5, 707/6, 707/100, 707/102, 707/722, 707/726, 707/730, 707/748, 707/749, 707/763, 707/999.1
• US Class Current: 707/726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The disclosed methods, systems, and computer-program products allow a business to generate data quality indicators for relationships in a database. In an embodiment, one or more relationships linked to a customer are retrieved from a database to form a set of relationships. A match confidence code is generated for each relationship based on a score generated by the comparison of customer data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding customer data obtained from an external industry database. A link confidence code is subsequently determined for the customer based on a score generated by the scores used to define the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and on internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships. The link confidence code for the customer and the match confidence codes and the respective scores for the set of relationships may be provided to an end user of the database in order to improve decisions made by the end user at the customer level.

Claims

1. A method for generating data quality indicators for relationships, wherein relationships are established between a customer and a business, in a database, comprising:

comparing, by a computer based system for generating the data quality indicators for the relationships, for each relationship in a set of relationships, data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding data obtained from an industry database to generate a match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the set of relationships includes multiple relationships obtained from a database;

determining, by the computer based system, a link confidence code for the customer, wherein the link confidence code comprises an indication of the quality of the linking between the customer and the set of relationships based on the generated match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and internal information associated with each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the link confidence code is distinct from the match confidence code; and

providing, by the computer based system, at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships linked to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying quality of relationships in the database using at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the match confidence code for each relationship.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises:

matching, by the computer based system, each of a plurality of data elements associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database to generate an elemental match score for each of the plurality of data elements;

assembling, by the computer based system, the elemental match scores for the respective relationship into a set of match scores for the respective relationship;

appending, by the computer based system, an authentication code obtained from the industry database to the set of match scores for the respective; and

applying a rule, by the computer based system, to generate the match confidence code for the respective relationship based on the set of match scores for the respective relationship and the authentication code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the matching step comprises matching, by the computer based system, at least one of a name, an address, a social security number, and a date of birth associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the applying step comprises selecting, by the computer based system, the match confidence code for the respective relationship from a plurality of confidence levels based on the match pattern and the authentication code of the respective relationship.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

appending, by the computer based system, the internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships; and

applying a rule, by the computer based system, to the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship the set of relationships to generate the link confidence code for the customer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the applying step comprises selecting, by the computer based system, the link confidence code for the customer from a plurality of confidence levels based on the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the appending step comprises adding, by the computer based system, an age of the data associated with the relationship to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships.

9. A system for generating data quality indicators for relationships, wherein relationships are established between a customer and a business, in a database, comprising:

a processor for generating the data quality indicators for relationships; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory for storing a plurality of processing instructions for directing the processor to;

compare, for each relationship in a set of relationships, data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding data obtained from an industry database to generate a match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the set of relationships includes multiple relationships obtained from a database;

determine a link confidence code for the customer, wherein the link confidence code comprises an indication of the quality of the linking between the customer and the set of relationships based on the generated match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and internal information associated with each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the link confidence code is distinct from the match confidence code; and

provide, at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the link confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships linked to the customer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to compare comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

match each of a plurality of data elements associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database to generate an elemental match score for each of the plurality of data elements;

assemble the elemental match scores for the respective relationship into a set of match scores the respective relationship;

append an authentication code obtained from the industry database to the set of match scores for the respective relationship; and

apply a rule to generate the match confidence code for the respective relationship based on the match scores for the respective relationship and the authentication code.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to match comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

match at least one of a name, an address, a social security number, and a date of birth associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements associated with the customer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to apply comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

select the match confidence code for the respective relationship from a plurality of confidence levels based on the match pattern and the authentication code of the respective relationship.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to determine comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

append the internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships; and

apply a rule to the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to generate the link confidence code for the customer.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to apply comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

select the link confidence code for the customer from a plurality of confidence levels based on the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to append comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

append an age of the data associated with the relationship to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon non-transitory sequences of instruction, the sequences of instruction including instruction which, in response to execution by a computer based system for generating data quality indicators for relationships, causes the computer based system to perform the operations to generate the data quality indicators for relationships in a database, wherein relationships are established between a customer and a business, comprising:

comparing, by the computer based system, for each relationship in a set of relationships, data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding data obtained from an industry database to generate a match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the set of relationships includes multiple relationships obtained from a database;

determining, by the computer based system, a link confidence code for the customer, wherein the link confidence code comprises an indication of the quality of the linking between the customer and the set of relationships based on the generated match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and internal information associated with each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the link confidence code is distinct from the match confidence code; and

providing, by the computer based system, at least one of the link confidence code for the customer and the link confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships linked to the customer.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the comparing comprises:

matching, by the computer based system, each of a plurality of data elements associated with the respective relationship to corresponding data elements obtained from the industry database to generate an elemental match score for each of the plurality of data elements;

assembling, by the computer based system, the elemental match scores for the respective relationship into a set of match scores the respective relationship;

appending, by the computer based system, an authentication code obtained from the industry database to the set of match scores for the respective relationship; and

applying, by the computer based system, a rule to generate the match confidence code for the respective relationship based on the match scores for the respective relationship and the authentication code.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the applying comprises:

selecting, by the computer based system, the match confidence code for the respective relationship from a plurality of confidence levels based on the match pattern and the authentication code of the respective relationship.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the determining comprises:

appending, by the computer based system, the internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships; and

applying, by the computer based system, a rule to the internal data and match confidence code associated with each relationship in the set of relationships to generate the link confidence code for the customer.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the applying comprises:

appending, by the computer based system, an age of the data associated with the relationship to the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships.