Systems and methods for data verification

• US 8,285,656 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consumerinfo.com Incorporated (Experian plc)
• Original Assignee: Consumerinfo.com Incorporated (Experian plc)
• Inventors: Chang, Albert Chia-Shu, Jones, Gregory Dean, Matthies, Carolyn Paige Soltes
• Primary Examiner(s): Starks, Wilbert L
• Application Number:
  US12/058,632
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 706/15, 706/45
• US Class Current: 706/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to data verification of business or consumer data. Certain embodiments include a data verification system that receives or selects data to be verified, selects one or more verification methods to verify, update, and/or append/enhance the data. The data verification system may verify the data with one or more data verification methods, either alone or in combination. The methods may include a web-crawling verification method, an agent web verification method, a call verification method, a direct mail method, an email method, an in-person verification method, or other methods. The system has the ability to, automatically or manually, (1) blend automatic and manual segmentation of records or elements by criteria such as industry type, best times of day/month/year to verify, update, or append, cost, and level of importance (2) select the best verification processing method(s), and (3) manage the results and properly verify, update, append/enhance records.

Claims

1. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data selection module configured to select at least a portion of data to be verified, wherein the data is associated with an individual; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select one or more data verification methods, based on prior results of use of one or more data verification methods, from web-crawling and one or more of tele-verification, agent web verification, direct-mail verification, email verification, and in-person verification to apply to the selected at least a portion of the data, wherein the at least a portion of the data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the one or more selected data verification methods to the selected at least a portion of the data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising cost data stored on the system indicating costs of the data verification methods;

and

the artificial intelligence module is further configured to select two data verification methods using the cost data for the two data verification methods, wherein the selected data verification method with the lower cost is applied to the selected portion of the data, and the selected data verification method with the higher cost is applied to a subset of the selected portion of the data.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the results from the application of the higher-cost data verification method is used to gauge the effectiveness of the lower-cost data verification method.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the artificial intelligence module is configured to monitor the effectiveness of the one or more selected data verification methods and to adapt the use of the one or more selected data verification methods based on the monitored effectiveness.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the artificial intelligence module is configured to select the one or more data verification methods based on cost data related to the data verification methods.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the data to be verified is consumer data related to individuals.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the data to be verified is consumer data related to households.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the data to be verified is business data related to businesses.

9. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data segmentation module configured to segment data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the characteristic is a value associated with the data portion,

wherein the artificial intelligence module selects a first data verification method for a first data portion with a high value and a second data verification method for a second data portion with a low value, and

wherein the first data verification method comprises a tele-verification method.

10. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data segmentation module configured to segment data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the characteristic is a value associated with the data portion,

wherein the artificial intelligence module selects a first data verification method for a first data portion with a high value and a second data verification method for a second data portion with a low value, and

wherein the second data verification method comprises a web-crawling method.

11. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data segmentation module configured to segment data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the artificial intelligence module selects a data verification method for a first data portion with a first characteristic indicating reliable data is readily available on-line and a data verification method for a second data portion with a second characteristic indicating reliable data is not readily available on-line.

12. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data segmentation module configured to segment data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the artificial intelligence module selects a data verification method for a data portion with a characteristic indicating reliable data is readily available on-line and the computerized system has access to additional corroboration sources.

13. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data segmentation module configured to segment data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the data segmentation module segments data based on a credit score of entities associated with the data.

14. An automated system for verifying data comprising:

a computerized system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing devices configured to implement at least;

a data segmentation module configured to segment data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to select a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the data segmentation module segments data based on an industry of entities associated with the data.

15. An automated method of data verification, comprising:

selecting, by a processor of a computing device, a portion of data to be verified, wherein the data is associated with an individual; and

selecting, by the processor, one or more data verification methods from web-crawling and one or more of tele-verification, agent web verification, direct-mail verification, email verification, and in-person verification to apply to the selected portion of the data, based on prior results of use of the data verification methods, wherein the data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the one or more data verification methods to the selected portion of the data.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

storing, by the processor, cost data indicating costs of the data verification methods; and

the selecting one or more data verification methods further comprises selecting two data verification methods using the cost data for the two data verification methods, wherein the selected data verification method with the lower cost is applied to the selected portion of the data, and the selected data verification method with the higher cost is applied to a subset of the selected portion of the data.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the results from the application of the higher-cost data verification method is used to gauge the effectiveness of the lower-cost data verification method.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the selecting of the one or more data verification methods comprises monitoring the effectiveness of the one or more selected data verification methods and adapting the use of the one or more selected data verification methods based on the monitored effectiveness.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the selecting of the one or more data verification methods comprises selecting the one or more selected data verification methods based on cost data related to the one or more data verification methods.

20. An automated method for verifying data comprising:

segmenting, by a processor of a computing device, data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

selecting, by the processor, a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of selected data verification method,

wherein the selecting comprises selecting a data verification method for a first data portion with a first characteristic indicating reliable data is readily available on-line and a data verification method for a second data portion with a second characteristic indicating data reliable data is not readily available on-line.

21. An automated method for verifying data comprising:

segmenting, by a processor of a computing device, data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

selecting, by the processor, a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the selecting comprises selecting a data verification method for a data portion with a characteristic indicating reliable data is readily available on-line and the computing device has access to additional corroboration sources.

22. An automated method for verifying data comprising:

segmenting, by a processor of a computing device, data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

selecting, by the processor, a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of selected data verification method,

wherein the segmenting comprises segmenting data based on the credit score of the entities associated with the data.

23. An automated method for verifying data comprising:

segmenting, by a processor of a computing device, data to be verified into a plurality of data portions, wherein each data portion comprises a characteristic; and

selecting, by the processor, a data verification method to apply to each of the plurality of data portions based on the characteristic of the data portion, wherein data is verified, updated, or appended as a result of application of the selected data verification method,

wherein the segmenting comprises segmenting data based on the industry of the entities associated with the data.

24. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to verify data, the control logic comprising:

a first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select a portion of data to be verified, wherein the data is associated with an individual; and

a second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select one or more data verification methods, based on prior results of the use of the one or more data verification methods, from web-crawling and one or more of tele-verification, agent web verification, direct-mail verification, email verification, and in-person verification to apply to the selected portion of the data, wherein the data is verified, updated or appended as a result of application of the one or more selected data verification methods to the selected portion of the data.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

a third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store cost data on the computer, the cost data indicating costs of data verification methods;

wherein the second computer readable program code means comprises computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select two data verification methods using the cost data for the two data verification methods, and

wherein the selected data verification method with the lower cost is applied to the selected portion of the data, and the selected data verification method with the higher cost is applied to a subset of the selected portion of the data.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the second computer readable program code means comprises computer readable program code means for causing the computer to use the results from application of the higher-cost data verification method to gauge the effectiveness of the lower-cost data verification method.