Systems and methods for data verification

• US 9,342,783 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• 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:
  US13/620,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, the system comprising:

an electronic data store that stores at least one data element associated with each of a plurality of individuals; and

a computing device in communication with the electronic data store and that is configured to;

retrieve from the electronic data store a plurality of data elements associated with an individual;

select one or more of the plurality of data elements associated with the individual to be verified;

electronically locate data similar to the selected one or more data elements associated with the individual on one or more network-accessible computing systems, wherein electronically locating the data similar to the selected one or more data elements comprises searching a plurality of websites for data associated with the individual;

compare the selected one or more data elements to the similar located data; and

based at least in part on the comparison, store one or more updated or appended data elements associated with the individual in the electronic data store, wherein the one or more data elements are updated or appended based at least in part on the located data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein comparing the selected one or more data elements to the similar located data comprises determining data quality of both the selected data and the located data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the data quality is determined based at least in part on at least one of data completeness or data accuracy.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

as implemented by one or more computing devices configured with specific executable instructions,

retrieving from an electronic data store a plurality of data elements associated with an individual;

selecting one or more of the plurality of data elements associated with the individual to be verified;

electronically locating data similar to the selected one or more data elements associated with the individual on one or more network-accessible computing systems, wherein electronically locating the data similar to the selected one or more data elements comprises searching a plurality of websites for data associated with the individual;

comparing the selected one or more data elements to the similar located data; and

based at least in part on the comparison, storing one or more updated or appended data elements associated with the individual in the electronic data store, wherein the one or more data elements are updated or appended based at least in part on the located data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein comparing the selected one or more data elements to the similar located data comprises determining data quality of both the selected data and the located data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the data quality is determined based at least in part on at least one of data completeness or data accuracy.

7. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computer systems, configure the one or more computer systems to perform operations comprising:

retrieving from an electronic data store a plurality of data elements associated with an individual;

selecting one or more of the plurality of data elements associated with the individual to be verified;

electronically locating data similar to the selected one or more data elements associated with the individual on one or more network-accessible computing systems, wherein electronically locating the data similar to the selected one or more data elements comprises searching a plurality of websites for data associated with the individual;

comparing the selected one or more data elements to the similar located data; and

based at least in part on the comparison, storing one or more updated or appended data elements associated with the individual in the electronic data store, wherein the one or more data elements are updated or appended based at least in part on the located data.

8. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein comparing the selected one or more data elements to the similar located data comprises determining data quality of both the selected data and the located data.

9. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data quality is determined based at least in part on at least one of data completeness or data accuracy.