SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING CLAIMS TO UPDATE A RECORD FROM CONFLICTING DATA SOURCES

• US 20140289187A1
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Georgiev, Stanislav, FUCHS, Matthew, Orun, Mehmet
• Granted Patent: US 9,594,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating

Abstract

A system and method for evaluating claims from sources to update database records. A trust score is developed for each source. If a source submits a claim, the trust score for that source and the value of the claim are evaluated against prior conflicting claims. If the current claim is deemed the most likely, then it is adopted as provisional “truth”. If not, the current claim is rejected.

Claims

1. A method for updating database records, comprising:

receiving a claim from at least one source regarding an update to at least one record of a plurality of records stored in the database, each record representing an entity having a plurality of properties;

obtaining a trust score for the source;

evaluating the claim in light of the trust score and other defined criteria for acceptance of the claim;

updating the record in the database to reflect the claim of the source when the defined criteria for acceptance are met.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the claim and associating it with the record.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the claim and associating it with the source.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

updating the trust score for the source for each new claim made by the source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the trust score for the source as a function of a history of the claims made by the source including a measure of accuracy of the claims made the source.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

considering additional factors related to the claim; and

updating the record to reflect the claim of the source when the defined criteria for acceptance are met and the additional factors support the claim.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional factors include internal consistency of the claim.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of claims from a plurality of sources regarding an update to the record;

obtaining a trust score for each source; and

updating the record to reflect the claim of a first source when the defined criteria for acceptance are best met by the claim of the first source.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

if the defined criteria are not met by the claim of the first source, but other sources have made the same claim, then updating the record to reflect the claim of the first source.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a trust score for at least some of the records stored in the database including the record; and

updating the record to reflect the claim of the source when the trust score of the source exceeds a trust score for the record.

11. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied therein to be executed by one or more processors, the program code including instructions to:

receive a claim from at least one source regarding an update to at least one record of a plurality of records stored in the database, each record representing an entity having a plurality of properties;

obtain a trust score for the source;

evaluate the claim in light of the trust score and other defined criteria for acceptance of the claim;

update the record in the database to reflect the claim of the source when the defined criteria for acceptance are met.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program code includes further instructions to:

determine the trust score for the source as a function of a history of the claims made by the source including a measure of accuracy of the claims made the source.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program code includes further instructions to:

analyze additional factors related to the claim;

update the record to reflect the claim of the source when the defined criteria are met and the additional factors support the claim.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program code includes further instructions to:

receive a plurality of claims from a plurality of sources regarding an update to the record;

obtain a trust score for each source; and

update the record to reflect the claim of a first source when the defined criteria are best met by the claim of the first source.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program code includes further instructions to:

maintain a trust score for at least some of the records stored in the database including the record; and

update the record to reflect the claim of the source when the trust score of the source exceeds a trust score for the record.

16. A system for updating database records, the system comprising:

a processor-based application executed on a computer and configured to;

receive a claim from at least one source regarding an update to at least one record of a plurality of records stored in the database, each record representing an entity having a plurality of properties;

obtain a trust score for the source;

evaluate the claim in light of the trust score and other defined criteria for acceptance of the claim;

update the record in the database to reflect the claim of the source when the defined criteria for acceptance are met.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor-based application is further configured to:

determine the trust score for the source as a function of a history of the claims made by the source including a measure of accuracy of the claims made the source.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor-based application is further configured to:

analyze additional factors related to the claim; and

update the record to reflect the claim of the source when the defined criteria are met and the additional factors support the claim.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor-based application is further configured to:

receive a plurality of claims from a plurality of sources regarding an update to the record;

obtain a trust score for each source; and

update the first record or a property thereof to reflect the claim of a first source when the defined criteria are best met by the claim of the first source.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor-based application is further configured to:

maintain a trust score for at least some of the records stored in the database including the record; and

update the record to reflect the claim of the source when the trust score of the source exceeds a trust score for the first record.