Matching data from disparate sources

• US 8,468,119 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kumar, Udaya, Gargoum, Louay, O'Donnell, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, NICHOLAS E
• Application Number:
  US12/836,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20120016899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 707/769, 707/600, 707/602, 707/603
• US Class Current: 707/602
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/33 Querying

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a first identification of two or more records that match and to search at least two sources of data to locate a set of potential matching records, based on element transformation to determine common characteristics of the two or more records. Further activities may include publishing the set of potential matching records, receiving a second identification of matching members of the set, and searching at least one repository to locate further matching records based on the second identification and the common characteristics. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing node comprising a processor and a data reception module to receive a first identification of at least two records that match; and

an analysis module to communicatively couple to the data reception module, the analysis module to

determine a mutagen that, when applied to at least one of the two records based on element transformation, enables identification of common characteristics of the at least two records, and

apply the determined mutagen to each one of multiple records in a first source of data to locate a set of potential matching records in the first source of data and a second source of data, based on element transformation and the common characteristics of the at least two records,

the analysis module to publish the set and to search at least one repository to locate further matching records based on a second identification and the common characteristics, wherein the data reception module is to receive the second identification comprising matching members of the set.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

display to display a menu of the set, and a request to select the matching members.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an evolution generation module to effect the element transformation by applying mutagens to some portion of the at least two records.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing node comprises one of a server or a client.

5. A system, comprising:

a first processing node comprising a processor and a data reception module to receive a first identification of at least two records that match; and

a second processing node comprising an analysis module to communicate with the data reception module, the analysis module to

determine a mutagen that, when applied to at least one of the two records based on element transformation, enables identification of common characteristics of the at least to records, and

apply the determined mutagen to each one of multiple records in a first source of data to locate a set of potential matching records in the first source of data and a second source of data, based on element transformation and the common characteristics of the at least two records,

the analysis module to publish the set and to search at least one repository to locate further matching records based on a second identification and the common characteristics, wherein the data reception module is to receive the second identification comprising matching members of the set.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one storage node to house the repository.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a display to display a menu of mutagens to apply to the further matching records.

8. A method to execute on one or more processors that perform the method, comprising:

receiving a first identification of at least two records that match;

determining a mutagen that, when applied to at least one of the two records based on element transformation, enables identification of common characteristics of the at least two records;

applying the determined mutagen to each one of multiple records in a first source of data to locate a set of potential matching records in the first source of data and a second source of data, based on element transformation and the common characteristics of the at least two records;

publishing the set;

receiving a second identification of matching members of the set; and

searching at least one repository to locate further matching records based on the second identification and the common characteristics.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

evaluating edges arising from a combination of the at least two records to determine a degree of similarity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating the edges as a set of all possible matches between elements of the at least two records.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

processing headers to determine intersections between the headers and comparable ones of the edges to increase confidence.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the evaluating further comprises:

determining the degree of similarity using a character by character comparison of data elements to determine a matching percentage.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the element transformation comprises:

determining whether evolution of portions of at least one of the at least two records increases the degree of similarity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the evolution further comprises:

evolving some of the portions by applying one or more mutagens to at least one of the portions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mutagens comprise at least one of text or numerical transformation tools.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

selecting one of the mutagens to apply to the further matching records based on increasing the degree of similarity.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing the further matching records on a machine readable device.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the evaluating further comprises:

comparing the degree of similarity induced by the element transformation to a threshold value.

19. An article comprising a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, result in a processor performing:

receiving a first identification of at least two records that match;

determining a mutagen that, when applied to at least one of the two records based on element transformation, enables identification of common characteristics of the at least two records;

applying the determined mutagen to each one of multiple records in a first source of data to locate a set of potential matching records in the first source of data and a second source of data, based on element transformation and the common characteristics of the at least two records;

publishing the set;

receiving a second identification of matching members of the set; and

searching at least one repository to locate further matching records based on the second identification and the common characteristics.

20. The article of claim 19, containing executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, result in the processor performing:

mutating portions of the at least two records to effect the element transformation, the mutating comprising application of mutagens including at least one of text transformation, insertion, or deletion to the portions; and

locating the further matching records based on selecting at least one of the mutagens according to a degree of similarity provided by the application of the mutagens to the portions.

21. The article of claim 19, containing executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, result in the processor performing:

selecting a set of mutagens to effect the element transformation; and

modifying the set of mutagens based on receiving the second identification of the matching members of the set.