Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-31
2002-12-17
Amsbury, Wayne (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
active
06496838
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to databases, and, more particularly, is concerned with reconciling records maintained in two separate databases or in separate tables within the same database.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Records maintained in two separate databases or in separate tables within the same database may contain related information. For example, a provider of a web-based telephone directory listing service may have developed a first database that includes records containing information relating to orders placed by customers for listings in the web-based telephone directory service. The first database might include records having data fields for customer names, addresses, phone numbers, and other information about the customer's advertisement order. For example, the data in the fields of a particular record in the first database may identify “Company X” as having an address of “1700 Lincoln Street, Denver Colo.,” and a phone number of “3038617000.” The provider might also have developed a second database that includes records relating to the features of ordered advertisements in the web-based telephone directory listings. The second database might include records having data fields for customer names, addresses, and phone numbers as well as the type of feature ordered, such as a link to the customer's home page or an information page about the customer, and start and end dates for the advertisement. For example, the data in the fields of a particular record in the second database may indicate that customer “Company X” located at “1700 Lincoln Street” in “Denver, Colo.” has ordered an advertisement that is to start on “10/30/96” and end on “10/30/97” and the advertisement includes a link to the customer's home web page. Since databases such as described above typically have numerous records, verifying that the data within a record within the first database is consistent with the data in a related record within the second databases may be a difficult and time consuming process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventors of the present invention have recognized that verification of data contained within related, but separately maintained records may be facilitated by providing a method and system for identifying matching records and ensuring that the identified matching records are made consistent (i.e. reconciled).
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that facilitates the identification of matching records maintained in separate databases or in separate tables within the same database, such as, for example, matching records maintained in a first database relating to orders for web-based telephone directory listings with records maintained in a second database relating to the features of the ordered listings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that permits identified matching records to be easily reconciled by including the same data in the matching records, such as, for example, data comprising a unique identification number.
These and other objectives and advantages are achieved by the method and system of the present invention. The present invention discloses a method and system for use in reconciling a first record, which may be selected from a plurality of first records, with a matching record included in a plurality of second records. The first records and second records may be maintained separately, such as in separate databases or in separate tables within the same database. The disclosed method and system facilitates identification of matching records by searching the second records for records that are possible matches for the first record. The possible matching records, if any, found in the plurality of second records may then be displayed together with the first record. This permits the suggested matching records to be easily compared with the first record, and if a matching record is identified, data from a predetermined field of the identified matching record may be copied to a predetermined field of the first record to reconcile the first record with its matching record from the plurality of second records.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method for use in reconciling database records includes the step of identifying at least one first record from a plurality of first records to reconcile with a plurality of second records. The first records include data within a plurality of first data fields and the second records include data within a plurality of second data fields. The method also includes the steps of identifying a predetermined number of query fields comprised of first data fields and identifying the same number of search fields comprised of second data fields. Each search field identified corresponds with a separate query field. A search of the second records for records that are possible matches for the first record is then performed. In the search, data within progressively smaller sets of the query fields is compared to data within corresponding progressively smaller sets of the search fields. For each corresponding query and search field set, the searching step generates a set of suggested matching records comprised of the second records wherein the data within each search field matches the data within each corresponding query field. For example, data within first, second, third, and fourth query field sets comprised of M, N, O, and P query fields, respectively, may be compared to data within first, second, third, and fourth search field sets comprised of M, N, O, and P search fields, respectively, wherein M represents a positive integer (e.g. 4), N represents a positive integer less than M (e.g. 3), O represents a positive integer less than N (e.g. 2), and P represents a positive integer less than O (e.g. 1). It should be appreciated that the possibility exists that a set of suggested matching records may be an empty set if no second records are found having data within the particular search field set that matches data within the corresponding query field set. It should also be noted that the query and search field sets used need not be progressively smaller by the same number of elements.
In another embodiment, the method of the present invention includes the step of displaying the first record and the sets of suggested matching records together on a first interface wherein the records within the sets of suggested matching records are reviewable to determine whether one of the records in the sets of suggested matching records matches the first record. Displaying the first record and the sets of suggested matching records together facilitates comparison of the suggested matching records with the first record. In this regard, the number of data fields for which data is displayed for each suggested matching record may be less than the total number of data fields of the second records thereby further easing comparison of the suggested matching records with the first record. As to review of the suggested matching records, a suggested matching record may be determined to be a match for the first record when, for example, all of the displayed data of the suggested matching record is the same as the data displayed for the first record. It should be appreciated that a record included in a set of suggested matching records generated by comparing data within larger query and search field sets may more likely be a match for the first record than a record included in a set of suggested records generated by comparing data within smaller query and search field sets because such a record has already been found to have matching data within more data fields. Thus, it may be advantageous to review records within sets of suggested matching records generated by comparing data within larger query and search field sets prior to those within sets generated by comparing data within smaller query and search field sets.
In a further embodiment, the method of the present invention includes the step of receiving an input from a user i
Buggs C. Marlon D.
Stroble Bryan
Zamora-McKelvy Michele
Amsbury Wayne
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
Nguyen Cam-Linh
Qwest Communications International Inc.
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