Patent ID: 6496838
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for use in reconciling database records comprising the steps of:accessing an identified first record to reconcile with a plurality of second records, the first record including data within a plurality of first data fields and the second records including data within a plurality of second data fields; identifying a predetermined number of query fields comprised of first data fields; identifying a predetermined number of search fields comprised of second data fields, wherein the number of search fields and query fields is the same and each search field corresponds with a separate query field; performing a search of the second records for records that are possible matches for the first record by comparing data within progressively smaller sets of the query fields to data within corresponding progressively smaller sets of the search fields, wherein, for each corresponding query and search field set, said 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; and reconciling the first record with one of the suggested matching records identified as matching the first record by copying data from a predetermined data field of the record identified as matching the first record to a predetermined data field of the first record.