Patent ID: 7197471
Filing Date: 2007-03-27
Classification: G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of analyzing a data source that includes a plurality of household records, wherein the data source is determined to not be a subset of a reference file that includes a plurality of reference file records, said method comprising: retrieving, from a nonvolatile storage area, a sample quantity of household records included in the data source, wherein the sample quantity of household records does no include all of the plurality of household records included in the data source; comparing a name and address included in each of the sample quantity of household records to the plurality of reference file records, the comparing resulting in matched household records whose name and address are included in one or more of the sample quantity of household records and also included in one or more of the reference file records; determining, based upon the matched household records, whether the data source is balanced, signifying that the matched household records represents the data source; adjusting, based upon determining whether the data source is balanced, the sample quantity of household records such that, after performing again the comparing and the determining using the adjusted sample quantity of household records, the matched records corresponding to the adjusted sample quantity of household records is balanced and represents the data source; generating a comparison master file based upon the adjusted sample quantity of household records, the comparison master file including a portion of the plurality of household records included in the data source; analyzing, the comparison master file using the reference file; selecting a data source vendor corresponding to the data source in response to the analyzing; and providing the selection of the data source vendor to a user.