Patent ID: 8489618
Filing Date: 2013-07-16
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: generating entity representations in a computer implemented database using a record matching formula, the database comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a plurality of fields, each field capable of containing a field value; generating parameters for the record matching formula wherein at least a portion of parameters for the record matching formula are generated using a symmetric and reflexive function and configured for a particular field value appearing in a selected field of at least one record and wherein the record matching formula comprises a weighted sum of probabilities that two records match; forming a notional grid over a geographic area of interest that contains a plurality of points, wherein the geographic area of interest comprises a plurality of squares and wherein each of the plurality of points is associated with one of the plurality of records in the database that contains absolute geographic location information; calculating a plurality of match probabilities, wherein each match probability reflects a likelihood that a first point in the geographic area of interest lies within a predetermined distance of a predetermined square within which a second point lies as determined by the symmetric and reflexive function, wherein the symmetric and reflexive function has the property that its output is unchanged if the order of its inputs is changed and the property that it outputs zero if its inputs are equal to each other; calculating a plurality of match weights based on the plurality of match probabilities; linking records or entity representations with non-identical field values, wherein linking comprises linking at least two entity representations in the database based on one or more of the plurality of match weights using the record matching formula; and retrieving information from at least one record in the database.