Patent ID: 8676838

Claim:
A computer implemented iterative process for generating entity representations by identifying and linking related records in a computer implemented database using a record matching formula, each record and entity representation electronically stored in the database, each record comprising a plurality of fields, each field configured to contain a field value, the process comprising: assigning to each pair of records from a plurality of records in the database a match value using the record matching formula, the match value reflecting a likelihood that the pair of records refer to the same individual, the match value computed by a programmed processor; assigning, for each record from the plurality of records, at least one associated preferred record, wherein a match value assigned to a given record together with its associated preferred record is at least as great as a match value assigned to the record together with any other record in the plurality of records, and wherein the associated preferred record comprises at least a one-way relationship with at least one of the plurality of records; identifying symmetric mutually preferred pairs of records from the plurality of records, each mutually preferred pair of records consisting of a first record and a second record, the first record consisting of a preferred record associated with the second record and the second record consisting of a preferred record associated with the first record, wherein the mutually preferred pairs of records each has a match score that meets pre-specified match criteria; forming and storing a plurality of entity representations in the database, each entity representation of the plurality of entity representations comprising at least one linked pair of mutually preferred records; and retrieving information from at least one record of a pair of mutually preferred records.