Patent ID: 8423525

Claim:
A computer-implemented method to provide a restricted set of candidate entities for entity resolution, based on a life arc, the method comprising: resolving a received data record into an existing entity, resulting in a conjoined entity representing a subject selected from a person, a vehicle, and an object; generating a life arc for the conjoined entity based on a life arc criterion and space and time data contained in the received data record, wherein the life arc represents that the subject was at each of a specified plurality of distinct geographical locations during a respective, specified time period that is distinct; generating a restricted set of candidate entities from a plurality of available entities greater in number than the restricted set of candidate entities and by operation of one or more computer processors, wherein each of the plurality of available entities represents a distinct subject in the entity resolution system, wherein the restricted set of candidate entities includes: (i) a first candidate entity selected based on the first candidate entity having a life arc matching the life arc generated for the conjoined entity and (ii) a second candidate entity selected based on a matching attribute that is not a life arc; and determining whether the first candidate entity refers to the conjoined entity based on a comparison of at least one attribute of the first candidate entity and the conjoined entity, wherein the at least one attribute compared between the first candidate entity and the conjoined entity is not a life arc, wherein at least one of the first candidate entity and the conjoined entity are output responsive to a request from a requesting entity.