Patent ID: 7657540

Claim:
A computer implemented method for delinking an erroneously linked entity reference from a plurality of linked entity references, the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references in an computer implemented database, the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references having at least one common data field, the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references linked by the inclusion of a common identifier in the at least one common data field in each of the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references, the method comprising the steps of: evaluating, using a programmed computer that includes a memory and a processor, at least one actual measurement of the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references based at least in part on a plurality of field values of the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references, wherein the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references include at least one common data field, the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references linked by the inclusion of a common identifier in the at least one common data field in each of the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references; determining, using a programmed computer that includes a memory and a processor, a difference between the at least one actual measurement and at least one predefined measurement associated with the erroneously linked entity reference and the plurality of linked entity references; and delinking, using a programmed computer that includes a memory and a processor, the erroneously linked entity reference from the plurality of linked entity references based at least in part on a comparison of the difference and a defined threshold, wherein the delinking is accomplished by altering a content of the at least one common data field in the erroneously linked entity reference.