System and method for providing enhanced information
View Patent ↗A data integration method involves a unique method of collecting raw business data and processing it to produce highly useful and highly accurate information to enable business decisions. This process includes collecting global data, entity matching, applying an identification number, performing corporate linkage, and providing predictive indicators. These process steps work in series to filter and organize the raw business data and provide quality information to customers. In addition, the information is enhanced by quality assurance at each step in this process to ensure the high quality of the resulting data.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
(a) collecting information comprising primary data relating to a business from at least one data source;
(b) determining whether said primary data matches stored entity data, according to the following rules:
(i) if said primary data matches said stored entity data, then assigning a pre-existing identification number to said primary data based upon said stored entity data and thereafter performing step (d) on said primary data with said assigned pre-existing identification number; and
(ii) if said primary data does not match said stored entity data and if said primary data meets a first threshold condition, then performing step (c); and
(iii) if said primary data does not match said stored entity data nor does it meet a first threshold condition, then storing the unmatched primary data as a first stored secondary data to a repository until new primary data becomes available wherein said new primary data and said first stored secondary data are processed according to step (b)(ii);
(c) assigning a new identification number to said primary data received from step b(ii), thereby creating and storing a second stored secondary data;
(d) upon determining that said primary data from step (b)(i) meets a second threshold condition, then associating and storing corporate linkage data with said primary data as a third stored secondary data; and upon determining that said primary data from step (b)(i) does not meet said second threshold condition, then sending said primary data from step (b)(i) to step (e);
(e) upon determining that said primary data from step (d) meets a third threshold condition, then analyzing, processing and storing said primary data as a fourth stored secondary data, thereby producing at least one predictive indicator;
(f) combining said primary data from step (e) and said fourth stored secondary data to produce enhanced information; and
(g) providing said enhanced information to a user.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a quality assurance step which comprises:
(i) periodically sampling said enhanced information or any of said first, second, third or fourth stored secondary data, thus yielding sample data;
(ii) evaluating said sample data against data taken from a prior period; and
(iii) determining if said sample data is valid or if it needs to be updated.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, generating said corporate linkage data by detecting affiliations between a corporate entity and said primary data.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first threshold condition is at least two sources confirm that a business associated with said primary data exists.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said assigned identification number is an entity identifier.
6. A computer system for data integration comprising:
a data generator that gathers primary data relating to a business from at least one data source;
a microprocessor that:
(a) collects information including primary data from at least one data source, and
(b) determines whether said primary data matches stored entity data, according to the following rules
(i) if said primary data matches said stored entity data, then assigning a pre-existing identification number to said primary data based upon said stored entity data and thereafter performing step (d) on said primary data with said assigned pre-existing identification number; and
(ii) if said primary data does not match said stored entity data and if said primary data meets a first threshold condition, then performing step (c); and
(iii) if said primary data does not match said stored entity data nor does it meet a first threshold condition, then storing the unmatched primary data as a first stored secondary data to a repository until new primary data becomes available wherein said new primary data and said first stored secondary data are processed according to step (b)(ii);
(c) assigning a new identification number to said primary data received from step b(ii), thereby creating and storing a second stored secondary data;
(d) upon determining that said primary data from step (b)(i) meets a second threshold condition, then associating and storing corporate linkage data with said primary data as a third stored secondary data; and upon determining that said primary data from step (b)(i) does not meet said second threshold condition, then sending said primary data from step (b)(i) to step (e);
(e) upon determining that said primary data from step (d) meets a third threshold condition, then analyzing, processing and storing said primary data as a fourth stored secondary data, thereby producing at least one predictive indicator;
(f) combining said primary data from step (e) and said fourth stored secondary data to produce enhanced information; and
(g) providing said enhanced information to a user.
7. The system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
performing a quality assurance step which comprises:
(i) periodically sampling said enhanced information or any of said first, second, third or fourth stored secondary data, thus yielding sample data;
(ii) evaluating said sample data against data taken from a prior period; and
(iii) determining if said sample data is valid or if it needs to be updated.
8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said microprocessor generates said corporate linkage data by detecting affiliations between a corporate entity and said primary data.
9. A machine-readable medium comprising executable computer program instructions which, when executed, cause a processing system to perform a method comprising:
(a) collecting information including primary data from at least one data source, and
(b) determining whether said primary data matches stored entity data, according to the following rules
(i) if said primary data matches said stored entity data, then assigning a pre-existing identification number to said primary data based upon said stored entity data and thereafter performing step (d) on said primary data with said assigned pre-existing identification number; and
(ii) if said primary data does not match said stored entity data and if said primary data meets a first threshold condition, then performing step (c); and
(iii) if said primary data does not match said stored entity data nor does it meet a first threshold condition, then storing the unmatched primary data as a first stored secondary data to a repository until new primary data becomes available wherein said new primary data and said first stored secondary data are processed according to step (b)(ii);
(c) assigning a new identification number to said primary data received from step b(ii), thereby creating and storing a second stored secondary data;
(d) upon determining that said primary data from step (b)(i) meets a second threshold condition, then associating and storing corporate linkage data with said primary data as a third stored secondary data; and upon determining that said primary data from step (b)(i) does not meet said second threshold condition, then sending said primary data from step (b)(i) to step (e);
(e) upon determining that said primary data from step (d) meets a third threshold condition, then analyzing, processing and storing said primary data as a fourth stored secondary data, thereby producing at least one predictive indicator;
(f) combining said primary data from step (e) and said fourth stored secondary data to produce enhanced information; and
(g) providing said enhanced information to a user.
10. The machine-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein said method further comprises generating said corporate linkage by detecting affiliations between an entity associated with said identification number and stored entities.
11. The machine-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein said method further comprises:
performing a quality assurance step which comprises:
(i) periodically sampling said enhanced information or any of said first, second, third or fourth stored secondary data, thus yielding sample data;
(ii) evaluating said sample data against data taken from a prior period; and
(iii) determining if said sample data is valid or if it needs to be updated.
12. The machine-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein said first threshold condition is at least two sources confirm that a business associated with said primary data exists.
13. The machine-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein said identification number is an entity identifier.