Method for rating a match for a given entity found in a list of entities

In a computerized system for storing information on a large group of business entities and automatically selecting a member of the group as a likely match with an given entity, the system including a database for storing a compilation of the large group of entities which are identified by a plurality of attributes, and a processor for accepting information specifying the attributes of a given entity and searching the compilation to identify possible matches with the listed entities, the processor being programmed to score the quality of a possible match for a plurality n of the attributes of each identified entity, a method for automatically, and without human intervention, determining the quality of the match produced by the processor and comprising the steps of:

• assigning a grade to the score of each of the n attributes, the grade being selected from a limited grade set including distinctive grades for a match, a mismatch, a possible match, and a no-entry condition;
• composing a key from the grades for the respective attributes;
• addressing a table with the key;
• and
• extracting information from the table at an address specified by the key, the information reflecting the reliability of the match based on stored information statistically obtained from similar keys for other matches.

In a computerized system for storing information on a large group of business entities and selecting a member of the group as a likely match with an given entity, the system including a database for storing a compilation of the entities which are specified by information on a plurality of attributes, and a processor for accepting information specifying attributes of a given entity and searching the compilation to identify possible matches with the stored entities, the processor being programmed to score the quality of a possible match for each attribute of an identified entity, a method for automatically and without human intervention determining the quality of the match produced by the processor comprising the steps of:

• selecting a number n of the attributes which will be used to grade the reliability of the match;
• assigning a grade to the score associated with each of the n attributes, the grades being selected to at least include distinct grades for a match, a mismatch, a possible match and a no-entry condition;
• assembling a key from the grades assigned to the n attributes;
• providing a memory table addressable by all possible keys, the table having match reliability data stored therein;
• and
• addressing the table to obtain the match reliability data specified by the key.

A method of processing commercial transactions comprising the steps of:

• accessing a commercial database including a list of a large number of business entities with associated business data, the business entities being identified by a plurality of attributes;
• automatically searching within that database to identify entities that possibly match a given entity specified by a plurality of attributes;
• obtaining numerical scores reflecting the quality of the match of each attribute;
• transforming the numerical score for each attribute to a grade selected from a limited subset of grades, the subset of grades reflecting a likely match, no match, and possible match conditions;
• using the grades for the possible match to form a key, for each identified entity;
• utilizing the key to address a memory table to retrieve reliability information stored in the memory, the reliability information being derived from empirical information;
• and
• using the reliability information to select a matching entity from the list of identified entities.