Method and system for deterministic matching of objects and events which are not uniquely identified

A method for deterministically matching letters in a first set with events in a second set, matching letters and events each being associated with common values of an identification code <pn, pc>, where pn is a postal delivery code including at most |pn| characters and pc is a tracking code, and where said code pc is constant for all said letters and said identification code can be insufficient to uniquely identify said letters, and portions of said delivery code pn associated with said letters and said events can be unknown;

• comprising the steps of:
• a) generating a mapping θ for said first set such that, for each letter li in said first set θ(li) equals <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of pn in said identification code value <pn, pc> associated with said letter li, and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni, and ki is selected to be the minimum number of characters required to uniquely identify said letter li in said first set, whereby values for ki greater than |pn| imply that said letter li is not uniquely identified by said portion ppni;
• b) determining pnj for an event ej in said second set, where pnj is at least a predetermined portion of pn in said identification code value <pn, pc> associated with said event ej;
• and
• c) matching said event ej and said letter li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not matching said event ei and said letter li if said letter li is not uniquely identified in said first set by said portion pni.

A method for deterministically matching first elements of a first set of objects or events with second elements of a second set of objects or events, matching first and second elements each being associated with common values of an identification code pn having |pn| characters, and where said identification code can be insufficient to uniquely identify said first elements, and portions of said identification code values associated with said first and second elements can be unknown;

• comprising the steps of:
• a) generating a minimal k-unique mapping for said first set such that, for each element li of said first set such that li maps to a pair <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of said identification code value pn associated with said first elements and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni,
• b) determining pnj for an element ej in said second set, where pnj is at least a portion of said identification code value associated with said element ej;
• and
• c) matching said element ej and said element li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not matching said element ej and said element li if said element li is not uniquely identified in said first set.

A data processing system for deterministically matching first elements of a first set of objects or events with second elements of a second set of objects or events, matching first and second elements each being associated with common values of an identification code pn having |pn| characters, and where said identification code can be insufficient to uniquely identify said first elements, and portions of said identification code values associated with said first and second elements can be unknown;

• said data processing system being programmed to:
• a) generate a mapping θ for said first set such that, for each element li of said first set θ(li) equals <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of said identification code value associated with said element li and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni, and ki is selected to be the minimum number of characters required to uniquely identify li in said first set, whereby values for ki greater than |pn| imply that said element li is not uniquely identified by said portion ppni;
• b) input pnj for an element ej in said second set, where pnj is at least a portion of said identification code value associated with said element ej;
• and
• c) match said element ej and said element li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not match said element ej and said element li if said element li is not uniquely identified in said first set by said portion pni.

A data processing system for deterministically matching letters in a first set with events in a second set, matching letters and events each being associated with common values of an identification code <pn, pc>, where pn is a postal delivery code including at most |pn| characters and pc is a tracking code, and where said code pc is constant for all said letters and said identification code can be insufficient to uniquely identify said letters, and portions of said delivery code pn associated with said letters and said events can be unknown;

• said data processing being programmed to:
• a) generate a mapping θ for said first set such that, for each letter li in said first set θ(li) equals <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of pn in said identification code value <pn, pc> associated with said letter li, and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni, and ki is selected to be the minimum number of characters required to uniquely identify said letter li in said first set, whereby values for ki greater than |pn| imply that said letter li is not uniquely identified by said portion ppni;
• b) input pnj for an event ej in said second set, where pnj is at least a predetermined portion of pn in said identification code value <pn, pc> associated with said event ej;
• and
• c) match said event ej and said letter li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not match said event ei and said letter li if said letter li is not uniquely identified in said first set by said portion pni.

A data processing system for deterministically matching first elements of a first set of objects or events with second elements of a second set of objects or events, matching first and second elements each being associated with common values of an identification code pn having |pn| characters, and where said identification code can be insufficient to uniquely identify said first elements, and portions of said identification code values associated with said first and second elements can be unknown;

• said data processing system being programmed to:
• a) generate a minimal k-unique mapping for said first set such that, for each element li of said first set such that li maps to a pair <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of said identification code value pn associated with said first elements and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni,
• b) input pnj for an element ej in said second set, where pnj is at least a portion of said identification code value associated with said element ej;
• and
• c) match said element ej and said element li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not match said element ej and said element li if said element li is not uniquely identified in said first set.

A computer readable medium for providing program code for execution by a programmable data processor, said processor being responsive to said program code to:

• a) generate a mapping θ for a first set such that, for each element li of said first set θ(li) equals <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of an identification code value associated with said element li and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni, and ki is selected to be the minimum number of characters required to uniquely identify li in said first set;
• b) input pnj for an element ej in a second set, where pnj is at least a portion of said identification code value associated with said element ej;
• and
• c) match said element ej and said element li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not match said element ej and said element li if said element li is not uniquely identified in said first set by said portion pni.

A computer readable medium for providing program code for execution by a programmable data processor, said processor being responsive to said program code to:

• a) generate a mapping θ for said a set of letters l such that, for each letter li in said first set θ(li) equals <ki, ppni>, where pni is at least a portion of pn in an identification code value <pn, pc> associated with said letter li, and ppni is defined as the first ki characters of pni, and ki is selected to be the minimum number of characters required to uniquely identify said letter li in said first set;
• b) input pnj for an event ej in a second set, where pnj is at least a predetermined portion of pn in said identification code value <pn, pc> associated with said event ej;
• and
• c) match said event ej and said letter li only if the first ki characters of pnj equal ppni and not match said event ei and said letter li if said letter li is not uniquely identified in said first set by said portion pni.