Method and system for creating a relationship structure

A method for generating an entity reference relationship structure between a first entity structure and second entity structure of at least four entity structures which form a one-to-one entity structure group, comprising:

• accessing, by a computing device, a database comprising at least three entity reference relationship structures, each of the at least three entity reference relationship structures establishing a relationship between one entity structure and another entity structure and comprising pairs of entity instance identifiers, a first entity instance identifier in each pair of entity instance identifiers referring to an entity instance in the one entity structure and the second entity instance identifier of the each pair referring to an entity instance of the another entity structure, wherein entity instances in each entity structure of the one-to-one entity structure group have a one-to-one relationship with entity instances of another entity structure in the one-to-one entity structure group;
• determining, automatically by the computing device, each different path from the first entity structure to the second entity structure wherein the each different path comprises a plurality of edges, each edge corresponding to an entity reference relationship structure and connecting two vertices which correspond to entity structures between which the entity reference relationship structure establishes the relationship, and wherein a beginning vertex in the each path corresponds to the first entity structure and an ending vertex in the each path corresponds to the second entity structure, a quantity of different paths comprising at least two different paths;
• for each said path, automatically identifying, by the computing device, all coupled sets of pairs of entity instance identifiers, wherein each coupled set comprises a pair of entity instance identifiers from each entity reference relationship structure corresponding to the each path wherein at least one entity instance identifier from each pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set matches an entity instance identifier from another pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set, wherein at least one entity instance identifier from each pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set matches an entity instance identifier from another pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set;
• and
• for each said coupled set, storing a first entity instance identifier in the each coupled set that refers to the first entity structure and a second entity instance identifier in the each coupled set that refers to the second entity structure in association with one another in a new entity reference relationship structure if the first entity instance identifier and the second entity instance identifier have not already been stored in association with each other in the new entity reference relationship structure.

A computer program product for determining relationships between entity instances in a database, the computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and including instructions configured to cause a processor to carry out the steps of:

• accessing, by a computing device, a database comprising at least three entity reference relationship structures, each of the at least three entity reference relationship structures establishing a relationship between a different pair of entity structures of at least four entity structures which form a one-to-one entity structure group, wherein entity instances in each entity structure of the one-to-one entity structure group have a one-to-one relationship with entity instances of another entity structure in the one-to-one entity structure group;
• determining, automatically by the computing device, each different path from a first vertex that corresponds to a first entity structure through at least one intermediate vertex that corresponds to an intermediate entity structure to a second vertex that corresponds to a second entity structure, wherein the each different path comprises a plurality of edges, each respective edge connecting two vertices and corresponding to an entity reference relationship structure that establishes a relationship between the two entity structures that correspond to the two vertices connected by the respective edge, a quantity of different paths comprising at least two different paths;
• for each said different path, automatically identifying, by the computing device, all coupled sets of pairs of entity instance identifiers, wherein each coupled set comprises a pair of entity instance identifiers from each entity reference relationship structure corresponding to the each said path, wherein at least one entity instance identifier from each pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set matches an entity instance identifier from another pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set;
• and
• for each said coupled set, storing a first entity instance identifier in the each coupled set that refers to the first entity structure and a second entity instance identifier in the each coupled set that refers to the second entity structure in association with one another in a new entity reference relationship structure.

A computing device comprising:

• a communications interface adapted to communicate with a network;
• and
• a control system comprising a processor and coupled to the communications interface, and adapted to:
• access a database comprising at least three entity reference relationship structures, each of the at least three entity reference relationship structures establishing a relationship between a different pair of entity structures of at least four entity structures which form a one-to-one entity structure group, wherein entity instances in each entity structure of the one-to-one entity structure group have a one-to-one relationship with entity instances of another entity structure in the one-to-one entity structure group;
• determine automatically each different path from a first vertex that corresponds to a first entity structure through at least one intermediate vertex that corresponds to an intermediate entity structure to a second vertex that corresponds to a second entity structure, wherein the each different path comprises a plurality of edges, each respective edge connecting two vertices and corresponding to an entity reference relationship structure that establishes a relationship between the two entity structures that correspond to the two vertices connected by the respective edge, a quantity of different paths comprising at least two different paths;
• for each said different path, automatically identify all coupled sets of pairs of entity instance identifiers, wherein each coupled set comprises a pair of entity instance identifiers from each entity reference relationship structure corresponding to the each said path, wherein at least one entity instance identifier from each pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set matches an entity instance identifier from another pair of entity instance identifiers in the coupled set;
• and
• for each said coupled set, store a first entity instance identifier in the each coupled set that refers to the first entity structure and a second entity instance identifier in the each coupled set that refers to the second entity structure in association with one another in a new entity reference relationship structure.