Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, supplementing an internet search. The disclosed techniques may be used to receive an initial internet search criteria entered by a user at an interface (such as a web site) to the internet search engine, identify an entity representation in a database that corresponds to the internet search criteria, and produce an enhanced internet search criteria that may incorporate both the initial internet search criteria and field values from the identified entity representation. The enhanced internet search criteria may be passed to the internet search engine in a manner that is transparent to a user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, calculating parameters used to determine whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method utilize blended field weights to account for certain types of partial matches. The system and method apply iterative techniques such that parameters from each linking iteration are used in the next linking iteration. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calibrate and utilize record matching formulas used for the linking decisions.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems for, and methods of, automatically detecting and treating field values of a particular field as null field values in records of a database. The system and method provide automatic treatment of these field values as null field values by calculating a critical frequency for the field. Based on the critical frequency of the field, the system and method treats field values that occur more than the critical frequency of the field as null field values and treats field values that occur less than the critical frequency as non-null field values.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, searching for and identifying an entity representation. Some embodiments permit search criteria that are internally inconsistent. Such internally inconsistent criteria may include, for example, a maiden last name and a married last name. Certain embodiments account for such criteria in an intelligent manner and identify matching entity representations with a known confidence level of accuracy.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system for, and method of, determining whether records correspond to the same individual. The system and method provide such a determination with a known minimum level of confidence. That is, the system and method provide an indication that records correspond to the same individual along with an associated confidence level. The system and method may be used to link records in a database that correspond to the same individuals, creating entity representations in the database.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, identifying a universal entity representation in an electronic universal database that corresponds to a foreign entity representation in an electronic foreign database, each entity representation including a plurality of linked records, each record including a plurality of fields, each field capable of containing a field value, each field value associated with a field value weight.

Abstract: Field probabilities associated with fields in a database may be used to create one or more blocking criteria. The blocking criteria may be a set of fields that should be equal among two or more records in a database, so that a search of the records in the database according to the blocking criteria yields a subset of records approximately equal to or less than the specified maximum block size. Generic blocking criteria may also be created. The generic blocking criteria may be used for a batch comparison or batch linking operation within the records of the database.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system for, and method of, determining whether records correspond to the same individual. The system and method provide such a determination with a known minimum level of confidence. That is, the system and method provide an indication that records correspond to the same individual along with an associated confidence level. The system and method may be used to link records in a database that correspond to the same individuals, creating entity representations in the database.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, calculating parameters used to determine whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method take into consideration interdependent fields, e.g., fields whose constituent field values may be positively or negatively correlated. The system and method apply iterative techniques such that parameters from each linking iteration are used in the next linking iteration. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calibrate and utilize record matching formulas used for the linking decisions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, calculating parameters used to determine whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method utilize blended field weights to account for certain types of partial matches. The system and method apply iterative techniques such that parameters from each linking iteration are used in the next linking iteration. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calibrate and utilize record matching formulas used for the linking decisions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, calculating parameters used to determine whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method use a symmetric, transitive and reflexive function to allow for linking records and entity representations whose field values differ. The system and method apply iterative techniques such that parameters from each linking iteration are used in the next linking iteration. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calibrate and utilize record matching formulas used for the linking decisions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, calculating parameters used to determine whether records and entity representations should be linked. Such parameters may be set as negative to account for fields that do not match. The system and method apply iterative techniques such that parameters from each linking iteration are used in the next linking iteration. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calibrate and utilize record matching formulas used for the linking decisions.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems for, and methods of, automatically detecting and treating field values of a particular field as null field values in records of a database. The system and method provide automatic treatment of these field values as null field values by calculating a critical frequency for the field. Based on the critical frequency of the field, the system and method treats field values that occur more than the critical frequency of the field as null field values and treats field values that occur less than the critical frequency as non-null field values.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, searching for and identifying an entity representation. Some embodiments utilize a reflexive, symmetric and transitive function to allow for non-identical matches between field values. The function may be used to generate field value codes, which are associated with a portion of a field value weight for the original field value. In such embodiments, the field value weight for the original field values may be distributed among the original field value and the associated field value code.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, identifying an entity representation. In some embodiments, search criteria are used to identify an entity representation in a universal database, and this identification is then used to identify a corresponding entity representation in a foreign database. Certain embodiments provide assurance, with a know probability of error, that the entity representation identified in the universal database is correct.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, identifying an entity representation. In some embodiments, search criteria are used to identify an entity representation in a universal database, and this identification is then used to identify a corresponding entity representation in a foreign database. Certain embodiments provide assurance, with a know probability of error, that the entity representation identified in the universal database is correct.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, calculating parameters used to determine whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method use a symmetric and reflexive function to allow for linking records and entity representations whose field values differ. The system and method apply iterative techniques such that parameters from each linking iteration are used in the next linking iteration. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calibrate and utilize record matching formulas used for the linking decisions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, supplementing an interne search. The disclosed techniques may be used to receive an initial internet search criteria entered by a user at an interface (such as a web site) to the internet search engine, identify an entity representation in a database that corresponds to the internet search criteria, and produce an enhanced internet search criteria that may incorporate both the initial internet search criteria and field values from the identified entity representation. The enhanced internet search criteria may be passed to the internet search engine in a manner that is transparent to a user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, recycling field value weights as computed for database linking purposes. Such field value weights may be used for a search operation. In some embodiments, such weights may be used for a search operation prior to their values stabilizing during an iterative linking operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, searching for and identifying one or more entity representations using comprehensive search criteria built from known entity representations. The comprehensive search criteria are permitted to include inconsistent field values, that is, multiple different field values corresponding to the same field. The system and method may perform using search queries or batch files.