Matching Merchant Names from Transaction Data

Abstract

A computer system processes a merchant name from transaction data to determine a matched merchant name. The computer system retrieves a retrieved merchant name from transaction data, obtains a processed merchant name from the retrieved merchant name, and matches the processed merchant name to one of a collection of standard merchant names, where the retrieved merchant name may be a name variation of a standard merchant name. At least one character of the retrieved merchant name may be altered to obtain the processed merchant name. For example, characters may be deleted from the accessed merchant name or characters may be ignored from a portion of the retrieved merchant name.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-assisted method comprising:
 receiving, by a computer system, a retrieved merchant name retrieved from transaction data;   determining, by the computer system, merchant name variations based on the retrieved merchant name;   querying, by the computer system, a merchant names database comprising a plurality of standard merchant names using the merchant name variations; and   matching, by the computer system, the retrieved merchant name to one of the plurality of standard merchant names.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
 altering at least one character of the retrieved merchant name to obtain the merchant name variations.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determining comprises:
 deleting the at least one character of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieved merchant name comprises a center portion, a beginning portion, and an ending portion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the determining comprises:
 ignoring all characters associated with the beginning portion of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the determining comprises:
 ignoring all characters associated with the ending portion of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         7 . A computer-assisted method comprising:
 receiving, by a computer system, merchant name retrieved from transaction data;   querying, by the computer system, a merchant names database comprising a plurality of merchant name variations and their corresponding standard merchant names; and   matching, by the computer system, the retrieved merchant name to one of the plurality of standard merchant names.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the merchant names database is a merchant look-up table. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the querying is a wildcard-based querying for potential iterations of the retrieved merchant name. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one memory; and   at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to perform, based on instructions stored in the at least one memory:   receiving a retrieved merchant name retrieved from transaction data;   determining merchant name variations based on the retrieved merchant name;   querying a merchant names database comprising a plurality of standard merchant names using the merchant name variations; and   matching the retrieved merchant name with one of a plurality of standard merchant names.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform:
 deleting at least one character from the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform:
 ignoring all characters associated with a beginning portion of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform:
 ignoring all characters associated with an ending portion of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a retrieved merchant name retrieved from transaction data;   determining merchant name variations based on the retrieved merchant name;   querying a merchant names database comprising a plurality of standard merchant names using the merchant name variations; and   matching the retrieved merchant name with one of a plurality of standard merchant names.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , said method further comprising:
 altering at least one character of the retrieved merchant name to obtain the processed merchant name.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , said method further comprising:
 deleting at least one character of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , said method further comprising:
 ignoring all characters associated with a beginning portion of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , said method further comprising:
 ignoring all characters associated with an ending portion of the retrieved merchant name.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a transaction data structure;   a merchant look-up table;   a processing system configured to perform:
 accessing an accessed merchant name from the transaction data structure; 
 comparing the accessed merchant name with entry names in the merchant look-up table until the accessed merchant name matches one of the entry names; and 
 determining a determined merchant name from the matched entry. 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the processing system is further configured to perform:
 ignoring a beginning sequence of characters in the accessed merchant name when matching the accessed merchant name with the matched entry.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the processing system is further configured to perform:
 ignoring an ending sequence of characters in the accessed merchant name when matching the accessed merchant name with the matched entry.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the processing system is further configured to perform:
 generating a hyperlinked transaction entry based on the determined merchant name.