Clustering of data records with hierarchical cluster ids

Abstract

The present disclosure relates clustering similar data records together in a hierarchical clustering scheme. Each tier in a cluster corresponds to a minimal match score, which reflects a degree of confidence. A hierarchical cluster ID is generated for respective data records. The hierarchical cluster ID may be made up of a series of values, wherein each value reflects a tier within the hierarchical clustering scheme. A user may enter a partial hierarchical cluster ID to select clusters associated with a lower confidence. Thus, in some embodiments, the hierarchical cluster ID is variable in length in a manner that corresponds to the tiers in the hierarchical clustering scheme.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 classifying a plurality of records stored in a database, the classifying performed using a hierarchal classifier and classifying the records into a plurality of clusters, each cluster associated with a cluster identifier (ID) and a tier corresponding to a degree of confidence that records in the tier are similar; and   assigning a cluster identifier (ID) to each of the plurality of records, wherein the cluster identifier comprises a series of values, each value reflecting a cluster ID and a respective tier among a plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising writing the plurality of records to a single database table. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each tier in the plurality of tiers corresponds to a degree of confidence shared among records within a cluster associated with a respective tier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each value represents an identifier of a cluster associated with a respective tier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a hierarchal cluster ID from a client device and selecting a plurality of records using the hierarchal cluster ID and the cluster IDs associated with the plurality of records. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein selecting the plurality of records using the hierarchal cluster ID comprises:
 parsing the hierarchal cluster ID to identify a target cluster ID and a tier; and   retrieving records having a cluster ID matching the cluster ID for the tier.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hierarchal cluster ID comprises a series of cluster IDs, the series of cluster IDs ordered, increasingly, by a strength of a corresponding tier. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor, the computer program instructions defining the steps of:
 classifying a plurality of records stored in a database, the classifying performed using a hierarchal classifier and classifying the records into a plurality of clusters, each cluster associated with a cluster identifier (ID) and a tier corresponding to a degree of confidence that records in the tier are similar; and   assigning a cluster identifier (ID) to each of the plurality of records, wherein the cluster identifier comprises a series of values, each value reflecting a cluster ID and a respective tier among a plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , further comprising writing the plurality of records to a single database table. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein each tier in the plurality of tiers corresponds to a degree of confidence shared among records within a cluster associated with a respective tier. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein each value represents an identifier of a cluster associated with a respective tier. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving a hierarchal cluster ID from a client device and selecting a plurality of records using the hierarchal cluster ID and the cluster IDs associated with the plurality of records. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein selecting the plurality of records using the hierarchal cluster ID comprises:
 parsing the hierarchal cluster ID to identify a target cluster ID and a tier; and   retrieving records having a cluster ID matching the cluster ID for the tier.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the hierarchal cluster ID comprises a series of cluster IDs, the series of cluster IDs ordered, increasingly, by a strength of a corresponding tier. 
     
     
         15 . A device comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 classify a plurality of records stored in a database, the classifying performed using a hierarchal classifier and classifying the records into a plurality of clusters, each cluster associated with a cluster identifier (ID) and a tier corresponding to a degree of confidence that records in the tier are similar, and 
 assign a cluster identifier (ID) to each of the plurality of records, wherein the cluster identifier comprises a series of values, each value reflecting a cluster ID and a respective tier among a plurality of tiers. 
   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , the processor further configured to write the plurality of records to a single database table. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein each tier in the plurality of tiers corresponds to a degree of confidence shared among records within a cluster associated with a respective tier. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein each value represents an identifier of a cluster associated with a respective tier. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , the processor further configured to receive a hierarchal cluster ID from a client device and selecting a plurality of records using the hierarchal cluster ID and the cluster IDs associated with the plurality of records. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein selecting the plurality of records using the hierarchal cluster ID comprises:
 parsing the hierarchal cluster ID to identify a target cluster ID and a tier; and   retrieving records having a cluster ID matching the cluster ID for the tier.