Methods and systems for model matching

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically and generically matching models are provided, such as may be provided in a matching application or matching component, or provided in a general purpose system for managing models. The methods are generic since the methods apply to hierarchical data sets outside of any particular data model or application. Similarity coefficients are calculated for, and mappings are discovered between, schema elements based on their names, data types, constraints, and schema structure, using a broad set of techniques. Some of these techniques include the integrated use of linguistic and structural matching, context dependent matching of shared types, and a bias toward subtree, or leaf, structure where much of the schema content resides.

1 . A method for automatically and generically matching models comprising: 
 calculating similarity coefficients between schema elements of the models; and    matching the models based upon the calculated similarity coefficients wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and on names of the schema elements.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based additionally on constraints of the schema elements.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based additionally on data types of the schema elements.  
   
   
       4 . A method for generating similarity coefficients between model elements when comparing a first data model having hierarchically organized first model elements and a second data model having hierarchically organized second model elements, comprising: 
 first generating a plurality of inherent similarity coefficients for each pair of model elements;    second generating a plurality of structural similarity coefficients for each pair of model elements;    third generating a plurality of weighted similarity coefficients for each pair of model elements; and    for each pair of model elements, altering the similarity of subtree elements rooted by the element pair if a pre-determined condition is met.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the pre-determined condition being met requires a function based on said weighted similarity coefficient of said element pair meeting a predetermined condition.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of weighted similarity coefficients is generated as a weighted function of said plurality of inherent similarity coefficients and said plurality of structural similarity coefficients.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of structural similarity coefficients is generated based on a similarity of subtree elements rooted by the element pair, whereby each pair of model elements is assigned an initial structural similarity coefficient.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein each pair of model elements comprises a model element of said first model elements and a model element of said second model elements  
   
   
       9 . A method for mapping messages between different extensible markup language (XML) formats comprising: 
 calculating similarity coefficients between schema elements of models corresponding to the XML messages wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and on names of the schema elements;    matching the models to the XML messages based upon the calculated similarity coefficients; and    returning a mapping that identifies corresponding elements in the schema elements.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated additionally based on constraints of the schema elements.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated additionally based on data types of the schema elements.  
   
   
       12 . A method of processing disparate schemas containing customer information to identify and consolidate matching customer information comprising: 
 calculating similarity coefficients between schema elements of models corresponding to the schemas containing customer information wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and on names of the schema elements;    matching the models based upon the calculated similarity coefficients; and    returning a mapping that identifies corresponding elements in the schema elements.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated additionally based on constraints of the schema elements.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated additionally based on data types of the schema elements.  
   
   
       15 . A system for automatically and generically matching models comprising: 
 a computing device operable for calculating similarity coefficients between schema elements of a first and a second model wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and on names of the schema elements and wherein the computing device is operable for matching the models based upon the calculated similarity coefficients.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising a receiver operably coupled to the computing device for receiving data from a user about matching the first and the second model, said data used in connection with initializing the similarity coefficients.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the similarity coefficients to be initialized are initial structural similarity coefficients.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the computing device further comprises a post-processor operably embedded in the computing device for post-processing at least one of a plurality of inherent similarity coefficients, a plurality of structural similarity coefficients and weighted similarity coefficients to construct a mapping between the first and second models.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the computing device is operable for transforming said first and second data models into a generic object model format irrespective of an input format of the first and second data models before such transformation.  
   
   
       20 . A method for processing disparate schemas containing customer data comprising: 
 receiving a first customer data model having hierarchically organized first model elements;    comparing schema elements of the first customer data model elements and schema elements of a second customer data model having hierarchically organized second model elements; and    generating similarity coefficients between the first and second customer model elements based on the comparison of the schema elements wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and names of the schema elements.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the generating similarity coefficients step comprises: 
 first generating a plurality of inherent similarity coefficients for the first and second model elements;    second generating a plurality of structural similarity coefficients for the first and second model elements;    third generating a plurality of weighted similarity coefficients for the first and second model elements; and    for the first and second model elements, altering the similarity of subtree elements rooted by the first and second model elements if a pre-determined condition is met.    
   
   
       22 . A method for processing disparate schemas containing customer data comprising: 
 generating first customer data model having hierarchically organized first model elements;    transmitting the first customer data model to a second location of a second customer data model having hierarchically organized second model elements whereby schema elements of the first customer data model elements and schema elements of the second customer data model may be compared and similarity coefficients between the first and second customer data models may be generated based on based on a structure of the schema elements and names of the schema elements.    
   
   
       23 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable modules, the computer executable modules, comprising: 
 means for calculating similarity coefficients between schema elements of the models; and    means for matching the models based upon the calculated similarity coefficients in operable communication with the calculating means wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and on names of the schema elements.    
   
   
       24 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 23  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based additionally on constraints of the schema elements and data types of the schema elements.  
   
   
       25 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable modules, the computer executable modules, comprising: 
 a similarity coefficient generating mechanism for firstly generating a plurality of inherent similarity coefficients for each pair of model elements, for secondly generating a plurality of structural similarity coefficients for each pair of model elements, and for thirdly generating a plurality of weighted similarity coefficients for each pair of model elements; and    means for altering, for each pair of model elements, the similarity of subtree elements rooted by the element pair if a pre-determined condition is met, said altering means in operable communication with the similarity coefficient generating mechanism.    
   
   
       26 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25  wherein the pre-determined condition being met requires a function based on said weighted similarity coefficient of said element pair meeting a predetermined condition.  
   
   
       27 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25  wherein the plurality of structural similarity coefficients is generated based on a similarity of subtree elements rooted by the element pair, whereby each pair of model elements is assigned an initial structural similarity coefficient.  
   
   
       28 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable modules for mapping messages between different extensible markup language (XML) formats, the computer executable modules, comprising: 
 means for calculating similarity coefficients between schema elements of models corresponding to the XML messages wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and on names of the schema elements;    means for matching the models to the XML messages based upon the calculated similarity coefficients, said means in operable communication with the calculating means; and    means for returning a mapping that identifies corresponding elements in the schema elements, said means in operable communication with the matching means.    
   
   
       29 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28  wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated additionally based on constraints of the schema elements and on data types of the schema elements.  
   
   
       30 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable modules for processing disparate schemas containing customer data, the computer executable modules comprising: 
 means for receiving a first customer data model having hierarchically organized first model elements;    means for comparing schema elements of the first customer data model elements and schema elements of a second customer data model having hierarchically organized second model elements, said comparing means in operable communication with the receiving means; and    means for generating similarity coefficients between the first and second customer model elements wherein the similarity coefficients are calculated based on a structure of the schema elements and names of the schema elements, said generating means in operable communication with the comparing means.    
   
   
       31 . The computer readable medium of  claim 30  wherein the generating similarity coefficients means comprises plurality of computer-executable modules comprising: 
 a mechanism for firstly generating a plurality of inherent similarity coefficients for the first and second model elements, for secondly generating a plurality of structural similarity coefficients for the first and second model elements, and for thirdly generating a plurality of weighted similarity coefficients for the first and second model elements; and    means for altering, for each pair of model elements, the similarity of subtree elements rooted by the element pair if a pre-determined condition is met, said altering means in operable communication with the similarity coefficient generating mechanism.    
   
   
       32 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable modules for processing disparate schemas containing customer data, the computer executable modules comprising: 
 means for generating first customer data model having hierarchically organized first model elements;    transmitting means, in operable communication with the generating means, for transmitting the first customer data model to a second location of a second customer data model having hierarchically organized second model elements whereby schema elements of the first customer data model elements and schema elements of the second customer data model may be compared and similarity coefficients between the first and second customer data models may be generated based on a structure of the schema elements and names of the schema elements.