System and method for analyzing anonymous payment card data

Abstract

A computer-based method for associating ownership of anonymous payment cards uses a computer device including a processor in communication with a transaction database. The method includes identifying a target account number for a payment card from the transaction database, identifying a set of transaction times associated with the target account number from the transaction database, and comparing the target account number to each candidate account number of a set of candidate account numbers from the transaction database. Comparing the target account number includes identifying a first candidate set of transaction times associated with a first candidate account number of the set of candidate account numbers, comparing the target set of transaction times to the first candidate set of transaction times, and identifying the first candidate account number as a match candidate if the target set of transaction times and first candidate set of transaction times do not include overlapping transactions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-based method for associating ownership of anonymous payment cards, said method using a computer device including a processor in communication with a transaction database, said method comprising:
 identifying, by the processor, a target account number for a payment card from the transaction database;   identifying, by the processor, a set of transaction times associated with the target account number from the transaction database; and   comparing, by the processor, the target account number to each candidate account number of a set of candidate account numbers from the transaction database, wherein the comparing to each candidate account number comprises:
 identifying a first candidate set of transaction times associated with a first candidate account number of the set of candidate account numbers; 
 comparing the target set of transaction times to the first candidate set of transaction times; and 
 identifying the first candidate account number as a match candidate if the target set of transaction times and the first candidate set of transaction times do not include overlapping transaction times. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the target account number to each candidate account number further comprises identifying a plurality of time segments within a pre-determined time period, wherein each transaction time occurs in exactly one time segment of the plurality of time segments. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein an overlapping transaction includes two transactions having occurred in the same time segment of the plurality of time segments. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each time segment of the plurality of time segments is a pre-determined length of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pre-determined length of time is between one second and ten minutes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying a first candidate set of transaction times further comprises:
 determining transaction times associated with at least one of recurring payments, refunds, tax payments, and card-not-present transactions for the first candidate account number; and   excluding the determined transaction times from the first candidate set of transaction times.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying a first candidate set of transaction times further comprises excluding, from the first candidate set of transaction times, transactions occurring outside of a pre-determined geographic region. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying a first candidate set of transaction times further comprises excluding, from the first candidate set of transaction times, transactions occurring outside of a pre-determined time period. 
     
     
         9 . A computer device for associating ownership of anonymous payment cards, said computer device comprising a processor communicatively coupled to a memory, said computer device programmed to:
 identify a target account number for a payment card from the memory;   identify a set of transaction times associated with the target account number from the memory; and   compare, by the processor, the target account number to each candidate account number of a set of candidate account numbers from the memory, wherein the comparing to each candidate account number comprises:
 identifying a first candidate set of transaction times associated with a first candidate account number of the set of candidate account numbers; 
 comparing the target set of transaction times to the first candidate set of transaction times; and 
 identifying the first candidate account number as a match candidate if the target set of transaction times and the first candidate set of transaction times do not include overlapping transaction times. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein comparing the target account number to each candidate account number further comprises identifying a plurality of time segments within a pre-determined time period, wherein each transaction time occurs in exactly one time segment of the plurality of time segments. 
     
     
         11 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein an overlapping transaction includes two transactions having occurred in the same time segment of the plurality of time segments. 
     
     
         12 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein each time segment of the plurality of time segments is a pre-determined length of time. 
     
     
         13 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the pre-determined length of time is between one second and ten minutes. 
     
     
         14 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the computer device is further programmed to:
 determine transaction times associated with at least one of recurring payments, refunds, tax payments, and card-not-present transactions for the first candidate account number; and   exclude the determined transaction times from the first candidate set of transaction times.   
     
     
         15 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the computer device is further programmed to exclude, from the first candidate set of transaction times, transactions occurring outside of a pre-determined geographic region from the first candidate set of transaction times. 
     
     
         16 . The computer device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the computer device is further programmed to exclude, from the first candidate set of transaction times, transactions occurring outside of a pre-determined time period. 
     
     
         17 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:
 identify a target account number for a payment card from a transaction database;   identify a set of transaction times associated with the target account number from the transaction database; and   compare the target account number to each candidate account number of a set of candidate account numbers from the transaction database, wherein the comparing to each candidate account number comprises:
 identifying a first candidate set of transaction times associated with a first candidate account number of the set of candidate account numbers; 
 comparing the target set of transaction times to the first candidate set of transaction times; and 
 identifying the first candidate account number as a match candidate if the target set of transaction times and the first candidate set of transaction times do not include overlapping transaction times. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein comparing the target account number to each candidate account number further comprises identifying a plurality of time segments within a pre-determined time period, wherein each transaction time occurs in exactly one time segment of the plurality of time segments. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 18 , wherein an overlapping transaction includes two transactions having occurred in the same time segment of the plurality of time segments. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 18 , wherein each time segment of the plurality of time segments is a pre-determined length of time. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 20 , wherein the pre-determined length of time is between one second and ten minutes. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:
 determine transaction times associated with at least one of recurring payments, refunds, tax payments, and card-not-present transactions for the first candidate account number; and   exclude the determined transaction times from the first candidate set of transaction times.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to exclude, from the first candidate set of transaction times, transactions occurring outside of a pre-determined geographic region. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to exclude, from the first candidate set of transaction times, transactions occurring outside of a pre-determined time period.