Database systems and methods for integrating data items collected from multiple data sources

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a database system for collecting and integrating electronic data items from multiple data sources. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to a database system for determining the relationships between related data items from multiple data sources, so that the related data items may be integrated in a way that protects the privacy of those data items. The system may, for example, identify related data items by matching data items between the multiple data sources according to a pre-defined matching process. The related data items may be selectively integrated and stored across one or more databases. The relationship between the related data items may be preserved by generating associations between the related data items and storing those associations with those data items. This allows related data items to be easily located through the associations, which essentially allows for the grouping of data items to be performed across multiple databases. The associations may also be used to restrict user access to data items that are relevant to the user, which can be used to prevent unauthorized access to certain data items and secures their privacy.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A database computing system comprising a plurality of databases for facilitating transmission of outreach information between an outreach manager and a large plurality of outreach recipients via an outreach supporter who has an association with the recipients for a given outreach engagement, the system comprising:
 a network interface;   an outreach contact dataset accessible to the outreach manager the comprising contacts including at least the name of each contact for a given outreach;   at least one supporter contact dataset accessible to the supporter, wherein the supporter gives the system access to supporter contact dataset, wherein the supporter contact dataset contains data items associated with at least one type of contact information;   an outreach matched contact database for storing the matched contacts in the supporter contact dataset which have been matched with the contacts in the outreach contact dataset, wherein the matched contacts comprise upgraded contacts corresponding to the outreach;   a database system server comprising at least one computer processor; and   a computer readable storage medium storing program instructions configured for execution by the computer processor in order to cause the computing system to:
 receive, over the network, the supporter contact dataset and a request from the supporter to match the contacts in the supporter contact dataset with the contacts in the outreach contact dataset for the given outreach; 
 access the supporter contact dataset to retrieve the supporter's contacts; 
 determine a relationship between the supporter and the contacts; 
 receive, over the network, the outreach contact dataset; 
 access the outreach contact dataset to retrieve the outreach's contacts; and 
 perform a matching process between the supporter's contacts and the outreach's contacts, the matching process comprising:
 determining a set of contact information available for each of the contacts in the supporter's contact dataset, the set of contact information including the at least one type of contact information of each contact; 
 comparing the set of contact information with the information for the contacts in the outreach contact dataset to determine a matching contact; 
 upon determining a matching contact, determining the relationship between the matching contact and the supporter; 
 storing in the outreach matched contact database for that outreach matching contact information including the matched contact's name; 
 assigning within the outreach matched contact database each matched contact to a virtual grouping corresponding to the supporter by appending to the stored matched contact information a supporter identification configured to identify the supporter for that outreach, wherein the virtual grouping comprises a plurality of matched contacts from the supporter's contact dataset, each matched contact within the virtual grouping having appended to it the supporter identification, the supporter identification comprising a virtual grouping association; and 
 assigning within the outreach matched contact database each matched contact to an outreach engagement for that outreach by appending to each stored matched contact information an outreach identification configured to identify the outreach engagement; 
 
 store within the outreach matched contact database for that outreach and other outreach engagements matching contact information for other matched contacts generated from contact datasets received from other supporters other than the supporter, wherein the other matched contacts have virtual grouping associations other than the supporter's virtual grouping association; 
 prevent access by the outreach manager to the stored matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database; 
 allow access by the supporter to the matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database, based on the supporter's virtual grouping association, only to the supporter's matched contacts; 
 prevent access by the supporter to the other matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database which are matched contacts of other supporters other than the supporter; 
 receive a message template from the outreach manager and a request to send a message to at least some of the matched contacts in the virtual grouping of the supporter, wherein the message is sent by the supporter or on behalf of the supporter and not by the outreach manager; 
 generate a message recipient list using the supporter's matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database; and 
 transmit the message template and the message recipient list to the supporter. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions configured for execution by the computer processor further cause the computing system to:
 generate user interface data for displaying a user interface on a supporter computing device used by the supporter, wherein the user interface is configured to allow the supporter to verify the matched contact.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the allowing of access to the stored matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database is based on the association between the matched contact and the supporter identification associated with that contact. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the supporter is prevented access to the matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database of the other supporters based on the supporter identification of the other supporters appended to such matched contacts. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the outreach manager is prevented access to the matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database based on the supporter identification of the supporters appended to such matched contacts. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the supporter user interface is configured to display a field requiring only a single indication by the supporter to request in a message to a recipient that the recipient sign up to be a supporter of the outreach engagement. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the message comprises an embedded link which allows the recipient to sign up to be a supporter of the outreach. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the matched contact may be assigned to more than one virtual grouping, each virtual grouping corresponding to a single supporter. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the matched contact may only be assigned to virtual groupings in which the corresponding supporter provided a contact used to determine the matched contact in the outreach contact database. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the matching process is a real-time, automated matching process. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the supporter and other supporters are ranked within the outreach engagement. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the ranking is based on the reach of the supporter. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the reach of a supporter is based upon the number of matched contacts associated with that supporter stored in the outreach matched contact database. 
     
     
         23 . A database computing system for facilitating transmission of outreach information between an outreach manager and a large plurality of outreach recipients via an outreach supporter who has an association with the recipients for a given outreach engagement, the system comprising:
 an outreach contact dataset;   at least one supporter contact dataset;   an outreach matched contact database;   a system server comprising at least one computer processor; and   a computer readable storage medium storing program instructions configured for execution by the computer processor in order to cause the computing system to:
 receive the supporter contact dataset and a request from the supporter to match the contacts in the supporter contact dataset with the contacts in the outreach contact dataset for the given outreach; 
 access the supporter contact dataset to retrieve the supporter's contacts; 
 determine a relationship between the supporter and the contacts; 
 receive the outreach contact dataset; 
 access the outreach contact dataset to retrieve the outreach's contacts; and 
 perform a matching process between the supporter's contacts and the outreach's contacts, the matching process comprising:
 determining a set of contact information available for each of the contacts in the supporter's contact dataset, the set of contact information including the at least one type of contact information of each contact; 
 comparing the set of contact information with the information for the contacts in the outreach contact dataset to determine a matching contact; 
 upon determining a matching contact, determining the relationship between the matching contact and the supporter; 
 storing in the outreach matched contact database for that outreach matching contact information including the matched contact's name; 
 assigning within the outreach matched contact database each matched contact to a virtual grouping corresponding to the supporter by appending to the stored matched contact information a supporter identification configured to identify the supporter for that outreach, wherein the virtual grouping comprises a plurality of matched contacts from the supporter's contact dataset, each matched contact within the virtual grouping having appended to it the supporter identification, the supporter identification comprising a virtual grouping association; and 
 assigning within the outreach matched contact database each matched contact to an outreach engagement for that outreach by appending to each matched contact information an outreach identification configured to identify the outreach engagement; 
 
 store within the outreach matched contact database for that outreach and other outreach engagements matched contact information for other matched contacts generated from contact datasets received from other supporters other than the supporter, wherein the other matched contacts have virtual grouping associations other than the supporter's virtual grouping association; 
 prevent access by the outreach manager to the stored matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database; 
 allow access by the supporter to the matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database, based on the supporter's virtual grouping association, the access comprising only the supporter's matched contacts; 
 prevent access by the supporter to the other matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database which are matched contacts of other supporters other than the supporter; 
 receive a message template from the outreach manager and a request to send a message to at least some of the matched contacts in the virtual grouping of the supporter, wherein the message is sent by the supporter or on behalf of the supporter and not by the outreach manager; 
 generate a message recipient list using the supporter's matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database; and 
 transmit the message template and the message recipient list to the supporter. 
   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the allowing of access to the stored matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database is based on the association between the matched contact and the supporter identification associated with that contact. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the supporter is prevented access to the matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database of the other supporters based on the supporter identification of the other supporters appended to such matched contacts. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the outreach manager is prevented access to the matched contacts in the outreach matched contact database based on the supporter identification of the supporters appended to such matched contacts.