Operational system for operating on client defined rules

• US 20010032207A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Hartley, Frank Ricotta, Jim Vanderwall, Rodney Brown, Tony Locke, Tony Perkins
• Original Assignee: Bruce Hartley, Frank Ricotta, Jim Vanderwall, Rodney Brown, Tony Locke, Tony Perkins
• Inventors: Brown, Rodney, Hartley, Bruce, Perkins, Tony, Vanderwall, Jim, Locke, Tony, Ricotta, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 6,532,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/944 Business related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network

Abstract

The disclosure includes a computational system implemented with respect to a novel computational architecture for operating an externally-defined data based on client-defined rules. In one of the implementations, the architecture is utilized in a billing and customer service program. The architecture includes a engine unit which includes a number of processing modules which internally operate on generic data units that are independent of the particular application. a metadata engine receives externally-defined data and relates the externally-defined data and the relates the externally-defined data to the generic data units for use for the engine unit. a rules-based engine provides to the engine unit information related to the client defined rules. In this manner, the engine unit can be reused in a large part in a variety of different environments.

Claims

1. a computational apparatus comprising:

a processing apparatus which performs at least one predetermined process employing generic units;

system service apparatus which employs rules to direct the processes of said processing apparatus, and metadata to define the generic units for a particular application;

memory apparatus accessible by the system service apparatus which retrieves and stores data under direction of the system service apparatus; and

user interface apparatus which provides for entry and retrieval of the data by a system user, and provides a display of selected data.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising a multi-tiered structure comprising:

a base tier which includes at least base processing server and data storage device organized in a relational manner, the at least one processing server includes the processing apparatus and a first portion of the system service apparatus;

an intermediate tier which includes at least intermediate processing server in connection with a data storage device, and means to map objects received from the user interface to and from the processing capabilities of the base tier; and

a message bus which provides for the transfer of data between the base tier and the intermediate tier; and

a client tier in connection with the intermediate tier which includes the user interface and processing capabilities for displaying data and receiving user data through the user interface.

3. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the processing apparatus includes a plurality of individual processing modules each programmed to perform a predetermined function employing generic units.

4. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the system services apparatus includes a plurality of processing modules which direct operation of the processing apparatus and the exchange of data between the user interface and the data storage means.

5. The apparatus of

claim 2

wherein the intermediate tier includes object-to-relational database mapping for objects presented on the user interface to relational data storage device in the base tier.

6. The apparatus of

claim 2

wherein communications between the intermediate tier and the client tier is through the Java RMI.

7. The apparatus of

claim 2

wherein the intermediate tier includes a presentation object factory

8. The apparatus of

claim 2

wherein the base tier includes business and domain object factories.

9. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein architecture is incorporated into a billing system.

10. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the processing apparatus includes a plurality of individual processing modules each programmed to perform a predetermined function employing generic units.

11. The apparatus of

claim 9

wherein the system services apparatus includes a plurality of system service modules which direct operation of the processing apparatus and the exchange of data between the user interface and the data storage means.

12. The apparatus of

claim 11

wherein the processing modules includes at least one of:

a customer summary engine, a commitment management engine, a translation engine, a rating engine, a billing engine, recurrent charges engine, a revenue management engine, an output management, and a billing summary engine.

13. The apparatus of

claim 11

wherein the system service modules include at least one of:

a system manager, a rules service, an event management service, a messaging service, a data management service, and a logging service.

14. An apparatus for processing information according to a particular application, comprising:

a computational platform for performing computation-based functions on generic data units independent of the particular application;

an interface which provides for receipt and transmission of data related to the particular application, and provides rules and metadata to the at least one processing module to convert the generic data units generated by the at least one processing module to units associated with the particular application;

a memory which stores information accessible by the interface which includes the rules and metadata used by the computational platform; and

an output device for providing an application specific output based on said computed data, said application specific output including one of a data content and a data format that is specific to the particular data processing application.

15. The apparatus of

claim 14

wherein the system is implemented on at least one UNIX server.

16. The apparatus of

claim 14

wherein the interface means includes at a messaging service which provides for transport of information between the computational platform, the memory, and the output device.

17. The apparatus of

claim 14

wherein the computational platform includes at least one processing engine which performs said computational based functions free from elements specific to said particular data processing application.

18. The apparatus of

claim 14

wherein the particular application relates to billing and customer service.

19. The apparatus of

claim 18

wherein the computational platform includes at least one engine unit which performs said computational based functions free from elements specific to said particular data processing application, the at least one work bench units comprising at least one of:

a customer summary engine which accesses and provides customer summary information through the output device;

a translation engine which provides for conversion of data formats received and transmitted from the computational platform;

a rating engine which provides for computation of charges related to a service event;

a billing engine which rates services provided at an aggregate level;

a user interface engine which controls information movement to and from the interface; and

an output engine which provides for outputting of reports 20. The apparatus of

claim 16

wherein the interface provides for use of at least one graphical user interface for input and receipt of information.