Network-based information management

• US 20040044763A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UBS Business Solutions AG (UBS Ag)
• Original Assignee: UBS Ag
• Inventors: Besson, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The invention relates to a network component comprising one, two or more server units 12, 14. Each server unit 12, 14 serves a group of distributed network components CC. The network component comprises a hosting unit for hosting for a specific group of network components a plurality of program code portions including a program code portion for generating a graphical user interface having a control element for creating or updating electronic dossiers. The network component additionally comprises a database 20, 22 for storing a plurality of electronic dossiers for a specific group of distributed network components and a report generation processor having access to the database 20, 22. The report generation processors is configured to automatically generate an electronic report by processing standardized data included in the plurality of electronic dossiers.

Claims

1. A network component (10) serving at least a first group of network components (CC), comprising:

a) a hosting unit (32) for hosting for the first group of network components (CC) at least;

a first program code portion for generating one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs), a first GUI (60) having at least a first control element (62) for creating or updating electronic dossiers, the first control element (62) being adapted to be activated to generate a first control signal;

a second program code portion responsive to generation of the first control signal to generate a request for the input of general data for a particular matter to be included in an electronic dossier of the particular matter; and

a third program code portion responsive to generation of the first or a second control signal to generate a request for the input of standardized risk related data for the particular matter to be included in the electronic dossier of the particular matter;

b) a database (20, 22) for storing a plurality of electronic dossiers for the first group of network components; and

c) a report generation processor (34) having access to the database (20, 22) for generating an electronic risk report by automatically processing the standardized risk related data included in one or more of the electronic dossiers.

2. The network component of claim 1, wherein the hosting unit (32), the database (20) and the report generation processor (34) belong to a first server unit (12) and further comprising:

a second server unit (14) having a similar construction like the first server unit (12), the second server unit (14) serving a second group of network components (CC) and being preferably co-located with the first server unit (12); and

a replication unit (36) for establishing a replication connection (24) between the database (20) of the first server unit (12) and a database (22) of the second server unit (14).

3. The network component of claim 2, wherein the first server unit (12) serves the first group of network components (CC) via a first network (16) and the second server unit (14) serves the second group of network components (CC) via a second network (18) which is different from the first network (16).

4. The network component of claim 2 or 3, wherein the replication connection (24) is configured to replicate the electronic dossiers stored in the databases (20, 22) of the first and the second server units (12, 14) according to a one-way replication policy.

5. The network component of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least the first server unit (12, 14) is an HTTP server.

7. The network component of one of claims 1 to 6, wherein generation of the request for the input of standardized risk related data includes the generation of at least one of a menu for selecting predefined risk classifications and a data field for inputting standard risk related figures.

8. The network component of one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first or a second GUI (84) has a second control element (94) for creating or updating standardized risk related data to be included in an electronic dossier, said second control element (94) being adapted to be activated to generate the second control signal.

9. The network component of one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first or a fourth program code portion is programmed to generate a third GUI (110), the third GUI (110) having a third control element (112) for triggering the generation of the electronic risk report, said third control element (112) being adapted to be activated to generate a third control signal which causes the report generation processor (34, 44) to generate the electronic risk report.

10. The network component of one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first or a fifth program code portion is programmed to generate a fourth GUI, the fourth GUI having a fourth control element for triggering the definition of a report format, said fourth control element being adapted to be activated to generate a fourth control signal, wherein a sixth program code portion is responsive to generation of the fourth control signal to generate a request (130) for the input of report format data to be processed by the report generation processor (34. 44) when generating the electronic risk report.

11. The network component of one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a seventh program code portion responsive to generation of the first or a fifth control signal to generate a request (102) for the input of insurance related data to be included in the electronic dossier of a particular matter.

12. The network component of claim 11, wherein the report generation processor (34, 44) is configured to generate upon receipt of the third or a sixth control signal an electronic liability report by automatically processing the insurance related data included in one or more of the electronic dossiers.

15. A computer program product comprising at least one of the first to third program code portions of one of claims 1 to 12 and program code portions for causing one or more network components (10, CC) to perform the steps of claim 13.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, stored on a computer readable recording medium.

6. A network component (CC) of a network system, comprising:

a) a memory (48) for program code portions;

b) program code portions stored in the memory (48) and including at least

a first program code portion for generating one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs), a first GUI (60) including at least a first control element (62) for creating or updating electronic dossiers, the first control element (62) being adapted to be activated to generate a first control signal;

a second program code portion responsive to generation of the first control signal to generate a request for the input of general data for a particular matter to be included in an electronic dossier of the particular matter; and

a third program code portion responsive to generation of the first or a second control signal to generate a request for the input of standardized risk related data for the particular matter to be included in the electronic dossier of the particular matter;

c) a network interface (42) for transmitting electronic dossiers to a central database (58) of the network system; and

d) a report generation processor (44) or access to a report generation processor via the network interface (42), the report generation processor (44) being configured to access the central database (58) to generate an electronic risk report by automatically processing the standardized risk related data included in one or more of the electronic dossiers.

13. A method of controlling one or more components (10, CC) of a computer network, comprising:

a) storing a plurality of program code portions including

a first program code portion for generating one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs), a first GUI (60) having at least a first control element (62) for creating or updating electronic dossiers, said first control element (62) being adapted to be activated to generate a first control signal;

a second program code portion responsive to generation of said first control signal to generate a request for the input of general data for a particular matter to be included in an electronic dossier of the particular matter; and

a third program code portion responsive to generation of said first or a second control signal to generate a request for the input of standardized risk related data to be included in the electronic dossier of the particular matter;

b) storing a plurality of electronic dossiers, each electronic dossier including general data for a particular matter and the corresponding standardized risk related data; and

c) in response to receipt of a control signal, generating an electronic risk report by automatically processing the standardized risk related data included in one or more of the electronic dossiers.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein processing the standardized risk related data included in the plurality of electronic dossiers comprises accumulating standardized risk related data included in the plurality of electronic dossiers according to a predefined report profile.