System and method for building a distributed internet application

• US 20050033717A1
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Gallagher, Jeffrey William, Bush, Craig Mason, Westerman, Matthew George, Kaewlium, Anantrachai, Ellis, Danny Dee, Proft, Richard Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

A system for providing client services with the assistance of a single source includes a distributed Internet application (DIA) maintained by an assisting party. A computer system is provided for accessing the DIA by a user. The DIA includes a presentation tier, an integration tier and a business tier. An application server couples the integration tier and the presentation tier to determine task sequencing in the presentation tier. A plurality of business units of the assisting party are provided in the business tier, the business units being accessible through the integration tier.

Claims

1. A method of providing client services comprising:

providing a distributed Internet application (DIA) linked to a presentation tier, an integration tier and a business tier; and

coupling an application service to the presentation tier to determine task sequencing.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 comprising:

providing a plurality of business units of a provider of the DIA in the business tier, the business units being accessible through the integration tier.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 comprising:

providing a data tier for accessing data from any of the business units designated by a user of the DIA.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 comprising:

a page data structure controlled by the presentation tier.

5. A system for providing client services with the assistance of a single source comprising:

a distributed Internet application (DIA) maintained by an assisting party;

a computer system for accessing the DIA by a user;

the DIA including a presentation tier, an integration tier and a business tier;

an application service coupling the integration tier and the presentation tier to determine task sequencing in the presentation tier; and

a plurality of business units of the assisting party being provided in the business tier, the business units being accessible through the integration tier.

6. The system as defined in claim 5 comprising:

a data tier coupled to the business tier and including data from any of the business units designated by the user.

7. A method of providing client services comprising:

maintaining a distributed Internet application (DIA) by a single source providing multiple business units;

including in the DIA, a presentation tier, an integration tier and a business tier;

coupling an application service in the integration tier to the presentation tier to determine task sequencing in the presentation tier; and

providing the multiple business units of the single source in the business tier, the business units being accessible through the integration tier.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 comprising:

providing a data tier for accessing data from any of the business units.

9. A method of providing client services comprising:

a client communicating with a service provider;

the provider maintaining a client service tool including a presentation tier, an integration tier and a business tier;

coupling an application service of the integration tier to the presentation tier to determine task sequencing in the presentation tier; and

providing a plurality of business units of the service provider in the business tier, the business units being accessible through the integration tier.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 comprising:

providing a data tier for accessing data from any of the business units.

11. A method of providing client services comprising:

providing a multi-tiered E-platform architecture including;

a user interface;

a presentation tier coupled to the user interface;

an integration tier coupled to the presentation tier;

a business tier coupled to the integration tier; and

a data tier coupled to the business tier;

providing a distributed Internet application (DIA) linked to the presentation tier, the integration tier and the business tier;

coupling an application service to the presentation tier to determine task sequencing in the presentation tier; and

providing a plurality of business units of a provider of the DIA in the business tier, the business units being accessible through the integration tier.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing a presentation services framework in the presentation tier.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 comprising:

providing an application services framework and a connectivity services framework in the integration tier.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the data tier accesses data from any of the business units designated by a user of the DIA.

15. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

a page data structure controlled by the presentation tier.

16. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein a user communicates with the presentation tier through a communication channel such as one of a computer, a PDA device, a web enabled phone device, a business to business communication and a telephone device.

17. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the presentation tier manages user interactions and communicates results of the user interactions to the business tier.

18. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein a user is one of a member, a member service representative, a customer, a customer representative, an agent and a vendor.

19. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the application services framework functions as a mediation between the presentation services framework and the connectivity services framework.

20. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein each business unit provides at least one of products and services for a user of the DIA.

21. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

a data storage for each business unit.

22. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein the data storage relates to a specific user of the DIA.

23. The method as defined in claim 22 comprising:

providing an access code for accessing the data storage.

24. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing a user profile portion in the presentation tier.

25. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing an environment profile portion in the presentation tier.

26. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing a field edit services portion in the presentation tier.

27. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing a message display portion in the presentation tier.

28. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing a page data model; and

updating the page data model via a plurality of web pages.

29. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

a controller portion including a presentation controller and an application servlet.

30. The method as defined in claim 28 comprising:

providing a dynamic section generator portion in the presentation tier.

31. The method as defined in claim 28 wherein the updating is accomplished by responding through a Java Server page using a custom tag to extract data from the page data model.

32. The method as defined in claim 31 wherein the dynamic section generator generates an HTML code for the Java Server page automatically based on data in the page data model.

33. The method as defined in claim 32 comprising:

providing a dynamic section template to tailor a presentation of the dynamic section generator.

34. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing an application service manager.

35. The method as defined in claim 34 comprising:

controlling a task order in which data passes from the integration tier to the presentation tier.

36. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising:

providing a connectivity layer for continuously translating data passing between the data tier and the presentation tier.

37. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the presentation tier includes a rules-based page flow mechanism for controlling the flow of pages within a particular presentation task.

38. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the presentation tier includes a page data structure providing a generalized view of data for a page supplemented by metadata for field labels, domain lists, edit rule definitions, help content and other extended attributes to enable generating the user interface for the page.