System for maintaining product data

• US 20050187830A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Higgins-Mormann, Kimberly, Grear, Michael B., Bell, Richard T., Harrington, Teresa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/972,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187830A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0156 Secure and trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements, encryption, digital signature, codes or double check mechanisms to secure billing calculation and information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, an architecture is provided for a data processing system that processes data for a service provider itself or a client of a service provider as in the case of a third party processor. The elements of the architecture can be managed separately. For example, the architecture can be organized around eight subject areas, such as account, party, communication point, presentation instrument, rules, balances, transactions, and product. Relationships between each of the subject areas as well as between sub-types of each subject area can be established to provide flexibility in the management of the data.

Claims

1. A method of selecting parameters for a product offering by a client of a service provider, said method comprising:

providing a database;

providing a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements defining a parameter of at least one potential product for offering by said client of said service provider so as to create a pool of data elements for use in defining potential products;

assigning a data element name to each of said data elements;

storing said data elements under said assigned data element names in said database as data element entries;

retrieving a plurality of said data elements from said database;

assigning a component name to each of said data elements;

storing said plurality of data elements under said component names as component entries, wherein said component names are related to a product line;

determining a product line of interest to said client of said service provider;

retrieving component names corresponding to said product line of interest to said client;

allowing said client to select from said component names so as to select parameters for a product offering by said client.

2. The method of selecting parameters for said product offering as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

providing a plurality of policy elements, each of said policy elements defining a policy parameter of at least one potential product for offering by said client of said service provider so as to create a pool of policy elements for use in defining said potential products.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said data element defines characteristics required for defining an annual fee amount in a financial services product.

4. The method as described in claim 2 wherein said policy element defines characteristics for defining an annual fee policy in a financial services product.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said data element is defined by said service provider.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said data element is defined by a client of said service provider.

7. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said assigning said data element name to each of said data elements comprises:

assigning generic names to each of said data elements so as to allow said data elements to be applied to a plurality of product lines.

8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said assigning generic names comprises:

assigning the name “

customer name”

to one of said data elements;

and wherein said assigning said component name to each of said data elements comprises;

assigning the name “

patient name”

as the component name for said one of said data elements.

9. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said product line refers to the category of credit line products.

10. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said product line refers to the category of telephone services.

11. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said product line refers to the category of banking services.

12. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said product line refers to the category of insurance services.

13. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said product line refers to the category of health services.

14. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said data element name is applicable to the product lines of credit line products, telephone services, banking services, insurance services, and health services.

15. The method as described in claim 14 wherein said component name is applicable to the product line of credit line products.

16. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said storing said plurality of data elements under said component names comprises:

storing said data elements under said component names in a component database.

17. The method as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

identifying a first product classification of said product line wherein said first product classification identifies a class of products within said product line;

generating a first internal product classification identifier;

assigning said first internal product classification identifier to said first product classification;

determining a first component falling within the class of said first product classification;

retrieving the internal component identifier corresponding to said first component;

retrieving the first internal product classification identifier;

associating said internal component identifier and said first internal product classification identifier so as to identify said first component as a potential parameter for a product in the class of said product line.

18. The method as described in claim 17 and further comprising:

associating additional internal component identifiers with said internal product classification identifier so as to create a pool of components for said product classification.

19. The method as described in claim 18 wherein said first product classification identifies the class of domestic cellular telephone services within the product line of telephone services.

20. The method as described in claim 17 wherein said retrieving component names corresponding to said product line of interest to said client comprises:

determining a product classification of interest to said client;

retrieving components corresponding to said product classification.

21. The method as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

generating a product database for storing product components selected by said client of said data processor;

wherein said allowing said client to select from said component names so as to select parameters for said product offering by said client comprises;

allowing said client to store said components in said product database.

22. The method as described in claim 21 wherein said allowing said client to store said component names in said product database comprises allowing said client to store said components under client selected names in said product database.

23. The method as described in claim 21 and further comprising:

allowing said client to select from said product database components for use in campaigning said product offering.