System for maintaining party and communication point data

• US 20050192874A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grear, Michael B., Donlin, Gretchen, Henry, Margaret, Melanson, Patricia L., Bell, Richard T., Harrington, Teresa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/971,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20050192874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• 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 storing data for a service business, said method comprising:

storing party data identifying a party as a separate set of data;

storing communication point data identifying a communication point as a separate set of data;

associating said party data with said communication point data so as to relate said communication point with said party.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said associating said party data with said communication point data comprises:

assigning a first identifier with said party data;

assigning a second identifier with said communication point data;

associating said first identifier with said second identifier so as to relate said party data with said communication point data.

3. The method as described in claim 2 and further comprising:

indicating an association type for said party data and said communication point data.

4. The method as described in claim 2 wherein said party data comprises:

a name of said party.

5. The method as described in claim 2 wherein said communication point data comprises:

a communication point identifier; and

a communication point type.

6. The method as described in claim 2 wherein said party data comprises a name of said party and wherein said communication point data comprises:

a communication point identifier; and

a communication point type; and

wherein said method further comprises indicating an association type for said party data and said communication point data.

7. A system for storing data for a service business, said system comprising:

a party database for storing data identifying a party as a separate set of data;

a communication point database for storing data identifying a communication point as a separate set of data;

wherein said party data and said communication point data identify a communication point for said account.

8. The system as described in claim 7 wherein said party database and said communication point database each have a separate processor.

9. The system as described in claim 7 and further comprising:

a party-communication point database for relating said party data with said communication point data.

10. The system as described in claim 7 wherein said party-communication point database for relating said party data with said communication point data comprises:

a party name;

a communication point identifier;

an association type between said party and said communication point identifier.

11. A method of storing data for a service business, said method comprising:

storing data for a plurality of product types, wherein each of said plurality of product types designates a service having defined parameters;

storing data for an account as a separate set of data, wherein said account is identified by an account identifier;

associating said data for said plurality of product types with said data for said account so as to relate said plurality of product types with said account.

12. A method of storing data for a service business, said method comprising:

storing data for a product type, wherein said product type designates a service having defined parameters;

storing data for an account as a separate set of data, wherein said account is identified by an account identifier;

associating said data for said product type with said data for said account so as to relate said product type with said account.

13. The method as described in claim 12 and further comprising:

assigning a first identifier with said data for said product type;

assigning a second identifier with said data for said account;

associating said first identifier with said second identifier so as to relate said data for said product type with said data for said account.

14. The method as described in claim 12 and further comprising:

relating a second set of data for a second product type with said data for said account so as to relate a plurality of product types with said account.

15. A system for storing data for a service business, said system comprising:

a product database for storing data for a product type as a separate set of data;

an account database for storing data for an account as a separate set of data;

an account-product database for associating said data for a product type with said data for said account.

16. The system as described in claim 15 wherein said product database stores data for a plurality of product types and wherein said account-product database associates said plurality of product types with said data for an account.

17. The system as described in claim 16 wherein an account identifier identifies said plurality of product types as being associated with said data for said account.