Communication point relationship scheduling

• US 20060184586A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• 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 L., Melanson, Patricia L., Henry-Saal, Margaret Ann
• Application Number:
  US11/371,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184586A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• 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 various embodiments of the invention, an architecture is provided for a data processing system. 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 communicating with a party based on a defined relationship, the method comprising:

storing a set of data identifying a party;

storing a set of data identifying a first communication point separately from the set of party data, wherein the first communication point comprises a physical or virtual contact point where communications are received;

linking the set of party data with the set of first communication point data, using a link;

defining a relationship between the party and the first communication point; and

associating the relationship with the link for a specified period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications point comprises a selection from the group consisting of a geographic address, an email address, an electronic address, a telephone number, and a fax number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship comprises a selection from the group consisting of home, work, employer, branch, headquarter, department, vacation, and return.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a set of data identifying a second communication point separately from the set of party data and the set of first communication point data;

linking the set of data identifying the party with the set of data identifying the second communication point, using a second link; and

defining a second relationship between the party and the second communication point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each link is stored separately from the set of party data, the set of first communication point data, and the set of second communication point data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first communication point comprises a geographic address and the second communication point comprises an email address.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

associating the second relationship with the second link for different specified period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified period of time comprises an effective end date, and the different specified period of time comprises an effective begin date.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified period of time comprises a finite period of time, and the different specified period of time comprises a time period of indefinite duration.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified period of time is based on a subset of a calendar year, and the specified period of time recurs annually.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a first identifier to the set of first communication point data;

assigning a second identifier to the set of party data;

wherein the link comprises an association between the first identifier and the second identifier.

12. The method of claim 11,

storing the first identifier, the second identifier, data comprising the relationship, and data comprising the specified period of time as a first set of data stored separately from the party data and the first communication point data,

wherein the link further comprises the first identifier and the second identifier.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for storing data of claim 1.

14. A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for storing data of claim 1.

15. A method of storing identifiers to allow communication with a party over a time period, the method comprising:

storing a first identifier which identifies a first set of data comprising a communication point, wherein the communication point defines a physical or virtual contact point where communications are received;

storing a second identifier which identifies a second set of data comprising a party, the second set of data stored separately from the first set of data;

associating the first identifier, the second identifier, and data defining the relationship between the party and the communication point, to thereby create a different set of data stored separately from the first set of data and the second set of data; and

associating effective time data with the different set of data to thereby create a limited effective time period for the validity of the relationship.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the different set of data further comprises the limited effective time data.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing a third identifier which identifies a third set of data comprising a different communication point, the third set of data stored separately from the first set of data and the second set of data;

associating the third identifier, the second identifier, and data defining the relationship between the party and the different communication point to create a second different set of data;

associating a different effective time data with the second different set of data to thereby create a different limited effective time period for the second different set of data.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for storing data of claim 15.

19. A system of storing data for communicating with a party over different time periods, the system comprising:

a communication point database for storing sets of data each identifying a communication point comprising a physical or virtual contact point where communications are received, each set of communication point data stored separately;

a party database for storing a set of data identifying a party, the party database stored separately from the communication point database; and

a party-communication point database containing;

a first link which defines a first relationship between the party and a first communication point in the communication point database; and

a second link which defines a second relationship between the party and a second communication point in the communication point database,

wherein the first link and the second link are stored separately from each other and separately from the communication point database and party database.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first relationship and the second relationship are each valid for a different time period.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the party database, the communication point database, and the party-communication point database each comprise a separate database.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein,

the first communication point is assigned a first identifier;

the second communication point is assigned a second identifier;

the party is assigned a third identifier;

the first link comprises an association between the first identifier and the third identifier; and

the second link comprises an association between the second identifier and the third identifier.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein,

the first link comprises the first identifier and the third identifier;

the second link comprises the second identifier and the third identifier; and

each link is stored separately.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein each identifier is configured to allow retrieval of data to which the each identifier is assigned by referencing the each identifier.