Method and apparatus for electronic collection, translation, grouping, and delivery of wage assignment information

• US 20070005494A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACS State & Local Solutions Incorporated (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ACS State & Local Solutions Incorporated (Conduent, Inc.)
• Inventors: Polk, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/125 Finance or payroll
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

This disclosure describes a system that electronically collects, translates, groups, and delivers wage assignment information from at least one initiator to at least one recipient via an accumulator. An initiator initially receives the wage assignment information. Then, an accumulator collects the wage assignment information from at least one initiator, such as a government agency. The accumulator then translates the wage assignment information into a format compatible with electronic data interchange (EDI), such as the ANSI X12 standard. The accumulator then groups the EDI wage assignment information into specific files, batching the files based upon one data field contained within the wage assignment information data set, such as a recipient. The accumulator then delivers a batched EDI wage assignment file to each respective recipient. Once the EDI wage assignment file is received by the recipient, the wage assignment may then be implemented.

Claims

1-132. -132. (canceled)

133. A data processing system for collecting and processing a wage assignment of a person, comprising:

a collecting component configured to collect a plurality of wage assignments into files in a database at an accumulator;

a translating component configured to translate each file in the database into a file with a standardized format, the standardized format includes data stored in at least one data field;

a batching component configured to batch the standardized format file based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

a delivering component configured to deliver the batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

134. The system of claim 133, where the person is a noncustodial parent.

135. The system of claim 133, wherein the collecting component includes a receiving component configured to receive electronic files.

136. The system of claim 133, wherein the translating component includes an EDI using component configured to use electronic data interchange (EDI) as the standardized format.

137. The system of claim 133, wherein the EDI using component further includes a utilizing component configured to utilize the 521 record set.

138. The system of claim 133, further comprising a delivering component configured to deliver the batched standardized format file to a recipient.

139. The system of claim 133, further comprising:

an identifying component configured to identify a set of translating rules; and

a rules translating component configured to translate the wage assignment information according to the translation rules.

140. A method of collecting and processing a wage assignment of a person, the method, performed by a processor, comprising:

collecting a plurality of wage assignments into files in a database at an accumulator;

translating each file in the database into a file with a standardized format, the standardized format includes data stored in at least one data field;

batching the standardized format file based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

delivering the batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

141. The method of claim 140, wherein the person is a noncustodial parent.

142. The method of claim 140, wherein collecting includes receiving electronic files.

143. The method of claim 140, wherein translating includes using electronic data interchange (EDI) as the standardized format.

144. The method of claim 143, wherein using includes utilizing the 521 record set.

145. The method of claim 140, further comprising delivering the batched standardized format file to a recipient.

146. The method of claim 140, further comprising:

identifying a set of translating rules; and

translating the wage assignment information according to the translation rules.

147. A data processing system for collecting and processing a wage assignment of a person, comprising:

means for collecting a plurality of wage assignments into files in a database at an accumulator;

means for translating each file in the database into a file with a standardized format, the standardized format includes data stored in at least one data field;

means for batching the standardized format file based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

means for delivering the batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

148. A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for collecting and processing a wage assignment of a person, the computer readable code comprising:

a collecting module configured to collect a plurality of wage assignments into files in a database at an accumulator;

a translating module configured to translate each file in the database into a file with a standardized format, the standardized format includes data stored in at least one data field;

a batching module configured to batch the standardized format file based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

a delivering module configured to deliver a batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

149. A system for collecting and processing a plurality of wage assignments representing child support payments for a plurality of noncustodial parents, comprising:

a collecting component configured to collect a plurality of wage assignment information into files in a database at an accumulator;

a translating component configured to translate the files in the database into electronic data interchange (EDI) files;

a batching component configured to batch the EDI files based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

a delivering component configured to deliver a batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

150. The system of claim 149, wherein one of the plurality of recipients is an employer of a noncustodial parent.

151. The system of claim 149, wherein the translating component further includes a generating component configured to generate EDI files using the 521 record set.

152. The system of claim 149, further comprising:

an identifying component configured to identify a set of translating rules; and

a rules translating component configured to translate the wage assignment information according to the translation rules.

153. The system of claim 149, further comprising:

a batching component configured to batch the EDI files based on a recipient field; and

a delivering component configured to deliver a batched EDI file to a plurality of recipients.

154. A method of collecting and processing a plurality of wage assignments representing child support payments for a plurality of noncustodial parents, the method, performed by a processor, comprising:

collecting a plurality of wage assignment information into files in a database at an accumulator;

translating the files in the database into electronic data interchange (EDI) files;

batching the EDI files based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

delivering a batched file to at least one of a plurality of recipients.

155. The method of claim 154, wherein one of the plurality of recipients is an employer of a noncustodial parent.

156. The method of claim 154, wherein translating further includes generating EDI files using the 521 record set.

157. The method of claim 154, further comprising:

identifying a set of translating rules; and

translating the wage assignment information according to the translation rules.

158. The method of claim 154, further comprising:

batching the EDI files based on a recipient field; and

delivering a batched EDI file to each of a plurality of recipients.

159. A system for collecting and processing a plurality of wage assignments representing child support payments for a plurality of noncustodial parents, comprising:

means for collecting a plurality of wage assignment information into files in a database at an accumulator;

means for translating the files in the database into electronic data interchange (EDI) files;

means for batching the EDI files based at least on the data stored in the one data filed; and

means for delivering a batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

160. A computer usable medium having computer readable code therein for collecting and processing a plurality of wage assignments representing child support payments for a plurality of noncustodial parents, the computer readable code comprising:

a collecting module configured to collect a plurality of wage assignment information into files in a database at an accumulator;

a translating module configured to translate the files in the database into electronic data interchange (EDI) files;

a batching module configured to batch the EDI files based at least on the data stored in the one data field; and

a delivering module configured to deliver a batched file to one of a plurality of recipients.

161. A data processor at an initiator, the data processor comprising:

a receiving component configured to receive a wage assignment;

an inputting component configured to input the wage assignment into a database; and

a transmitting component configured to transmit the wage assignment to an accumulator, the accumulator comprising;

a collecting component configured to collect the wage assignment with a plurality of wage assignments from a plurality of initiators,

a translating component configured to translate the collected wage assignments into files with a standard wage assignment format, the format including data in at least one data field,

a grouping component configured to group the standard wage assignment format files into batch files based on the data stored in at least one data field of the standard wage assignment format, and

a delivering component configured to deliver a batch file containing the wage assignment to one of a plurality of recipients.

162. A method of processing a wage assignment at an initiator, the method, performed by a data processor, comprising:

receiving the wage assignment;

inputting the wage assignment into a database; and

transmitting the wage assignment to an accumulator, wherein the accumulator performs the steps of;

collecting the wage assignment with a plurality of wage assignments from a plurality of initiators,

translating the collected wage assignments into files with a standard wage assignment format, the format including data in at least one data field,

grouping the standard wage assignment format files into batch files based on the data stored in at least one data field of the standard wage assignment format, and

delivering a batch file containing the wage assignment to one of a plurality of recipients.

163. A data processor at an initiator, comprising:

means for receiving the wage assignment;

means for inputting the wage assignment into a database; and

means for transmitting the wage assignment to an accumulator, the accumulator comprising;

means for collecting the wage assignment with a plurality of wage assignments from a plurality of initiators,

means for translating the collected wage assignments into files with a standard wage assignment format, the format including data in at least one data field,

means for grouping the standard wage assignment format files into batch files based on the data stored in at least one data field of the standard wage assignment format, and

means for delivering a batch file containing the wage assignment to one of a plurality of recipients.

164. A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for processing a wage assignment at an initiator, the computer readable code comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive a wage assignment;

an inputting module configured to input the wage assignment into a database; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit the wage assignment to an accumulator, the accumulator comprising;

a collecting module configured to collect the wage assignment with a plurality of wage assignments from a plurality of initiators,

a translating module configured to translate the collected wage assignments into files with a standard wage assignment format, the format including data in at least one data field,

a grouping module configured to group the standard wage assignment format files into batch files based on the data stored in at least one data field of the standard wage assignment format, and

a delivering module configured to deliver a batch file containing the wage assignment to one of a plurality of recipients.