MULTI-PROVIDER FORMS PROCESSING SYSTEM WITH RETRY UPON FAILURE

• US 20110060622A1
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Gormish, Michael J., Gudan, Kenneth F., Piersol, Kurt W., Savitzky, Stephen R., Kosoglow, Richard D., Chemishkian, Sergey, Barrus, John W., Schwartz, Edward L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0778 Dumping, i.e. gathering error/state information after a fault for later diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1474 in transactions G06F16/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification

Abstract

A multi-provider forms processing system with retry upon failure comprises: a plurality of portable computing devices, a plurality of service providers and a paper-like forms server coupled by a network. The paper-like forms server performs the scheduling, routing, logging, verification and billing for the paper-like processing of compound documents. The paper-like forms server comprises a central schedule, a retry module and a billing module. The multi-provider forms processing system is advantageous because it monitors for failure of transactions, automatically issues a retry or replacement transactions and adjusts the billing for the failed transaction. In particular, the central scheduler tracks and determines when transaction failures occur, and based on these failures revises the billing to users and credits to service providers. The central scheduler also monitors the logs for completion as well as restarts, attempts, failure, reworked and re-performed transaction steps and modifies the bills accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and reprocessing a transaction in a multi-provider forms processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a compound document including an image and at least one transaction at a paper-like forms server;

determining a transaction to perform on the compound document;

performing the transaction on the compound document;

creating a log entry indicating performance of the transaction.

determining whether performance of the transaction failed;

retrying to perform the transaction if the transaction failed; and

updating log information for failure and retrying of the transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the transaction on the document includes:

identifying a service provider; and

sending a portion of the compound document to the service provider;

adding an entry to a local transaction log of the service provider indicating performance of the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether a central scheduler scheduled the transaction for performance.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether a service provider returned results.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether results returned by a service provider were poor quality.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether the input provided for the transaction was poor quality.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein retrying to perform the transaction comprises:

identifying an alternate service provider;

sending a portion of the compound document to the alternate service provider; and

performing by the alternate service provider the transaction on the compound document.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a service provider performs the transaction on the compound document, and the method comprises updating a rating of the service provider with failure information.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising updating billing information with failure information.

10. A method for billing for reprocessing of a transaction in a multi-provider forms processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a compound document including an image and at least one transaction at a paper-like forms server from a requesting party;

identifying a first service provider to perform the transaction;

sending a portion of the compound document to the first service provider;

billing the requesting party for the transaction; and

determining whether performance of the transaction failed; and

if the transaction failed, retrying to perform the transaction by sending the portion of the compound document to a second service provider and updating billing information for failure and retrying of the transaction.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether a central scheduler scheduled the transaction for performance.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether the first service provider returned results.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether results returned by the first service provider were poor quality.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein determining whether performance of the transaction failed includes determining whether the input provided for the transaction was poor quality.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein updating billing information for failure and retrying of the transaction comprises:

removing billing credit given to the first service provider; and

giving billing credit to the second service provider.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein updating billing information for failure and retrying of the transaction comprises retracting charges for the transaction from the bill of the requesting party.

17. A multi-provider forms processing system comprising:

a plurality of service providers, each service provider delivering a service on a compound document;

a central scheduler for processing and routing the compound document having images and metadata, the central scheduler adapted to send and receive compound documents, the central scheduler coupled to the plurality of service providers;

a logging module for creating and maintaining a global transaction log of transactions processed by the central server, the logging module coupled to the central scheduler; and

a retry module for monitoring for failure of a transaction and reprocessing the transaction in the event of failure, the retry module adapted for communication and cooperation with the central scheduler to select an alternate service provider.

18. The system of claim 17 comprising a billing module generating and sending a bill for a transaction to a requesting party, the billing module adapted for communication and cooperation with the central scheduler and the retry module.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the billing module generating and sends credits to a one of the service providers performing the transaction and the alternate service provider performing the transaction upon retry.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein monitoring for failure of a transaction includes failure of the central scheduler to schedule the transaction or failure of a one of the service providers to perform the transaction.