System for on-line services using distributed objects

• US 6,131,115 A
• Filed: 07/29/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: H&R Block Tax Services LLC (H&R Block, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block Financial Corporation (H&R Block, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, William P., Geller, Jacob B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/902,239
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.47, 395/200.58, 395/200.75, 705/27, 705/26, 705/40, 709/217, 709/218, 709/228, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/206 Software aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system is disclosed for accessing recent financial information from various financial services providers. The system is based on a client/server architecture so that services are accessible from a variety of presentation tools. Communications between clients and servers are accomplished using "Interfaces" that group operations and attributes for various services. The system uses the TCP/IP protocol suite so financial services are available at any time and from any location.

Claims

1. An on-line financial information service system based on a distributed system architecture, comprising:

at least one financial information server for processing financial information requests;

an identification for said financial information server;

at least one data server for processing requests for data from said financial information server;

an electronic financial information request from a client, said request including said financial information server identification;

at least one identification server for processing said electronic financial information request from said client by locating said financial information server, said location determined by said financial information server identification; and

a communication link between said client and said financial information server at said location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said identification is a name for said financial information server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said client and said financial information server communicate in accordance with a binary interface.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said communication link between said client and said financial information server is determined in accordance with said binary interface.

5. A system for interfacing a client to one of a plurality of financial information servers, comprising:

a name for each one of said plurality of financial information servers;

a name server for storing said name and financial information server pairs;

a financial information service request from said client containing a name for one of said plurality of financial information servers;

a first communication link between said client and said name server for transferring said name for said one of said plurality of financial information servers to said name server and for transferring a location for said financial information server associated with said name to said client; and

a second communication link between said client and said financial information server with said location.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said client and said financial information server communicate in accordance with a binary interface.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said communication link between said client and said financial information server is determined in accordance with said binary interface.

8. A method for processing financial information requests, comprising the steps of:

associating a unique identification with each of a plurality of financial information servers;

generating a financial information request, said request generated by a client;

associating one of said unique identifications for one of said plurality of financial information servers with said request;

determining which one of said financial information servers is associated with said unique identification associated with said financial information request; and

establishing a communication link between said client and said financial information server associated with said unique identification.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of storing said unique identification associated with each of said plurality of financial information servers in an identification server.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of establishing a communication link comprises the step of establishing a communication link in accordance with a binary interface between said client and said financial information server.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said unique identification includes a unique name for each of said financial information servers.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said unique identification includes a unique address for each of said financial information servers.

13. A system for processing financial information requests, comprising:

a plurality of financial information objects adapted for processing financial information requests;

a plurality of clients, said clients adapted for communication with said plurality of financial information objects;

a plurality of interfaces, each of said interfaces associated with at least one of said plurality of financial information objects;

a plurality of names, each of said names associated with at least one of said interfaces;

a financial information request including at least one of said plurality of names, said request from one of said plurality of clients;

a communication link between said client requesting said financial information and said financial information object associated with said name, said communication link established in accordance with the interface associated with said name and said financial information object.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the interface is binary.