Rules management systems and methods

• US 7,899,732 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Van Beaumont, Eric, LaRose, Rene′ Jeanne, McCarthy, James Alan, Bradley, Jerome A., Miloni Thiele, Kerry Ann, Meyers, Stephen M., Plozay, Molly, Schwartz, Kenneth, Frerichs, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalinowski; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Graham; Clement B
• Application Number:
  US10/271,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,059 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/26, 705/24, 705/39, 705/34, 705 35- 38, 380/24
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• 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: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method of providing bankcard services includes receiving at a host computer system information from a client defining an event. The method includes receiving at the host computer system information identifying a condition relating to at least one element associated with bankcard accounts. The method further includes receiving at the host computer system information defining an action to be taken based on the condition upon the occurrence of the event. The method also includes storing the event, the condition, and the action as a business rule at the host computer system.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having instructions embodied therein that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to provide a bankcard program user interface, comprising the steps of:

defining an event related to bankcard processing, wherein the means for defining the event comprises means for defining the event to be a new processing day;

defining a condition related to a bankcard account, wherein the condition includes a logical expression using at least one element derived from one or more account attributes of a bankcard account;

defining an action related to a bankcard account, the action to be taken based on the condition upon the occurrence of the event; and

causing the event, the condition, and the action to be stored as a business rule;

wherein the steps are programmed to be rendered on a display of a user in response to a request from the user to a host computer system of a bankcard processor.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of defining an event comprises selecting the event from a list of predefined events.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a selection from the group consisting of statement processing, monetary posting, non-monetary posting, monetary adjustment, specified day, account transfer, and account creation.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of defining a condition comprises selecting the condition from a list of predefined conditions.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of defining an action comprises selecting the action from a list of predefined actions.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the action comprises a selection from the group consisting of set a fee value, send a letter, calculate a finance charge, calculate average daily balance, waive fees, increase or decrease fees, reinstate an item, allocate and distribute payments across monetary fields, satisfy minimum payment due, process pay ahead, accumulate monetary information, update a master file field, call another rule, assign or remove an identifier, set account limits or thresholds, insert information into a statement, print a message, generate a plastic, and change a credit line.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the bankcard program user interface further comprises selecting a business rule from a list of pre-defined business rules.

8. A computer-readable medium having instructions embodied therein that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to provide a bankcard program user interface, comprising the steps of:

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of an event related to bankcard processing;

receiving a user selection of a condition related to a bankcard account, wherein the condition includes a logical expression using at least one element derived from one or more account attributes of a bankcard account;

receiving a user selection of an action related to a bankcard account, the action to be taken based on the condition upon the occurrence of the event, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of an action includes a selection that defines the action to be sending a letter to a bankcard account holder; and

receiving a user selection to cause the event, the condition, and the action to be stored as a business rule;

wherein the steps are programmed to be rendered on a display of a user in response to a request from the user to a host computer system of a bankcard processor.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving a user selection of an event comprises receiving a user selection of an event from a list of predefined events.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the event comprises a selection from the group consisting of statement processing, new processing day, monetary posting, non-monetary posting, monetary adjustment, specified day, account transfer, and account creation.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the receiving a user selection of a condition comprises receiving a user selection of a condition from a list of predefined events.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more account attributes are selected from a group consisting of state of residence, base interest rate, current, previous, and last balance, delinquency, client-defined fields, payment history, and promotional information.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the receiving a user selection of an action comprises receiving a user selection of an action from a list of predefined actions.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the bankcard program user interface further comprises receiving a user selection of a business rule from a list of pre-defined business rules.

15. A bankcard design system, comprising:

a database for storing business rules;

a computer, processor for processing account data and transaction data using business rules; and

an electronic storage arrangement for causing a user interface to be rendered on a display of a user, the user interface comprising;

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of an event related to bankcard processing;

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of a condition related to a bankcard account, wherein the condition includes a logical expression using at least one element derived from one or more account attributes of a bankcard account, at least one attribute comprising a bankcard account holder'"'"'s state of residence;

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of an action related to a bankcard account, the action to be taken based on the condition upon the occurrence of the event; and

a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection to cause the event, the condition, and the action to be stored as a business rule.

16. The bankcard design system of claim 15, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of an event comprises a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of an event from a list of predefined events.

17. The bankcard design system of claim 15, wherein the event comprises a selection from the group consisting of statement processing, new processing day, monetary posting, non-monetary posting, monetary adjustment, specified day, account transfer, and account creation.

18. The bankcard design system of claim 15, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of a condition comprises a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of a condition from a list of predefined events.

19. The bankcard design system of claim 15, wherein the one or more account attributes are selected from a group consisting of, base interest rate, current, previous, and last balance, delinquency, client-defined fields, payment history, and promotional information.

20. The bankcard design system of claim 15, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of an action comprises a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of an action from a list of predefined actions.

21. The bankcard design system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises a selection from the group consisting of set a fee value, send a letter, calculate a finance charge, calculate average daily balance, waive fees, increase or decrease fees, reinstate an item, allocate and distribute payments across monetary fields, satisfy minimum payment due, process pay ahead, accumulate monetary information, update a masterfile field, call another rule, assign or remove an identifier, set account limits or thresholds, insert information into a statement, print a message, generate a plastic, and change a credit line.

22. A method of processing bankcard account and transaction data, comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a request from a user to define a bankcard program;

causing a user interface to be rendered on a computer of the user, the user interface, comprising;

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of an event related to bankcard processing;

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of a condition related to a bankcard account, wherein the condition includes a logical expression using at least one element derived from one or more account attributes of a bankcard account;

a selection area configured to receive a user selection of an action related to a bankcard account, the action to be taken based on the condition upon the occurrence of the event;

a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection to cause the event, the condition, and the action to be stored as a business rule; and

a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of a business rule from a list of pre-defined business rules;

receiving a selection for at least one business rule;

collecting account data;

collecting transaction data;

processing the account and transaction data using the at least one business rule; and

outputting a result of the processing.

23. The method of processing bankcard account and transaction data of claim 22, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of an event comprises a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of an event from a list of predefined events.

24. The method of processing bankcard account and transaction data of claim 22, wherein the event comprises a selection from the group consisting of statement processing, new processing day, monetary posting, non-monetary posting, monetary adjustment, specified day, account transfer, and account creation.

25. The method of processing bankcard account and transaction data of claim 22, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of a condition comprises a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of a condition from a list of predefined events.

26. The method of processing bankcard account and transaction data of claim 22, wherein the one or more account attributes are selected from a group consisting of state of residence, base interest rate, current, previous, and last balance, delinquency, client-defined fields, payment history, and promotional information.

27. The method of processing bankcard account and transaction data of claim 22, wherein the selection area configured to receive a user selection of an action comprises a selection arrangement configured to receive a user selection of an action from a list of predefined actions.

28. The method of processing bankcard account and transaction data of claim 22, wherein the action comprises a selection from the group consisting of set a fee value, send a letter, calculate a finance charge, calculate average daily balance, waive fees, increase or decrease fees, reinstate an item, allocate and distribute payments across monetary fields, satisfy minimum payment due, process pay ahead, accumulate monetary information, update a masterfile field, call another rule, assign or remove an identifier, set account limits or thresholds, insert information into a statement, print a message, generate a plastic, and change a credit line.