Private entity profile network

• US 7,908,208 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AlphaCap Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: AlphaCap Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Juarez, Richard A., Brown, Zachary J. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalinowski, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US10/870,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20050131830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,462 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

In private equity and debt funding operations, resource providers define electronic data collection templates to be filled in by prospective resource consumers to form semi-homogeneous profiles. Providers and/or consumers can assign themselves and/or selected third parties various individualized levels of permissions to access and to perform activities on the profiles. Providers can organize profiles into portfolios to further manage the data. All accesses and activities, such as changes to the data, are tracked and recorded in logs useful for audit purposes.

Claims

1. A method for managing resource consumer information desired by one or more resource providers, comprising the steps of:

defining, by at least one processor, a data collection template of fields for a semi-homogenous profile of resource consumer information desired by a resource provider;

customizing the template in real time, by the at least one processor, wherein customizing the template is performed by inserting, deleting, or modifying sections or fields of said template;

sending to a device of at least one resource consumer, a web-page with user fillable fields, wherein said device is at least one of a computer, telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA);

maintaining an electronic database system by a trusted third party who is neutral to both resource providers and resource consumers;

storing in the electronic database system, information entered into the user-fillable fields as a semi-homogenous profile, wherein a semi-homogenous profile is stored for each resource consumer;

storing authorization information that includes identification of at least one party authorized to access information stored in the electronic database system;

defining, by the at least one processor, portfolio categories;

storing, by the at least one processor, one or more user selectable web page links, which if selected cause the creation of portfolio records for each defined portfolio category;

defining, by the at least one processor, for each portfolio category, items that will be contained in the portfolio records;

associating, by the least one processor, at least one semi-homogenous profile with at least one of the portfolio records.

2. A method for managing resource consumer information desired by one or more resource providers, comprising the steps of:

defining, by at least one processor, a data collection template of fields for a profile of resource consumer information desired by a resource provider, the resource provider is a party that provides capital, assets or services, and the resource consumer is a company that wishes to share information with a resource provider;

sending to a device of a resource consumer, a webpage with user-fillable fields for directly inputting primary data information, wherein said device is at least one of a computer, telephone or PDA;

maintaining an electronic database system by a trusted third party who is neutral to both resource providers and resource consumers;

storing in the electronic database system, the information entered into the user-fillable fields as a semi-homogenous profile, wherein a semi-homogenous profile is stored for each resource consumer; and

storing authorization information that includes identification of at least one party that is authorized to access information stored in the electronic database system;

defining, by the at least one processor, portfolio categories;

storing, by the at least one processor, one or more user selectable web page links, which if selected cause the creation of portfolio records for each defined portfolio category;

defining, by the at least one processor, for each portfolio category, items that will be contained in the portfolio records;

associating, by the least one processor, at least one semi-homogenous profile with at least one of the portfolio records.

3. A method for managing resource consumer information desired by one or more resource providers, comprising the steps of:

defining, by at least one processor, a data collection template of fields for a semi-homogenous profile of resource consumer information desired by a resource provider;

sending to a device of at least one user, a webpage with user-fillable fields, wherein said device is at least one of a computer, telephone or PDA;

maintaining an electronic database system by a trusted third party who is neutral to both resource providers and resource consumers;

storing in the electronic database system, information inputted into the user-fillable fields of the template as a semi-homogeneous profile, wherein a semi-homogenous profile is stored for each resource consumer; and

storing authorization information that includes identification of at least one party authorized to access information stored in the electronic database system;

defining, by the at least one processor, portfolio categories;

storing, by the at least one processor, one or more user-selectable web-page links, which if selected cause the creation of portfolio records for each defined portfolio category;

defining, by the at least one processor, for each portfolio category, items that will be contained in the portfolio records;

associating, by the least one processor, at least one semi-homogenous profile with at least one of the portfolio records;

implementing a desired profile data collection template, by a trusted third party and

independently managing, by a trusted third party, a UserName access and activity permissions specified by the resource provider and a consumer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein files of any type can be attached to each profile.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of defining the template is done by the resource provider.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of allowing a user to append comments to the profile.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising enabling resource providers and resource consumers to see a list of UserNames who have been granted access to a specific profile along with authorized activity entitlements for that profile.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising calculating aggregate metrics from the information input into the user-fillable field.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the resource provider can classify profiles as

Pending for newly registered or edited profiles that can be either accepted and moved to active status or declined and moved to watch list status;

Watch List for newly registered profiles and/or active profiles that a resource provider believes may need additional time to mature; and

Active for profiles that have been reviewed and accepted by a resource provider and typically represent active commercial relationships.

10. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of

assigning UserNames to the resource consumers and to the resource providers;

establishing access permissions which determine a set of profiles that a specific UserName is permitted to access; and

establishing activity permissions which determine what a specific UserName is permitted to do with an accessed profile.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a third party partner can be assigned a UserName and receive access and activity permissions.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the system authorizes certain UserNames to tune access permissions by changing the profile-specific disclosure levels including

None, to remove access to a profile for all UserNames except those of the resource provider designated as a profile “

owner” and

those of the resource consumer who supplied the information;

General Information without Financials, to prohibit any UserName other than those of the resource provider designated as a profile “

owner” and

the resource consumer who supplied the information from accessing any financial information in a profile or any financially designated file attachments; and

General Information with Financials, to allow all authorized UserNames to see all information and file attachments in a profile.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the authorized UserNames can input information into the fields and tune access permissions independently, autonomously, and in real-time, via the Internet and/or private network.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein a provider can define a portfolio group of profiles to include an industry, a sub-sector, a single company, selected groups of companies, a geographical area, or be based on other criteria contained in the profile.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the activity permissions include view only, global edit, single section edit, single line item in a single section edit, file download, file delete, file add, access to the comments, access to reports, access to portfolio records, ability to save or send HTML copies of profiles, ability to save XML copies, the ability to import XML data, create new profiles, change the status of a profile, and change sharing levels.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

recording a Change History log that indicates all accesses, activities and changes and the date and time that they are made, and what UserName made them, to a particular profile; and

recording a Site Audit log that indicates which UserName has accessed a profile, the Internet address of the site from which the UserName accessed the profile, the date and time, and what major activities the UserName has performed; and

wherein access permissions include access to the change history log and to the site audit log.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the Change History log identifies and records the former and new values of any information that was changed;

the Site Audit log identifies and records the date and time of logins, new profile creations, profile accesses, profile deletions, and logouts;

a Profile Metrics log identifies and records the date and time that a profile is viewed by any authorized UserName;

a File Metrics log identifies and records the date and time when a file attachment is accessed by an authorized UserName; and

a Permitted Users log identifies which UserName may access any given profile and/or portfolio records.

18. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing a summary list detailing, for a particular profile, the UserNames that have accessed the profile, the number of times the UserName accessed the profile and the date and times the UserName spent accessing the profile.

19. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing a summary list, for a particular UserName, of the files that the UserName has accessed and the date and time of each access.

20. The method of claim 3 further comprising enabling the sending of UserName specific alerts based upon resource consumer or provider criteria including new profile registrations, profile changes, profile deletions, specifically defined metrics including cash burn, cash remaining, or quick ratios.

21. The method of claim 3 further comprising indexing or sorting the information.

22. The method of claim 3 further comprising tracking the information.

23. The method of claim 3 further comprising reporting the information.

24. The method of claim 3, the resource provider being a party that provides capital, assets or services, and the resource consumer being a company that wishes to share information with a resource provider.

25. The method of claim 3 further comprising enabling the sending of UserName specific alerts based upon resource consumer or provider criteria including specifically defined metrics including cash burn.

26. The method of claim 3 further comprising enabling the sending of UserName specific alerts based upon resource consumer or provider criteria including specifically defined metrics including quick ratios.

27. A method for managing resource consumer information desired by one or more resource providers, comprising the steps of:

defining, by at least one processor, a data collection template of fields for a semi-homogenous profile of resource consumer information desired by a resource provider, the resource provider is a party that provides capital, assets or services, and the resource consumer is a company that wishes to share information with a resource provider;

sending to a device of at least one user, a webpage with user-fillable fields, wherein said device is at least one of a computer, telephone or PDA;

storing in the electronic database system, the information entered into the user-fillable fields of the template, wherein a semi-homogenous profile is stored for each resource consumer; and

storing authorization information that includes identification of at least one party authorized to access information stored in the system;

enabling the definition and deployment of real-time, customizable, management audit, tracking and compliance data collection template portfolios by the steps of;

defining, by the at least one processor, portfolio categories;

for each defined portfolio category, creating, by the at least one processor portfolio records and the associating of profiles to the records;

storing, by the at least one processor, one or more user-selectable web-page links, which if selected cause the creation of portfolio records for each defined portfolio category;

defining, by the at least one processor, for each portfolio category, items that will be contained in a portfolio record;

sending to a party, by the at least one processor, a web-page having input information fields, and storing the information in records in the electronic database system;

associating, by the least one processor, at least one semi-homogenous profile with at least one of the portfolio records;

associating and appending, by the at least one processor, Watch List, Pending, or Active profiles to appropriate portfolio records; and

storing access information identifying the party as having access to information stored in the electronic database system.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein authorized UserNames can create new portfolio records within portfolio categories.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein files of any type can be attached to each portfolio record.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein comments can be appended to each portfolio record.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of indexing, sorting, tracking, calculating aggregate metrics, and reporting.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing a summary list of the UserNames that have accessed a portfolio record, detailing the number of times a UserName has accessed a portfolio record and the date and time and elapsed time spent accessing a particular portfolio record.

33. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing a summary list of the profiles associated with a portfolio record that have been accessed by a particular UserName and each date and time that a particular profile was accessed.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising enabling the sending of UserName specific alerts based upon resource provider'"'"'s or regulator'"'"'s defined criteria including the addition of new portfolio records, changes to existing portfolio records, new profile registrations, profile changes, profile deletions, or specifically defined metrics including less than timely updates of profiles, cash burn, cash remaining, or quick ratios.

35. The method of claim 27 further comprising enabling resource providers and other authorized third parties to see a list of UserNames who have been granted access to a portfolio records and their authorized activity permissions for each portfolio record.

36. The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of:

recording a Change History log that indicates all accesses, activities and changes and the date and time that they are made to a particular portfolio record by any UserName; and

recording a Site Audit log that indicates which UserName has accessed a portfolio record, the Internet address of the site from which the UserName accessed the portfolio record, the date and time, and what activities they have performed during the access.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein:

the Change History log identifies and records the former and new values of any information that was changed on a portfolio record; and

the Site Audit log identifies and records the date and time of new portfolio record creations, portfolio record deletions, logins, portfolio records accessed, and logoffs.

38. The method of claim 27 further comprising enabling a deploying firm to manage their fiduciary responsibilities across their resource provider relationships by:

allowing the deploying firm to construct portfolio categories and to append portfolio records for each unique relationship along with that relationship'"'"'s related profiles; and

providing a mechanism enabling the association of consumer profiles to specific portfolio records.

39. The method of claim 27 further comprising enabling profile data to be updated and appended to portfolio records in real-time.

40. The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of

establishing access permissions which determine the specific portfolio categories, portfolio records, or specific section of items within sections on a portfolio record that a specific UserName is permitted to access;

and

establishing activity permissions which determine what a specific UserName is permitted to do with an accessed portfolio category or portfolio record.

41. The method of claim 27 wherein the electronic database system is maintained by a trusted third party, who is neutral to resource providers and to resource consumers, who implements the desired portfolio categories and portfolio records/data collection template and independently manages the UserName access and activity permissions specified by various resource providers, resource consumers, and any other deploying organization.