Generating event messages corresponding to event indicators

• US 7,958,032 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schimpf, Brian C., Stern, Edith H., Willner, Barry E., Weir, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fu; Hao
• Application Number:
  US11/431,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070265947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 705/34, 705 35- 45, 709/224
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A transaction entity handles event messages associated with events of interest. At least one type of event is identified that is of interest to a user. Each type of event further corresponds to an event type that is to be repeated by a transaction entity to an aggregating entity. Further, a description is associated with each identified type of event. The transaction entity identifies an occurrence of an event that is an identified type of event and generates an event message comprising a token that associates the user with an account maintained by the aggregating and the description that is associated with the identified type of event corresponding to the identified occurrence of the event. The event message is transmitted to the aggregating entity.

Claims

1. A method of processing event messages that provide information related to transactions to be monitored by a user in such as way so as to avoid transmitting sensitive information, comprising:

identifying at least one type of event of interest to said user that is to be reported by said transaction entity to an aggregating entity, wherein said aggregating entity comprises an information collection service that collects indicators of events on behalf of said user;

associating an event description with at least one identified type of event wherein text associated with each event description is established at least between said user and said transaction entity;

obtaining by said transaction entity, at least one account identifying token, wherein each obtained account identifying token contains information that uniquely identifies to said aggregating entity, a specific account maintained by said aggregating entity that is associated with said user;

detecting an occurrence of an event that is an identified type of event which is of interest to said user;

utilizing a processing device to electronically generate an event message comprising at least;

a selected account identifying token that associates said user with their account maintained by said aggregating entity; and

said description that is associated with said identified type of event if an event description is desired; and

transmitting said event message across a communications network from the processing device of the transaction entity to an associated processing device of said aggregating entity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said identifying at least one type of event of interest to said user that is to be reported by said transaction entity to an aggregating entity comprises:

providing said user with a list of event types; and

identifying at least one type of event that is selected by said user from said list of event types.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

said list of event types further comprises a default description for at least one listed event type; and

said associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises;

associating a description identified by said user as either accepting said default description or providing a personalized description for at least one type of event from said list of event types provided to said user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said-associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, at least one description that acknowledges said occurrence of said event without describing the nature of said event.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, a contextually meaningless personalized reference defined by said user.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, a reference defined by said aggregating entity.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, a reference defined by said transaction entity.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said utilizing a processing device for electronically generating an event message further comprises:

dynamically generating at least part of at least one description based on at least one of a predetermined preference, a rule and an expression.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said utilizing a processing device for electronically generating an event message further comprises:

retrieving at least one description from a static list of descriptions associated with identified types of events.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises;

associating a plurality of different descriptions for a select one type of event in a many to one relationship; and

utilizing a processing device for electronically generating an event message further comprises;

selecting one of said plurality of different descriptions to include in said event message if said occurrence of said event is of said select one type of event.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises associating a same description with a plurality of types of events in a one to many relationship; and

said utilizing a processing device for electronically generating an event message further comprises selecting said same description to include in said event message if said occurrence of said event is of any one of said plurality of types of events.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising characterizing at least one type of event based upon at least one of a rule, an expression and an exception corresponding to a preference identified by said user.

13. A computer program product to process event messages that provide information related to transactions to be monitored by a user in such as way so as to avoid transmitting sensitive information, comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to identify at least one type of event of interest to said user that is to be reported by said transaction entity to an aggregating entity, wherein said aggregating entity comprises an information collection service that collects indicators of events on behalf of said user;

computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event wherein text associated with each event description is established at least between said user and said transaction entity;

computer usable program code configured to obtain by said transaction entity, at least one account identifying token, wherein each obtained account identifying token contains information that uniquely identifies to said aggregating entity, a specific account maintained by said aggregating entity that is associated with said user;

computer usable program code configured to detect an occurrence of an event that is an identified type of event which is of interest to said user;

computer usable program code configured to generate an event message comprising at least;

a selected account identifying token that associates said user with their account maintained by said aggregating entity; and

said description that is associated with said identified type of event if an event description is desired; and

computer usable program code configured to transmit said event message across a communications network from the processing device of the transaction entity to an associated processing device of said aggregating entity.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code configured to identify at least one type of event of interest to said user that is to be reported by said transaction entity to an aggregating entity comprises:

computer usable program code configured to provide said user with a list of event types; and

computer usable program code configured to identify at least one type of event that is selected by said user from said list of event types.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein:

said list of event types further comprises a default description for at least one listed event type; and

said computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises;

computer usable program code configured to associate a description identified by said user as either accepting said default description or providing a personalized description for at least one type of event from said list of event types provided to said user.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said-computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

computer usable program code configured to associate, for at least one type of event, at least one description that acknowledges said occurrence of said event without describing the nature of said event.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

computer usable program code configured to associate, for at least one type of event, a contextually meaningless personalized reference defined by said user.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

computer usable program code configured to associate, for at least one type of event, a reference defined by said aggregating entity.

19. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

computer usable program code configured to associate, for at least one type of event, a reference defined by said transaction entity.

20. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code configured to generate an event message further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to dynamically generate at least part of at least one description based on at least one of a predetermined preference, a rule and an expression.

21. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code configured to generate an event message further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to retrieve at least one description from a static list of descriptions associated with identified types of events.

22. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein:

said computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises;

computer usable program code configured to associate a plurality of different descriptions for a select one type of event in a many to one relationship; and

computer usable program code configured to utilize a processing device for electronically generating an event message further comprises;

computer usable program code configured to select one of said plurality of different descriptions to include in said event message if said occurrence of said event is of said select one type of event.

23. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein:

said computer usable program code configured to associate an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises computer usable program code configured to associate a same description with a plurality of types of events in a one to many relationship; and

said computer usable program code configured to generate an event message further comprises computer usable program code configured to select said same description to include in said event message if said occurrence of said event is of any one of said plurality of types of events.

24. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising computer usable program code configured to characterize at least one type of event based upon at least one of a rule, an expression and an exception corresponding to a preference identified by said user.

25. A system to process event messages that provide information related to transactions to be monitored by a user in such as way so as to avoid transmitting sensitive information, comprising:

at computer system comprising;

at least one processor;

at least one networking component coupled to said processor for communicating over a communications link to the Internet;

memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing computer program instructions configured to cause said processor to execute an event message processing system by;

identifying at least one type of event of interest to said user that is to be reported by said transaction entity to an aggregating entity, wherein said aggregating entity comprises an information collection service that collects indicators of events on behalf of said user;

associating an event description with at least one identified type of event wherein text associated with each event description is established at least between said user and said transaction entity and is stored in a storage accessible to said processor;

obtaining by said transaction entity, at least one account identifying token, wherein each obtained account identifying token contains information that uniquely identifies to said aggregating entity, a specific account maintained by said aggregating entity that is associated with said user, wherein said account identifying token in stored in storage accessible to said processor;

detecting an occurrence of an event that is an identified type of event which is of interest to said user;

generating an event message comprising at least;

a selected account identifying token that associates said user with their account maintained by said aggregating entity; and

said description that is associated with said identified type of event if an event description is desired; and

transmitting said event message via said networking component across said communications link from the processing device of the transaction entity to an associated processing device of said aggregating entity.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for identifying at least one type of event of interest to said user that is to be reported by said transaction entity to an aggregating entity comprises:

providing said user with a list of event types; and

identifying at least one type of event that is selected by said user from said list of event types.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein:

said processor executing instructions for listing of event types further comprises a default description for at least one listed event type; and

said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises;

associating a description identified by said user as either accepting said default description or providing a personalized description for at least one type of event from said list of event types provided to said user.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, at least one description that acknowledges said occurrence of said event without describing the nature of said event.

29. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, a contextually meaningless personalized reference defined by said user.

30. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, a reference defined by said aggregating entity.

31. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises:

associating, for at least one type of event, a reference defined by said transaction entity.

32. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for generating an event message further comprises:

dynamically generating at least part of at least one description based on at least one of a predetermined preference, a rule and an expression.

33. The system according to claim 25, wherein said processor executing instructions for generating an event message further comprises:

retrieving at least one description from a static list of descriptions associated with identified types of events.

34. The system according to claim 25, wherein:

said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises;

associating a plurality of different descriptions for a select one type of event in a many to one relationship; and

said processor executing instructions for utilizing a processing device for electronically generating an event message further comprises;

selecting one of said plurality of different descriptions to include in said event message if said occurrence of said event is of said select one type of event.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein:

said processor executing instructions for associating an event description with at least one identified type of event comprises associating a same description with a plurality of types of events in a one to many relationship; and

said processor executing instructions for generating an event message further comprises selecting said same description to include in said event message if said occurrence of said event is of any one of said plurality of types of events.

36. The system according to claim 25, further comprising executing instructions by said processor for characterizing at least one type of event based upon at least one of a rule, an expression and an exception corresponding to a preference identified by said user.