Business data exchange layer

• US 8,380,797 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Eckardt, Cheryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US12/614,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20110113105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709/225
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

According to some embodiments, an account may be established for a user, and the account may be associated with a set of authorized combination identifiers, each authorized combination identifier including an authorized sending device identifier, an authorized destination device identifier, and an authorized file type identifier. A dynamically generated list of notification options may be displayed to the user, each option being associated with one of the authorized combination identifiers. The user may then select a notification option for each of the authorized combination identifiers. In addition, a business file may be received along with a received combination identifier that includes a sending device identifier associated with the sending device, a destination device identifier, and a file type identifier associated with the business file. Based on the received combination identifier, the business file may be forwarded to a destination device associated with the destination device identifier; and a notification message may be transmitted to the user based on the selected notification option associated with the received combination identifier.

Claims

1. A data exchange layer apparatus, comprising:

a communication device to receive data;

a processor coupled to the communication device; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

establish an account for a user, the account being associated with a set of authorized combination identifiers, wherein each authorized combination identifier includes all of (i) an authorized sending device identifier, (ii) an authorized destination device identifier, and (iii) an authorized file type identifier, wherein the set includes a first authorized combination identifier having a first authorized sending device identifier, a first authorized destination device identifier, and a first authorized file type identifier,

receive from the user, via a notification configuration module graphical user interface, an indication of the first authorized sending device identifier, an indication of the first authorized destination device identifier, and an indication of the first authorized file type identifier,

display to the user, via the notification configuration module graphical user interface, a dynamically generated list of notification options that may be associated with the first authorized combination identifier,

receive from the user, via the notification configuration module graphical user interface, a first selected notification option for the first authorized combination identifier,

receive, from a sending device via the communication device, a business file, wherein the business file is received along with a received combination identifier that includes all of (i) a sending device identifier associated with the sending device, (ii) a destination device identifier, and (iii) a file type identifier associated with the business file,

automatically determine a match between the received combination identifier and the first authorized combination identifier when;

(i) the sending device identifier is associated with the first authorized sending device identifier, (ii) the destination device identifier is associated with the first authorized destination device identifier, and (iii) the file type identifier associated with the business file is the first authorized file type identifier,

after the match is determined, forward, via the communication device, the business file to a destination device associated with the destination device identifier, and

after the match is determined, transmit a notification message to the user based on the first selected notification option associated with the first authorized combination identifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the business file is associated with at least one of:

(i) a manual upload by the user, (ii) an automated upload process, or (iii) a file transfer protocol operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an automated validation process is performed for the received business file.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the account is further associated with at least one of:

(i) a user role, or (ii) a module access list for the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a user dashboard may be displayed to the user, the user dashboard indicating at least one of:

(i) a sender, (ii) a receiver, (iii) a data type, (iv) submission identifier, (v) a submission date, (vi) a status, (vii) a submitter name, (viii) a data file indicator, (ix) a report file indicator, (x) a record length value, (xi) an audit log indicator, (xii) an error indicator, or (xiii) an effective fiscal date associated with the business file.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein information about the business file may be subsequently located via a user search.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the user search my include at least one of:

(i) a sender identifier, (ii) a receiver identifier, (iii) a data type, (iv) a status, (v) a submission date, (vi) a submission date range, (vii) an effective fiscal date, or (viii) an effective fiscal date range.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first selected notification option is associated with at least one of:

(i) a sender, (ii) a receiver, (iii) a data type, (iv) a current enrollment, (v) files submitted by the user, (vi) files submitted by other users, or (vii) a user email address.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein current enrollment information is displayed to the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the current enrollment information includes at least one of:

(i) a sender, (ii) a receiver, (iii) a data type, (iv) a status, (v) an event, or (vi) an indication of a report attachment.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the current enrollment information is exported in a spreadsheet application format.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

establishing an account for a user, the account being associated with a set of authorized combination identifiers, wherein each authorized combination identifier includes all of (i) an authorized sending device identifier, (ii) an authorized destination device identifier, and (iii) an authorized file type identifier, wherein the set includes a first authorized combination identifier having a first authorized sending device identifier, a first authorized destination device identifier, and a first authorized file type identifier;

receiving from the user, via a notification configuration module graphical user interface, an indication of the first authorized sending device identifier, an indication of the first authorized destination device identifier, and an indication of the first authorized file type identifier;

displaying to the user, via the notification configuration module graphical user interface, a dynamically generated list of notification options that may be associated with the first authorized combination identifier;

receiving from the user, via the notification configuration module graphical user interface, a first selected notification option for the first authorized combination identifier;

receiving, from a sending device via the communication device, a business file, wherein the business file is received along with a received combination identifier that includes all of (i) a sending device identifier associated with the sending device, (ii) a destination device identifier, and (iii) a file type identifier associated with the business file;

automatically determining a match between the received combination identifier and the first authorized combination identifier when;

(i) the sending device identifier is associated with the first authorized sending device identifier, (ii) the destination device identifier is associated with the first authorized destination device identifier, and (iii) the file type identifier associated with the business file is the first authorized file type identifier;

after the match is determined, automatically forwarding, by a processor, the business file to a destination device associated with the destination device identifier; and

after the match is determined, transmitting a notification message to the user based on the first selected notification option associated with the first authorized combination identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the business file is associated with at least one of:

(i) a manual upload by the user, (ii) an automated upload process, or (iii) a file transfer protocol operation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein an automated validation process is performed for the received business file.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the account is further associated with at least one of:

(i) a user role, or (ii) a module access list for the user.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein a user dashboard may be displayed to the user, the user dashboard indicating at least one of:

(i) a sender, (ii) a receiver, (iii) a data type, (iv) submission identifier, (v) a submission date, (vi) a status, (vii) a submitter name, (viii) a data file indicator, (ix) a report file indicator, (x) a record length value, (xi) an audit log indicator, (xii) an error indicator, or (xiii) an effective fiscal date associated with the business file.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, said method comprising:

establishing an account for a user, the account being associated with a set of authorized combination identifiers, wherein each authorized combination identifier includes all of (i) an authorized sending device identifier, (ii) an authorized destination device identifier, and (iii) an authorized file type identifier, wherein the set includes a first authorized combination identifier having a first authorized sending device identifier, a first authorized destination device identifier, and a first authorized file type identifier;

receiving from the user, via a notification configuration module graphical user interface, an indication of the first authorized sending device identifier, an indication of the first authorized destination device identifier, and an indication of the first authorized file type identifier;

displaying to the user, via the notification configuration module graphical user interface, a dynamically generated list of notification options that may be associated with the first authorized combination identifier;

receiving from the user, via the notification configuration module graphical user interface, a first selected notification option for the first authorized combination identifier

receiving, from a sending device via the communication device, a business file, wherein the business file is received along with a received combination identifier that includes all of (i) a sending device identifier associated with the sending device, (ii) a destination device identifier, and (iii) a file type identifier associated with the business file;

automatically determining a match between the received combination identifier and the first authorized combination identifier when;

(i) the sending device identifier is associated with the first authorized sending device identifier, (ii) the destination device identifier is associated with the first authorized destination device identifier, and (iii) the file type identifier associated with the business file is the first authorized file type identifier;

after the match is determined, automatically forwarding, by a processor, the business file to a destination device associated with the destination device identifier; and

after the match is determined, transmitting a notification message to the user based on the first selected notification option associated with the first authorized combination identifier.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein information about the business file may be subsequently located via a user search.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the user search my include at least one of:

(i) a sender identifier, (ii) a receiver identifier, (iii) a data type, (iv) a status, (v) a submission date, (vi) a submission date range, (vii) an effective fiscal date, or (viii) an effective fiscal date range.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein the first selected notification option is associated with at least one of:

(i) a sender, (ii) a receiver, (iii) a data type, (iv) a current enrollment, (v) files submitted by the user, (vi) files submitted by other users, or (vii) a user email address.