Techniques for ensuring data security among participants in a web-centric insurance management system

• US 8,463,624 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashim, Safaa H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najarian, Lena
• Assistant Examiner(s): PASS, NATALIE
• Application Number:
  US10/669,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,549 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4, 705/37, 705/38, 705/35, 705/1, 705/8, 705/64, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 709/246, 709/250, 709/201, 709/226, 709/238, 709/239, 709/249, 380/282, 726/1, 726/4, 726/8
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A scalable, adaptable, modular, and web-centric Insurance Back-Office System (IBOS) for serving the needs of carriers, agencies, agents, and service providers in the insurance industry is disclosed. The IBOS provides a framework for allowing web-centric collaboration among agents, agencies, carriers, and service providers, using applications that manage applicants, cases, and policies in an efficient and secure manner. The IBOS infrastructure is designed to facilitate the creation of a new application, module, tool, or view in a simplified manner.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication in an insurance-underwriting process, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of participants access to a central data repository via a web-based computer system for storing and organizing data related to the insurance-underwriting process;

storing and organizing data related to the insurance-underwriting process in the central data repository;

enabling, by the web-based computer system, collaboration among at least two participants of said participants from the plurality of participants via the Internet using the web-based computer system, the web-based computer system comprising a web-based portal providing each participant access to one or more of a plurality of web-based applications hosted by one or more application server computer systems based on one or more attributes associated with the participant, each of the plurality of web-based applications employing a consistent desktop visual metaphor having at least a business module menu portion, an active business module tool portion, and a toolbar;

sharing, by the web-based computer system, at least a portion of said data among the plurality of participants;

generating, with one or more processors associated with the web-based computer system, information configured for displaying the desktop visual metaphor associated with a selected web-based application in the plurality of web-based applications to a participant accessing the web-based portal from a client device based on a role associated with the participant, the desktop visual metaphor associated with the selected web-based application including;

a toolbar configured with one or more visual representations for each of one or more of a plurality of business modules associated with the selected web-based application that are accessible to the participant based on the role associated with the participant, each of the plurality of business modules having a plurality of business logic tools,

a business module menu portion configured with one or more menu items for each of one or more of the plurality of business logic tools associated with a selected business module in the plurality of business modules that are accessible to the participant based on the role associated with the participant, each of the plurality of business logic tools having a plurality of views configured for displaying data stored in the central data repository, and

an active business module tool portion configured with one or more of the plurality of views associated with an active business module tool in the plurality of business module tools that is accessible to the participant based on the role associated with the participant; and

restricting, by the web-based computer system, the plurality of business logic tools and portion of said data accessible to the participant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the participant is selected from the group consisting of:

insurance carriers, insurance agencies, insurance agents, and service providers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the participant is selected from the group consisting of:

agents and case managers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the desktop visual metaphor associated with the selected web-based application includes at least one selectable icon operable to activate at least one corresponding business module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of business modules are adapted to allow the plurality of web-based applications to be scalable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of web-based applications comprises:

a participant profile module for managing profiles of participants of the web-based application;

a general administration module for handling administrative tasks pertaining to the web-based application; and

a business module for accomplishing tasks related to insurance underwriting or management.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of business logic tools of each of the plurality of business modules of each of the plurality of web-based applications comprises at least one generic tool and at least one entity-specific tool.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one generic tool is adapted to operate in more than one module with similar functionality.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of views comprises:

a summary view;

a list view; and

a detail view.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-based portal is adapted to allow development of new applications, modules, tools, or views.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sharing the data further comprises encrypting the data using a secure encryption technology.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing includes deploying the web-based portal on a computer system hosted by a third party.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-based portal is deployed on a framework for a plurality of applications.

14. A system for facilitating communication among a plurality of participants in an insurance-underwriting process, the system comprising:

one or more database server computer systems configured to provide a central data repository for storing and organizing data related to the insurance-underwriting process;

one or more application server computer system configured to provide a plurality of web-based applications hosted by the one or more application server computer systems, each of the plurality of web-based applications employing a consistent desktop visual metaphor having at least a business module menu portion, an active business module tool portion, and a toolbar; and

one or more web-server computer systems configured to provide a web-based portal to the participants in the insurance-underwriting process, the web-based portal providing each participant access to one or more of the plurality of web-based applications based on one or more attributes associated with the participant;

wherein the one or more web server computer systems are further configured to generate information configured for displaying the desktop visual metaphor associated with a selected web-based application in the plurality of web-based applications to a participant accessing the web-based portal from a client device based on one or more attributes associated with the participant, the desktop visual metaphor associated with the selected web-based application including;

a toolbar configured with one or more visual representations for each of one or more of a plurality of business modules associated with the selected web-based application that are accessible to the participant based on the one or more attributes associated with the participant, each of the plurality of business modules having a plurality of business logic tools,

a business module menu portion configured with one or more menu items for each of one or more of the plurality of business logic tools associated with a selected business module in the plurality of business modules that are accessible to the participant based on the one or more attributes associated with the participant, each of the plurality of business logic tools having a plurality of views configured for displaying data stored in the central data repository, and

an active business module tool portion configured with one or more of the plurality of views associated with an active business module tool in the plurality of business module tools that is accessible to the participant based on the one or more attributes associated with the participant;

wherein the plurality of participants comprises the participant, the participant being associated with at least one role, the at least one role being operative to determine the web-based applications, business plurality of modules, and business logic tools available to the participant and the data available to the participant, and

wherein the one or more server computer systems are adapted to restrict the business modules and data accessible to the at least one user based on said role.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the participant is selected from the group consisting of:

insurance carriers, insurance agencies, insurance agents, and service providers.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the participant is selected from the group consisting of:

agents and case managers.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the desktop visual metaphor associated with the selected web-based application includes at least one selectable icon operable to activate at least one corresponding business module.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of business modules are adapted to allow the plurality of web-based applications to be scalable.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of web-based applications comprises:

a participant profile module for managing profiles of participants of the web-based application;

a general administration module for handling administrative tasks pertaining to the web-based application; and

a business module for accomplishing tasks related to insurance underwriting or management.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of business logic tools of each of the plurality of business modules of each of the plurality of web-based applications comprises at least one generic tool and at least one entity-specific tool.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one generic tool is adapted to exist in more than one module with similar functionality.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of views comprises:

a summary view;

a list view; and

a detail view.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the web-based portal is adapted to allow development of new applications, modules, tools, or views.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the data is encrypted using a secure encryption technology.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the web-based portal is deployed on a portal hosted by a third party.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the web-based portal system is deployed on a framework for a plurality of applications.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for facilitating communication between at least two participants;

in an insurance-underwriting process, the computer-readable medium comprising;

instructions for providing a plurality of participants access to a central data repository via a web-based system for storing and organizing data related to the insurance-underwriting process;

instructions for storing and organizing data related to the insurance-underwriting process in the central data repository;

instructions for enabling collaboration among at least two participants of said participants from the plurality of participants via the Internet using the web-based system, the web-based system comprising a web-based portal providing each participant access to one or more of a plurality of web-based applications hosted by one or more application server computer systems based on one or more attributes associated with the participant, each of the plurality of web-based applications employing a consistent desktop visual metaphor having at least a business module menu portion, an active business module tool portion, and a toolbar;

instructions for sharing, via the web-based system, at least a portion of said data among the plurality of participants,

instructions for generating information configured for displaying the desktop visual metaphor associated with a selected web-based application in the plurality of web-based applications to a participant accessing the web-based portal from a client device based on a role associated with the participant, the desktop visual metaphor associated with the selected web-based application including;

a toolbar configured with one or more visual representations for each of one or more of a plurality of business modules associated with the selected web-based application that are accessible to the participant based on the role associated with the participant, each of the plurality of business modules having a plurality of business logic tools,

a business module menu portion configured with one or more menu items for each of one or more of the plurality of business logic tools associated with a selected business module in the plurality of business modules that are accessible to the participant based on the role associated with the participant, each of the plurality of business logic tools having a plurality of views configured for displaying data stored in the central data repository, and

an active business module tool portion configured with one or more of the plurality of views associated with an active business module tool in the plurality of business module tools that is accessible to the participant based on the role associated with the participant; and

instructions for restricting at least one of said plurality of business logic tools and a portion of said data accessible to the participant.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of web-based applications comprises:

a participant profile module for managing profiles of participants of the web-based application;

a general administration module for handling administrative tasks pertaining to the web-based application; and

a business module for accomplishing tasks related to insurance underwriting or management.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the plurality of business logic tools of each of the plurality of business modules of each of the plurality of web-based applications comprises at least one generic tool and at least one entity-specific tool.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions for restricting business modules accessible to the participant.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein said instructions for providing access to said web-based system include instructions for providing said desktop visual metaphor including at least one selectable icon operable to activate at least one corresponding business module.