System and method for ensuring accurate reimbursement for travel expenses
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
- store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number;
receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data;
parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a canceled status of the travel reservation, the canceled status reflecting that the travel reservation has been canceled;
parse the travel reservation record having a canceled status to identify a parsed reference number;
compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and
selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system, said selectively denying comprising issuing a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;
wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting a canceled status.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Expense Verification System (EVS) checks for fraud and errors in reimbursement requests. The EVS stores requests including reference numbers, and receives travel reservation records from a payment clearinghouse system. Each record includes a reference number and associated reservation data. The EVS selectively denies stored reimbursement requests as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record. Alternatively, the EVS selectively issues an alert as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record. Further, the EVS may parse a received reimbursement request to identify a respective reference number, compare the parsed reference number to the stored reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number, and deny the received reimbursement request if the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number. The EVS may store the received reimbursement request if the parsed reference number does not match a stored reference number.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a canceled status of the travel reservation, the canceled status reflecting that the travel reservation has been canceled; parse the travel reservation record having a canceled status to identify a parsed reference number; compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system, said selectively denying comprising issuing a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied; wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting a canceled status. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting an exchanged status of the travel reservation, the exchanged status reflecting that the travel reservation has been exchanged for another travel reservation; parse the travel reservation record having a canceled status to identify a parsed reference number; compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system, said selectively denying comprising issuing a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied; wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting an exchanged status.
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4. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a refunded status of the travel reservation, the refunded status reflecting that a payment for the travel reservation has been refunded; parse the travel reservation record having an refunded status to identify a parsed reference number; compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system, said selectively denying comprising issuing a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied; wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting a refunded status if a reimbursement payment has not already been issued to the traveler for the reimbursement request associated with the matching reference number. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; store in the memory a plurality of payment account identifiers for accounts owned by a company; parse the travel reservation record to identify an associated payment account identifier identifying a payment account used to pay for the travel reservation; parse the travel reservation record to identify a parsed reference number associated with the payment account identifier; compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system, said selectively denying comprising issuing a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied; wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number if the parsed payment account identifier matches a stored payment account identifier.
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7. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; store in the memory a plurality of payment account identifiers for accounts owned by a traveler; parse the travel reservation record to identify an associated payment account identifier identifying a payment account used to pay for the travel reservation; parse the travel reservation record to identify a parsed reference number associated with the payment account identifier; compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system, said selectively denying comprising issuing issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied; wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number if the parsed payment account identifier does not match a stored payment account identifier.
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8. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a used status of the travel reservation, the used status reflecting that the travel reservation has been used; parse the travel reservation record having a used status to identify a parsed reference number; compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; issue an alert as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system; and issue an exception alert triggering corrective action if the parsed reference number does not match a stored reference number.
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9. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; store in the memory a rule for determining an expiration date of a travel reservation as a function of a payment transaction date for the travel reservation; parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting an unused status of the travel reservation; parse the travel reservation record having an unused status to identify an associated payment transaction date; determine an associated expiration date for the travel reservation as a function of the parsed payment transaction date in accordance with the stored rule; selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system; and issue an exception alert triggering corrective action if the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number.
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10. A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
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store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number; receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a status of the travel reservation; and selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of the status identifier contained in the travel reservation record. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification