Communication exchanges and methods of use thereof

• US 8,930,482 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadridge Fluent Solutions LLC (Broadridge Financial Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Broadridge Fluent Solutions LLC (Broadridge Financial Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krugman, Robert, DeSchutter, Doug, Cottreau, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chirag R
• Application Number:
  US14/217,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

In some embodiments, the instant invention provides for a computer-implemented method that includes the following steps: administering, by a first specifically programmed computer system of a communications exchange, an electronic delivery of a first electronic distribution from a first sender to a first recipient, where the mediating includes: receiving from a first source of a plurality of sources, a first electronic distribution of the first sender, receiving from the first sender, a plurality of sender attributes of the first sender and a plurality of sender rules of the first sender that define how electronic distributions of the first sender to be delivered; receiving the plurality of recipient attributes of the first recipient and the plurality of recipient rules of the first recipient; matching the first electronic distribution of first sender to the first recipient; transmitting, the first electronic distribution of first sender to first channel of the first recipient.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

administering, by a first specifically programed computer system of a communications exchange, electronic delivery of a plurality of electronic distributions from a plurality of senders to a plurality of recipients, by allowing;

i) each sender to define to a particular source of a plurality of sources how particular electronic distributions of such sender to be delivered from the particular source of the plurality of sources, based on;

1) a plurality of sender attributes of such sender, and

2) a plurality of sender rules of such sender, and

ii) each recipient to define, for a particular sender, the communications exchange, or both, how such recipient receives particular electronic distributions directed to such recipient, based on;

1) a plurality of recipient attributes of such recipient and

2) a plurality of recipient rules of such recipient,

wherein the plurality of recipient attributes of such recipient and the plurality of recipient rules of such recipient identify at least the following;

1) a particular type of electronic distributions that such recipient desires to receive, and

2) a particular channel from a plurality of channels that such recipient desires to be utilized to deliver the particular type of electronic distributions addressed to such recipient

receiving, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, from at least one first source of a plurality of sources, at least one first electronic distribution of at least one first sender, wherein the at least one first electronic distribution is addressed to at least one first recipient;

wherein the at least one first source is a second computer-programmed electronic system that the at least one first sender utilizes;

wherein the receiving of the at least one first electronic distribution is in accordance with at least one first electronic exchange protocol defined between the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange and the second computer-programmed electronic system of the at least one first source;

wherein the at least one first electronic exchange protocol is based at least in part on;

i) a plurality of source attributes of the at least one first source,

ii) a plurality of source rules of the at least one first source,

iii) a plurality of exchange attributes of the communications exchange, and

iv) a plurality of exchange rules of the communications exchange;

receiving, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, from the at least one first source, a first plurality of sender attributes of the at least one first sender and a first plurality of sender rules of the at least one first sender that define how particular electronic distributions of the at least one first sender to be delivered;

receiving, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, from the plurality of channels, the plurality of recipient attributes of a plurality of recipients and the plurality of recipient rules of the plurality of recipients;

wherein each channel of the plurality of channels is a computer-programmed electronic system that communicates with the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange in accordance with at least one second electronic exchange protocol, being based at least in part on;

i) a plurality of channel attributes of such channel,

ii) a plurality of channel rules of such channel,

iii) the plurality of exchange attributes of the communications exchange, and

iv) the plurality of exchange rules of the communications exchange;

matching, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender to;

1) at least one first recipient of the plurality of recipients and

2) at least one first channel from the plurality of channels to deliver the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender;

wherein the matching is based on;

i) the first plurality of sender attributes of the at least one first sender,

ii) the first plurality of sender rules of the at least one first sender,

iii) a first plurality of recipient attributes of the at least one first recipient,

iv) a first plurality of recipient rules of the at least one first recipient,

v) the plurality of channel attributes of the plurality of channels, and

vi) the plurality of channel rules of the plurality of channels;

transmitting, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender to the at least one first channel associated with the at least one first recipient;

wherein the transmitting is based at least in part on the at least one second electronic exchange protocol of the at least one first channel;

wherein the at least one first channel is a third computer-programmed electronic system;

wherein the second computer-programmed electronic system of the at least one first source and the third computer-programmed electronic system of the at least one first channel are independent from;

     1) each other and

     2) the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first channel is selected from the group of:

i) secure electronic messaging system,

ii) a website, and

iii) a digital mail system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first source is selected from the group of:

secure electronic messaging system,

i) a website,

ii) a website, and

iii) a digital mail system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first recipient is selected from the group of:

i) an individual,

ii) an retail investor,

iii) an institutional investor, and

iv) an entity that is not a person.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recipient attributes are selected from the group of:

i) a piece of information to be used to verify identity of the at least first recipient, wherein the piece of information comprises at least one of the following;

1) first, last and middle name,

2) an organization name,

3) a physical address,

4) a date of birth,

5) a government identifier,

6) a telephone number, and

7) a bio-metrics credential,

ii) an email address, and

iii) an identity credential.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recipient rules are selected from the group of:

i) at least one legal consent rule regarding obtaining a legal consent to deliver regulatory information,

ii) at least one first channel rule set by sender,

iii) at least one second channel rule regarding document type, and

iv) at least one third channel rule regarding delivery time,

wherein the plurality of recipient rules are set to be permanent or to be followed during or for a pre-determined time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first sender is selected from the group of:

i) an individual,

ii) an individual investor,

iii) a financial organization, and

iv) an entity that is not a person.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sender attributes are selected from the group of:

i) a piece of information to be used to verify identity of the at least first recipient, wherein the piece of information comprises at least one of the following;

1) first, last and middle name,

2) an organization name,

3) a physical address,

4) a date of birth,

5) a government identifier,

6) a telephone number of the at least one first recipient,

7) a telephone number of the organization, and

8) a bio-metrics credential,

ii) identifying information of the at least one first senderto be displayed by the at least one first channel to the at least one recipient,

iii) at least one first sender identifier that is utilized to identify the at least one first sender to at least one of;

the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the at least one first source, the plural of the sources, the at least one first channel, the plurality of channels, and the at least one first recipient.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sender rules are selected from the group of:

i) at least one first sender rule identifying at least one channel supported by the at least one sender,

ii) at least one second sender rule identifying at least one characteristic to be used to identify the at least one channel supported by the at least one sender,

iii) at least one fourth sender rule identifying a legal consent language to be accepted by to the at least one first recipient,

iv) at least one fourth sender rule identifying how identity of the at least one first recipient to be verified, and

v) at least one fourth sender rule identifying how the plurality of recipient attributes of the at least one first recipient to be validated.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender is selected from the group of:

i) at least one advertising,

ii) at least one catalogue,

iii) at least one financial record statement,

iv) at least one trade confirmation,

v) at least one regulatory communication,

vi) a public company'"'"'s proxy, voting instruction form, or both,

vii) a mutual fund'"'"'s proxy, voting instruction form, or both,

viii) at least one initial public offering prospectus,

ix) at least one mutual fund prospectus,

x) at least one legal notice,

xi) at least one corporate notice,

xii) at least one government non-regulatory communication,

xiii) at least one certificate,

xiv) at least one trading instruction,

xv) at least one check,

xvi) at least one data element,

xvii) at least one image,

xviii) at least one video,

xix) at least one audio recording,

xx) at least one interactive application,

xxi) at least one letter or notice,

xxii) at least one standardized formatted message,

xxiii) at least one non-standard formatted message whose formatted has been mutually agreed upon the at least one first sender and the at least one first recipient); and

xxiv) at least one link to at least one of;

the at least one electronic document, the at least one data element, the at least one image, the at least one video, the at least one audio recording, and the at least one interactive application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following:

i) sharing, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the plurality of recipient attributes and the plurality of the recipients rules with the at least one first sender, at least one other sender of the plurality of senders, or the plurality of senders,

ii) applying, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the plurality of recipient attributes and the plurality of the recipients rules to deliver the at least one first electronic distribution received from the at least one first sender, without prior sharing the plurality of recipient attributes and the plurality of the recipients rules with the at least one first sender and the at least one first source, and

iii) applying, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the plurality of recipient attributes and the plurality of the recipients rules to deliver the at least one first electronic distribution received from the at least one first sender.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange receives the plurality of recipient attributes and the plurality of recipient rules from at least one of the following:

i) the at least one first sender, at least one other sender of the plurality of senders, or the plurality of senders, and

ii) the at least one first channel, at least one other channel of the plurality of channels, or the plurality of channels.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sender attributes and the plurality of sender rules are set by at least one of the following:

i) the at least one first sender, and

ii) the at least one first source, at least one other source of the plurality of sources, or the plurality of sources.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

notifying, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the at least one first sender that the delivery of the at least one first electronic distribution has failed.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, at least one relationship between the at least one first recipient and the at least one first sender, the plurality of senders, or both, based at least in part on the plurality of recipient attributes set by the at least one first recipient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the identifying the at least one relationship is further based on historical information about at least one of:

i) the at least one first recipient,

ii) the at least one first sender, and

iii) the plurality of senders.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

converting, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, the at least one first electronic distribution from a first format of the at least one first source to a second format of the at least one first channel.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, for the at least one first sender, at least one first report, identifying at least one of the following;

i) delivery information about successful delivery, failed delivery, or both,

ii) viewing information regarding whether has been viewed or not, and

iii) usage information regarding a utilization of the at least one first electronic distribution within the at least one first channel, the plurality f channels, or both.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, by the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange, at least one usage report for at least one of;

i) the at least one first source,

ii) the at least one first sender,

iii) the at least one first recipient, and

iv) the at least one first channel.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel rules comprises at least two of the following:

i) at least one first channel rule identifying at least one source supported by the at least one first channel,

ii) at least one second channel rule identifying at least one sender supported by the at least one first channel,

iii) at least one third channel rule identifying at least one distribution type supported by the at least one first channel,

iv) at least one fourth channel rule identifying at least one distribution format supported by the at least one first channel,

v) at least one fifth channel rule identifying at least one unassociated attribute supported by the at least one first channel, and

vi) at least one sixth channel rule identifying at least one unassociated rule supported by the at least one first channel.

21. A specifically programmed communications exchange, comprising:

at least one first specialized computer machine, comprising;

a non-transient memory having at least one region for storing particular computer executable program code; and

at least one processor for executing the particular program code stored in the memory, wherein the particular program code is configured so that the at least one first specialized computer machine is configured to at least perform the following operations;

administering electronic delivery of a plurality of electronic distributions from a plurality of senders to a plurality of recipients, by allowing;

i) each sender to define to a particular source of a plurality of sources how particular electronic distributions of such sender to be delivered from the particular source of the plurality of sources, based on;

1) a plurality of sender attributes of such sender, and

2) a plurality of sender rules of such sender, and

ii) each recipient to define, for a particular sender, the communications exchange, or both, how such recipient receives particular electronic distributions directed to such recipient, based on;

1) a plurality of recipient attributes of such recipient and

2) a plurality of recipient rules of such recipient,

wherein the plurality of recipient attributes of such recipient and the plurality of recipient rules of such recipient identify at least the following;

1) a particular type of electronic distributions that such recipient desires to receive, and

2) a particular channel from a plurality of channels that such recipient desires to be utilized to deliver the particular type of electronic distributions addressed to such recipient

receiving, from at least one first source of a plurality of sources, at least one first electronic distribution of at least one first sender, wherein the at least one first electronic distribution is addressed to at least one first recipient;

wherein the at least one first source is a second computer-programmed electronic system that the at least one first sender utilizes;

wherein the receiving of the at least one first electronic distribution is in accordance with at least one first electronic exchange protocol defined between the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange and the second computer-programmed electronic system of the at least one first source;

wherein the at least one first electronic exchange protocol is based at least in part on;

i) a plurality of source attributes of the at least one first source,

ii) a plurality of source rules of the at least one first source,

iii) a plurality of exchange attributes of the communications exchange, and

iv) a plurality of exchange rules of the communications exchange;

receiving, from the at least one first source, a first plurality of sender attributes of the at least one first sender and a first plurality of sender rules of the at least one first sender that define how particular electronic distributions of the at least one first sender to be delivered;

receiving, from the plurality of channels, the plurality of recipient attributes of a plurality of recipients and the plurality of recipient rules of the plurality of recipients;

wherein each channel of the plurality of channels is a computer-programmed electronic system that communicates with the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange in accordance with at least one second electronic exchange protocol, being based at least in part on;

i) a plurality of channel attributes of such channel,

ii) a plurality of channel rules of such channel,

iii) the plurality of exchange attributes of the communications exchange, and

iv) the plurality of exchange rules of the communications exchange;

matching the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender to;

1) at least one first recipient of the plurality of recipients and

2) at least one first channel from the plurality of channels to deliver the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender;

wherein the matching is based on;

i) the first plurality of sender attributes of the at least one first sender,

ii) the first plurality of sender rules of the at least one first sender,

iii) a first plurality of recipient attributes of the at least one first recipient,

iv) a first plurality of recipient rules of the at least one first recipient,

v) the plurality of channel attributes of the plurality of channels, and

vi) the plurality of channel rules of the plurality of channels;

transmitting the at least one first electronic distribution of the at least one first sender to the at least one first channel associated with the at least one first recipient;

wherein the transmitting is based at least in part on the at least one second electronic exchange protocol of the at least one first channel;

wherein the at least one first channel is a third computer-programmed electronic system;

wherein the second computer-programmed electronic system of the at least one first source and the third computer-programmed electronic system of the at least one first channel are independent from;

     1) each other and

     2) the first specifically programed computer system of the communications exchange.