Method and system for communicating and matching electronic files for financial transactions

• US 6,990,224 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (Federal Reserve System)
• Original Assignee: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Federal Reserve System)
• Inventors: McPherson, Bruce Allen, Warren, Joel Edward, McCabe, Kevin Jude, Oursbourn, Danny Shawn, Niemi, Marilee Jean, Guilbeau, Hugh Francis Jr., Moore, David James, Kumar, Gopa, Rasche, Cynthia Lynne, Beatse, Reed Avon, Becker, Jeremy Philip, Costello, Thomas Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): AHMED, SAMIR ANWAR
• Application Number:
  US10/439,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/39, 705/45, 705/24, 705 64- 79, 235/375, 235/379, 235/383, 235/385, 382/137, 382/218, 382/229
• US Class Current: 382/137
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Communicating and matching electronic files for a check adjustment case comprises communicating an electronic check adjustment message comprising key data relating to the case, communicating an electronic image of a document to follow (“DTF”) related to the case, associating the key data with the electronic DTF image, determining whether the electronic message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the electronic DTF image, and linking the electronic message to the electronic DTF image in response to a determination that the electronic message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the electronic DTF image. If the DTF image'"'"'s key data does not match the message'"'"'s key data, matching electronic files can comprise correcting errors in the key data associated with the electronic DTF image and performing a secondary match routine. An operator accesses the electronic message and the linked DTF image to resolve the check adjustment case.

Claims

1. A method for communicating and matching electronic files for a check adjustment case, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic check adjustment text message comprising key data relating to a check adjustment case;

receiving an electronic file comprising an image of a document to follow (“

DTF”

) associated with the key data relating to the check adjustment case, wherein said step of receiving an electronic file comprises the steps of

receiving a cover page comprising the key data,

receiving the image of the DTF,

creating an electronic text file comprising the key data from the cover page,

creating an electronic DTF image file comprising the image of the DTF, and

associating the electronic text file with the electronic DTF image file;

determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the image of the DTF by determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data in the electronic text file; and

linking the text message to the image of the DTF in response to a determination that the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the image of the DTF.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning a check adjustment case number to the text message,

wherein said linking step comprises associating the case number assigned to the text message with the image of the DTF.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cover page is a facsimile cover page, and

wherein the image of the DTF is a facsimile image of the DTF.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said associating step comprises creating an index table that associates the key data from the text file with the DTF image file.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of accessing the linked text message and the image of the DTF to resolve the check adjustment case.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the key data related to the check adjustment case comprises at least one data element selected from the group consisting of a routing number of an agency requesting the cheek adjustment case, a check adjustment amount, an internal reference number assigned by the requesting agency, an investigation type, and a cash letter date.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of assigning a unique reference number to the DTF image file,

wherein said linking step further comprises associating the unique reference number assigned to the DTF image file with the text message.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of accessing the DTF image file through the association provided by the unique reference number assigned to the DTF image file and associated with the text message.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

3. A method for communicating and matching electronic files for a check adjustment case, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic check adjustment text message comprising key data relating to a check adjustment case;

receiving an electronic file comprising an image of a document to follow (“

DTE”

) associated with the key data relating to the check adjustment case;

determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the image of the DTF;

correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the DTF and performing a secondary match routine to determine whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the corrected key data, in response to a determination that the key data associated with the image of the DTF does not match the text message'"'"'s key data; and

linking the text message to the image of the DTF in response to a determination that the corrected key data matches the text message'"'"'s key data.

33. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the DTF comprises treating groups of characters in the key data as the same character.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the groups of characters treated as the same character comprise (a) 1, {, }, [, ], |, I, i, L, l, !;

(b) 2, Z, z;

(c) G, C, c;

(d) 0, O, o;

(e) B, 8; and

(f) S, s, $, 5.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the DTF further comprises removing characters other than letters and numbers from the key data.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the DTF further comprises determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the DTF, and reducing the longer field to equal the shorter field in response to a determination that the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the DTF.

37. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the DTF further comprises converting letters in the key data to a common case.

38. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the DTF further comprises:

removing characters other than letters and numbers from the key data;

removing spaces from the key data;

determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the DTF, and reducing the longer field to equal the shorter field in response to a determination that the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the DTF; and

converting letters in the key data to a common case.

11. A method for communicating and matching electronic files for a transaction, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic text message comprising key data relating to a transaction;

receiving an electronic file comprising an image of a document associated with the key data relating to the transaction, wherein said step of receiving an electronic file comprises the steps of

receiving a cover page comprising the key data,

receiving the image of the document,

creating an electronic text file comprising the key data from the cover page,

creating an electronic document image file comprising the image of the document, and

associating the electronic text file with the electronic document image file;

determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the image of the document by determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data in the electronic text file; and

linking the text message to the image of the document in response to a determination that the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the image of the document.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of assigning a transaction reference number to the text message,

wherein said linking step comprises associating the reference number assigned to the text message with the image of the document.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the cover page is a facsimile cover page and the image of the document is a facsimile image.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said associating step comprises creating an index table that associates the key data from the text file with the document image file.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of accessing the linked text message and document image file to resolve the transaction.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of assigning a unique reference number to the document image file,

wherein said linking step further comprises associating the unique reference number assigned to the document image file with the text message.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of accessing the document image file through the association provided by the unique reference number assigned to the document image file and associated with the text message.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the transaction comprises a check adjustment case.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 11.

13. A method for communicating and matching electronic files for a transaction, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic text message comprising key data relating to a transaction;

receiving an electronic file comprising an image of a document associated with the key data relating to the transaction;

determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data associated with the image of the document;

correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the document and performing a secondary match routine to determine whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the corrected key data, in response to a determination that the key data associated with the image of the document does not match the text message'"'"'s key data; and

linking the text message to the image of the document in response to a determination that the corrected key data matches the text message'"'"'s key data.

39. The method according to claim 13, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the document comprises treating groups of characters in the key data as the same character.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the groups of characters treated as the same character comprise (a) 1, {, }, [, ], |I, i, L, l, I;

(b) 2, Z, z;

(c) G, C, c;

(d) 0, O, o;

(e) B, 8; and

(f) S, s, $, 5.

41. The method according to claim 39, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the document further comprises removing spaces from the key data.

42. The method according to claim 39, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the document further comprises determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the document, and reducing the longer field to equal the shorter field in response to a determination that the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the document.

43. The method according to claim 39, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the document further comprises converting letters in the key data to a common case.

44. The method according to claim 39, wherein said step of correcting errors in the key data associated with the image of the document further comprises:

removing characters other than letters and numbers from the key data;

removing spaces from the key data;

determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the document, and reducing the longer field to equal the shorter field in response to a determination that the text message'"'"'s key data comprises a different field length than the key data associated with the image of the document; and

converting letters in the key data to a common case.

21. A method for communicating and matching electronic files for a check adjustment case, comprising the steps of:

communicating an electronic check adjustment text message comprising key data relating to a check adjustment case;

communicating an electronic image of a document to follow (“

DTF”

) associated with the key data relating to the check adjustment case, wherein said step of communicating an electronic image of a DRF comprises the steps of communicating a cover page comprising the key data and communicating the image of the DTF;

creating an electronic text file comprising the key data from the cover page;

creating an electronic DTF image file comprising the image of the DTF;

associating the electronic text file with the electronic DTF image file;

determining whether the electronic text message'"'"'s key data matches the electronic DTF image'"'"'s key data by determining whether the text message'"'"'s key data matches the key data in the electronic text file; and

linking the electronic text message to the electronic DTF image in response to a determination that the electronic text message'"'"'s key data matches the electronic DTF image'"'"'s key data.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of accessing the linked electronic text message and electronic DTF image to resolve the check adjustment case.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the key data relating to the check adjustment case comprises a routing number of an agency requesting the check adjustment case, a check adjustment amount, an internal reference number assigned by the requesting agency, an investigation type, and a cash letter date.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of assigning a check adjustment case number to the text message,

wherein said linking step comprises associating the case number assigned to the text message with the DTF image.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the cover page comprises a facsimile cover page, and the image of the DTF comprises a facsimile image.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said associating step comprises creating an index table that associates the key data from the text file with the DTF image file.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of accessing the linked text message and DTF image file to resolve the check adjustment case.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the key data related to the check adjustment case comprises at least one data element selected from the group consisting of a routing number of an agency requesting the check adjustment case, a check adjustment amount, an internal reference number assigned by the requesting agency, an investigation type, and a cash letter date.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of assigning a unique reference number to the DTF image file,

wherein said linking step further comprises associating the unique reference number assigned to the DTF image file with the text message.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising the step of accessing the DTF image file through the association provided by the unique reference number assigned to the DTF image file and associated with the text message.

32. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 21.

25. A method for communicating and matching electronic files for a check adjustment case, comprising the steps of:

communicating an electronic check adjustment text message comprising key data relating to a check adjustment case;

communicating an electronic image of a document to follow (“

DTF”

) associated with the key data relating to the check adjustment case;

determining whether the electronic text message'"'"'s key data matches the electronic DTF image'"'"'s key data;

correcting errors in the key data associated with the DTF image and performing a secondary match routine to determine whether the DTF image'"'"'s corrected key data matches the text message'"'"'s key data, in response to a determination that the DTF image'"'"'s key data does not match the text message'"'"'s key data; and

linking the text message to the DTF image in response to a determination that the DTF image'"'"'s corrected key data matches the text message'"'"'s key data.