Single access point for filing of converted electronic forms to multiple processing entities

• US 7,669,116 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Matles, Robert, Lopata, Iain, Gilliland, Scott, Retna, San, Pitman, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries; Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; MaiKhanh
• Application Number:
  US10/107,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,891 Days
• Field of Search: 715/517, 715/507, 715/500.1, 715/501.1, 715/506, 715/508, 715/221, 715/222, 715/224, 715/225, 715/226, 715/234, 715/733, 715/760, 715/200, 715/201, 715/205, 715/210, 715/229, 715/249, 715/255, 715/256, 715/265, 715/273, 715/744, 715/746, 705/26, 705/27, 707/10, 707/100, 707 1- 4, 707/6, 707/7, 707/101, 707/103.R, 707/200, 703/217, 709201-203, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 715/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods for efficiently publishing electronic versions of traditionally paper-based government forms and utilizing the electronic forms for web-based transactional services are disclosed. Standard paper-based government forms are automatically converted to XML format, including data fields for entry of information by customers. Multiple electronic forms are accessible to the customer at a single access point, such as a web site. At the web site, the customer selects a form for filing with any of a plurality of government agencies. When presented to the customer, the selected form is presented with some of its data fields being pre-populated according to information retrieved from a database and specific to that customer. The customer completes the form, and a back-end system integrated with the web site handles the completed form, determines the appropriate government agency for filing the form, and transmits it as a transaction to the determined government agency.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable program instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for automating the entry of information into a database and transmittal of the information to at least one of a plurality of government agencies, the method comprising:

selecting at least one of a plurality of applications requiring a form to be filed with the at least one of a plurality of government agencies;

converting a blank paper form to a blank computer form, the blank computer form having data entry areas that correspond to each separate area on the blank paper form without having to individually code each data entry area in the blank computer form, the blank computer form having identifiers related to the at least one of a plurality of applications;

accessing the blank computer form through any one of a plurality of access points, wherein each of the plurality of access points corresponding to a link on a unique website corresponding to the one of the plurality of government agencies operably coupled to the database wherein the link accesses the database;

presenting the blank computer form to a user for completion on a screen;

allowing the user to enter the information in the data entry areas on the blank computer form to provide a completed computer form;

storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database;

identifying the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form, wherein the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form is identified using software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency; and

transmitting the completed computer form to all identified government agencies, wherein the government agencies are identified using the software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency,

wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of application for state sales and use tax, application for insurance, application for workforce development, application for electronic child support, application for integrated police management, application for paperless courts, application for offender transportation logistics, application for higher education electronic services, application for on-line training, application for budgeting and financial analysis, and application for withholding tax.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

saving information previously entered by the user in the database;

identifying the user; and

automatically populating at least one of the data entry areas with information from the database.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an electronic document from the user; and

attaching the electronic document to the computer form.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a digital signature from the user; and

attaching the digital signature to the computer form.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer form includes an XML document.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer form is posted and displayed on a Web site.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen is part of a client computer, the blank computer form and database are associated with a server computer, and the client computer and the server computer communicate through a computer network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the computer network includes the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the database accessible by the software stores a plurality of associations between the computer form and the plurality of government agencies.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein data mapping software converts the completed computer form information to a data format required by the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form information.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable program instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for automating the entry of information into a database and transmittal of the information to at least one of a plurality of government agencies, the method comprising:

selecting at least one of a plurality of applications requiring a form to be filed with the at least one of a plurality of government agencies;

accessing a blank computer form through any one of a plurality of access points, wherein each of the plurality of access points corresponding to a link on a unique website corresponding to the one of the plurality of government agencies operably coupled to the database wherein the link accesses the database;

presenting the blank computer form to a user for completion, the blank computer form having been electronically converted from a blank paper form and visually representing the blank paper form including a plurality of data entry areas that correspond to a plurality of separate areas for entering information on the paper form, wherein the blank computer form was automatically converted from the blank paper form without having to individually code each of the plurality of data entry areas, the blank computer form having identifiers related to at least one of a plurality of applications;

receiving information from the user in the data entry areas on the blank computer form to provide a completed computer form;

storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database;

identifying the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form wherein the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form is identified using software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency; and

transmitting the completed computer form to all identified government agencies, wherein the government agencies are identified using the software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency,

wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of application for state sales and use tax, application for insurance, application for workforce development, application for electronic child support, application for integrated police management, application for paperless courts, application for offender transportation logistics, application for higher education electronic services, application for on-line training, application for budgeting and financial analysis, and application for withholding tax.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

saving information previously entered by the user in the database;

identifying the user; and

automatically populating at least one of the data entry areas with information from the database.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving an electronic document from the user; and

attaching the electronic document to the computer form.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a digital signature from the user; and

attaching the digital signature to the computer form.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the database accessible by the software stores a plurality of associations between the computer form and the plurality of government agencies.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein data mapping software converts the completed computer form information to a data format required by the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form information.

17. A computer for automating the entry of information into a database and transmittal of the information to at least one of a plurality of government agencies, comprising:

a computer processor configured for receiving a user selection of at least one of a plurality of applications requiring a form to be filed with the at least one of a plurality of government agencies, and converting a blank paper form to a blank computer form, the blank computer form having data entry areas that correspond to each separate area on the blank paper form, wherein the computer processor is operably coupled to a plurality of access points each corresponding to a link on a unique website corresponding to the one of a plurality of government agencies operably coupled to the database wherein the link accesses the database and wherein the computer form is accessible from any of the access points and the blank computer form having identifiers related to at least one of a plurality of applications;

a computer screen for displaying the blank computer form to the user;

a computer peripheral data entry device for entering information in the plurality of data fields to generate a completed computer form; and

the computer processor further configured to identify the at least one of a plurality of government, agencies for receiving the completed computer form, send the entered information to the database for storage, and transmit the completed computer form to all identified government agencies, wherein the at least one of a plurality of government agencies for receiving the completed computer form is identified using software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency,

wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of application for state sales and use tax, application for insurance, application for workforce development, application for electronic child support, application for integrated police management, application for paperless courts, application for offender transportation logistics, application for higher education electronic services, application for on-line training, application for budgeting and financial analysis, and application for withholding tax.

18. The computer of claim 17 wherein the database is remote from the computer and in communication with the computer processor through the Internet.

19. The computer of claim 17 further comprising:

a computer storage device for storing a plurality of associations between computer forms and appropriate government agencies for processing completed versions of the computer forms;

the computer processor also operable for accessing the computer storage device and according to the stored associations selecting, from a plurality of government agencies, an appropriate government agency to process the selected computer form; and

the computer processor also operable for transmitting the entered information to the identified appropriate government agency.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the database accessible by the software stores the plurality of associations between the computer form and the plurality of government agencies.

21. The computer system of claim 17 wherein data mapping software converts the completed computer form information to a data format required by the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form information.

22. A computer system including at least one processor for automating the entry of information into a database and transmittal of the information to at least one of a plurality of government agencies, comprising:

a server computer adapted to automatically convert a blank paper form to a blank computer form that includes a data entry area that corresponds to each separate area on the paper form without having to individually code each data entry area in the computer form, the blank computer forms having identifiers related to at least one of a plurality of applications;

a client computer adapted to allow a user to select at least one of a plurality of applications requiring a form to be filed with the at least one of a plurality of government agencies, access the blank computer form through any one of a plurality of access points, wherein each of the plurality of access points corresponding to a link on a unique website corresponding to the one of the plurality of government agencies operably coupled to the database wherein the link accesses the database, and present the blank computer form to the user for completion on a screen;

a computer peripheral data entry device operatively connected to the client computer, and adapted to allow the user to enter the information in the data entry areas on the blank computer form to provide a completed computer form;

the server computer is further adapted to identify which of the at least one of a plurality of government agencies should receive the completed computer form, store the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database, and transmit the completed computer form to all identified government agencies, wherein the at least one of a plurality of government agencies which should receive the completed computer form is identified using software that determines the appropriate at least on government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency,

wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of application for state sales and use tax, application for insurance, application for workforce development, application for electronic child support, application for integrated police management, application for paperless courts, application for offender transportation logistics, application for higher education electronic services, application for on-line training, application for budgeting and financial analysis, and application for withholding tax.

23. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the database accessible by the software stores a plurality of associations between the computer form and the plurality of government agencies.

24. The computer system of claim 22 wherein data mapping software converts the completed computer form information to a data format required by the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form information.

25. A computer system including at least one processor for automating the entry of information into a database and transmittal of the information to at least one of a plurality of government agencies, comprising:

a server computer adapted to automatically convert a blank paper form to a blank computer form that includes a plurality of data entry areas that correspond to each separate area on the paper form without having to individually code each data entry area in the computer form, the blank computer forms having identifiers related to at least one of a plurality of applications;

a data transmission means for allowing a user to select at least one of a plurality applications requiring a form to be filed with at the least one of a plurality of government agencies, accessing the blank computer form through any one of a plurality of access points, wherein each of the plurality of access points corresponding to a link on a unique website corresponding to the one of the plurality of government agencies operably coupled to the database wherein the link accesses the database, and transmitting the related blank computer form to a user for completion by entering data into the plurality of data entry areas to provide a completed computer form;

a data receiving means for receiving the entered data from the user;

a means for identifying which of the at least one of a plurality of government agencies should receive the completed computer form, wherein the at least one of a plurality of government agencies which should receive the completed computer form is identified using software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency;

the server computer further adapted to store the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database and transmit the completed computer form to all identified government agencies, wherein the government agencies are identified using the software that determines the appropriate at least one government agency by accessing associations between stored forms and the at least one government agency and determines the proper format for information contained in the computer form based on the requirements of the at least one government agency,

wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of application for state sales and use tax, application for insurance, application for workforce development, application for electronic child support, application for integrated police management, application for paperless courts, application for offender transportation logistics, application for higher education electronic services, application for on-line training, application for budgeting and financial analysis, and application for withholding tax.

26. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the database accessible by the software stores a plurality of associations between the computer form and the plurality of government agencies.

27. The computer system of claim 25 wherein data mapping software converts the completed computer form information to a data format required by the at least one of a plurality of government agencies that should receive the completed computer form information.