Configuring processing relationships among entities of an organization

• US 7,693,844 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation (DXC Technology Company)
• Inventors: Doughty, Steven G., Bobbitt, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/699,036
• Time in Patent Office: 3,448 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/1, 705/5, 705/35, 705/44, 707/100, 707/103.R, 707/1, 707/102, 715/513, 715/533, 711/216, 711/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system, method and carrier medium for configuring processing relationships among entities of a Financial Service Organization (FSO). The system, method and carrier medium may be used for processing and reporting FSO business data including transactional data. A business structure, which may include the processing relationship between various entities of the FSO, may be defined. A processing relationship configuration program may be used to create a processing relationship structure. A node may be created and uniquely defined to represent an FSO physical entity and/or an FSO function. Nodes structures may be defined to correspond to the processing relationship structure within an FSO. A node number may uniquely identify a node instance in the processing relationship structure. An FSO database table may be used to store the a processing relationship structure information. FSO transactions, such as executing a report, may be generated based on the defined processing relationship structure.

Claims

1. A method for processing Financial Service Organization (FSO) transactions, comprising:

displaying at least two processing relationship object representations on a display screen in data communication with a Financial Service Organization (FSO) computer system comprising a database;

creating a model of an FSO comprising a plurality of processing relationship software objects, wherein creating the model of the FSO comprises;

selecting at least two processing relationship object representations from the displayed processing relationship object representations; and

preparing a processing relationship definition for at least two of the selected processing relationship object representations, wherein preparing the processing relationship definitions includes;

creating a highest level processing relationship object in a processing relationship structure, wherein the highest level processing relationship object represents an FSO; and

creating a plurality of lower level processing relationship objects in the processing relationship structure, wherein the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects in the processing relationship structure are descendents of the highest level processing relationship object, wherein one or more of the lower level processing relationship objects represents an FSO physical entity that has a physical presence or manifestation, wherein the FSO physical entity is a bank branch office or a bank regional office, wherein one or more of the other lower level processing relationship objects represents a functional area, wherein the functional area is a credit card issuer or an acquirer of credit card payments;

storing each processing relationship definition in the database; and

the FSO computer system processing a credit card transaction using at least one processing relationship definition of the prepared processing relationship definitions, wherein the at least one processing relationship definition includes at least one lower level relationship object representing the FSO physical entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each processing relationship definition stored in the database is configured for use in preparing a processing relationship value from Financial Services Organization (FSO) transaction-related data in the FSO computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing relationship value is configured for use in identifying an FSO business entity as an owner of the FSO transaction-related data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing relationship value is configured for use in identifying an FSO business entity as an owner of the FSO transaction-related data, wherein the FSO business entity is a bank branch office or a regional bank or a credit card line or an issuer or an acquirer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting one or more processing relationship object representations is performed by a user of the FSO computer system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting one or more processing relationship object representations is programmable or executable by an expert system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing the processing relationship definition in the database comprises transferring the processing relationship definition to a report record definition stored in the database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing relationship structure is expanded by inserting one or more processing relationship objects as descendants of the highest level processing relationship object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing relationship structure is edited by inserting or deleting one or more processing relationship objects.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying one or more processing relationship object representations on a display screen comprises displaying values associated with a sequence number for at least one of the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects and a level number for the at least one lower level processing relationship object, wherein the level number identifies a level in the processing relationship structure.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying one or more processing relationship object representations on a display screen comprises displaying values associated with an object name, an object description and an object number for a displayed processing relationship object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the object name identifies a unique name assigned to an object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is relational or object oriented.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting a first processing relationship object representation from one or more processing relationship object representations comprises positioning a cursor of an user input device above the first processing relationship object representation and clicking a button of the user input device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparing a processing relationship definition comprises creating or editing an object associated with each of the selected processing relationship object representations.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the creating the object comprises identifying one or more values and one or more properties.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparing a processing relationship definition comprises identifying one or more properties of an object associated with each of the selected processing relationship object representations.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing relationship object representations comprises an icon displayed on the display screen of the FSO computer system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein a user of the FSO computer system executes a processing relationship configuration program to prepare the processing relationship definition.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the user of FSO computer system executes a processing relationship configuration program to reconfigure and store in the database the processing relationship definition in response to changing business conditions.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects comprises a credit card issuer object representing a credit card issuer and an acquirer object representing an acquirer, and wherein each of the credit card issuer object and the acquirer object has one or more descendent processing relationship objects.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more descendent processing relationship objects is a descendent of at least two precedent processing relationship objects, and wherein the at least two precedent processing relationship objects are at the same level in the processing relationship structure.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more descendent processing relationship objects represents a credit card issuer or an acquirer.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more descendent processing relationship objects represents a bank branch.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the at least two processing relationship object representations comprises displaying a row for each of at least two processing relationship objects, wherein each of the rows comprises an object identifier and a level number, wherein the descendants of each object appear directly below that object.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the processing relationship structure is expanded by inserting one or more rows until a processing relationship structure has been fully defined.

27. A system for processing FSO transactions, the system comprising:

a computer program; and

a computer system, wherein the computer program is executable on the computer system to execute;

displaying at least two processing relationship object representations on a display screen in data communication with a Financial Service Organization (FSO) computer system comprising a database;

creating a model of an FSO comprising a plurality of processing relationship software objects, wherein creating the model of the FSO comprises;

selecting at least two processing relationship object representations from the displayed processing relationship object representations; and

preparing a processing relationship definition for at least two of the selected processing relationship object representations, wherein preparing the processing relationship definitions comprises;

creating a highest level processing relationship object in a processing relationship structure, wherein the highest level processing relationship object represents an FSO; and

creating a plurality of lower level processing relationship objects in the processing relationship structure, wherein the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects in the processing relationship structure are descendents of the highest level processing relationship object, wherein one or more of the lower level processing relationship objects represents an FSO physical entity that has a physical presence or manifestation, wherein the FSO physical entity is a bank branch office or a bank regional office, wherein one or more of the other lower level processing relationship objects represents a functional area, wherein the functional area is a credit card issuer or an acquirer of credit card payments;

storing each processing relationship definition in the database; and

processing a credit card transaction using at least one processing relationship definition of the prepared processing relationship definitions, wherein the at least one processing relationship definition includes at least one lower level processing relationship object representing the FSO physical entity.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each processing relationship definition stored in the database is configured for use in preparing a processing relationship value from Financial Services Organization (FSO) transaction-related data in the FSO computer system.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the processing relationship value is configured for use in identifying an FSO business entity as an owner of the FSO transaction-related data.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing relationship value is configured for use in identifying an FSO business entity as an owner of the FSO transaction-related data, wherein the FSO business entity is a bank branch office or a regional bank or a credit card line or an issuer or an acquirer.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the selecting one or more processing relationship object representations is performed by a user of the FSO computer system.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the selecting one or more processing relationship object representations is programmable or executable by an expert system.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the storing the processing relationship definition in the database comprises transferring the processing relationship definition to a report record definition stored in the database.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the processing relationship structure is expanded by inserting one or more processing relationship objects as descendents of the highest level processing relationship object.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the processing relationship structure is edited by inserting or deleting one or more processing relationship objects.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the displaying one or more processing relationship object representations on a display screen comprises displaying values associated with a sequence number for at least one of the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects and a level number for the at least one lower level processing relationship object, wherein the level number identifies a level in the processing relationship structure.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the displaying one or more processing relationship object representations on a display screen comprises displaying values associated with an object name, an object description and an object number for a displayed processing relationship object.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the object name identifies a unique name assigned to an object.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein the database is relational or object oriented.

40. The system of claim 27, wherein the selecting a first processing relationship object representation from one or more processing relationship object representations comprises positioning a cursor of an user input device above the first processing relationship object representation and clicking a button of the user input device.

41. The system of claim 27, wherein the preparing a processing relationship definition comprises creating or editing an object associated with each of the selected processing relationship object representations.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the creating the object comprises identifying one or more values and one or more properties.

43. The system of claim 27, wherein the preparing a processing relationship definition comprises identifying one or more properties of an object associated with each of the selected processing relationship object representations.

44. The system of claim 27, wherein the processing relationship object representations comprises an icon displayed on the display screen of the FSO computer system.

45. The system of claim 27, wherein a user of the FSO computer system executes a processing relationship configuration program to prepare the processing relationship definition.

46. The system of claim 27, wherein the user of FSO computer system executes a processing relationship configuration program to reconfigure and store in the database the processing relationship definition in response to changing business conditions.

47. The system of claim 27, wherein the computer system comprises a display device coupled to the computer system to display data.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the display device is a display screen.

49. The system of claim 27, wherein the computer system comprises a user input device coupled to the computer system to enter data.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the user input device is a mouse or a keyboard.

51. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer system to implement:

displaying at least two processing relationship object representations on a display screen in data communication with a Financial Service Organization (FSO) computer system comprising a database;

creating a model of an FSO comprising a plurality of processing relationship software objects, wherein creating the model of the FSO comprises;

selecting at least two processing relationship object representations from the displayed processing relationship object representations; and

preparing a processing relationship definition for at least two of the selected one or more processing relationship object representations, wherein preparing the processing relationship definitions comprises;

creating a highest level processing relationship object in a processing relationship structure, wherein the highest level processing relationship object represents an FSO; and

creating a plurality of lower level processing relationship objects in the processing relationship structure, wherein the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects in the processing relationship structure are descendents of the highest level processing relationship object, wherein one or more of the lower level processing relationship objects represents an FSO physical entity that has a physical presence or manifestation, wherein the FSO physical entity is a bank branch office or a bank regional office, wherein one or more of the other lower level processing relationship objects represents a functional area, wherein the functional area is a credit card issuer or an acquirer of credit card payments;

storing each processing relationship definition in the database; and

processing a credit card transaction using at least one processing relationship definition of the prepared processing relationship definitions, wherein the at least one processing relationship definition includes at least one lower level processing relationship object representing the FSO physical entity.

52. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein each processing relationship definition stored in the database is configured for use in preparing a processing relationship value from Financial Services Organization (FSO) transaction-related data in the FSO computer system.

53. The computer readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein the processing relationship value is configured for use in identifying an FSO business entity as an owner of the FSO transaction-related data.

54. The computer readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein the processing relationship value is configured for use in identifying an FSO business entity as an owner of the FSO transaction-related data, wherein the FSO business entity is a bank branch office or a regional bank or a credit card line or an issuer or an acquirer.

55. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the selecting one or more processing relationship object representations is performed by a user of the FSO computer system.

56. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the selecting one or more processing relationship object representations is programmable or executable by an expert system.

57. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the storing the processing relationship definition in the database comprises transferring the processing relationship definition to a report record definition stored in the database.

58. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the processing relationship structure is expanded by inserting one or more processing relationship objects as descendents of the highest level processing relationship object.

59. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the processing relationship structure is edited by inserting or deleting one or more processing relationship objects.

60. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the displaying one or more processing relationship object representations on a display screen comprises displaying values associated with a sequence number for at least one of the plurality of lower level processing relationship objects and a level number for the at least one lower level processing relationship object, wherein the level number identifies a level in the processing relationship structure.

61. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the displaying one or more processing relationship object representations on a display screen comprises displaying values associated with an object name, an object description and an object number for a displayed processing relationship object.

62. The computer readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein the object name identifies a unique name assigned to an object.

63. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the database is relational or object oriented.

64. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the selecting a first processing relationship object representation from one or more processing relationship object representations comprises positioning a cursor of an user input device above the first processing relationship object representation and clicking a button of the user input device.

65. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the preparing a processing relationship definition comprises creating or editing an object associated with each of the selected processing relationship object representations.

66. The computer readable storage medium of claim 65, wherein the creating the object comprises identifying one or more values and one or more properties.

67. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the preparing a processing relationship definition comprises identifying one or more properties of an object associated with each of the selected processing relationship object representations.

68. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the processing relationship object representations comprises an icon displayed on the display screen of the FSO computer system.

69. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein a user of the FSO computer system executes a processing relationship configuration program to prepare the processing relationship definition.

70. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the user of FSO computer system executes a processing relationship configuration program to reconfigure and store in the database the processing relationship definition in response to changing business conditions.