Communication point usage scheduling

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, an architecture is provided for a data processing system that processes data for a service provider itself or a client of a service provider as in the case of a third party processor. The elements of the architecture can be managed separately. For example, the architecture can be organized around eight subject areas, such as account, party, communication point, presentation instrument, rules, balances, transactions, and product. Relationships between each of the subject areas as well as between sub-types of each subject area can be established to provide flexibility in the management of the data.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A method of storing data for communicating with a party over different time periods, the method comprising: 
 storing data identifying a party as a separate set of data;    storing data identifying a plurality of communication points as separate sets of data, wherein, 
 each communication point comprises a physical or virtual contact point where communications are received; and  
 the plurality of communications points include a first communication point and a second communication point;  
   linking the set of data identifying the party with the set of data identifying the first communication point, comprising a first link;    linking the set of data identifying the party with the set of data identifying the second communication point, comprising a second link; and    providing a first effective time period for the first link and a second effective time period for the second link,    wherein each separate set of data comprises data which is independent from other separate sets of data.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of communications points comprises a selection from the group consisting of a geographic address, an email address, an electronic address, a telephone number, a fax number, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first communication point comprises a geographic address and the second communication point comprises an email address.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 storing data identifying an account as a separate set of data, wherein the first link and the second link are further associated with the set of data identifying the account.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first link and the second link are associated with the set of data identifying the account via an account party role relationship.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each effective time period is based on a subset of a calendar year, and the each effective time period recurs annually.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first effective time period comprises an effective end date, and the second effective period comprises an effective begin date.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first effective time period comprises a finite period of time, and the second effective period comprises a time period of indefinite duration.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 assigning a first identifier to the set of data identifying the first communication point;    assigning a second identifier to the set of data identifying the second communication point; and    assigning a third identifier to the set of data identifying the party;    wherein,    the first link comprises an association between the first identifier and the third identifier; and    the second link comprises an association between the second identifier and the third identifier.    
     
     
         31 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for storing data of  claim 22 .  
     
     
         32 . A computer system adapted to perform the computer-implementable method for storing data of  claim 22 .  
     
     
         33 . A method of storing identifiers to allow communication with a party over a time period, the method comprising: 
 storing a first identifier associated with an independent set of data identifying a communication point, the communication point comprising a physical or virtual contact point where communications are received;    storing a second identifier associated with an independent set of data identifying a party, wherein each independent set of data is stored separately;    associating the first identifier and the second identifier to establish a party-communication point association; and    associating effective date data with the party-communication point association to thereby create a limited effective time period for the party-communication point association.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 storing a third identifier associated with an independent set of data identifying a different communication point;    associating the third identifier and the second identifier to establish a different party-communication point association; and    associating different effective date data with the different party-communication point association to thereby create a different limited effective time period for the different party-communication point association.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 storing data comprising the party-communication point association and the effective date data in a separate party-communication point database.    
     
     
         36 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for storing data of  claim 33 .  
     
     
         37 . A system of storing data for communicating with a party over different time periods, the system comprising: 
 a party database for storing data identifying a party as a separate set of data; and    a communication point database for storing data identifying a plurality of communication points each comprising a physical or virtual contact point where communications are received, the plurality including a first communication point and a second communication point both stored as separate sets of data;    wherein, 
 wherein each separate set of data comprises data which is independent from other separate sets of data until a linking occurs;  
 the set of data identifying the party is linked to the set of data identifying the first communication point, comprising a first link;  
 the set of data identifying the party is linked to the set of data identifying the second communication point, comprising a second link; and  
 the first link and the second link are valid for different time periods.  
   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 an account database for storing data identifying an account as a separate set of data, wherein the first link and the second link are further associated with the set of data identifying the account.    
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the first link and the second link are associated with the set of data identifying the account via an account party role relationship.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a party-communication point database for linking the set of data identifying a party with one or more of the plurality of communication points.    
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the party database, the communication point database, and the party-communication point database each comprise a separate database.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein each different time period comprises a finite time period.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein, 
 the set of data identifying the first communication point is assigned a first identifier;    the set of data identifying the second communication point is assigned a second identifier;    the set of data identifying the party is assigned a third identifier;    the first link comprises an association between the first identifier and the third identifier; and    the second link comprises an association between the first identifier and the third identifier.    
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , further comprising: 
 a party-communication point database for storing the first link and the second link.    
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein, 
 the first link comprises the first identifier and the third identifier;    the second link comprises the second identifier and the third identifier; and    each link is stored independently in the party-communication point database.    
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein each identifier is configured to allow retrieval of data to which the each identifier is assigned by referencing the each identifier.