Method and system for generating account reconciliation data

Abstract

A method and system for providing information regarding a customer account are provided. The customer account includes a plurality of entries, each entry being indicative of a request for payment where the request for payment is being issued by a biller entity to a customer entity. A payment record including remittance detail data is received over a network account reconciliation data at least in part on the basis of the remittance detail data and the entries in the customer account. A signal suitable for causing information derived from the account reconciliation data to be displayed on a display screen is then transmitted.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 ) A computer-readable medium for storing a program element including computer-executable instructions suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for providing information regarding a customer account, the customer account including a plurality of entries, each entry being indicative of a request for payment issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said computer-executable instructions when executed by said computing apparatus being operative for:
 a) receiving over a network from a user associated to the customer a payment record including remittance detail data;   b) associating the payment record to a corresponding request for payment in the customer account at least in part based on a level of match between the remittance detail data in the payment record and the corresponding request for payment in the customer account, the level of match being capable of conveying a match with variances;   c) generating account reconciliation data at least in part based on the remittance detail data and the corresponding request for payment;   d) transmitting a signal over a network, the signal being suitable for causing information derived from the account reconciliation data to be displayed on a display screen.   
   
   
       21 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes:
 a) a request identifier associated to the corresponding request for payment;   b) an amount data element.   
   
   
       22 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       23 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       24 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the level of match is capable of conveying one of a complete match, a match with variances and an unreconciled item. 
   
   
       25 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes data indicative of differences between the remittance detail data and the corresponding request for payment when the level of match conveys of a match with variances. 
   
   
       26 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said program element further comprises computer-executable instructions for enabling a user to provide explanation data in association with the account reconciliation data. 
   
   
       27 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the network is the Internet. 
   
   
       28 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 20 , wherein each entry in the customer account includes a plurality of payment request parameters, said program element further comprising computer-executable instructions for comparing the remittance detail data to the payment request parameters to derive a level of match between the payment record and an entry in the customer account. 
   
   
       29 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the remittance detail data includes remittance detail data elements selected from the set consisting of a dollar amount paid, a payment request identifier, a time data element, a service description data element and a product description data element. 
   
   
       30 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of payment request parameters includes request parameters selected from the set consisting of a dollar amount due, a payment request identifier, a time data element, a service description data element and a product description data element. 
   
   
       31 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 28 , wherein:
 a) a given entry in the customer account includes a payment request parameter indicative of a dollar amount due; and   b) the payment record includes a remittance detail data element indicative of a dollar amount paid;   said program element further comprising computer-executable instructions for comparing the remittance detail data element indicative of the dollar amount paid with the payment request parameter indicative of the amount due in the given entry in the customer amount to derive a level of match.   
   
   
       32 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 31 , wherein a level of match conveying a complete match is derived when the data element indicative of the amount due differs from the data element indicative of the dollar amount paid by less than a threshold petty amount. 
   
   
       33 ) A computer-readable medium for storing a program element including computer-executable instructions suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for providing information regarding a customer account, the customer account including a plurality of entries, each entry being indicative of a request for payment issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said computer-executable instructions when executed by said computing apparatus being operative for:
 a) enabling a user at a computer terminal to transmit data indicative of a payment record including remittance detail data associated to the customer account;   b) causing information data to be displayed at the computer terminal, the information data being indicative of account reconciliation information derived at least in part based on the remittance detail data and the entries in the customer account, the account reconciliation data including a data element indicative of a level of match between the payment record and a corresponding request for payment in the customer account, the level of match being capable of conveying a match with variances.   
   
   
       34 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 33 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes:
 a) a request identifier associated to the corresponding request for payment;   b) an amount data element.   
   
   
       35 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       36 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 33 , wherein the level of match is capable of conveying a complete match, a match with variances and an unreconciled item. 
   
   
       37 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 36 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes data indicative of differences between the remittance detail data and the corresponding request for payment when the level of match conveys a match with variances. 
   
   
       38 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 33 , wherein the program element further comprises computer-executable instructions for enabling a user at the computer terminal to provide explanation data in association with the account reconciliation data. 
   
   
       39 ) A computer readable storage medium storing a program element for execution by a CPU for providing information regarding a customer account, the customer account including a plurality of entries, each entry being indicative of a request for payment, issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said program element comprising:
 a) a first program element component for causing a computer to deliver first information to a user associated with the customer account, the first information prompting the user to provide a payment record including remittance detail data;   b) a second program element component responsive to receipt of the payment record for
 i) associating the payment record to a corresponding request for payment in the customer account at least in part based on a level of match between the remittance detail data in the payment record and the corresponding request for payment in the customer account, the level of match being capable of conveying a match with variances; 
 ii) generating account reconciliation data at least in part based on the remittance detail data in the payment record and the corresponding request for payment; 
   c) a third program element for transmitting a signal over a network, the signal being suitable for causing information derived from the account reconciliation data to be displayed on a display screen.   
   
   
       40 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes:
 a) a request identifier associated to the corresponding request for payment;   b) an amount data element.   
   
   
       41 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       42 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       43 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the level of match is capable of conveying any either one of a complete match, a match with variances and an unreconciled item. 
   
   
       44 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 43 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes data indicative of differences between the remittance detail data and the corresponding request for payment when the level of match conveys a match with variances. 
   
   
       45 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , further comprising a fourth program element component for enabling the user to provide explanation data in association with the account reconciliation data. 
   
   
       46 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the network is the Internet. 
   
   
       47 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein each entry in the customer account includes a plurality of payment request parameters, said second program element component is adapted for comparing the remittance detail data to the payment request parameters to derive a level of match between the payment record and an entry in the customer account. 
   
   
       48 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 47 , wherein the remittance detail data includes remittance detail data elements selected from the set consisting of a dollar amount paid, a payment request identifier, a time data element, a service description data element and a product description data element. 
   
   
       49 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of payment request parameters includes request parameters selected from the set consisting of a dollar amount due, a payment request identifier, a time data element, a service description data element and a product description data element. 
   
   
       50 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 47 , wherein:
 a) a given in the customer account includes a payment request parameter indicative of a dollar amount due; and   b) the payment record includes a remittance detail data element indicative of a dollar amount paid;   wherein said second program element component is operative for comparing the remittance detail data element indicative of the dollar amount paid with the payment request parameter indicative of the amount due in the given entry in the customer amount to derive a level of match.   
   
   
       51 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 50 , wherein a level of match conveying a complete match is derived when the data element indicative of the amount due differs from the data element indicative of the dollar amount paid by less than a threshold petty amount. 
   
   
       52 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the delivering of the first information to the user is done by displaying information on a screen. 
   
   
       53 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 52 , wherein the user provides the payment record through an input device selected in the group consisting of keyboard, pointing device, touch sensitive surface, speech recognition unit and a file. 
   
   
       54 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the CPU resides on a server machine and the computer is a client machine in a network arrangement with the server machine. 
   
   
       55 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the CPU resides in the computer. 
   
   
       56 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 55 , wherein the first program element component generates control messages to the client machine to cause the client machine to display information to the user. 
   
   
       57 ) A computer readable storage medium as defined in  claim 56 , wherein the control messages are HTTP messages and the client machine displays information to the user through a web browser. 
   
   
       58 ) A server system for providing information regarding a customer account, the customer account including a plurality of entries, each entry being indicative of a request for payment, the request for payment being issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said server system storing a program element for execution by a CPU, said program element comprising:
 a) a first program element component for causing a client system connected to the server system via a computer network to display first information to a user associated with the customer account, the first information prompting the user to provide a payment record including remittance detail data;   b) a second program element component responsive to receipt of the payment record for:
 i) associating the payment record to a corresponding request for payment in the customer account at least in part based on a level of match between the remittance detail data in the payment record and the corresponding request for payment in the customer account, the level of match being capable of conveying a match with variances; 
 ii) generating account reconciliation data at least in part based on the remittance detail data in the payment record and the corresponding request for payment; 
   c) a third program element component for transmitting a signal to the client system over a network, the signal being suitable for causing information derived from the account reconciliation data to be displayed on a display screen at the client system.   
   
   
       59 ) A system as defined in  claim 58 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes:
 a) a request identifier associated to the corresponding request for payment;   b) an amount data element.   
   
   
       60 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       61 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       62 ) A system as defined in  claim 58 , wherein the level of match is capable of conveying any one of a complete match, a match with variances and an unreconciled item. 
   
   
       63 ) A system as defined in  claim 62 , wherein the account reconciliation data includes data indicative of differences between the remittance detail data and the corresponding request for payment when the level of match conveys of a match with variances. 
   
   
       64 ) A system as defined in  claim 58 , wherein said program element comprises a fourth program element component for enabling a user at the client system to provide explanation data in association with the account reconciliation data. 
   
   
       65 ) A client-server system for providing information regarding a customer account, the customer account including a plurality of entries, each entry being indicative of a request for payment, issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said client-server system comprising:
 a) a client system;   b) a server system, said client system and said server system operative to exchange messages over a data network;   c) a first program element component executed on said server system for sending messages to said client system for causing said client system to display first information to a user associated with the customer account, the first information prompting the user to provide a payment record including remittance detail data;   d) said client system being operative to send messages to said server to communicate to said server the payment record including remittance detail data;   e) a second program element component executed on said server responsive to receipt of the payment record for:
 i) associating the payment record to a corresponding request for payment in the customer account at least in part based on a level of match between the remittance detail data in the payment record and the corresponding request for payment in the customer account, the level of match being capable of conveying a match with variances 
 ii) generating account reconciliation data at least in part based on the remittance detail data and the corresponding request for payment; 
   f) a third program element component executed on said server for a second program element component for transmitting to the client system over a network a signal, the signal being suitable for causing information derived from the account reconciliation data to be displayed on a display screen at the client system.   
   
   
       66 ) A client-server system as defined in  claim 65 , wherein said client system displays said first information through a browser.