Claims:CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising:
executing, through at least one server, a computing platform engine; and
executing, through a data processing device communicatively coupled to the at least one server through a computer network, a component of the computing platform engine, characterized in that the computing platform engine:
interprets a transactional message from the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine, the transactional message related to initiation of a transaction through the computing platform engine,
analyzes contextual information associated with the interpreted transactional message,
determines a plurality of transactional mechanisms relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information, and
presents at least one of: the plurality of transactional mechanisms and criteria to classify the plurality of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the plurality of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
2. The method of claim 1, comprising the computing platform engine enabling designing of the criteria through the component of the computing platform engine on the data processing device.
3. The method of claim 1, comprising the computing platform engine designing the criteria based on ingested data associated with a plurality of products comprising a product associated with the transaction.
4. The method of claim 1, comprising the transaction being a payment related transaction.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
the computing platform engine determining unavailability of information pertinent to successful completion of the transaction; and
the computing platform engine supplying missing information pertinent to the successful completion of the transaction following the determination of the unavailability to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing platform engine determines the unavailability of the information pertinent to the successful completion of the transaction after a selection out of at least one of: the criteria and the plurality of transactional mechanisms via the component of the computing platform engine on the data processing device.
7. A server comprising:
a memory; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor executing instructions associated with a computing platform engine to:
interpret a transactional message from a data processing device via a component of the computing platform engine executing thereon, the transactional message related to initiation of a transaction through the computing platform engine, and the data processing device communicatively coupled to the server through a computer network,
analyze contextual information associated with the interpreted transactional message,
determine a plurality of transactional mechanisms relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information, and
present at least one of: the plurality of transactional mechanisms and criteria to classify the plurality of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the plurality of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
8. The server of claim 7, wherein the processor further executes instructions associated with the computing platform engine to:
determine unavailability of information pertinent to successful completion of the transaction, and
supply missing information pertinent to the successful completion of the transaction following the determination of the unavailability to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine.
9. A system comprising:
at least one server executing a computing platform engine; and
a data processing device communicatively coupled to the at least one server through a computer network executing a component of the computing platform engine, characterized in that the computing platform engine:
interprets a transactional message from the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine, the transactional message related to initiation of a transaction through the computing platform engine,
analyzes contextual information associated with the interpreted transactional message,
determines a plurality of transactional mechanisms relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information, and
presents at least one of: the plurality of transactional mechanisms and criteria to classify the plurality of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the plurality of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing platform engine executing on the at least one server further:
determines unavailability of information pertinent to successful completion of the transaction, and
supplies missing information pertinent to the successful completion of the transaction following the determination of the unavailability to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine.
, Description:CONTEXTUAL TRANSACTIONAL MECHANISM IMPLEMENTED IN A COMPUTING PLATFORM

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to transactional computing systems and, more particularly, to a contextual transactional mechanism implemented in a computing platform.

BACKGROUND
[0002] A customer of a banking institution may have one or more account(s) with the banking institution and may conduct transactions therethrough. With respect to a payment related transaction, the customer may be unaware of payment methods available thereto. The aforementioned lack of awareness may disadvantage the customer in terms of cost, risk and/or efficiency.

SUMMARY
[0003] Disclosed are a method, a server and/or a system of a contextual transactional mechanism implemented in a computing platform.
[0004] In one aspect, a method includes executing, through one or more server(s), a computing platform engine, and executing, through a data processing device communicatively coupled to the one or more server(s) through a computer network, a component of the computing platform engine. The computing platform engine interprets a transactional message from the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine, where the transactional message relates to initiation of a transaction through the computing platform engine, and analyzes contextual information associated with the interpreted transactional message.
[0005] The computing platform engine also determines a number of transactional mechanisms relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information, and presents the number of transactional mechanisms and/or criteria to classify the number of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the number of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
[0006] In another aspect, a server includes a memory, and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor executes instructions associated with a computing platform engine to interpret a transactional message from a data processing device via a component of the computing platform engine executing thereon, where the transactional message relates to initiation of a transaction through the computing platform engine and the data processing device is communicatively coupled to the server through a computer network. The processor also executes instructions associated with the computing platform engine to analyze contextual information associated with the interpreted transactional message, and determine a number of transactional mechanisms relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information.
[0007] Further, the processor executes instructions associated with the computing platform engine to present the number of transactional mechanisms and/or criteria to classify the number of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the number of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
[0008] In yet another aspect, a system includes one or more server(s) executing a computing platform engine, and a data processing device communicatively coupled to the one or more server(s) through a computer network executing a component of the computing platform engine. The computing platform engine interprets a transactional message from the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine, where the transactional message relates to initiation of a transaction through the computing platform engine, and analyzes contextual information associated with the interpreted transactional message.
[0009] The computing platform engine also determines a number of transactional mechanisms relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information, and presents the number of transactional mechanisms and/or criteria to classify the number of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the number of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
[0010] Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The embodiments of this invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a computing system, according to one or more embodiments.
[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic view of a computing platform engine executing on a server of the computing system of Figure 1, according to one or more embodiments.
[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic view of a transaction initiated through the computing platform engine of Figures 1-2.
[0015] Figure 4 is a process flow diagram detailing the operations involved in a contextual transactional mechanism implemented in a computing platform, according to one or more embodiments.
[0016] Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Example embodiments, as described below, may be used to provide a method, a server and/or a system of a contextual transaction mechanism implemented in a computing platform. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.
[0018] Figure 1 shows a computing system 100 (e.g., a distributed computing system), according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, computing system 100 may include a number of servers 1021-N communicatively coupled to one another through a computer network 104 (e.g., a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN) and/or a short range network (e.g., WiFi®, Bluetooth®)). Other forms of computer network 104 are within the scope of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein. In one or more embodiments, computing system 100 may also include a number of client devices 1061-M communicatively coupled to the number of servers 1021-N through computer network 104. As implied above, computer network 104 may, in some embodiments, encompass a wide variety of computer networks.
[0019] In one or more embodiments, computing system 100 may be a traditional computing system with data centers, a cloud based computing system or a hybrid computing system. In one or more embodiments, computing system 100 may provide one or more computing environment(s) through a computing platform 150 thereof. Computing platform 150, as discussed herein, may encompass hardware, software, operating systems, applications including browsers and/or virtualized environments (e.g., virtual machines representing operating systems, virtual storage). Figure 1 shows a computing platform engine 170 (e.g., a comprehensive engine enabling capabilities and functionalities provided through computing platform 150) executing on a server 1021 and components (e.g., computing platform engine components 1702-N; computing platform engine components 1761-M) executing on other servers 1022-N and client devices 1061-M. Examples of client devices 1061-M may include but are not limited to desktop computers, laptops, notebooks, smart devices and mobile phones. Other client devices 1061-M including thin clients are within the scope of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein. Each client device 1061-M may represent a type of a channel for accessing capabilities provided through computing platform engine 170.
[0020] Each server 1021-N discussed above may be a standalone server or a network of servers configured to operate in conjunction with one another and capable of handling large sets of data. “Processor,” as used herein, may also refer to a number of processors configured to operate in conjunction with one another. In one or more embodiments, each server 1021-N may include a processor 1721-N communicatively coupled to a memory 1741-N. Figure 1 shows computing platform engine 170 stored in memory 1741; computing platform engine 170 may be executable through processor 1721. Similarly, computing platform engine components 1702-N and computing platform engine components 1762-M may be stored in corresponding memories to be executed on processors associated therewith.
[0021] Figure 1 also shows data sources 1901-R within computing system 100. In one or more embodiments, data sources 1901-R may include but are not limited to mainframes, Relative Database Management Systems (RDBMS), NoSQL databases, feeds, files, legacy systems, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), a Management Information System (MIS) and an entitlement data server. In one or more embodiments, data sources 1901-R may be local to one or more servers 1021-N, local to one or more client devices 1061-M and/or external to both the one or more servers 1021-N and the one or more client devices 1061-M. An example data source 1901-R may include account information of authorised users 1921-M; each authorised user 1921-M may be at a client device 1061-M of computing system 100. It should be noted that client device 1061-M (e.g., a common computing resource) may be shared by multiple users and that one authorised user 1921-M per client device 1061-M discussed above is merely for illustrative purposes.
[0022] Other forms of information within data sources 1901-R are within the scope of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein. In one or more embodiments, one authorised user 1921-M may differ from another authorised user 1921-M in terms of roles within an entity or outside thereof. For example, one or more servers 1021-N may be associated with an example entity of a banking institution, and one or more client devices 1061-M may be associated with one or more authorised users 1921-M (e.g., customers of the banking institution, banking personnel). One or more other servers 1021-N may be associated with another example entity of a software service provider associated with computing platform engine 170. One or more other client devices 1061-M may also be associated with one or more other authorised users 1921-M (e.g., sales, pre-sales, testing and/or development team personnel associated with the another example entity of the software service provider).
[0023] A corporate entity (e.g., at a client device 1061-M, at server 1022-N) may frequent need to make payments to another entity (e.g., a supplier). In traditional implementations, an end user (e.g., an authorised user 1921-M at a client device 1061-M) may need to possess knowledge of different payment mechanisms in order to derive benefits with regard to costs and reliability thereof. Exemplary embodiments discussed herein may relate to a more natural and intuitive process that removes the need for authorised user 1921-M to possess knowledge of different payment mechanisms, thereby increasing processing efficiency.
[0024] While the concept of making payments may be well understood, the differences between a number of domestic, regional and international payment methods across different geographies may not be well understood. In a corporate context where a lot of domestic and cross-border transactions are conducted, the aforementioned lack of understanding may lead to increased costs and/or risks. As discussed above, exemplary embodiments discussed herein may remove the need for prior end-user (e.g., authorised user 1921-M) knowledge of payment methods available thereto. Instead, exemplary embodiments discussed herein may identify all possible payment execution options available to make a payment to a beneficiary account and may help authorised user 1921-M select the right payment option by differentiating between available options based on key criteria such as speed, cost and settlement.
[0025] Further, exemplary embodiments discussed herein may reduce payment delays caused by poor or insufficient data. When authorised user 1921-M selects a payment method based on the aforementioned key criteria, all information required by the selected payment method for successful execution of the corresponding transaction may be included. In case some information required is unavailable, authorised user 1921-M may be prompted to provide the aforementioned information before the next step in the corresponding transaction is proceeded with. This may reduce delays and/or rejections for both authorised user 1921-M acting on behalf of a customer of a banking institution and the banking institution.
[0026] Traditionally, payment initiation may rely upon authorised user 1921-M pre-selecting a payment type/mechanism through which the instruction will be executed (e.g., wire, ACH, SWIFT®). Exemplary embodiments discussed herein may provide multiple payment types/mechanisms differentiated based on criteria, as seen above. It should be noted that payment related transactions merely constitute one example illustration of concepts discussed herein; said concepts may be applicable to other domains where similar contexts such as lack of end-user knowledge and multiple product offerings may apply.
[0027] Figure 2 shows computing platform engine 170, according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, computing platform engine 170 may be integrated with example products 2601-P of an entity 220. In one example, entity 220 may be a subscriber of capabilities provided through computing platform 150. In another example, entity 220 may be a financial technology product development company associated with server 1021 and executing computing platform engine 170 thereon. In one or more embodiments, one or more client device(s) 1061-M and/or one or more other server(s) 1022-N may be associated with a customer 250 (e.g., a banking institution, a customer of the banking institution, official staff of the banking institution) of entity 220. In some cases, computing platform engine 170 may be implemented on server 1021 associated with customer 250.
[0028] In one example, products 2601-P may help customer 250 make payments to another entity 290 (e.g., representing a vendor/supplier). In one or more embodiments, computing platform engine 170 may include Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) 2021-K including experience APIs 2041-L. In one or more embodiments, computing platform 150/computing platform engine 170 may be architected in a way that enables the aforementioned experience APIs 2041-L to gather data spanning all of products 2601-P. Figure 2 shows experience APIs 2041-L gathering data 206 from products 2601-P, according to one or more embodiments.
[0029] In one or more embodiments, computing platform engine 170 may ingest (e.g., through experience APIs 2041-L) data 206 from multiple sources (e.g., data sources 1901-R) associated with products 2601-P and pack said ingested data 206 into a data store 208 (e.g., in memory 1741 or as a standalone new data source (not shown)). In one or more embodiments, when authorised user 1921-M initiates a transactional message 210 (e.g., pertaining to a payment transaction) via computing platform engine component 1761-M, said transactional message 210 may be interpreted by computing platform engine 170. In one or more embodiments, transactional message 210 may be regarded as initiation of a transaction 212 associated with or more product(s) 2601-P.
[0030] Now, in one or more embodiments, as discussed above, in response to transactional message 210, transactional message 210 may be interpreted by computing platform engine 170. In one or more embodiments, transactional message 210 may have contextual information (e.g., associated information 212) associated therewith. Figure 2 shows transactional message 210 as part of memory 1741, according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, associated information 212 (e.g., location of debit/credit accounts, currency of debit account, currency of intended transaction, intended transactional value, intended transactional date, intended transactional amount) may then be analyzed following interpretation of transactional message 210 in response thereto.
[0031] In one or more embodiments, as discussed above, data store 208 may include data 206 ingested from multiple data sources 1901-R associated with products 2601-P. In one or more embodiments, data 206 may include information pertinent to past transactions conducted through computing platform 150 and/or information pertinent to selecting and/or recommending transactional mechanisms to complete a transaction 214 associated with transactional message 210; data 206 may even include historical data specific to authorised user 1921-M. In one or more embodiments, data 206 ingested over time may enable computing platform engine 170 to design criteria in response to interpretation of transactional message 210 and analysis of associated information 212.
[0032] In one example, the abovementioned criteria may be speed, cost and settlement. In one or more embodiments, the criteria applied to transaction 214 or supplied to authorised user 1921-M to select a transactional mechanism out of multiple options may be constructed over time or dynamically determined (e.g., based on intelligence capabilities provided through computing platform engine 170) following interpretation of transactional message 210 and analysis of associated information 212. In one or more embodiments, authorised user 1921-M may also design criteria through computing platform engine component 1761-M thereof or bypass pre-constructed criteria/transactional mechanisms supplied/recommended in the course of completing transaction 214.
[0033] Figure 3 shows transaction 214, according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, transaction 214 may be associated with transactional message 210, as discussed above. In one or more embodiments, computing platform engine 170 may interpret transactional message 210 and analyze associated information 212 (e.g., supplied by authorised user 1921-M) in response to transactional message 210. Figure 3 shows computing platform engine 170 as including criteria 302 associated with authorised user 1921-M selecting multiple transactional mechanisms 3041-V, according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, following the analysis of associated information 212 (e.g., information contextual to transaction 214), computing platform engine 170 may provide multiple transactional mechanisms 3041-V to authorised user 1921-M to enable selection therefrom.
[0034] Additionally, in one or more embodiments, computing platform engine 170 may provide criteria 302 (e.g., contextual to transaction 214, generic and built over time) to authorised user 1921-M. In one or more embodiments, once authorised user 1921-M makes a selection out of criteria 302, computing platform engine 170 may rank/classify transactional mechanisms 3041-V based on the selection to aid decision making by authorised user 1921-M. For example, if computing platform engine 170 determines from the interpretation of transactional message 210 and the analysis of associated information 212 that authorised user 1921-M wants to make a payment in a foreign currency, computing platform engine 170 may provide multiple transactional mechanisms 3041-V (e.g., payment platform options) to authorised user 1921-M ranked in a default manner (e.g., cost). Computing platform engine 170 may also provide criteria 302 to enable authorised user 1921-M to refine the default ranking through making a selection out of criteria 302.
[0035] In one or more embodiments, following interpretation of transactional message 210 and analysis of associated information 212, computing platform engine 170 may also supply information pertinent to successful completion of transaction 214 to authorised user 1921-M (e.g., through computing platform engine component 1761-M) in case computing platform engine 170 determines unavailability (e.g., after selection of criteria 302 by authorised user 1921-M, after selecting a transactional mechanism 3041-V) of the aforementioned information in associated information 212/data 206. Figure 3 shows missing information 322 as the information to be supplied to successfully complete transaction 214. In some other embodiments, missing information 322 may merely be the information with which authorised user 1921-M is prompted to supply information pertinent to successful completion of transaction 214.
[0036] Thus, exemplary embodiments discussed herein may solve transactional issues and provide transactional mechanism options not only during a last mile of transaction 214 but also during any stage of transaction 214 prior to the last-mile, in contrast to existing systems. Further, exemplary embodiments discussed herein may supply missing information 322 to authorised user 1921-M in order to enable successful completion of transaction 214 and/or prompt authorised user 1921-M with missing information 322. All reasonable variations are within the scope of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.
[0037] Figure 4 shows a process flow diagram detailing the operations involved in a contextual transactional mechanism implemented in a computing platform (e.g., computing platform 150), according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, operation 402 may involve executing, through one or more server(s) (e.g., server 1021), a computing platform engine (e.g., computing platform engine 170). In one or more embodiments, operation 404 may involve executing, through a data processing device (e.g., client device 1061-M) communicatively coupled to the one or more server(s) through a computer network (e.g., computer network 104), a component (e.g., computing platform engine component 1761-M) of the computing platform engine.
[0038] In one or more embodiments, the computing platform engine may interpret a transactional message (e.g., transactional message 210) from the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine. In one or more embodiments, the transactional message may be related to initiation of a transaction (e.g., transaction 214) through the computing platform engine. In one or more embodiments, the computing platform engine may analyze contextual information (e.g., associated information 212) associated with the interpreted transactional message, and may determine a number of transactional mechanisms (e.g., transactional mechanisms 3041-V) relevant to completion of the transaction through the computing platform based on the interpretation of the transactional message and the analysis of the contextual information.
[0039] In one or more embodiments, the computing platform engine may then present the number of transactional mechanisms and/or criteria (e.g., criteria 302) to classify the number of transactional mechanisms to the data processing device via the component of the computing platform engine in advance of a last mile of the transaction to enable selection of a transactional mechanism out of the number of transactional mechanisms through the component of the computing platform engine.
[0040] It may be appreciated that the various systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein may be embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable medium (e.g., a hard disk, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disc (DVD), a Blu-ray disc®) and/or a machine-accessible medium compatible with a data processing system (e.g., computing system 100, servers 1021-N), and/or may be performed in any order.
[0041] The structures and modules in the figures may be shown as distinct and communicating with only a few specific structures and not others. The structures may be merged with each other, may perform overlapping functions, and may communicate with other structures not shown to be connected in the figures.
[0042] Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.