System and method of transferring data through transaction process

Abstract

A transaction process system ( 10 ) provides for data transactions between parties. In a credit card transaction, the parties are the merchant ( 20 ), acquiring bank ( 24 ), card association ( 34 ), issuing bank ( 14 ), and cardholder ( 12 ). A transaction processing center ( 30 ) is positioned between the acquiring bank and the card association. The transaction processing center provides data processing channels for message-based processing ( 72 ) and filed-based processing ( 76 ). The file-based processing uses an incoming queue ( 80 ) and outgoing queue ( 84 ) to simplify the interface. The transaction processing center also provides for currency conversions and account reconciliation on a per transaction basis. The transaction processing center uses a scheduler ( 160 ) to efficiently manage the data processing resources.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of processing data through a transaction processing system, comprising: 
 storing files from a data source into a first queue;    selecting a first file from the first queue based on contents or attributes of the first file; and    processing data from the first file through the transaction processing system.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including the steps of: 
 storing processed data from the transaction processing system into a second file; and  
 storing the second file in a second queue for access by a data destination.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first and second queues are organized to store a plurality of files of variable file length.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein one of the plurality of files are selected from the first queue based on a value of a data field stored in each of the plurality of files.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein one of the plurality of files are selected from the first queue based on a file attribute of each of the plurality of files.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the file attribute is a file extension name.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of storing processed data into a data storage medium.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further including the steps of: 
 providing a first CPU; and  
 utilizing the first CPU to select the first file based on a first selection criteria.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the first selection criteria includes selecting the first file based on file number.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further including the steps of: 
 providing a second CPU; and  
 utilizing the second CPU to select a second file from the first queue based on a second selection criteria.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the second selection criteria includes selecting the second file based on priority.  
     
     
         12 . A method of processing data through a transaction processing system, comprising: 
 providing a first queue for storing files from a data source;    providing a data processor to select a first file from the first queue based on contents or attributes of the first file; and    processing data from the first file through the data processor.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further including the steps of: 
 storing processed data from the transaction processing system into a second file; and  
 providing a second queue for storing the second file for access by a data destination.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first and second queues are organized to store a plurality of files of variable file length.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein one of the plurality of files are selected from the first queue based on a value of a data field stored in each of the plurality of files.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein one of the plurality of files are selected from the first queue based on a file attribute of each of the plurality of files.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further including the step of storing processed data into a data storage medium.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further including the steps of: 
 providing a first CPU; and  
 utilizing the first CPU to select the first file based on a first selection criteria.  
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the first selection criteria includes selecting the first file based on file number.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further including the steps of: 
 providing a second CPU; and  
 utilizing the second CPU to select a second file from the first queue based on a second selection criteria.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the second selection criteria includes selecting the second file based on priority.  
     
     
         22 . A transaction processing system, comprising: 
 means for storing files from a data source into a first queue;    means for selecting a first file from the first queue based on contents or attributes of the first file; and    means for processing data from the first file through the transaction processing system.    
     
     
         23 . The transaction processing system of  claim 22  further including the steps of: 
 means for storing processed data from the transaction processing system into a second file; and  
 means for storing the second file in a second queue for access by a data destination.  
 
     
     
         24 . The transaction processing system of  claim 22  further including: 
 a first CPU for selecting the first file based on a first selection criteria; and  
 a second CPU for selecting a second file based on a second selection criteria.  
 
     
     
         25 . The transaction processing system of  claim 24  wherein the first selection criteria includes selecting the first file based on file number.  
     
     
         26 . The transaction processing system of  claim 24  wherein the second selection criteria includes selecting the second file based on priority.