Distributor-based transaction processing arrangement and approach

Abstract

Transaction management for distributor-based transactions is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a transaction management approach involves the processing of transactions on behalf of clients using rules associated with a distributor sponsoring the clients into the transaction. The processing involves the implementation of rules, profiles and/or other stored data to facilitate various transaction functions, such as order acceptance, invoice approval, payment and settlement, and credit extension.

1 . An automated transaction processing system for processing transactions on behalf of a plurality of distributors that contract with a controller party implementing the automated transaction processing system, the system comprising: 
 a client-layer auditor configured and arranged to audit transactions between contracting parties according to different sets of transaction rules, each of the respective sets of transaction rules being defined as a function of a unique one of the plurality of distributors and a business relationship between the unique distributor and at least one of the contracting parties;    a client-layer payment processor configured and arranged to facilitate payment for each audited transaction as a function of the client-layer auditor's audit of the transaction;    a distributor-layer controller configured and arranged for controlling an implementation of the client-layer payment processor on behalf of each one of the plurality of distributors as a function of a business relationship between each distributor and the controller party; and    a distributor-layer payment processor configured and arranged to assess a fee against each distributor as a function of transactions processed on behalf of each distributor, and to facilitate a funds transfer as a function of the assessed fee.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is further configured and arranged to assess a fee for each transaction and to facilitate payment of that fee as a function of the transaction rules, the payment facilitated by at least one of a contracting party and a unique distributor for the transaction.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a data storage arrangement configured and arranged to store transaction rules provided by each distributor, the transaction rules including information by which transactions are processed.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to audit transactions by associating transaction data with one of the contracting parties as a function of information in the transaction data and a user profile for the one of the contracting parties, and to provide a payment authorization as a function of the audit, wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for each audited transaction as a function of the payment authorization.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for each audited transaction between a buyer and a seller by extending credit to the buyer and paying the seller.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to extend credit as a function of transaction rules set by the controller.  
     
     
         7 . They system of  claim 6 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to extend credit from a financial institution specified by the controller in the transaction rules.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for each audited transaction between a buyer and a seller by authorizing payment to the seller from a financial institution specified in a user profile for the buyer.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the client-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment by authorizing the extension of credit to the buyer for making the payment to the seller.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client-layer auditor is configured and arranged to audit a transaction between a buyer and a seller as a function of a credit term relating to the buyer and transaction rules specified by the controller party, and further to underwrite a cash flow from the buyer to the seller on behalf of the controller party as a function of the audit.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the client-layer auditor, the distributor-layer controller, the client-layer payment processor and the distributor-layer payment processor are implemented in a common transaction processor.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor-layer controller is configured and arranged for controlling the implementation of the different sets of transaction rules by authorizing users providing the transaction rules as a function of profile information for the users.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor-layer payment processor is configured and arranged to assess a fee against each distributor as a function of transaction rules specified by the controller party and the distributor.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor-layer controller is configured and arranged to control each distributor's access to the client-layer auditor for the distributor as a function of user profile information for the distributor.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor-layer controller is configured and arranged to control each contracting party's access to the client-layer auditor as a function of user profile information for the contracting party.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the distributor-layer controller is configured and arranged to control each contracting party's access to the client-layer auditor as a function of user profile information provided by a distributor sponsoring the contracting party.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface implemented by the unique distributor and adapted for interfacing with contracting parties specified by the unique distributor, wherein the user interface is adapted to facilitate contracting party access to the system as a function of profile information for the contracting party, and wherein the distributor-layer controller is configured and arranged to facilitate access to the system by any contracting party granted access to the distributor's user interface.  
     
     
         18 . A fee-based distributed transaction processing system comprising: 
 a data storage arrangement including at least one distinct database and adapted to store business rules for a multitude of transactions involving distinct transaction parties including buyers, sellers and processing distributors, the processing distributors sponsoring at least one of a buyer and a seller for each transaction, the data storage arrangement also adapted to store user profiles for the transaction parties;    a transaction processing controller adapted to interact with the distinct transaction parties for receiving profile information specified by the transaction parties, to interact with the processing distributors for receiving the business rules as specified by each processing distributor, and to store the received profile information and business rules in the data storage arrangement;    an association engine configured and arranged, for each transaction, to receive and associate transaction payment data with a processing distributor as a function of stored profile information for parties to a transaction to which the transaction payment data applies;    an auditor engine configured and arranged, for each transaction, to audit payment of the received transaction payment data associated with a processing distributor as a function of business rules for the associated processing distributor;    a transaction payment processor configured and arranged to facilitate payment for each audited transaction as a function of the auditor engine's audit and profile information for at least one transaction party involved in the payment;    a fee payment processor configured and arranged, for each transaction, to assess a fee against the distributor sponsoring a transaction party for the transaction, and to facilitate payment for the assessed fee.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the transaction processing controller, the association engine, the auditor engine, the transaction payment processor and the fee payment processor is a software-implemented function of a transaction processor arrangement.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the transaction payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for each audited transaction by extending credit to facilitate payment to a seller for the transaction.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the transaction payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for an audited transaction by extending credit to facilitate payment to a seller for the transaction using a credit rating of a distributor sponsoring the audited transaction.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the transaction payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for an audited transaction by extending credit to facilitate payment to a seller for the transaction using a credit rating of a buyer participating in the audited transaction.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the transaction payment processor is configured and arranged to facilitate payment for an audited transaction by extending credit to facilitate payment to a seller for the transaction using a credit rating of a seller participating in the audited transaction.  
     
     
         24 . A method for processing transactions on behalf of a plurality of distributors that contract with a controller party, the method comprising: 
 auditing transactions between contracting parties according to different sets of transaction rules, each of the respective sets of transaction rules being defined as a function of a unique one of the plurality of distributors and a business relationship between the unique distributor and at least one of the contracting parties;    facilitating payment for each audited transaction as a function of the audit of the transaction and of a business relationship between each distributor and the controller party;    assessing a fee against each distributor as a function of transactions processed on behalf of each distributor; and    facilitating a funds transfer as a function of the assessed fee.