US 6,959,287 B2 · Method and system for conducting a target audit in a high volume transaction environment

Abstract

A target audit methodology to provide a transaction-based detail of errors in an environment with a high volume of transactions. The primary components comprise a distributed computer network, such as the global Internet, coupled to numerous databases and a workstation. A Random Sample Query is used to pull a statistically valid sample from a general population of transactions to identify initial transaction errors. The initial transaction errors are analyzed to determine parameters for identifying other similar errors with a high probability of occurrence within the total population of transactions. A Possible Error Query is designed to retrieve these specific error types and is processed against the population of transactions. The results of the Possible Error Query are assigned financial impact and detailed for the client by individual transaction in an invoice.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A process for providing an audit with a transaction-based detail of errors in an environment with a high volume of transactions, comprising:

designing a Random Sample Query to pull a random sample of transactions from a Transaction Database;
running the Random Sample Query against the Transaction Database to find the random sample of transactions;
copying the random sample of transactions from the Transaction Database to a Random Sample Database, via a distributed computer network;
checking each transaction in the Random Sample Database to identify if the transaction has an error and to determine error parameters;
discarding the transaction if there is not an error;
copying the transaction from the Random Sample Database to an Error Database, via the distributed computer network, if there is an error;
obtaining at least one parameter of a random sample transaction containing an error from the random sample of transactions stored in the Random Sample Database;
obtaining Possible Error Transactions with at least one parameter identical to the at least one parameter of the random sample transaction containing the error;
checking the Possible Error Transactions to identify actual errors;
and
preparing a report detailing the actual errors in the Possible Error Transactions.

8 more elements

A process for providing an audit with a ticket-based detail of errors for a collection of passenger ticket sales issued by an airline or travel agency community, comprising:

designing a Random Sample Query to pull a random sample of tickets from a Ticket Database comprising the collection of passenger ticket sales;
running the Random Sample Query against the Ticket Database to find the random sample of tickets;
copying the random sample of tickets from the Ticket Database to a Random Sample Database, via a distributed computer network;
checking each ticket in the Random Sample Database to identify if the ticket has an error and to determine error parameters;
discarding the ticket if there is not an error;
copying the ticket from the Random Sample Database to an Error Database, via the distributed computer network, if there is an error;
obtaining at least one parameter of a random sample ticket containing an error from the random sample of tickets;
obtaining from the collection of passenger ticket sales Possible Error Tickets with at least one parameter identical to the at least one parameter of at least one random sample ticket containing error information;
checking the Possible Error Tickets to identify actual errors;
and
preparing a report detailing the actual errors in the Possible Error Tickets.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for conducting a target audit in a high volume transaction environment

Life of this patent

Method and system for conducting a target audit in a high volume transaction environment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12