The present invention relates to a method and system for customizing a Web site based upon values of user related information received from either an external or internal source, such as a Web site. The Web site customization includes customized navigation and functionality. The present invention enables users to be directed through the Web site in a streamlined manner, to not have to re-enter information already given, and to bypass displays that are redundant.
In many fields it is increasingly common for business to be conducted via a service provider's or vendor's Web site. For example, in the financial aid industry, the user would link directly to the financial aid institution's Web site in order to conduct business. Typically, if the user links to the financial aid institution's Web site from an external Web site, that user would have to then navigate to another external lender site to apply for a loan and re-enter information the user had already entered on the financial aid institution's Web site. The present invention allows any type of Web site, including a financial institution's Web site, to capture and send information to an external Web site and/or drive a specific process. The financial aid institution's Web site, for example, can then use this information to customize the navigation and functionality available to the user, or to streamline the user's visit Web site. The invention also enables the user's information to be pre-populated on the pages of the external Web site (e.g., a lender's site) so that the user does not have to re-enter the information multiple times. As noted above, the principles of the present invention are applicable to any Web site application and are by no means limited to financial institutions.
The present invention is a computer-based system and method for allowing a first Web site to receive and use information that is entered into a second Web site, either external or internal to the first Web site. This avoids having an entity or individual re-select or re-enter information during the Web Session, saving time and avoiding repetition. The present invention also allows the Web site to customize the navigation and functionality available to the user based on the information entered, therefore bypassing any unnecessary screens, based on the particular user.
The invention comprises a computer-based system and method for allowing a Web site, and in one exemplary embodiment a financial aid institution's Web site, to store and pre-populate previously input information, thereby avoiding having the user, such as a consumer, reselect or re-enter such information during the Web Session. It also allows the Web site to customize the navigation and functionality available to the consumer based on the information entered.
For purposes of this application, a query string is the portion of a dynamic Uniform Resource Locator that contains parameters, which are passed to a server. In the present invention, the query string contain parameters that determine navigation into the Web site, formatting information, and other content that allows pages to be provided to a user based on the user's input.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in the context of the banking and loan industry, and particularly the student loan/financial aid industry. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not so limited and could readily be applied to other applications both within and outside the financial industry. Other financial industry exemptions include online payments and mortgage, personal and car loans. Other applications or industries also covered by the present invention include, but are not limited to: human resources applications, such as administering health and dental care services, managing 401K plans, providing for stock options and purchases, managing employee time recordation and payroll, managing business travel, and facilitating the administration of other benefits; insurance industry applications, such as health, auto, life, and home owner's insurance; various applications in hospitals and pharmacies, such as patient histories and records; travel industry applications, such as airline, car rental, and hotel industries; online business applications, such as managing the interaction between online stores and online payment centers; employment recruiting applications, such as managing the interaction between job search engines and resume services or companies posting positions; education industry applications, such as administering tests and managing test results, e.g., licensing exams, SATs, GMAT; and/or real estate industry applications, such as managing the interaction between an agent's Web site and online property listings among others.
The query string functionality of the present invention provides a specific web-entry point into a Web site depending upon the values of the parameters provided on the query string. Examples of possible entry points may include a borrower login page, a school choice page, or a terms of service page. Specific examples of this entry point will be discussed in relation to the exemplary embodiment, below. The system will also store the values of the parameters as provided and pre-populate these values into the appropriate fields on the Web site. The system continues to pre-populate the values of the parameters passed on the query string as long as the user is in the same web session.
The smart query string functionality is supported by a business service module 7 that includes validation, translation and dispatch abilities in order to dispatch information provided on the query string to the appropriate system 100 component. Navigation points 11 are configurable and they interrogate the query string requests.
The business service module 7 can each be computer program applications running on one or more servers (not shown). The Web site 9 can also be hosted by a server. The one or more servers are in communication with the database 8 and can be included in a computer network.
The exemplary system 100 allows customers of a financial aid institution to apply for financial aid and manage their accounts through the query string based Web site 9. Students and parents may access the application and cosigner sections of the Web site 9 by linking directly from their school's financial aid webpage, or any other external site linking them to the application information. Also, school administrators and lenders may enter directly to portions of the Web site 9 relevant to them through particularized navigation points.
As shown in
http://URL 13/NavPoint 11/?Parameter 12&Parameter 12&Parameter 12
The exemplary domain/URL 13 is set up as a standard domain and a masked domain. A masked domain serves as an alternative domain when the default domain cannot be used. The present invention, however, does not require the use of a masked domain. Regardless of whether the default or alternate domain is passed, the system 100 will retain the URL passed in the query string that represents the domain information. Typically, the standard domain is utilized, i.e. “www.financial_institution_name.com.” The standard domain leverages the masked domain and allows for special relationships between the financial institution domain and sites that require different treatment than most others, for example, an educational institution's site that requires the removal of the financial aid institution's branding. For purposes of this specification, branding refers to the indication of the source or sponsorship, for example a mark or logo indicating that a Web site or page is presented or sponsored by a particular entity.
The specified navigation point 11 and the values of the chosen parameters 12 drive the entry point once the user session is established. Non-exclusive examples of navigation points 11, as shown in
The navigation points drive the entry point into the Web site 9 once a user session is established. For example, the navigation point apploansummary 220 takes a user to the web page(s) for applying for a new loan. For example, in one embodiment, the navigation point apploansummary 220 takes the user to the borrow version of OpenNet, where the user can apply for a new loan, complete an existing loan, or check the status of a loan. The navigation point cosigner 210 takes a loan's cosigners to the web page(s) having the cosigner's portion of a loan application. The navigation point private 202 directs a user to the web page(s) for applying for a private loan. The navigation point parentanswer 214 allows a user (typically a parent or guardian user) to access an application processing flow with specific and custom requirements for the SallieMae PLUS loan program. The navigation point schoollogin 218 takes a user (typically a school administrator) to the login page specific to school users for entry to the school version of OpenNet. The navigation point lenderlogin 220 takes a user (typically a lender) to the appropriate login page for entry to the lender version of OpenNet. The navigation point FMS takes a user to a login page for entry into the File Management System. The navigation point Usafundsportallogin 223 takes a user to the login page for the United Student Aid Funds (USAF) Portal, which is an external Web site that allows users to manage loans.
Often, users will access the Web site 9 after navigating through an external Web Page, for example, a school's financial aid informational Web site, where information is collected from the user or where the user makes a selection. For example, the user may select a lender they wish to use from the list of available lenders on the school's Web site. The school's Web site will in turn navigate the user to the Web site 9 passing the SchoolCode 204 (known because the site is specific to the school) and the LenderCode 206 (known because of the selection made by the user) on the query string. Rather than requiring the user to re-enter this information once he has entered the Web site 9, the information passed as parameters on the query string allows navigation that, in the exemplary embodiment, bypasses the school and lender selection requirements and pre-populates the web page(s) with the values passed.
The parameters 12 can also cause the displays of the Web site 9 to look differently from one user to the next, based upon the values of the parameters 12. For example, if ReferralID 224 is passed as a parameter on the query string, the financial aid institution's webpage can show text representing the partnership with the referring institution. This query string functionality is not limited to parameter values passed from an external Web site and can also be used during navigation within the Web site 9.
Query string data can be limited to parameters 12 that will not expose private data. Private data can include information such as social security numbers, among other information. Such private data is excluded from the parameters 12 of the query string to avoid unsecured exposure of the information. Instead, the system 100 can be configured to pass private data via an SSL form post which is used primarily by external customers. Private data can also be passed server-to-server at the same time users are physically redirected to a different Web site, without using the query string functionality.
In
Step S31 determines if a SchoolCode 204 has been passed as a parameter in the query string. If a SchoolCode 204 was passed, the Select School display D32 is bypassed; the entry point is either the Login display D33 or the Borrower Activity Center display D34 (discussed below). If the school code was not present, then step S32 determines whether the parameter SchoolList 225 (an optional parameter that can be passed with the Private navigation point 202) has been passed. If the SchoolList was passed, the “select private loan program” field is automatically chosen and the user is taken to a user interface to select the school D31 which is tailored to a private loan selection user. If the SchoolList 225 was not passed, the user is taken to a different user interface to select the school D32 which is not specifically tailored. If the SchoolCode 204 is not passed, then the entry point is the Select School display D31, 32.
The next step from each of these Select School displays D31, D32 is Alternate Login S33, S34, which establishes a Level 1 authentication that limits a user's capability to creating a new loan application. Data retrieval stored secure data is not allowed with only Level 1 authentication. Each of these Alternate Login S33, S34 steps has a different result for a “yes” answer. If Alternate Login S33 is “yes,” the user will be shown the private credit application processing (PCAP) option. Eligibility display D37 which is the entry point when selecting an option to start a new private loan. At this display, any parameters that were passed on the query string will be defaulted and settings will be chosen based on the values of the parameters, as shown in
If either Alternate Login step S33, S34 is “no,” the system 100 takes the user to the Login display D33 where the user enters a user ID and password for Level 2 authentication and authorization. In the exemplary embodiment, Level 2 provides a greater range of rights and user options. From the Login display D33, the system 100 evaluates the Level 2 Authentication S35 based on the user assertions applied when the user ID and password are authenticated. Level 2 authentication differs from Level 1 authentication in that the two levels provide different rights and thus wider access to functions and information for the user. If Level 2 Authentication S35 is “no” (or if Alternate Login S34 is “yes”), the user will be navigated to the Borrower Activity Center (Level 1) display D34, which authorizes functionality for the user that supports Level 1 authentication privileges. If Level 2 Authentication S35 is “yes,” the user will be navigated to the Borrower Activity Center (Level 2) display D38, which authorizes functionality for the user that supports level 2 authentication privileges.
The Borrower Activity Center D34, D38 is a task oriented menu based upon school profiles, status of loan data, and smart query string navigation. Possible options at the Borrower Activity Center D34, D38 include creating new applications, completing existing applications, viewing loans, and updating user profiles. From both Borrower Activity Centers D34, D38 the system 100 will determine if the user selected to start a new Federal Family Education Loans Program (FFELP) loan S36 from the options in the Borrower Activity Center D34, D38. If “yes,” the user is shown the Select Lender Enter Demographics display D36 which is the first page the user navigates to when selecting the option to start a new FFELP loan; the lender code will be defaulted and protected if it is a match against the school preferred lender list. If step S36 is “no,” the user is shown the PCAP Eligibility display D37, previously described, to apply for a private loan.
As shown in
In
If Alternate Login S51 is “no,” the entry point is the Login display D51 where the user must enter a user ID and password for authentication and authorization. From the Login display D51, the system 100 will determine Level 2 Authentication S52 which is evaluated based on the user assertions applied when the user ID and password are authenticated. If Level 2 Authentication is not achieved, the user is shown the Cosigner Activity Center (Level 1) display D54, which authorizes functionality for the user that supports Level 1 authentication privileges. If Level 2 Authentication is achieved, the user is shown the Cosigner Activity Center (Level 2) display D53, which authorizes functionality for the user that supports Level 2 authentication privileges. From each of the Cosigner Activity Center displays D54, D53 the user is navigated to the Cosigner Application Processing display D55 and completes the cosigner application procedure.
In
If the response to either of steps S72 or S73 is “no,” the user is navigated to the Select School display D72, D73, which is a user interface where the user may select a school. Once a school is selected at D73, the user is navigated to the PCAP Eligibility display D76. Once a school is selected at D72, the user is shown the Login display D74. The user is also taken directly to the Login display D74 if the system 100 determines a SchoolCode 204 was passed in step S72. At the Login display D74, the user enters a user ID and password for authentication and authorization.
From the Login display D74, the user is directed to the Borrower Activity Center display D74, which is a task-oriented menu from which the user can choose to start a new private loan. The system 100 detects whether the user has selected to start a new private loan S74. If so, the user is shown the PCAP Eligibility display D76. The PCAP Eligibility display D76 is the first page the user navigates to when selecting the option to start a new private loan from the Borrower Activity Center display D75 or when selecting a private loan with the SchoolCode 204 already having been passed. Once the user completes the application process, they are shown the PCAP Finish Page display D77.
Applications/Certification 103, Individual Inquiry and Change 104, Query and Reporting 105, File Management System 106 and Administration 107 are each menu categories available at the School Menu display D102 and the corresponding menu options 108 are shown below each in
Other sets of navigation points and query string parameters may be available that go beyond those provided in connection with the exemplary embodiment described above. For example, navigation points and query string parameters specific to a particular application, such as a mortgage loan or human resources application or any of the other alternative applications previously described; or navigation points and parameters specific to an alternative embodiment for student loan administration.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/660,338, filed Mar. 11, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60660338 | Mar 2005 | US |