Middleware Account Classification Using Transaction Metadata

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Solution Overview

Problem

Institutions face challenges in accurately classifying external account types due to a lack of direct API connections with other institutions' computing devices and inconsistent account type classification data across databases, hindering efficient transaction processing and authentication.

Innovation Solution

A middleware computing system establishes connections with remote computing devices using APIs and retrieves transaction records to apply a rule-based engine for determining account types based on Standard Entry Class (SEC) values, generating instructions for linking accounts with accurate type classifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If computing devices of institutions attempt to classify external accounts using locally stored data or data from external data sources, then the classification process can be performed with available data, but the accuracy of account type classification is insufficient due to lack of direct API connections with other institutions and non-uniform data formats

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccount type classification accuracyVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a middleware computing system as an intermediary between institutions' computing devices and remote computing devices. This middleware system pre-establishes API connections with multiple remote computing devices, allowing institutions to access transaction record data without directly establishing complex connections. The middleware retrieves transaction records, extracts metadata, and provides classification data to requesting institutions, thereby improving classification accuracy while keeping individual institution systems simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If direct API connections are established with all remote computing devices to access transaction records, then accurate account type classification can be achieved, but the system complexity and connection management burden increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccount type classification accuracyVSAvoidconnection management ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The middleware computing system serves as a centralized intermediary that pre-establishes and manages API connections with numerous remote computing devices. Instead of each institution maintaining direct connections to multiple remote devices, the middleware handles all connection management, authentication, and data retrieval operations centrally, dramatically simplifying operational complexity while maintaining access to diverse transaction record data for accurate classification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The middleware computing system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing API connections with remote computing devices before they are needed for classification tasks. This advance preparation includes setting up authentication mechanisms, testing data accessibility, and caching connection parameters, so that when classification requests arrive, the data retrieval can proceed immediately without complex real-time connection establishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If uniform account type classification data is maintained across all institutions, then consistent classification results can be achieved, but the difficulty of data standardization and implementation across diverse systems increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata format consistencyVSAvoiddata standardization difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The middleware computing system acts as a data standardization intermediary that receives transaction records in various formats from different remote computing devices, extracts the necessary metadata, and transforms it into a uniform classification format. This centralized transformation approach allows diverse source systems to maintain their existing data formats while still producing consistent, standardized classification outputs for all institutions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250307269A1Systems and methods for account classification using a middleware system architecture

Publication Date: 2025.10.02 CITIBANK N A

AI summary

A computer can connect with a middleware computing system. The middleware computing system may use application programming interfaces (APIs), webhooks, file-based integration, database replication, message queues, websockets, or direct integration to establish connections with different computing devices. The computer may request a data structure classification for an external data structure stored in a remote computing device. The middleware computing system can receive the request, identify the connection that the middleware computing device has with the remote computing device, and retrieve records for transactions performed by the external data structure from the remote computing device. The middleware computing system can use metadata in the records to automatically determine a data structure type of the data structure. The middleware computing system can generate instructions that cause the computer to link the external data structure with the profile.