Patent Application
20140156507
Financial institution locations, such as branch locations provide a wide variety of services to customers. Many of the services provided by the financial institution location are provided remotely, such as by using an online banking website. In some cases, a user who is an online banking customer visits a financial institution location to conduct business.
The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments, nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
Embodiments of the present invention address the above needs and/or achieve other advantages by providing systems, methods, and computer program products for providing assistance to a user having a user device proximate a financial institution location.
According to embodiments of the invention, the system includes a memory device storing computer executable code and a processing device to execute the computer executable code to cause the processing device to: receive a communication initiated by an application running on the user device without initiation by the user; establish a connection with the user device; determine an identity of the user; determine a user purpose for visiting the location; and communicate instructions to the application running on the user device, the instructions to cause the user device to navigate to a page of a website of the financial institution corresponding to the determined user purpose for visiting the location.
In some embodiments, determining an identity of the user comprises: receiving a device ID from the user device; accessing the device ID from a list comprising a plurality of device IDs, each device ID associated with a stored PIN or an identity of a customer; receiving a personal identification number (PIN) from the user device; and determining whether the received PIN matches the stored PIN associated with the device ID received from the user device.
In some embodiments, the communication initiated by the application is initiated in response to the application recognizing the user device is within a wireless communication range of the system.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to provide the user access to transactional functionality using the page of the website.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to pre-populate an input portion of the page of the website with information corresponding to the user for use in a transaction.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to: receive user information indicating a type of transaction and transaction details; process the user information to conduct a transaction based at least in part on the type of transaction and the transaction details received from the user; and communicate a message indicating the transaction has been processed to the user.
In some embodiments, the user device comprises a tablet computer, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, or an electronic system attached to a vehicle and wherein the wireless communication range of the system encompasses a drive through location of the financial institution location or a parking lot of the financial institution location.
According to embodiments of the invention, a computer program product comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions stored therein, the computer-executable instructions to cause a processing device to: receive a communication initiated by an application running on the user device without initiation by the user; establish a connection with the user device; determine an identity of the user; determine a user purpose for visiting the location; and communicate instructions to the application running on the user device, the instructions to cause the user device to navigate to a page of a website of the financial institution corresponding to the determined user purpose for visiting the location.
In some embodiments, determining an identity of the user comprises: receiving a device ID from the user device; accessing the device ID from a list comprising a plurality of device IDs, each device ID associated with a stored PIN or an identity of a customer; receiving a personal identification number (PIN) from the user device; and determining whether the received PIN matches the stored PIN associated with the device ID received from the user device.
In some embodiments, the communication initiated by the application is initiated in response to the application recognizing the user device is within a wireless communication range of the system.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to provide the user access to transactional functionality using the page of the website.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to pre-populate an input portion of the page of the website with information corresponding to the user for use in a transaction.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to: receive user information indicating a type of transaction and transaction details; process the user information to conduct a transaction based at least in part on the type of transaction and the transaction details received from the user; and communicate a message indicating the transaction has been processed to the user.
In some embodiments, the user device comprises a tablet computer, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, or an electronic system attached to a vehicle and wherein the wireless communication range of the system encompasses a drive through location of the financial institution location or a parking lot of the financial institution location.
According to embodiments of the invention, a computer-implemented method comprises: using a computer processor operating computer program code instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein said computer program code instructions cause said computer processor to: receive a communication initiated by an application running on the user device without initiation by the user; establish a connection with the user device; determine an identity of the user; determine a user purpose for visiting the location; and communicate instructions to the application running on the user device, the instructions to cause the user device to navigate to a page of a website of the financial institution corresponding to the determined user purpose for visiting the location.
In some embodiments, determining an identity of the user comprises: receiving a device ID from the user device; accessing the device ID from a list comprising a plurality of device IDs, each device ID associated with a stored PIN or an identity of a customer; receiving a personal identification number (PIN) from the user device; and determining whether the received PIN matches the stored PIN associated with the device ID received from the user device.
In some embodiments, the communication initiated by the application is initiated in response to the application recognizing the user device is within a wireless communication range of the system.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to provide the user access to transactional functionality using the page of the website.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to pre-populate an input portion of the page of the website with information corresponding to the user for use in a transaction.
In some embodiments, the processing device executes the computer executable code to further cause the processing device to: receive user information indicating a type of transaction and transaction details; process the user information to conduct a transaction based at least in part on the type of transaction and the transaction details received from the user; and communicate a message indicating the transaction has been processed to the user.
In some embodiments, the user device comprises a tablet computer, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, or an electronic system attached to a vehicle and wherein the wireless communication range of the system encompasses a drive through location of the financial institution location or a parking lot of the financial institution location.
The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative features of one or more embodiments of the invention. These features are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of various embodiments may be employed, and this description is intended to include all such embodiments and their equivalents.
Having thus described embodiments of the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Embodiments of the invention provide a system that maintains online functionality during an outage. The system includes a processing device configured for receiving a request for online interaction via a network from a user system and identifying a financial institution location system configured to respond to the request. The processing device is also configured for determining the financial institution location system is incapable of providing the online interaction associated with the request, identifying an financial institution backend system configured to respond to the request, and initiating an online interaction between the user system and the alternative interactive system. In some embodiments, the financial institution location system is incapable of providing website content, and the processing device initiates an exchange of alternative website content. In some embodiments, the financial institution location system is incapable of providing online banking information, and the financial institution backend system provides alternative online banking information such as non-current information regarding an account.
Referring concurrently now to
In the various embodiments, the user system 110 is a computer system, mobile device or other computing device used by a client 104 or other user to interact with an organization's online content and applications, such as by communicating with the financial institution location system 120. The user system 110 includes, in the embodiment shown, a processing device 112 communicatively coupled with a communication device 114 and a file system 116. The processing device, in some embodiments, is configured for controlling operation of the communication device 114 in order to communicate across the network 102, such as, for example, with the financial institution location system 120 and/or the financial institution backend system 150. The file system 116 is or includes a memory device or other memory configured for storing computer readable instructions 118 such as an operating system, applications, such as a browser and others, other computer program code and the like. In some embodiments, the computer readable instructions include a proximate banking program 119 configured for instructing the processing device 112 to perform one or more of the methods and/or steps discussed herein. The proximate banking program 119, in some embodiments, is configured for instructing the processing device 112 to communicate with the financial institution system, 120 and/or 150 either directly or over one or more external networks such that the user device may connect with a financial institution system to receive communications such as instructions and information about products and/or offers related to the customer's purpose in visiting the financial institution location and/or to begin and potentially complete a transaction. The processing device 112, of course, is configured for accessing and/or retrieving some or all the computer readable instructions 118 and executing some or all of them.
In one embodiment, for example, the network 102 is an intranet or other local area network (LAN) and the user system 110, the financial institution location system 120, and the financial institution backend system 150 are all part configured for communicating with one another across the intranet. In such an embodiment, the user system, when directed by the user 104 to access a particular intranet webpage, uses a browser program to navigate to the intranet webpage. The browser and/or the proximate banking program 119 then requests online interaction, such as webpage content, from the financial institution location system 120.
The financial institution location system 120, in some embodiments, is a server such as an organization server. In some embodiments, the financial institution location system 120 is maintained and/or owned by a financial institution such as a bank. In some such cases, the financial institution location system 120 is considered part of one or more backend systems of the bank. The financial institution location system 120 includes, in some embodiments, a processing device 122 communicatively coupled with a communication device 126 and a file system 124, such as a memory device or memory. The processing device 122 is configured for controlling operation of the communication device 126 for communicating over the network 102 such as with the user system 110 and/or the financial institution backend system 150. The file system 124 is configured for storing computer readable instructions 128, such as, for example, the proximate banking program 129, an operating system, other applications, other computer executable program code and the like. The proximate banking program 129 includes program code and/or instructions for performing one or more of the methods and/or method steps discussed herein. For example, in one embodiment, the proximate banking program 129 is configured for instructing the processing device 122 to communicate with the user device 110 either directly or over one or more external networks such that the user device may connect with the financial institution location system 120 to transmit communications such as instructions and information about products and/or offers related to the customer's purpose in visiting the financial institution location and/or to begin and potentially complete a transaction with the user of the user device 110. The processing device 122, of course, is configured to access and/or retrieve some or all the computer readable instructions 128 and execute some or all of them.
The financial institution backend system 150 is, in some embodiments, a server such as an organization server, a computer system, another computing device or the like. In some embodiments, the organization is a financial institution such as a bank and the financial institution backend system 150 is a financial institution server. In some instances, the financial institution backend system 150 is or is part of the bank's backend systems. The financial institution backend system 150, in some embodiments, includes a processing device 152 communicatively coupled with a communication device 154 and a file system 156. The processing device 152 is typically configured to control the communication device for communicating across the network 102 with one or more of the other systems, such as the financial institution location system 120 and/or the user system 110. The file system 156 is configured for storing computer readable instructions such as an transaction program 159, an operating system, other computer executable program code, applications and the like. The processing device 152 is configured for accessing and/or retrieving some or all the computer readable instructions 158 from the file system 156 and executing some or all of them. In some embodiments, for example, the transaction program 159 includes program code configured to instruct the processing device 152 communicate with the user device 110 either directly or over one or more external networks such that the user device may connect with the financial institution backend system 150 to transmit communications such as instructions and information about products and/or offers related to the customer's purpose in visiting the financial institution location and/or to begin and potentially complete a transaction with the user of the user device 110.
In some such embodiments, the financial institution location system and the financial institution backend system share components, such as, for example, processing device 122 is the same device as processing device 152. Likewise, in some embodiments, file system 126 is the same system as file system 156. In various embodiments, the computer readable instructions on a server (not shown) that includes only one “proximate banking program” including both the instructions of the proximate banking program 129 and the instructions of the transaction program 159. In other embodiments, the computer readable instructions of the server include multiple distinct programs, such as, for example, a distinct proximate banking program 129 and a distinct transaction program 159.
Referring now to
When the user device is within the range, a secure connection is established between a financial institution system and the user device, as represented by block 220. This connection may be made based on the user device being recognized by a financial institution location system 120 maintaining a wireless communication network that recognizes the presence of the user device. The connection, in other embodiments, may be made based on the user device having an application running that recognizes its location is proximate a financial institution location based on GPS or some other location determination functionality and then connects the user device over another wireless network, such as by using the user device's cellular data connection, with a financial institution backend system 150.
The established connection, in some embodiments, is a secure connection. The connection may need to be secured for sensitive information such as account information or otherwise to be transmitted across the connection. In some embodiments, the information that is transmitted is encrypted before being transmitted so as to further increase security of the transmitted information.
The next step, as represented by block 230, is for the system to receive, from the user device and over the secure connection, user input. The user input may include information indicating the user's purpose for visiting the financial institution location. This user information is received from the user in response to a prompt requesting the user communicate the user's intentions in visiting the financial institution location. The user's input may be received in a variety of ways, such as by capturing spoken word of the user, receiving textual input from the user or other touch-based input, retrieving predetermined user preferences or otherwise. In some embodiments, the user input is received in response to one or more questions and/or options presented to the user for consideration. For example, in one embodiment, the application presents a list of the most common reasons a user visits a financial institution location to the user for the user's selection of their purpose in visiting. If the user's purpose is not listed, the user may be given an option to select that none of the available options match the user's purpose in visiting. The user may then be given another list of the next most likely reasons for the user visiting or the user may have an option to provide specific input, audibly or textually, for the user's purpose in visiting.
The next step, as represented by block 240, is for the system to transmit, to the user device and over the secure connection, at least one communication based at least in part on the received user purpose for visiting the financial institution location.
Referring now to
The next step, as represented by block 340, is to receive information indicating a type of transaction and transaction details from the user. For example, the user may indicate that the user wishes to deposit a check electronically and indicate the destination account for the funds. In step 350, the system processes the user information to conduct the transaction based at least in part on the type of transaction and the transaction details received from the user. At step 360, the system communicates, to the user, a message indicating the transaction has been processed.
In some instances, the user will not complete a transaction using the user device but rather, will merely receive information over the user device providing the user instructions for completing a transaction or other information useful to the user given the user's purpose for coming to the location.
Referring now to
According to some embodiments of the invention, a user device may run an application in its background that recognizes when the user device approaches a financial institution location and provides a notification to the user. Referring now to
The next step, as represented by block 520, is to establish a connection with the user device. The connection may be established directly with the financial institution location system, such as over a WIFI network or other local connection channel or may be established through an external network such as by using the user device's cellular data network. In a case where the connection is made over an external network, the user device may connect with the financial institution location system, which is located in or proximate the financial institution location or some other system maintained by the financial institution, such as a financial institution backend system, which is typically not collocated with the financial institution location.
The next step, represented by block 530, is to determine an identity of the user. This may be done by receiving user authentication information such as a username and password or may be done in other ways, such as by receiving a token or device ID unique to the user device. The next step, represented by block 540, is to determine a user purpose for visiting the location. As discussed above, the user's purpose in visiting the location may be inputted by the user in response to a prompt and may be in response to one or more questions inquiring details about the user's purpose in visiting the location. In some embodiments, where it is determined that the user device is traveling in proximity of a financial institution location or traveling toward a financial institution location or both, the user device may prompt the user to confirm that the user is traveling to the financial institution location, and then, in some embodiments, may proceed to prompt the user to input the user's purpose in traveling to the financial institution location. The next step, represented by block 550, is to communicate instructions to the application running on the user device. The instructions may cause the user device to navigate to a page of a website of the financial institution corresponding to the determined user purpose for visiting the location. For example, the user device may navigate to an online banking website page dedicated to accepting an electronic deposit or transferring funds. In other instances, the user device may navigate to a page of the financial institution providing information about a product or offer.
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the next step, represented by block 620, is the system accessing the device ID or the token from a list of device IDs or tokens, where each device ID or token is associated with a stored PIN or other supplementary authentication mechanism. In some embodiments, such as when secondary or supplemental authentication is not required, the system also, or alternatively, accesses the identity of the customer/user and the user is considered to be authenticated. In a case where secondary or supplemental authentication is required, as represented by block 630, the system may receive a PIN or other secondary authentication mechanism from the user device. The user device may, of course, receive the PIN from user input. The next step, represented by block 640, is determining whether the received PIN or other secondary authentication mechanism matches a stored PIN associated with the device ID or token received from the user device. In this regard, the PIN input by the user provides secondary authentication for embodiments where the user device may automatically connect with the financial institution system and provide preliminary authentication, such as by providing a device ID to a financial institution system.
Referring now to
In summary, embodiments of the invention are directed to a system that provides assistance to a user having a user device proximate a financial institution location by receiving a communication initiated by an application running on the user device without initiation by the user; establishing a connection with the user device; determining an identity of the user; determining a user purpose for visiting the location; and communicating instructions to the application running on the user device, the instructions to cause the user device to navigate to a page of a website of the financial institution corresponding to the determined user purpose for visiting the location. In some embodiments, the identity of the user is determined by determining whether a received PIN matches a stored PIN associated with a device ID received from the user device.
Although some embodiments of the invention described herein are generally described as involving a “financial institution,” one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may be utilized by other businesses that take the place of or work in conjunction with financial institutions to perform one or more of the processes or steps described herein as being performed by a financial institution.
As used herein, unless specifically limited by the context, the term “transaction” may refer to a purchase of goods and/or services (collectively referred to herein as “products”), a withdrawal of funds, an electronic transfer of funds, a payment transaction, a credit transaction, a PIN change transaction or other interaction between a cardholder and the bank maintained a bank account owned by the cardholder. As used herein, a “bank card” refers to a credit card, debit card, ATM card, check card, or the like, or other payment device such as, but not limited to, those discussed above that are not cards. An “account” or “bank account” refers to a credit account, debit account, deposit account, demand deposit account (DDA), checking account, budgeting account or the like. Although the phrases “bank card” and “bank account” include the term “bank,” the card or payment device need not be issued by a bank, and the account need not be maintained by a bank and may instead be issued by and/or maintained by other financial institutions.
As used herein, a “processing device” generally refers to a device or combination of devices having circuitry used for implementing the communication and/or logic functions of a particular system. For example, a processing device may include a digital signal processor device, a microprocessor device, and various analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, and other support circuits and/or combinations of the foregoing. Control and signal processing functions of the system are allocated between these processing devices according to their respective capabilities.
As used herein, a “communication device” generally includes a modem, server, transceiver, and/or other device for communicating with other devices directly or via a network, and/or a user interface for communicating with one or more users. As used herein, a “user interface” generally includes a display, mouse, keyboard, button, touchpad, touch screen, microphone, speaker, LED, light, joystick, switch, buzzer, bell, and/or other user input/output device for communicating with one or more users.
As used herein, a “memory device” or “memory” generally refers to a device or combination of devices including one or more forms of non-transitory computer-readable media for storing instructions, computer-executable code, and/or data thereon. Computer-readable media is defined in greater detail herein below. It will be appreciated that, as with the processing device, each communication interface and memory device may be made up of a single device or many separate devices that conceptually may be thought of as a single device.
As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method (including, for example, a computer-implemented process, a business process, and/or any other process), apparatus (including, for example, a system, machine, device, computer program product, and/or the like), or a combination of the foregoing. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may generally be referred to herein as a “system.” Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-readable medium having computer-executable program code embodied in the medium.
Any suitable transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples of the computer readable medium include, but are not limited to, the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires; a tangible storage medium such as a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or other optical or magnetic storage device.
In the context of this document, a computer readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to the Internet, wireline, optical fiber cable, radio frequency (RF) signals, or other mediums.
Computer-executable program code for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present invention may be written in an object oriented, scripted or unscripted programming language such as Java, Perl, Smalltalk, C++, or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages.
Embodiments of the present invention are described above with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and/or combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-executable program code portions. These computer-executable program code portions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that the code portions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create mechanisms for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer-executable program code portions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the code portions stored in the computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction mechanisms which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block(s).
The computer-executable program code may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the code portions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block(s). Alternatively, computer program implemented steps or acts may be combined with operator or human implemented steps or acts in order to carry out an embodiment of the invention.
As the phrase is used herein, a processor/processing device may be “configured to” perform a certain function in a variety of ways, including, for example, by having one or more general-purpose circuits perform the function by executing particular computer-executable program code embodied in computer-readable medium, and/or by having one or more application-specific circuits perform the function.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of, and not restrictive on, the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other changes, combinations, omissions, modifications and substitutions, in addition to those set forth in the above paragraphs, are possible. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations, combinations, and modifications of the just described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
