Instant Messaging (IM) is a growing market across a wide cross section of persons. For example, teenagers IM more than they e-mail. The “below 25” age groups are major IM Users. Further, studies show that fifty million plus adults trade instant messages and one quarter of those swap IMs more frequently than e-mail. IM is gaining in the workplace too. Further, major vendors are creating products based around IM.
Instant messaging ((IM) is a type of communications service that allows a user to create a type of private chat room with another user. The two users are thus provided with the ability to communicate in essentially real-time over the Internet, or some other network. Thus, IM is somewhat like a telephone conversation, but uses text-based communication, i.e., typed text, instead of voice-based communication. The particular time that typed text is seen by the other user may vary between different IM systems. For example, the other person might be able to see typed text immediately, or alternatively, only once a new line is started, for example.
An IM system may provide for alerting users of which other users are online and available to chat. Once a user can identify what other users are online, a chat session can be initiated between such users. Some IM systems allow for a user to be alerted once a particular other user has become available.
As is well known in the art, a variety of vendors provide IM services. Different products may well be associated with different features and functionalities.
In one arrangement as shown in
As shown in
The userone computer 20, as shown in
While IM is widely used and has a wide variety of benefits, current IM systems fail to address the financial needs of users. The invention addresses this deficiency.
The invention provides a system and method for providing financial processing in conjunction with instant messaging (IM) to a user using a user device, the system including an IM bank processing portion that is provided to conduct chat sessions with users using IM so as to receive financial information from and provide financial information to the users, and the IM bank processing portion providing for effecting a transaction upon a request of a user; and the IM bank processing portion monitoring activity of the user relating to input of the user vis-à-vis IM chat windows displayed on the user device, the IM bank processing portion effecting the transaction based on the monitoring. The invention might also be used in conjunction with communication technologies other than IM. The invention may be utilized in conjunction with other user to user communication systems, i.e., other than instant messaging.
The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference indicators are used to designate like elements, and in which:
Hereinafter, aspects of the invention in accordance with various embodiments of the invention will be described. As used herein, any term in the singular may be interpreted to be in the plural, and alternatively, any term in the plural may be interpreted to be in the singular.
The invention provides an advantage to IM users by providing an IM Banking solution. In particular, the embodiments of the invention:
1. Add banks to IM products;
2. Creates a secure financial payment session between an IM user and their bank. The process may be provided to follow MFA (Multi-factor Authentication) guidelines.
3. Allows IM users to drag and drop a payment from their bank to either (1) another IM User, or (2) a payee already set up on Chase Online, or some other on-line product, for example;
4. Supplies confirmation information through the IM interface that a payment was made;
5. Leverages existing electronic payment technologies; and
6. Provides a mobile banking interface.
The IM-F system 900 includes a plurality of user's computers (100, 100′, . . . ), an IM financial service portion 300, and an IM service portion 400. As can be appreciated, the particular number of user computers 100 may be in the hundreds or thousands. The IM service portion 400 provides the IM service and is maintained by a suitable vendor. The IM financial service portion 300 provides for various financial processing, as described herein.
As shown in
The userone computer 100, as shown in
The communication portion 150 provides for the userone computer 100 to communicate with the IM service portion 400, as well as with other systems/users, such as over the Internet. The processing portion 160 performs various processing, such as data manipulation, storage and retrieval. The computers 200 may be of similar arrangement to the userone computer 100.
As noted above, the userone computer 100 also includes an IM financial portion 140. The IM financial portion 140 performs processing in conjunction with the IM user program 130, as described in detail below. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the IM financial portion 140 provides a processing layer over the functionality provided by the IM user program 130. This processing layer (provided by the IM financial portion 140) provides a variety a financial related processing performed in conjunction with instant messaging.
As shown in
The IM bank-user portion 330 provides for the IM related processing, including presenting information to the IM financial service portion 300 that is received from users, e.g., customers, and taking information that the IM financial service portion 300 has generated, and outputting such generated information to users, i.e., using IM. Various other functionality may be provided by the IM bank-user portion 330, as described below. The communication portion 350 provides for the IM financial service portion 300 to communicate with the IM service portion 400 and the userone computer 100, for example, as well as with other systems, such as over the Internet. The bank processing portion 360 performs various processing, such as financial data manipulation, storage and retrieval of financial data, risk assessment of requested transactions, authentication and verification associated with financial transactions, and various other financial related processing.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the IM bank user portion 330 and the IM financial portion 140 might collectively be characterized as an IM bank processing portion 335, as shown in
As shown in step 1, a human, userone, interfaces with the userone computer 100 (and specifically the IM user portion 130) to prompt the generation of a contact list, e.g., a buddy list, in the user interface 120. From the buddy list, userone selects usertwo to chat with—in an IM session. The human usertwo is disposed at the usertwo computer 200
As shown in step 2 of
To effect the payment from userone to usertwo, userone initiates a further chat session with “Chase”, i.e., the IM financial service portion 300 of
In the chat session with IM financial service portion 300 (Chase), userone (Tim) types “balance”. In response, the IM financial service portion 300 (via the IM bank user portion 330 and the bank processing portion 360) responds (as a result of receiving the communication from userone and processing the communication) that the balance is $2,123.89. Tim then types “Pay $10”. After such entry is processed by the IM financial service portion 300, the IM financial service portion 300 responds “Payment is authorized, drag to IM window to complete transaction”.
At this point in the process, userone (Tim) “drags” the payment from the Chase window to usertwo's window. This dragging may be performed in any suitable manner. For example, userone might simply click and hold his mouse while the curser is in the Chase GUI (graphical user interface) 122, followed by dragging the curser to the usertwo window, as shown in
That is, once the payment has been dragged into the GUI (usertwo window) 121, the IM financial portion 140, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, communicates this information back to the IM bank user portion 330. Such communication back to the IN bank user portion 330 may be done via an IM channel or in some other suitable manner. The IM bank user portion 330 then communicates this information to the bank processing portion 360. The bank processing portion 360 then actually effects the requested transaction. Once the bank processing portion 360 performs the transaction, the bank processing portion 360 communicates such to the IM bank user portion 330. The IM bank user portion 330 then conveys such information back to the IM user portion 130 via the IM channel. This results in the window 123. That is, the window 123 shows a text line from Chase: “$10 transfer complete. Confirmation number is 1234”. Accordingly, userone now knows that indeed the requested transaction has been completed.
As described above, upon a request from userone, the IM financial service portion 300 (using the IM bank user portion 330 and the bank processing portion 360) responds that the balance is $2,123.89. Further, the above describes other processing performed by the IM bank user portion 330 and the bank processing portion 360, such as effecting and confirming the transaction. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the bank processing portion 360 may be thought of as a type of user. That is, information comes in to the IM bank user portion 330 and is forwarded to the bank processing portion 360 for processing. Further, the bank processing portion 360 outputs information to users via the IM bank user portion 330. Thus, in one characterization, the IM bank user portion 330 is the counterpart of the IM user portion 130, and the bank processing portion 360 is the counterpart of the human userone. Indeed, the IM bank user portion 330 may effectively read received text to the bank processing portion 360, and the bank processing portion 360 may effectively type text into the IM bank user portion 330. In this manner, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, known IM processing may be used, with an inventive overlay providing financial services. For example, the IM user portion 130 may, in one embodiment, effect known IM processing, in conjunction with the IM financial portion 140 providing the novel financial overlay. That is, for example, the IM financial portion 140 may monitor chat sessions between a user (e.g. userone at userone computer 100) and the IM financial service portion 300, in conjunction with providing the capability to effect a transaction by dragging a payment from the Chase window 122 to the usertwo window 121.
The processing of
Other arrangements are of course possible. In general, the invention provides what “looks and feels” like a basic IM platform, but with substantial financial capabilities (as a result of financial processing in the background, such as provided by the IM financial portion 140 and the IM financial service portion 300).
In the example of
Registration of a user may occur at different times in the process. For example, in the illustrative transaction of
The IM financial portion 140 may effect the registration of a user in any suitable manner. For example, the IM financial portion 140 (and the IM financial service portion 300) may present a URL to usertwo (to direct usertwo to a registration page) or might e-mail usertwo with instructions as to how to register. The particular manner in which the IM financial service portion 300 pursues registration of usertwo may be varied depending on what information is known. Thus, if no e-mail address is known, then e-mail prompted registration is of course not viable.
Further, it should be appreciated that users participating in transactions, e.g., userone and usertwo, do not need to be customers of the bank 300. Rather, the bank 300 might interface with another banks processing platform to initiate a debit, credit, push, pull, or some other transaction of funds. However, it should be appreciated that some particulars of the users in a transaction be known to bank 300. For example, a transaction to/from a party would generally require an account number of such party, or information by which the account number might be determined/ascertained by either the bank 300 or another bank.
Hereinafter, further features of the invention will be described with reference to
As shown in
In response, in step 3′ Tim indeed drags the transaction (represented by the icon 141) to the PhoneCo IM window 127. In this example, text is then generated in the IM window 127 (by the IM financial service portion 300 and the IM financial portion 140) indicating the $10 is being transferred to PhoneCo.
Further, as shown by the Chase IM window 126′, the IM financial service portion 300 then advises Tim that the transfer is complete, i.e., the IM financial service portion 300 types “$10 transfer complete. Confirmation # is 6789”.
Accordingly, through manipulation of IM windows, the user (here Tim) has easily effected a transaction in an IM environment. The bank (e.g. the IM financial service portion 300) monitors the manipulation of the IM windows and effects requested transactions based on such manipulation)
The invention has been described herein as relating to instant messaging (IM), a type of user to user communication system. That is, one user communicates with another user (or multiple other users). In particular, for example, the processing performed by the IM financial service portion 300 and the IM financial portion 140 is described as providing an overlay over IM, so as to provide various financial related capabilities. However, such novel overlay as described herein is not limited to application in an IM environment. Rather, such overlay may be provided in a video environment, a text messaging environment, or other environments where lines of communications are set up between users, i.e., in other user to user communication systems. That is, the invention is applicable in an environment where discrete lines of communication are established between two users, a user may establish a line of communication with the bank (e.g. the bank 300), and the bank may monitor activity of the user relating to input of the user vis-à-vis the various lines of communication and other users. Such environment is shown in the examples of
The various embodiments of the invention as described herein may be associated with fraud prevention processing, as is desired, as well as processing to insure what is done was intended to be done. Accordingly, various multi-authentication techniques may be utilized in conjunction with the processing as described above. Further, risk assessment processing might be performed, as desired. For example, risk assessment processing (performed by the bank processing portion 360, for example) might include inputting the dollar amount of the transaction and performing subsequent processing based on that dollar amount. Such might include waiting a longer time to clear a larger transaction, placing a larger transaction over a particular channel, and/or requiring further confirmation from the user for a larger transaction. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a particular user might have to input an approval code in order to authenticate/verify the transaction. Further, the reversal of transactions might be provided for in some suitable manner, such as via a suitable dialogue box following an inquiry.
As described above, a transaction is effected by dragging from one IM window to another IM window. For example,
As described above, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention shown in
The systems and method of embodiments as described above may also be implemented and used in a game environment. That is, as described above, the IM financial portion 140 monitors actions by a user (e.g. dragging money) and effects transactions based on such actions. The IM financial portion 140, or an equivalent thereof, may be programmed to monitor a variety of activity, and take action based thereon. Accordingly, events in a game might be programmed to result in certain transactions between players accounts. The players might be enabled to monitor their account as the game progresses. For example, an action by a first player, for a second player, might be programmed to result in a debit to the second player's account and a credit to the first player's account. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the invention might be provided to keep track of points in a rewards points environment.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a user effecting a transaction, such as shown in
The window 122 of
As described above, payments may be dragged by the user and/or otherwise manipulated. Such manipulation may be presented to the user in a visual manner. As described herein, such visual representation to the user may be done in a manner so as to better convey to the user the transaction that is taking place. Thus, for example, a stack of bills might be proportional in size to the amount being processed, as discussed above. For example, if the transition is in a game environment, as described further below, the visual representation might depict the currency being transacted, e.g., gold or lumber or wild stock, for example.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the IM financial service portion 300 also includes a currency conversion portion 370. The currency conversion portion 370 effects a currency conversion that is used by the IM financial service portion 300. To explain, the bank processing portion 360, as described above, effects a payment from a first person (or entity) to a second person (or entity) using instant messaging, or some other user to user communication system. For example, a user might drag an icon from their IM window to the payee's IM window, so as to convey to the IM financial service portion 300 that the user wishes to effect a payment to such payee.
It is well appreciated that such payments, as well as other payments in embodiments of the invention, may involve a currency conversation. For example, the payer may be in a first country using a first currency, while the payee is in a second country using a second currency. Accordingly, it is needed that the IM financial service portion 300 effect a currency conversion in conjunction with performing the requested transaction.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, each user is assigned a currency. This assignment might be performed in conjunction with the registration of a user, for example. Thus, when processing a transaction for a user, the IM financial service portion 300 uses the particular currency that the user is assigned. Alternatively, the particular currency of the payer and payee may be selected in conjunction with requesting the transaction. For example, the IM window of the payee and/or the payer may have an icon (or other indicia) representing the currency options. In requesting the transaction, the requestor may select such icons so as to designate which currency/currencies to work with. In general, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, the payer and the payee may be prompted or advised in any suitable manner what particular currency/currencies should be used in processing the transaction.
Once the particular currencies have been identified (i.e., and the particular conversion that is needed is known), the IM financial service portion 300 retrieves or calculates the needed conversion factor. For example, the IM financial service portion 300 might retrieve the conversion factor from a suitable database. Thereafter, the IM financial service portion 300 performs the requested transaction using the retrieved or calculated conversion factor. The particular needed conversion factor might be retrieved once daily (or in some other periodic manner) or may be retrieved in real time, as is desired, for example.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a user (payer or payee) may be provided with the option of choosing the particular currencies (out of a number of currencies available for use). For example, a payee may receive payments in two (or more) currencies. Thus, the payer may be provided with the option of which currency the payer wishes to pay in. The payer might be provided (via a dialogue box or via IM chat with the IM financial service portion 300, for example) with the conversion rates (and the associated amounts that are calculated based on the conversion rate). The payer, for example, may then see which currency is most favorable to them, and pick such currency. Thereafter, the payment is processed using the selected currency.
Further, the conversion between currencies, as described above, is not limited to national currencies, i.e., Yen, Euros, Dollars, Pesos, etc. Rather, such described “currency” also includes rewards points or any other quantitative asset system (including a point system). Thus, for example, the IM financial service portion 300 might convert from reward points to dollars, or visa-a-versa.
Hereinafter, aspects of implementation of the invention will be described. As described above,
As noted above, the processing machine executes the instructions that are stored in the memory or memories to process data. This processing of data may be in response to commands by a user or users of the processing machine, in response to previous processing, in response to a request by another processing machine and/or any other input, for example.
As noted above, the processing machine used to implement the invention may be a general purpose computer. However, the processing machine described above may also utilize any of a wide variety of other technologies including a special purpose computer, a computer system including a microcomputer, mini-computer or mainframe for example, a programmed microprocessor, a micro-controller, a peripheral integrated circuit element, a CSIC (Customer Specific Integrated Circuit) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or other integrated circuit, a logic circuit, a digital signal processor, a programmable logic device such as a FPGA, PLD, PLA or PAL, or any other device or arrangement of devices that is capable of implementing the steps of the process of the invention.
It is appreciated that in order to practice the method of the invention as described above, it is not necessary that the processors and/or the memories of the processing machine be physically located in the same geographical place. That is, each of the processors and the memories used in the invention may be located in geographically distinct locations and connected so as to communicate in any suitable manner. Additionally, it is appreciated that each of the processor and/or the memory may be composed of different physical pieces of equipment. Accordingly, it is not necessary that the processor be one single piece of equipment in one location and that the memory be another single piece of equipment in another location. That is, it is contemplated that the processor may be two pieces of equipment in two different physical locations. The two distinct pieces of equipment may be connected in any suitable manner. Additionally, the memory may include two or more portions of memory in two or more physical locations.
To explain further, processing as described above is performed by various components and various memories. However, it is appreciated that the processing performed by two distinct components as described above may, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, be performed by a single component. Further, the processing performed by one distinct component as described above may be performed by two distinct components. In a similar manner, the memory storage performed by two distinct memory portions as described above may, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, be performed by a single memory portion. Further, the memory storage performed by one distinct memory portion as described above may be performed by two memory portions.
Further, various technologies may be used to provide communication between the various processors and/or memories, as well as to allow the processors and/or the memories of the invention to communicate with any other entity; i.e., so as to obtain further instructions or to access and use remote memory stores, for example. Such technologies used to provide such communication might include a network, the Internet, Intranet, Extranet, LAN, an Ethernet, or any client server system that provides communication, for example. Such communications technologies may use any suitable protocol such as TCP/IP, UDP, or OSI, for example.
As described above, a set of instructions is used in the processing of the invention. The set of instructions may be in the form of a program or software. The software may be in the form of system software or application software, for example. The software might also be in the form of a collection of separate programs, a program module within a larger program, or a portion of a program module, for example The software used might also include modular programming in the form of object oriented programming. The software tells the processing machine what to do with the data being processed.
Further, it is appreciated that the instructions or set of instructions used in the implementation and operation of the invention may be in a suitable form such that the processing machine may read the instructions. For example, the instructions that form a program may be in the form of a suitable programming language, which is converted to machine language or object code to allow the processor or processors to read the instructions. That is, written lines of programming code or source code, in a particular programming language, are converted to machine language using a compiler, assembler or interpreter. The machine language is binary coded machine instructions that are specific to a particular type of processing machine, i.e., to a particular type of computer, for example. The computer understands the machine language.
Any suitable programming language may be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention. Illustratively, the programming language used may include assembly language, Ada, APL, Basic, C, C++, COBOL, dBase, Forth, Fortran, Java, Modula-2, Pascal, Prolog, REXX, Visual Basic, and/or JavaScript, for example. Further, it is not necessary that a single type of instructions or single programming language be utilized in conjunction with the operation of the system and method of the invention. Rather, any number of different programming languages may be utilized as is necessary or desirable.
Also, the instructions and/or data used in the practice of the invention may utilize any compression or encryption technique or algorithm, as may be desired. An encryption module might be used to encrypt data. Further, files or other data may be decrypted using a suitable decryption module, for example.
As described above, the invention may illustratively be embodied in the form of a processing machine, including a computer or computer system, for example, that includes at least one memory. It is to be appreciated that the set of instructions, i.e., the software for example, that enables the computer operating system to perform the operations described above may be contained on any of a wide variety of media or medium, as desired. Further, the data that is processed by the set of instructions might also be contained on any of a wide variety of media or medium. That is, the particular medium, i.e., the memory in the processing machine, utilized to hold the set of instructions and/or the data used in the invention may take on any of a variety of physical forms or transmissions, for example. Illustratively, the medium may be in the form of paper, paper transparencies, a compact disk, a DVD, an integrated circuit, a hard disk, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, a RAM, a ROM, a PROM, a EPROM, a wire, a cable, a fiber, communications channel, a satellite transmissions or other remote transmission, as well as any other medium or source of data that may be read by the processors of the invention.
Further, the memory or memories used in the processing machine that implements the invention may be in any of a wide variety of forms to allow the memory to hold instructions, data, or other information, as is desired. Thus, the memory might be in the form of a database to hold data. The database might use any desired arrangement of files such as a flat file arrangement or a relational database arrangement, for example.
In the system and method of the invention, a variety of “user interfaces” may be utilized to allow a user to interface with the processing machine or machines that are used to implement the invention. As used herein, a user interface includes any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software used by the processing machine that allows a user to interact with the processing machine. A user interface may be in the form of a dialogue screen for example. A user interface may also include any of a mouse, touch screen, keyboard, voice reader, voice recognizer, dialogue screen, menu box, list, checkbox, toggle switch, a pushbutton or any other device that allows a user to receive information regarding the operation of the processing machine as it processes a set of instructions and/or provide the processing machine with information. Accordingly, the user interface is any device that provides communication between a user and a processing machine. The information provided by the user to the processing machine through the user interface may be in the form of a command, a selection of data, or some other input, for example.
As discussed above, a user interface is utilized by the processing machine that performs a set of instructions such that the processing machine processes data for a user. The user interface is typically used by the processing machine for interacting with a user either to convey information or receive information from the user. However, it should be appreciated that in accordance with some embodiments of the system and method of the invention, it is not necessary that a human user actually interact with a user interface used by the processing machine of the invention. Rather, it is contemplated that the user interface of the invention might interact, i.e., convey and receive information, with another processing machine, rather than a human user. Accordingly, the other processing machine might be characterized as a user. Further, it is contemplated that a user interface utilized in the system and method of the invention may interact partially with another processing machine or processing machines, while also interacting partially with a human user.
It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible to broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the invention.
Accordingly, while the present invention has been described here in detail in relation to its exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made to provide an enabling disclosure of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed or to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any other such embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/885,834 filed Jan. 19, 2007 entitled “Systems and methods for providing financial processing in conjunction with instant messaging and other communications”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60885834 | Jan 2007 | US |