System and method of facilitating transactions over a computer network

• US 20030105674A1
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Rothe, Michael, Bureau, Scott, Rose, Bonnie, Gaitan, Thomas, Gloria, Joseph, Hotard, Robert, Howell, Cheryl, Large, Steven, Post, Jeffry, Price, Susan
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method of facilitating online transactions. The present invention is capable of receiving product information, storing same upon a repository and profiling each product according to geographical region. When a customer accesses the website utilized by the present invention, his or her address information is used to determine a geographical area of residence. Geographical area specific product forms are stored upon the repository in image-type format (for example, PDF format) substantially identical to the forms as they would appear if presented to the customer as a hard copy. Thus, once the customer has verified the correct purchasing information, the invention imports the purchasing information into the appropriate image-type geographical area specific form and displays same to the customer. Once the customer has reviewed the appropriate image-type forms, he or she may electronically “sign” each document so that the financial product purchase may be consummated. To accomplish this, the invention provides a signature button. When the customer selects the signature button, the system navigates the customer to the next form to be signed, completed with the appropriate data, and accompanied by the appropriate disclaimers.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating transactions over a computer network using an e-commerce site comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first repository containing customer information for a plurality of customers;

b) providing a second repository containing product information relating to a plurality of products;

c) receiving a request to review said product information from a first of said plurality of customers;

d) utilizing said customer information, determining which geographical area is attributable to said first customer; and

e) utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer and one or more product availability rules, retrieving product information from said second repository and displaying said product information upon said e-commerce site, each of said products described by said product information being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

f) receiving, from said first customer, an indication that he or she wishes to purchase a first of said products;

g) displaying, upon said e-commerce site, a plurality of data fields associated with to said first product, said data fields capable of receiving transactional information from said first customer, said transactional information being required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first product; and

,

h) displaying an image type data form containing said transactional information upon said e-commerce site for review by said customer, said image type data form being substantially identical to the corresponding form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first product.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the additional steps of:

i) displaying said image type data form and an e-signature button upon said e-commerce site;

j) upon said first customer'"'"'s selection of said e-signature button, creating a log record of the transaction; and

,

k) importing the time and date of e-signature button selection by said first customer into said image type data form.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

receiving product specific information from said first customer describing one or more types of said products said customer would prefer to review; and

,

utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer and said product specific information, retrieving product information and displaying said product information upon said e-commerce site, each of said products described by said product information being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the additional step of:

if more than one of said image type data forms is required to purchase said first product, repeating steps g) through k) until said first customer has selected said e-signature button for each image type data form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area to purchase said first product.

6. A method of facilitating financial transactions over a computer network using an e-commerce site comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first repository containing customer information for a plurality of customers;

b) providing a second repository containing product information relating to a plurality of financial products;

c) receiving a request to review said product information from a first of said plurality of customers;

d) utilizing said customer information, determining which geographical area is attributable to said first customer; and

e) utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer, retrieving one or more of said financial products from said second repository and displaying said one or more of said financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first repository and said second repository are the same repository.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, further comprising the additional steps of:

f) receiving, from said first customer, an indication that he or she wishes to purchase a first of said financial products;

g) displaying, upon said e-commerce site, a plurality of data fields associated with said first financial product, said data fields capable of receiving transactional information from said first customer, said transactional information being required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product; and

h) displaying an image type data form containing said transactional information upon said e-commerce site for review by said customer, said image type data form being substantially identical to the corresponding form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the additional steps of:

i) displaying said image type data form and an e-signature button upon said e-commerce site;

j) upon said first customer'"'"'s selection of said e-signature button, creating a log record of the transaction; and

,

k) importing the time and date of e-signature button selection by said first customer into said image type data form.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the additional step of:

retrieving said customer information from said first repository.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the additional steps of:

receiving product specific information from said first customer describing one or more types of said financial products said customer would prefer to review; and

,

utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer and said product specific information, retrieving one or more of said financial products and displaying said one or more financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the additional step of:

maintaining a plurality of product availability rules, said rules utilized to determine which of said financial products are available in each of said geographical areas.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising the additional step of:

displaying one or more comparison points upon said e-commerce site for review by said plurality of customers.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said transactional information from said first customer into said data fields is presented upon said e-commerce site for validation by said first customer.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said image type data form is presented upon said e-commerce site in portable document format.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the additional step of:

displaying said image type data form, one or more legal disclaimers relating to said image type data form and said e-signature button upon said e-commerce site.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising the additional step of:

crediting said first customer with one or more incentives in exchange for the purchase of said first financial product.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising the additional step of:

if more than one of said image type data forms is required to purchase said first financial product, repeating steps g) through k) until said first customer has selected said e-signature button for each image type data form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area to purchase said first financial product.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising the additional step of:

storing said image type data form upon a third repository.

20. A method of facilitating financial transactions over a computer network using an e-commerce site comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first repository containing customer information for a plurality of customers;

b) providing a second repository containing product information relating to a plurality of financial products;

c) receiving a request to review said product information from a first of said plurality of customers;

d) utilizing said customer information, determining which geographical area is attributable to said first customer;

e) utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer, retrieving one or more of said financial products from said second repository and displaying said one or more of said financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area;

f) receiving, from said first customer, an indication that he or she wishes to purchase a first of said financial products;

g) displaying, upon said e-commerce site, a plurality of data fields associated with said first financial product, said data fields capable of receiving transactional information from said first customer, said transactional information being required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product;

h) displaying an image type data form containing said transactional information upon said e-commerce site for review by said customer, said image type data form being substantially identical to the corresponding form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product;

i) displaying said image type data form and an e-signature button upon said e-commerce site;

j) upon said first customer'"'"'s selection of said e-signature button, creating a log record of the transaction; and

,

k) importing the time and date of e-signature button selection by said first customer into said image type data form.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the additional steps of:

receiving product specific information from said first customer describing one or more types of said financial products said customer would prefer to review;

utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer and said product specific information, retrieving one or more of said financial products and displaying said one or more financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area;

maintaining a plurality of product availability rules, said rules utilized to determine which of said financial products are available in each of said geographical areas;

displaying one or more comparison points upon said e-commerce site for review by said plurality of customers;

displaying said image type data form, one or more legal disclaimers relating to said image type data form and said e-signature button upon said e-commerce site;

crediting said first customer with one or more incentives in exchange for the purchase of said first financial product;

if more than one of said image type data forms is required to purchase said first financial product, repeating steps g) through k) until said first customer has selected said e-signature button for each image type data form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area to purchase said first financial product; and

storing said image type data form upon a third repository.

22. A computer system for facilitating financial transactions over a computer network using an e-commerce site comprising the steps of:

providing a first repository containing customer information for a plurality of customers;

providing a second repository containing product information relating to a plurality of financial products; and

providing a processing unit coupled to said first repository and said second repository, said processing unit capable of receiving a request to review said product information from a first of said plurality of customers, determining which geographical area is attributable to said first customer and, utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer, retrieving one or more of said financial products from said second repository and displaying said one or more of said financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said processing unit is defined as being further capable of receiving, from said first customer, an indication that he or she wishes to purchase a first of said financial products, displaying, upon said e-commerce site, a plurality of data fields associated with said first financial product, said data fields capable of receiving transactional information from said first customer and said transactional information being required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product and displaying an image type data form containing said transactional information upon said e-commerce site for review by said customer, said image type data form being substantially identical to the corresponding form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said computer system is further defined as being capable of displaying said image type data form and an e-signature button upon said e-commerce site, creating, upon said first customer'"'"'s selection of said e-signature button, a log record of the transaction and importing the time and date of e-signature button selection by said first customer into said image type data form.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said computer system is further defined as being capable of retrieving said customer information from said first repository.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said computer system is further defined as being capable of crediting said first customer with one or more incentives in exchange for the purchase of said first financial product.

27. A computer system for facilitating financial transactions over a computer network using an e-commerce site comprising the steps of:

providing a first repository containing customer information for a plurality of customers;

providing a second repository containing product information relating to a plurality of financial products; and

providing a processing unit coupled to said first repository and said second repository, said processing unit capable of receiving a request to review said product information from a first of said plurality of customers, determining which geographical area is attributable to said first customer and, utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer, retrieving one or more of said financial products from said second repository, displaying said one or more of said financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area, receiving, from said first customer, an indication that he or she wishes to purchase a first of said financial products, displaying, upon said e-commerce site, a plurality of data fields associated with said first financial product, said data fields capable of receiving transactional information from said first customer, said transactional information being required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product, displaying an image type data form containing said transactional information upon said e-commerce site for review by said customer, said image type data form being substantially identical to the corresponding form required in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area for the purchase of said first financial product, displaying said image type data form and an e-signature button upon said e-commerce site, creating, upon said first customer'"'"'s selection of said e-signature button, a log record of the transaction and importing the time and date of e-signature button selection by said first customer into said image type data form.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein said processing unit is defined as being further capable of receiving product specific information from said first customer describing one or more types of said financial products said customer would prefer to review, utilizing said geographical area attributable to said first customer and said product specific information, retrieving one or more of said financial products and displaying said one or more financial products upon said e-commerce site, each of said financial products being available for purchase in said first customer'"'"'s geographical area, maintaining a plurality of product availability rules, said rules utilized to determine which of said financial products are available in each of said geographical areas, displaying one or more comparison points upon said e-commerce site for review by said plurality of customers, displaying said image type data form, one or more legal disclaimers relating to said image type data form and said e-signature button upon said e-commerce site, crediting said first customer with one or more incentives in exchange for the purchase of said first financial product, and storing said image type data form upon a third repository.