Handheld electronic personal financial money manager and spending tracker

• US 20080245854A1
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deborah Monden
• Original Assignee: Deborah Monden
• Inventors: Monden, Deborah
• Application Number:
  US11/784,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A device for aiding in the tracking and calculation of personal financial transactions is disclosed. The device is preferably pocket sized, portable and provides finger-tip access to allow the user to concentrate on managing the user'"'"'s financial transactions and achieving financial goals with minimum effort. The device includes a central processing unit (CPU) that runs database software that stores information about the user'"'"'s financial accounts, financial transaction histories, budgets, plans and goals. The CPU directs the device to visually present information about, including analytical information about, these financial categories. The present invention assists the user in tracking and recording their daily money inflows and outflows (e.g., via ATM or teller deposits and withdrawals, actual cash usage, debit card transactions, check writing activities). The device also allows the user to easily modify their budget and spending plans at any point of time to assist them in keeping on track of their financial goals. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device has about the same size as a common checkbook. The present invention eliminates the need for manual tracking and calculations of financial transactions, such as that done on paper checkbook ledgers, and provides pocket size, portable at the finger-tip access to the user'"'"'s financial information to allow the user to concentrate on achieving their financial goals with minimum effort.

Claims

1. A portable device for aiding a user in managing their money comprising:

a keyboard;

a display screen;

a central processing unit (CPU) connected to the keyboard and to the display screen, the CPU including a memory and a clock and running software, particularly database software, that directs the operation of the device, the database containing information relating to the finances of the user;

a power source connected to and powering the CPU, keyboard and display screen.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the device has about the same dimensions as a common checkbook.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the display screen is connected to the keyboard along a common pivoting axis wherein the display screen pivots around the common pivoting axis towards or away from the keyboard whereby the display screen provides a protective covering for the keyboard in a closed configuration but allows the user to see information on the display screen in an open configuration

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a card reader connected to the CPU.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising an input/output port that is capable of connecting with other electronic devices.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the display screen includes a touchscreen that allows the user to input data merely by touching appropriate places on the display screen with the user'"'"'s finger or a stylus.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the CPU directs the display screen to display an initial screen upon activation of the CPU that displays the functions available to the user and allows the user to choose the function they desire to activate.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein, in response to a user request, the CPU directs the display screen to display a screen from the group consisting of:

showing the expenses and related data and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s financial obligations and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s projected income and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s financial obligations and projected income and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s determined budget and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to financial transactions that are reported in a checkbook ledger and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the balances in the user'"'"'s accounts and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s accounts and allows the user to reconcile these accounts with other information the user has about the accounts;

showing information relating to the balances in the user'"'"'s spending plan and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the timing of when financial obligations become due and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s financial goals and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to the user'"'"'s financial statements and allows the user to input additional information or correct the information shown on the display screen;

showing information relating to comparative features of the financial information stored in the database;

showing warnings or alerts relating to financial conditions contained in the database meeting certain predefined parameters.

showing the user'"'"'s financial obligations due and allow the user to prioritize the payments of these obligations.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein when the CPU directs the display screen to display a screen showing information relating to the user'"'"'s determined budget, the CPU directs the display screen to display, in addition to the user'"'"'s budget, information about actual expenditures.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein when the CPU directs the display screen to display a screen showing information relating to the user'"'"'s determined budget, the CPU directs the display screen to display, in addition to the user'"'"'s budget and information about actual expenditures, the variance between the actual expenditures and the budget.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein when the CPU directs the display screen to display a screen showing information relating to financial transactions that are reported in a checkbook ledger, the CPU directs the display screen to automatically list checks in sequential numbering once a check number has been entered into the database.

12. The device of claim 8 wherein the CPU directs the display screen to prompt the user to input data related to a particular check if a check number other than the next sequentially numbered check is entered.

13. The device of claim 8 wherein the screen indicates whether these accounts are increasing or decreasing over a particular time period.

14. The device of claim 8 wherein projected net cash flows determined under the user'"'"'s spending plan are displayed.

15. The device of claim 8 wherein the screen displays the information relating to the timing of when financial obligations become due in a calendar format.

16. The device of claim 8 wherein the information relating to the user'"'"'s financial goals includes information relating to the ultimate financial goal and the current status of the account related to achieving the goal.

17. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for allowing the user to suggest a proposed financial transaction and see the results of the proposed transaction on the information contained in the database.

18. The device of claim 17 further comprising means for allowing the user to cancel the proposed transaction and reset the information in the database back to the condition of the information prior to the proposed transaction.

19. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for ensure the user'"'"'s,privacy.

20. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for predetermining certain expenses or charges and entering them into the appropriate database registers.

21. A portable device for aiding a user in managing their money comprising:

a keyboard;

a display screen wherein the display screen includes a touchscreen that allows the user to input data by touching appropriate places on the display screen with the user'"'"'s finger or a stylus and wherein the display screen is connected to the keyboard along a common pivoting axis wherein the display screen pivots around the common pivoting axis towards or away from the keyboard whereby the display screen provides a protective covering for the keyboard in a closed configuration but allows the user to see information on the display screen in an open configuration;

a central processing unit (CPU) connected to the keyboard and to the display screen, the CPU including a memory and a clock and running software, particularly database software, that directs the operation of the device, the database containing information relating to the finances of the user wherein the CPU directs the display screen to display an initial screen upon activation of the CPU that displays the functions available to the user and allows the user to choose the function they desire to activate;

a card reader connected to the CPU

a power source connected to and powering the CPU, keyboard, display screen and card reader;

wherein the device has about the same dimensions as a common checkbook.