SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR SAVING AND INVESTING THROUGH USE OF TRANSACTION CARDS

• US 20110125637A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Yee, Jeannette J., Keeley, Greg, Kalra, Simran K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are used for saving through use of transaction cards. This is done through associating a transaction account of the transaction card with one or more deposit accounts. An amount of funds to be deposited from the transaction account into the deposit account is established. A number of times a deposit will be made is established. A time duration between the deposits when more than one deposit will be made is established. An event that initiates at least a first one of the deposits is established. The amount of funds from the transaction card account is deposited into the deposit account based on the above criteria.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

verifying, by a computer-based system for depositing funds into a deposit account, that criteria for receiving the funds is met, wherein a transaction account is associated with the deposit account;

verifying, by the computer-based system, the transaction account has a predetermined bill payment status; and

depositing, by the computer-based system, the funds from the transaction account into the deposit account, in response to both (1) the verifying the criteria is met and (2) the verifying the predetermined bill payment status is met.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined bill payment status comprises at least one of if a bill of the transaction account has been paid, if a portion of the bill of the transaction account has been paid, or if a threshold amount of the bill of the transaction account has been paid.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a percentage of monthly charges as an amount of the funds.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the depositing further comprises depositing, by the computer-based system, the funds at an end of each billing period of the transaction account.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising calculating a percentage of charges that were charged to the transaction account during the billing period as the funds to be deposited from the transaction account into the deposit account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer-based system is an account issuing system having a processor and non-transitory memory.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating, by the computer-based system, the transaction account with the deposit account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying that the criteria for receiving the funds is met comprises verifying that the receiving the funds is from a transaction account issuer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of funds to be deposited from the transaction account into the deposit account is based on the funds established for the transaction account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction account and the deposit account are established at one entity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction account and the deposit account are established at different entities.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction account and the deposit account are established at affiliated entities.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing, by the computer-based system, an additional savings amount into the deposit account, wherein the additional savings amount is established by an owner of the transaction account by overpaying an amount billed on a billing statement received for a billing cycle.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer-based system, from an owner of the transaction account, a second amount of funds to be deposited from the transaction account into the deposit account; and

depositing, by the computer-based system, the second amount of funds established by the owner from the transaction account into the deposit account.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a record of charge in the amount of a savings amount; and

depositing the savings amount into the deposit account, wherein the record of charge in the amount of said savings amount is independent of any transactions occurring in the transaction account during a billing cycle.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the funds comprise a cash back amount of funds.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposit account comprises a plurality of deposit accounts.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the funds is available to an owner of the transaction account, prior to receiving a billing statement for a billing cycle of the transaction account.

19. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computer-based system for depositing funds into a deposit account, cause the computer-based system to perform operations, comprising:

verifying, by the computer-based system, that criteria for receiving the funds is met, wherein a transaction account is associated with the deposit account;

verifying, by the computer-based system, the transaction account has a predetermined bill payment status; and

depositing, by the computer-based system, the funds from the transaction account into the deposit account, in response to both (1) the verifying the criteria is met and (2) the verifying the predetermined bill payment status is met.

20. A system comprising:

a tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with a processor for depositing funds,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

verifying, by the processor, that criteria for receiving the funds is met, wherein a transaction account is associated with the deposit account;

verifying, by the processor, the transaction account has a predetermined bill payment status; and

depositing, by the processor, the funds from the transaction account into the deposit account, in response to both (1) the verifying the criteria is met and (2) the verifying the predetermined bill payment status is met.