Method and Apparatus for Automated Bill Timeline

• US 20140258060A1
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HMBay Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Connexive, Inc.
• Inventors: Lefebvre, Martin Claude, Wiman, Lucas
• Granted Patent: US 9,978,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for displaying a plurality of bill due dates, the method comprising: displaying an account identifier for each bill in the plurality of bills; showing a timeline with a due date indicator for each bill in the plurality of bills, the timeline disposed proximate to the account identifier; and wherein each of the account identifiers and timelines are disposed along an axis relative to the other account identifiers and timelines

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying a plurality of bills, each bill having a corresponding bill due date, the method comprising:

displaying using a computer an account identifier for each bill in the plurality of bills;

displaying using the computer a plurality of timelines with respective date line indicators, each timeline for a respective bill in the plurality of bills, the date line indicator graphically representing the relative due date of the respective bill within the timeline, wherein the plurality of timelines sharing a common scale, the timeline disposed proximate to the account identifier; and

wherein each of the account identifiers and timelines are disposed along an axis relative to the other account identifiers and timelines; and

wherein for each bill the corresponding account identifier and timeline is surrounded by a corresponding background, wherein each bill has a corresponding status, the method further comprising using the computer to display at least one of a background color, fill pattern, line color of each corresponding background based on the corresponding status associated with the respective bill.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the axis is a vertical axis and wherein the timelines are left aligned and have a common time scale.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of bills has a corresponding due date and wherein the timelines are sorted by the corresponding due date for the bills.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein for each bill the corresponding account identifier and timeline is surrounded by a corresponding background, wherein the color of the corresponding background indicates a corresponding payment status for the bill.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each bill has a corresponding status, the method further comprising displaying an icon proximate to the timeline, the icon corresponding to the status of the corresponding bill.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the displaying using a computer the timeline further comprises assigning a color to one of the timeline and the due date indicator, based on a condition selected from the set comprising:

paid, unpaid, size of payment, and autopay set.

7. A computer-implemented method for displaying a plurality of bills, each bill having a corresponding bill due date, the method comprising:

displaying using a computer an account identifier for each bill in the plurality of bills;

displaying using the computer a plurality of timelines with respective date line indicators, each timeline for a respective bill in the plurality of bills, the date line indicator graphically representing the relative due date of the respective bill within the timeline, wherein the plurality of timelines sharing a common scale, the timeline disposed proximate to the account identifier; and

displaying using the computer an item comprised of at least one of a link and a button, the item operative to trigger the display by the computer of at least one of a message corresponding to the bill, an explanation of the bill, payment initiation, marking a bill paid, and marking a bill as autopay.

wherein each of the account identifiers, timelines and items are disposed along an axis relative to the other account identifiers and timelines; and

wherein for each bill the corresponding account identifier and timeline is surrounded by a corresponding background, wherein each bill has a corresponding status, the method further comprising using the computer to display at least one of a background color, fill pattern, line color of each corresponding background based on the corresponding status associated with the respective bill.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising displaying using the computer a billing history and wherein the account identifiers, timelines, items and billing history are disposed along an axis relative to the other account identifiers and timelines.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the billing history comprises a bar graph display.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a list of payment accounts, the list of payment accounts showing at least one account balance for a payment account used to pay at least one bill in the plurality of bills.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a list of anticipated expenses, the list of anticipated expenses showing a graphical representation of the amount of anticipated bill expenses over a predetermined time period.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a notice indicator proximate to at least one bill, the notice indicator describing a notice source for the corresponding bill.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a payment indicator proximate to at least one bill, the payment indicator describing a payment mechanism for the corresponding bill.

14. A system for displaying a plurality of bills, each bill having a corresponding bill due date, the system comprising:

a computer system having coupled in communication a controller and a storage and a network interface, wherein;

the controller generating a display for transmission over the network interface, the display comprising;

an account identifier for each bill in the plurality of bills,

a plurality of timelines with respective date line indicators, each timeline for a respective bill in the plurality of bills, the date line indicator graphically representing the relative due date of the respective bill within the timeline, wherein the plurality of timelines sharing a common scale, the timeline disposed proximate to the account identifier; and

wherein each of the account identifiers and timelines are disposed along an axis relative to the other account identifiers and timelines; and

wherein for each bill the corresponding account identifier and timeline is surrounded by a corresponding background, wherein each bill has a corresponding status, the method further comprising using the computer to display at least one of a background color, fill pattern, line color of each corresponding background based on the corresponding status associated with the respective bill.