Personal assistant computer method

• US 5,606,496 A
• Filed: 05/16/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aegis Technologies, Inc. (Harvey Electronics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aegis Technologies, Inc. (Harvey Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: D'Agostino, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weinhardt, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/442,184
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 364/400, 364/401, 364/406, 364/408, 379/53, 379/93, 379/96, 395/149
• US Class Current: 396/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A personal financial assistant computer system and method includes customer terminals at financial institution branch offices or other locations. Each customer terminal stores financial information for the particular financial services (such as insurance, annuities, bonds, mortgages or loans) sold at that terminal. A display is also provided at each terminal for displaying selected information. At least one representative terminal is provided at a central location and includes a display and keyboard. A telephone link is also provided between the customer terminals and the representative terminals for voice communication. According to the invention, a representative at the representative terminal controls the customer terminal in response to commands initiated from the input device, thereby displaying financial service information at the customer terminal under control of the representative terminal. All display of information at the customer terminal is controlled by the representative in response to one-on-one conversations between the representative and a customer over the telephone line.

Claims

1. A method for providing personal financial services over a network of customer terminals and representative terminals, comprising the steps of:

accepting a request at a representative terminal from a customer at a customer terminal;

linking the representative terminal to the customer terminal for data communication therebetween;

seizing control of the customer terminal by the representative terminal so that the representative terminal remotely controls operation of the customer terminal;

verbally obtaining customer supplied information at the representative terminal from the customer;

combining personal financial services information which is stored at the customer terminal and the obtained customer supplied information, under control of the representative terminal;

displaying at the customer terminal, the combined personal financial services information which is stored at the customer terminal and the obtained customer supplied information, under control of the representative terminal; and

providing personal financial services to a customer at the customer terminal under control of the representative terminal using the obtained customer supplied information and the personal financial services information which is stored at the customer terminal;

wherein said seizing control step comprises the step of causing an input device at the representative terminal to remotely control the retrieval of stored personal financial services information at the customer terminal and to display the retrieved personal financial services information at the customer terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing step comprises the step of displaying information concerning types of personal financial services available at the customer terminal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said providing step further comprises the step of displaying information concerning options for a selected type of personal financial service available at the customer terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said providing step further comprises the step of displaying an application form or contract for the selected type of personal financial service with the selected options.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said providing step further comprises the step of printing the application form or contract.

6. A method for providing services over a network of customer terminals and representative terminals, comprising the steps of:

accepting a request at a representative terminal from a customer at a customer terminal;

linking the representative terminal to the customer terminal for data communication therebetween;

seizing control of the customer terminal by the representative terminal so that the representative terminal remotely controls operation of the customer terminal;

verbally obtaining customer supplied information at the representative terminal from the customer;

combining information which is stored at the customer terminal and the obtained customer supplied information, under control of the representative terminal;

displaying at the customer terminal, the combined information which is stored at the customer terminal and the obtained customer supplied information, under control of the representative terminal; and

providing services to a customer at the customer terminal under control of the representative terminal using the obtained customer supplied information and the information which is stored at the customer terminal;

wherein said seizing control step comprises the step of causing an input device at the representative terminal to remotely control the retrieval of stored information at the customer terminal and to display the retrieved information at the customer terminal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said providing step comprises the step of displaying information concerning types of services available at the customer terminal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said providing step further comprises the step of displaying information concerning options for a selected type of service available at the customer terminal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said providing step further comprises the step of displaying an application form or contract for the selected type of service with the selected options.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said providing step further comprises the step of printing the application form or contract.