Method and system for using intelligent agents for financial transactions, services, accounting, and advice

• US 5,920,848 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fan, Wei, Stolfo, Salvatore J., Lee, Wenke, Forster, William Hull Jr., Hu, Huanrui, Schutzer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US09/010,677
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/30, 705/31, 705/33, 705/34, 705/35, 705/39, 705/40, 705/42, 705/43, 705/44, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381
• US Class Current: 705/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/128 Check-book balancing, updating or printing arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of computerized intelligent agents to facilitate the integration of networked performance of financial transactions with computerized methods of financial accounting. Incorporated into this combined financial transaction/financial accounting system are intelligent agents that automatically analyze the system information to provide users with financial advice. This invention permits the automated performance on-line of a wide variety of financial transactions and integrates these transactions with computerized financial accounting. All of this information is collated and analyzed automatically by intelligent agents, which generate user-specific financial reports, profiles, and advice, and under appropriate conditions take action.

Claims

1. A method for a user to perform financial transactions and financial accounting, comprising the steps of:

said user initiating a local client application on a terminal;

said local client application initiating communication with a server;

said user accessing a user account on said server;

said user selecting a financial transaction;

said user inputting information relating to said selected financial transaction;

said server performing said financial transaction;

said server automatically downloading information relating to said performed financial transaction to said local client application;

said user initiating transfer of said downloaded information relating to said performed financial transaction from said local client application to a financial software application;

said local client application transferring said downloaded information relating to said performed financial transaction to said financial software application;

automatically performing financial functions using said downloaded information relating to said performed financial transaction to produce output information;

transmitting said output information from said financial software application to said local client application; and

uploading said output information from said local software, application to said user account on said server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said local software application comprises an intelligent agent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said local software application comprises an applet.

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

an intelligent agent analyzing said downloaded and output information to produce an analysis report; and

said intelligent agent transmitting said analysis report to said user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of analyzing said downloaded an output information comprises the steps of:

automatically monitoring said financial transaction;

automatically tracing progress of said financial transaction; and

automatically updating files stored by said intelligent agent relating to said financial transaction.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

said user selecting an action relating to financial transactions; and

said user associating said action with a data file.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said action comprises a warning message.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said action comprises a reminder message.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said action comprises a bill payment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said bill payment is recurring.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said action comprises a funds transfer.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said associating step comprises selecting a date.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein said associating step comprises a beginning date.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein said associating step comprises an end date.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein said associating step comprises a payee account.

16. The method of claim 6 wherein said associating step comprises a transferee account.

17. The method of claim 6 wherein said associating step comprises a condition for a payment.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

said user selecting an option to import said financial software application; and

said local client application importing said financial software application into said local client application.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of said user initializing data requirements of said local client application for said financial software application.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said selected financial transaction comprises personal information.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said selected financial transaction comprises personal financial information.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said selected financial transaction comprises business information.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said selected financial transaction comprises banking information.

24. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

said user entering personal identification information into said local client application;

said local client application transmitting said personal identification information to said server; and

said server verifying said personal identification information.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said terminal comprises a personal computer.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein said terminal comprises a server.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said terminal comprises a main frame computer.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein said server comprises a personal computer.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said server comprises a main frame computer.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein said financial transaction comprises paying a bill.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein said financial transaction comprises transferring funds.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein said financial transaction comprises tracing a check.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein said financial transaction comprises tracing automatic teller machine activity.

34. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a learning agent monitoring said uploaded output information;

said learning agent identifying trends in said uploaded output information; and

said learning agent transmitting said identified trends to said user account.

35. A system for transacting, monitoring, and tracing financial transactions, comprising:

a customer terminal;

a local software application running on the customer terminal for financial transaction performance, monitoring; and

tracing;

a server;

a communications device coupling the local software application and the server; and

an intelligent agent employed to interact with the server and the local software application;

wherein the local software application initiates communication with the server;

wherein a selection of a financial transaction is received from the user;

wherein the server performs the financial transaction selected;

wherein the server downloads information relating to the performed financial transaction to the local software application;

wherein the local software application transfers the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction to a financial software application;

wherein financial functions using the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction is performed to produce output information;

wherein the output information is transferred from the financial software application to the local software application; and

wherein the output information is uploaded from the local software application to the user account on the server.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the terminal comprises a personal computer.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the terminal comprises a local area network.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the local software application tracks bill payments made by a user through the server.

39. A method for performing financial transactions and financial accounting, comprising:

a local client application on a terminal receiving a user initiation;

the local client application initiating communication with a server;

the server providing the user with access to a user account;

receiving from the user a selection of a financial transaction;

receiving information input by the user relating to the selected financial transaction;

the server performing the financial transaction;

the server automatically downloading information relating to the performed financial transaction to the local client application;

receiving an instruction to transfer the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction from the local client application to a financial software application;

the local client application transferring the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction to the financial software application;

automatically performing financial functions using the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction to produce output information;

transmitting the output information from the financial software application to the local client application; and

uploading the output information from the local software application to the user account on the server.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the local software application comprises an intelligent agent.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the local software application comprises an applet.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

an intelligent agent analyzing the downloaded and output information to produce an analysis report; and

the intelligent agent transmitting the analysis report to the user.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein analyzing the downloaded and output information comprises:

automatically monitoring the financial transaction;

automatically tracing progress of the financial transaction; and

automatically updating files stored by the intelligent agent relating to the financial transaction.

44. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a selection by the user of an action relating to financial transactions; and

receiving an input from the user that associates the action with a data file.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the action comprises a warning message.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the action comprises a reminder message.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the action comprises a bill payment.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the bill payment is recurring.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the action comprises a funds transfer.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving an input from the user that associates the action with a data file comprises receiving a selection of a date.

51. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving an input from the user that associates the action with a data file comprises receiving a beginning date.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving an input from the user that associates the action with a data file comprises receiving an end date.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving, an input from the user that associates the action with a data file comprises receiving a payee account.

54. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving an input from the user that associates the action with a data file comprises receiving a transferee account.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving an input from the user that associates the action with a data file comprises receiving a condition for a payment.

56. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the user of an option to import the financial software application; and

the local client application importing the financial software application into the local client application.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising receiving from the user initializing data requirements of the local client application for the financial software application.

58. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relating to the selected financial transaction comprises personal information.

59. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relating to the selected financial transaction comprises personal financial information.

60. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relating to the selected financial transaction comprises business information.

61. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relating to the selected financial transaction comprises banking information.

62. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving at the local client application personal identification information from the user;

the local client application transmitting the personal identification information to the server; and

the server verifying the personal identification information.

63. The method of claim 39, wherein the terminal comprises a personal computer.

64. The method of claim 39, wherein the terminal comprises a server.

65. The method of claim 39, wherein the terminal comprises a main frame computer.

66. The method of claim 39, wherein the server comprises a personal computer.

67. The method of claim 39, wherein the server comprises a main frame computer.

68. The method of claim 39, wherein the financial transaction comprises a bill payment.

69. The method of claim 39, wherein the financial transaction comprises a funds transfer.

70. The method of claim 39, wherein the financial transaction comprises a trace of a check.

71. The method of claim 39, wherein the financial transaction comprises a trace of automatic teller machine activity.

72. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

a learning agent monitoring the uploaded output information;

the learning agent identifying trends in the uploaded output information; and

the learning agent transmitting the identified trends to the user account.

73. A system for performing financial transactions and financial accounting, comprising:

means for receiving a user initiation by a local client application on a terminal;

means for the local client application to initiate communication with a server;

means for the server to provide the user with access to a user account;

means for receiving from the user a selection of a financial transaction;

means for receiving information input by the user relating to the selected financial transaction;

means for the server to perform the financial transaction;

means for the server to download automatically information relating to the performed financial transaction to the local client application;

means for receiving an instruction to transfer the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction from the local client application to a financial software application;

means for the local client application to transfer the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction to the financial software application;

means for automatically performing financial functions using the downloaded information relating to the performed financial transaction to produce output information;

means for transmitting the output information from the financial software application to the local client application; and

means for uploading the output information from the local software application to the user account on the server.