Method and apparatus for preparing client communications involving financial products and services

• US 6,076,072 A
• Filed: 04/15/1997
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Richard Marc Libman
• Inventors: Libman, Richard Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US08/834,240
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 705/30, 705/7, 705/35, 705/39, 705/36, 705/42, 705/41, 705/34, 705/38, 380/24, 380/51, 380/55, 53/569, 229/70, 206/232
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for automatically preparing a client communication pertaining to a financial product for a client, wherein the client communication is for combined use with a corresponding host vehicle. The method comprises providing a format for the client communication wherein the communication format includes a variable portion; inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information other than a client identification; inputting into the storage medium decision information; and using the decision information to select a subset of the variable information for inclusion in a variable portion of the client communication corresponding to the variable portion of the client communication format. The apparatus comprises an inputting device for inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information comprising other than a client identification and decision information; a processor operatively coupled to the storage medium for using the decision information to automatically select a subset of the variable information for each of the clients; and an output preparing component in operative communication with the processor for preparing the client communications and for automatically inserting into the client communication the subset of variable information for the corresponding and respective client.

Claims

1. A method for automatically preparing a client communication pertaining to a financial product or insurance product for a client, wherein the client communication is for combined use with a corresponding and respective host vehicle, the method comprising:

selecting information from a database comprising information about a plurality of clients;

using decision information to automatically select from the database variable information, the variable information comprising other than client identification, automatically inserting the variable information into the client communication, and combining the client communication with the host vehicle into a single communication.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable information comprises client information.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable information comprises client information other than a client name.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable information comprises client information other than a client address.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client family information.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client age information.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client geographic information other than client address information.

8. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client purchasing information.

9. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client asset information.

10. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client liability information.

11. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information pertains to a mortgage.

12. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client financial income information.

13. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client occupation information.

14. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises client activity information.

15. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable client information comprises at least one of psychographic and demographic client data.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, marital status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable information comprises financial product information.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to a plurality of different financial products.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to a non-property and non-casualty insurance product.

20. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to an individual life insurance product.

21. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to an individual term life insurance product.

22. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

23. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to an individual term life insurance product and an individual permanent life insurance product.

24. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to a disability insurance product.

25. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to an annuity.

26. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to a savings product.

27. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to an investment product.

28. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to a financial security.

29. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to a loan product.

30. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the variable financial product information pertains to at least one of an equity instrument, a debt instrument, a money market fund, and a mutual fund.

31. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable information comprises financial product pricing information.

32. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein the variable information further includes financial product non-price information.

33. A method recited in claim 1, wherein the variable information comprises ancillary information.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the ancillary information comprises statistical demographic information.

35. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the ancillary information comprises geo-code data.

36. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the ancillary information comprises psychographic data.

37. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the ancillary information comprises economic data pertaining to more than one person.

38. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable information comprises text.

39. A method as recited in claim 1, further including a step of automatically combining the client communication with the host vehicle to create a combined communications, wherein the combined communication comprises a single document.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the variable product information comprises financial product information.

42. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

43. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

44. The method as recited in claim 39, further comprising sending the combined communication to the client via the internet.

45. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

47. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the variable product information comprises financial product information.

48. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

49. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the client communication to the client via the internet.

50. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

52. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein the variable product information comprises financial product information.

53. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

54. The method as recited in claim 39, further comprising sending the combined communication to the client by means other than the internet.

55. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

56. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

57. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the variable product information comprises financial product information.

58. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

59. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the client communication to the client by means other than the internet.

60. The method as recited in claim 59, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

61. The method as recited in claim 60, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

62. The method as recited in claim 59, wherein the variable product information comprises financial product information.

63. The method as recited in claim 59, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

64. The method of claim 1, wherein the single communication is in a single document.

65. A method for automatically preparing a plurality of client communications pertaining to a financial or insurance product for a corresponding and respective plurality of clients, wherein the client communications are for combined use with a corresponding and respective plurality of host vehicles, the method comprising:

selecting information from a database comprising information about a plurality of clients;

using for each client decision information to automatically select from the database variable information, the variable information for each of the plurality of clients comprising other than a client identification, automatically inserting the variable information into each of the client communications; and

combining each client communication with its respective host vehicle.

66. An apparatus for automatically preparing a client communication pertaining to a financial product for a client, wherein the client communication is for combined use with a corresponding host vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

means for inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information comprising other than a client identification and decision information;

processing means operatively coupled to the storage medium for using the decision information to automatically select a subset of the variable information for the client; and

output preparing means in operative communication with the processing means for preparing the client communication, automatically inserting the subset of the variable information into the client communication, and for combining the client communication with a host vehicle.

67. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the inputting means comprises a disk drive.

68. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the inputting means comprises a tape drive.

69. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the inputting means comprises an optical scanner.

70. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the inputting means comprises a bar code reader.

71. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the inputting means comprises a modem.

72. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the output preparing means comprises a laser printer.

73. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the output preparing means comprises a modem.

74. An apparatus as recited in claim 66, wherein the output preparing means comprises a computer.

75. An apparatus for automatically preparing a plurality of client communications pertaining to a financial product for a corresponding and respective plurality of clients, wherein the client communications are for combined use with a corresponding and respective plurality of host vehicles, the apparatus comprising:

means for inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information comprising other than a client identification and decision information;

processing means operatively coupled to the storage medium for using the decision information to automatically select a subset of the variable information for each of the clients; and

output preparing means in operative communication with the processing means for preparing the client communications, for automatically inserting into the client communication the subset of variable information for the corresponding and respective client, and for combining the client communication with a host vehicle.

76. A method for automatically preparing a client communication pertaining to a financial product for a client, wherein the client communication is for combined use with a corresponding host vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a format for the client communication wherein the communication format includes a variable portion;

inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information about a plurality of clients other than client identification;

inputting into the storage medium decision information;

using the decision information to select a subset of the variable information for inclusion in a variable portion of the client communication corresponding to the variable portion of the client communication format, and combining the client communication with the host vehicle.

77. A method as recited in claim 76, further including a step of automatically combining the client communication with the host vehicle to create a combined communication, wherein the combined communication comprises a single document.

78. A method of automatically preparing a plurality of client communications pertaining to a financial product for a corresponding and respective plurality of clients, wherein each of the client communications is for combined use with a corresponding and respective host vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a format for the client communications wherein the communication format includes a variable portion;

inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information about a plurality of clients other than a client identification;

inputting into the storage medium decision information; and

using the decision information to select a subset of the variable information for each of the clients for inclusion in a variable portion of the client communication for that client, the variable portion of the client communications corresponding to the variable portion of the client communication format, and combining the client communication with the host vehicle.

79. A method as recited in claim 78, further including a step of automatically combining the client communication with the host vehicle to create a combined communication, wherein the combined communication comprises a single document.

80. A computer-based method for automatically preparing a plurality of client communications pertaining to a financial or insurance product for a corresponding and respective plurality of clients, the method comprising:

using decision information comprising software to automatically select variable information about clients from a software database comprising variable information about a plurality of clients, the variable information comprising other than a client identification;

automatically inserting the variable information into each of a plurality of client communications, each client communication customized for one of the clients based on the decision information; and

combining each of the customized client communications with a host vehicle directed to a particular one of the plurality of clients.

81. The method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

82. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information comprises financial product information.

83. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

84. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

85. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable information comprises financial product information.

86. A method as recited in claim 85, wherein the financial product information pertains to an annuity.

87. A method as recited in claim 85, wherein the financial product information pertains to a savings product.

88. A method as recited in claim 85, wherein the financial product information pertains to an investment product.

89. A method as recited in claim 85, wherein the financial product information pertains to a financial security.

90. A method as recited in claim 85, wherein the financial product information pertains to a loan product.

91. A method as recited in claim 85, wherein the financial product information pertains at least one of an equity instrument, a debt instrument, a money market fund, and a mutual fund.

92. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to a plurality of different financial products.

93. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to a non-property and non-casualty insurance.

94. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product.

95. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual term life insurance product.

96. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

97. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual permanent life insurance product.

98. A method as recited in claim 80, wherein the variable product information pertains to a disability insurance product.

99. The method of claim 80, further comprising sending the communication, created for each of the corresponding and respective one of the plurality of clients, to the respective client via the internet.

100. The method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

101. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information comprises financial security product information.

102. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life instance product other than a term life insurance product.

103. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

104. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable information comprises financial product information.

105. A method as recited in claim 104, wherein the financial product information pertains to an annuity.

106. A method as recited in claim 104, wherein the financial product information pertains to a savings product.

107. A method as recited in claim 104, wherein the financial product information pertains to an investment product.

108. A method as recited in claim 104, wherein the financial product information pertains to a loan product.

109. A method as recited in claim 104, wherein the financial product information pertains at least one of an equity instrument, a debt instrument, a money market fund, and a mutual fund.

110. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to a plurality of different financial products.

111. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to a non-property and non-casualty insurance.

112. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product.

113. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual term life insurance product.

114. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a tern life insurance product.

115. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual permanent life insurance product.

116. A method as recited in claim 99, wherein the variable product information pertains to a disability insurance product.

117. The method of claim 80, further comprising sending the communication, created for each of the corresponding and the respective one of the plurality of the clients, to the respective client by means other than the internet.

118. The method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable information comprises other than a client name, address, age, medical status, tobacco habits, type of life insurance and amount of life insurance coverage.

119. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information comprises financial security product information.

120. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

121. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a permanent life insurance product.

122. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable information comprises financial product information.

123. A method as recited in claim 122, wherein the financial product information pertains to an annuity.

124. A method as recited in claim 122, wherein the financial product information pertains to a savings product.

125. A method as recited in claim 122, wherein the financial product information pertains to an investment product.

126. A method as recited in claim 122, wherein the financial product information pertains to a loan product.

127. A method as recited in claim 122, wherein the financial product information pertains at least one of an equity instrument, a debt instrument, a money market fund, and a mutual fund.

128. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to a plurality of different financial products.

129. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to a non-property and non-casualty insurance.

130. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product.

131. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual term life insurance product.

132. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual life insurance product other than a term life insurance product.

133. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to an individual permanent life insurance product.

134. A method as recited in claim 117, wherein the variable product information pertains to a disability insurance product.