Communications network interface for user friendly interactive access to online services

• US 6,182,052 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DataTreasury Corporation
• Original Assignee: Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
• Inventors: Fulton, John W., Shepard, Marianne, Shafer, Thomas N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US08/962,912
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16.8, 705/17, 705/26, 705/34, 705/33, 705/37, 705/38, 705/27, 379/34, 379/74, 379/81-82, 379/93.12, 379/100.06, 379/100.14, 379/100.15, 379/106.09, 379/164, 379/204, 379/268, 379/88.17, 379/88.18
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• 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 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

In a communications network for accessing an account, conducting a transaction, obtaining services or obtaining information from a remote location, a programmable user interface is adapted to provide a multiplicity of separate choices perceptible to a user on a user operable terminal. The terminal is capable of registering for transmission to a service platform, a user'"'"'s input to the terminal corresponding to at least one choice from the multiplicity, including banking, bill paying, shopping, travel, flowers and gifts and information. The user interface includes means for communicating the user selected choice to a service platform, means for communicating by voice, TDD or data transmission through the service platform, and means in the terminal for permitting the user to communicate directly by at least one of an interactive voice, TDD or data transmission communication with respect to a provider in the user'"'"'s selection from the multiplicity.

Claims

1. A user interface for a dial up communications network for accessing an account, conducting a transaction, obtaining a service or obtaining information, said communications network including a user operable terminal for sending and receiving communications at a remote location relative to a provider of the account, transaction, service or information and a gateway service platform for processing and transmitting said communications to and from the user operable terminal and to and from at least one computer associated with the provider of the account, transaction, service or information, said user interface comprising:

said user operable terminal having a user friendly touch screen display of virtual buttons that are changeable in accordance with differing modes of operation of the terminal, said terminal providing instructional prompts enabling the user to operate the terminal, said terminal having an internal processing unit programmed to provide a multiplicity of preprogrammed choices represented by different displays of virtual buttons with respect to the account, transaction, service or information, said multiplicity of preprogrammed choices being perceptible to the user, said terminal being capable of registering the user'"'"'s input to the terminal corresponding to the user'"'"'s selection from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices displayed on the touch screen;

data transmission means for communicating the user'"'"'s selection registered as the user'"'"'s input from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices to the service platform;

data receiving means enabling the touch screen to display data concerning the account, transaction, service or information received from the computer through the service platform in response to the user'"'"'s selection from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices;

means for simultaneously displaying on the touch screen the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices and an option selectable by the user to communicate by voice or TDD through the service platform to a representative of the provider with regard to the account, transaction, service or information;

means for maintaining in the processing unit of the terminal a record of dial-up connection numbers associated with a representative of a provider of each account, transaction, service or information displayed that is associated with a voice or TDD option;

means for dialing the dial-up connection number of the representative of the provider in response to user selection of the voice or TDD option; and

means for enabling the user to communicate with the representative of the provider by voice or TDD upon the user'"'"'s selection of said option said means comprising a switch that upon selection of the voice or TDD option by the user, data communication between the service platform and the terminal is terminated, the dial-up number associated with the provider is dialed and a direct voice or TDD connection between the terminal user and the representative of the provider is initiated.

2. The user interface of claim 1, which further comprises memory means for recording a session log containing the sequence of the user'"'"'s choices from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices and means for transmitting said session log to the representative of the provider upon the user'"'"'s selection of the option to communicate by voice or TDD with said representative.

3. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the multiplicity of preprogrammed selections include means for enabling the user to:

enter at least one of the group consisting of a user identification number, a secret code and a service password;

instruct a financial institution to initiate settlement of debits and credits with respect to charges incurred or finds acquired by the user as a result of a transaction with the provider;

request a confirmation number following successful completion of the transaction with the provider; and

repeat the transaction in the event of an interruption or error in the data transmissions or error in the transaction.

4. A method of accessing an account, conducting a transaction, obtaining a service or obtaining information with a user interface for a dial up communications network, said communications network including a user operable dial-up terminal for connecting with and sending and receiving communications at a remote location relative to a provider of the account, transaction, service or information and a gateway service platform for processing and transmitting communications to and from the user operable terminal and to and from at least one computer associated with the provider of the account, transaction, service or information, said method comprising:

providing, on said user operable dial-up terminal a user friendly touch screen display of virtual buttons that are changeable in accordance with differing modes of operation of the terminal;

providing instructional prompts on the screen display enabling the user to operate the terminal;

providing, via programming in an internal processing unit in the terminal, a multiplicity of preprogrammed choices represented by different displays of virtual buttons with respect to the account, transaction, service or information, said multiplicity of preprogrammed choices being perceptible on the touch screen to the user;

registering in the terminal the user'"'"'s input corresponding to the user'"'"'s selection from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices displayed on the touch screen;

communicating to the service platform the user'"'"'s selection registered as the user'"'"'s input from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices;

displaying on the touch screen data concerning the account, transaction, service or information received from the computer through the service platform in response to the user'"'"'s selection from the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices, said data having been received from the services platform by the terminal;

simultaneously displaying on the touch screen the multiplicity of preprogrammed choices and an option selectable by the user to communicate by voice or TDD through the service platform to a representative of the provider with regard to the user selected account, transaction, service or information;

maintaining in the processing unit of the terminal a record of dial-up connection numbers associated with a representative of the provider of each account, transaction, service or information displayed that is associated with a voice or TDD option;

dialing the dial-up number associated with the representative of the provider in response to user selection of said option to communicate by voice or TDD; and

enabling the user to communicate with the representative of the provider by voice or TDD transmission upon the user'"'"'s selection of said option by terminating data communication between the service platform and the terminal and dialing the dial-up number associated with the provider to initiate a direct voice or TDD connection between the terminal user and the representative of the provider.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a transaction with a provider of banking services is displayed as a user selectable option and upon the user'"'"'s selection of a transaction with the provider of banking services further comprises the steps of:

retrieving data comprising the user'"'"'s accounts and balance information from the banking services provider'"'"'s computer;

storing said data in the service platform; and

providing the user with access to said data as stored in the service platform.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a transaction with a provider of bill paying services is a user selectable option and there is maintained in the provider'"'"'s computer a record of users'"'"' accounts and balances in funds maintained by the user and payees of accounts for which the user may receive a bill and upon selection of the bill payer'"'"'s option, further comprises the steps of:

retrieving data comprising the user'"'"'s accounts, balances and payees from the provider'"'"'s computer;

storing said data in the service platform;

providing the user with access to said data as stored in the service platform;

enabling the user to perform at least one of the options from the group comprising;

add, delete or alter a payee;

schedule, reschedule or cancel a future payment;

make a present payment;

debit an account to fund a payment; and

inquire about a previously made payment.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein user shopping services are a user selectable option and upon selection of a transaction with a provider of shopping services, and the method further comprises steps of:

retrieving data comprising information concerning products and shopping services from the shopping services provider'"'"'s computer;

storing said data in the service platform;

providing the user with access to said data as stored in the service platform;

enabling the user to view on the screen and select at least one of the options from the group comprising;

browse through product categories,

organize and view said data by type of product, manufacturer or model;

view a portion of said data regarding a selected product; and

place an order for a product.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein travel services are a user selectable option and upon selection of a transaction with a provider of travel services, the method further comprises steps of:

retrieving data from the provider'"'"'s computer comprising information concerning at least one of the group comprising airline flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and package vacations;

storing said data in the service platform;

providing the user with access to said data as stored in the service platform;

enabling the user to perform at least one of the options from the group comprising;

view a selected category of information in said data,

make a reservation,

establish a travel profile comprising a seating preference and a frequent flyer number.