System and method for an automated benefit recognition, acquisition, value exchange, and transaction settlement system using multivariable linear and nonlinear modeling

• US 7,318,049 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory F.X. Iannacci
• Original Assignee: Gregory F.X. Iannacci
• Inventors: Iannacci, Gregory Fx
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdi, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIVERSEDGE, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US09/932,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/39, 705/41
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system and process that provides an on-line, interactive, and fully integrated benefit-driven value exchange and settlement program that monitors, evaluates, and manages economic and personal benefits and executes functions to produce and acquire the maximum or preferred benefit items for users by guiding and automating appropriate payment and settlement actions. The present invention finds useful patterns in data; produces conclusions based on rules and experience; responds to environmental changes with or without human intervention; and, may evolve through selecting the best results from random mutations all of which are intended to maximise user value.

Claims

1. An incentive-controlled method for use in the acquisition and/or exchange of user-declared preferred benefits, said method employing computer means having data storage means and network communications means and comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request to produce an incentive-controlled transaction solution for an identified user having at least one declared and ranked benefit preference;

(b) Conducting a real time scan of benefit resources, said resources comprising at least one **previously unknown** resource proffering **at least one** benefit element to said user, upon receipt of said request to produce an incentive-controlled transaction solution;

(c) dynamically matching said user'"'"'s **said at least one** declared benefit preference to the result of said real time scan; and

(d) Automatically effecting an incentive-controlled transaction solution adapted to maximize the implementation of said user'"'"'s said **at least one** declared benefit preference.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of determining a transaction solution associated with at least one of said matched benefit elements.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein **calculating operations based on established value standards** are employed in determining the value rankings of said matched benefit elements and said transaction solution.

4. The method according to claim 2 comprising the further steps of evaluating said matched benefit elements and determining at least one of said matched benefit elements as providing said user with the benefit of highest value to said user.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said benefit of highest value to said user is obtained from the combination of a plurality of said matched benefit elements comprising one or more transaction settlement means employed in any order.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of evaluating said matched benefit elements is undertaken by the user upon disclosure of said matched benefit elements to said user.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of determining said benefit of highest value to said user is performed automatically without user intervention.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying at least one provider of said transaction solution; and

,

(b) initiating and consummating a transaction with said at least one provider of said transaction solution.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of automatically establishing such electronic and logical linkages as may be required to enable said user to process said transaction solution and to acquire said **at least one** benefit element associated with said transaction solution.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising the additional steps of automatically securing and/or activating transaction settlement means and of satisfying applicable conditions to process said transaction solution to acquire for said user the said **at least one** benefit element associated with said transaction solution.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of determining a transaction solution comprises a selection by said user from **at least one** proposed transaction solution disclosed to said user.

12. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of determining at least one incentive-controlled transaction solution to a payment transaction.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of disclosing, to at least one payment service provider able to provide at least one of said matched benefit elements, such user information and such payment transaction information as said at least one payment service provider may require as conditions for authenticating said transaction and authorising payment of said payment transaction and issuing said at least one benefit element to said user.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of disclosing, to at least one benefit provider able to provide at least one of said matched benefit elements, such user information and such payment transaction information as said at least one benefit provider may require as conditions for authenticating said transaction and issuing said at least one benefit element to said user.

15. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of determining at least one incentive-controlled transaction solution to a query from a user concerning a contemplated acquisition of goods or services.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of disclosing to said user said at least one transaction solution responsive to said query.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of disclosing said contemplated acquisition query to at least one provider of goods or services, whereby said at least one provider is caused to commit to the consummation of a transaction on terms providing for the issuance of at least one identified benefit element to said user.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of disclosing a binding commitment from said user to said at least one provider to consummate said provider-committed transaction according to said identified benefit-issuance terms.

19. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of determining at least one incentive-controlled transaction solution to a benefit element exchange transaction between at least two identified users.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of disclosing at least one benefit element exchange solicitation from a first identified user to at least one other user.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(a) said first user receiving an affirmative response to said solicitation from at least one other user;

(b) disclosing at least one proposed benefit element exchange solution between said users; and

,

(c) consummating a benefit element exchange transaction between said first user and said at least one other user.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said transaction is consummated employing pre-programmed instructions enabling its consummation without the transaction-specific participation of at least one user party to said transaction.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said transaction is consummated employing user intervention and instructions enabling its consummation with the transaction-specific participation of at least one user party to said transaction.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional steps of creating an aggregated catalog of declared and ranked benefit preferences input from a plurality of requests involving a plurality of identified users and of operating on said aggregated catalog of benefit preferences to effect a dynamic enhancement in the value of at least one of said matched benefit elements to at least one of said identified users.

25. A system for creating and employing incentive-controlled transaction solutions by dynamically selecting the means for processing a transaction based on user-declared preferred benefits, said system comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) an input device connected to said processor;

(c) an output device connected to said processor;

(d) a clock device connected to said processor;

(e) a logic and control device connected to said processor;

(f) a memory connected to said processor storing instructions to control the operation of said processor;

(g) a communications device connected to said processor;

(h) a data storage device connected to said processor;

(i) the processor operative with the instructions in memory to;

i. record data of users, benefit elements, transaction solutions, and transactions;

ii. record the user entry and ranking of at least one declared benefit preference;

iii. receive requests to process transactions;

iv. enable information to be available to users;

v. Perform **a** real time scan of benefit resources, including at least one **previously unknown** benefit resource proferring **at least one** benefit element to a user upon submitting a request to process a transaction, upon system receipt of a request to process a transaction concerning said user;

vi. conduct automatic evaluations and rankings of at least one available benefit element based on a said user'"'"'s declared and ranked benefit preferences and on a said scanning of benefit resources;

vii. produce at least one incentive-controlled transaction solution;

viii. conduct automatic evaluations and rankings of at least one transaction solution based on a user'"'"'s declared and ranked benefit preferences and on a said scanning of benefit resources;

ix. process transaction solutions with and without user intervention;

x. disclose information to users;

xi. consummate transactions; and

,

xii. receive, record, evaluate, and store user information and transaction activity.

26. A system for creating and employing incentive-controlled transaction solutions by dynamically selecting the means for processing a transaction based on user-declared preferred benefits, said system comprising:

(a) means for recording data of users, benefit elements, transaction solutions, and transactions;

(b) means for recording the user entry and ranking of at least one declared benefit preference;

(c) means for receiving requests to process transactions;

(d) means for enabling user access to information;

(e) Means for processing a transaction adapted to dynamically match a user'"'"'s at least one declared benefit preference against a real time scan of benefit resources, including at least one **previously unknown** benefit resource proferring **at least one** benefit element to said user upon submitting a request to process a transaction, upon system receipt of a request to process a transaction concerning said user;

(f) means for conducting automatic evaluations and rankings of at least one available benefit element based on a said user'"'"'s declared and ranked benefit preferences and on a said scanning of benefit resources;

(g) means for producing at least one incentive-controlled transaction solution;

(h) means for conducting automatic evaluations and rankings of at least one transaction solution based on a user'"'"'s declared and ranked benefit preferences and on a said scanning of benefit resources;

(i) means for processing transaction solutions with and without user intervention;

(j) means for disclosing information to users;

(k) means for consummating transactions; and

,

(l) means for receiving, recording, evaluating, and storing user information and transaction activity.

27. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with **computer executable** instructions **to create and employ** incentive-controlled transaction solutions by dynamically selecting the means for processing a transaction based on user-declared preferred benefits, said **computer executable** instructions, **when executed by the computer,** perform the steps of:

(a) recording data of users, benefit elements, transaction solutions, and transactions;

(b) recording the user entry and ranking of at least one declared benefit preference;

(c) receiving requests to process transactions;

(d) enabling user access to information;

(e) processing a transaction including dynamically matching a user'"'"'s at least one declared benefit preference against a real time scan of benefit resources, including at least one **previously unknown** benefit resource proferring **at least one** benefit element to said user upon submitting a request to process a transaction, upon system receipt of a request to process a transaction concerning said user;

(f) processing automatic evaluations and rankings of at least one available benefit element based on a said user'"'"'s declared and ranked benefit preferences and on a said scanning of benefit resources;

(g) enabling the production of at least one incentive-controlled transaction solution;

(h) processing automatic evaluations and rankings of at least one transaction solution based on a user'"'"'s declared and ranked benefit preferences and on a said scanning of benefit resources;

(i) processing transaction solutions with and without user intervention;

(j) disclosing information to users;

(k) consummating transactions; and

,

(l) receiving, recording, evaluating, and storing user information and transaction activity.