Method and system for banking

• US 7,406,445 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian; Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US09/607,843
• Time in Patent Office: 2,951 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 42, 705/26, 705/43, 705/27, 235/456, 235379-383, 382180-189, 395110-235, 385110-235
• US Class Current: 705/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed which relate to online banking via interface surfaces printed with information and coded data. The coded data, encoded visibly or invisibly, may be queried by an appropriate sensing device. The sensing device communicates with a computer system. Together, the interface surfaces, sensing device and computer system are capable of effecting banking transactions over a network.

Claims

1. A method of printing an interactive banking form on demand and performing online banking via the printed form, the method including the steps of:

determining a unique page identity for said form in a computer system;

determining a page description for said form in the computer system, said page description comprising;

(i) a description of said graphical banking information and (ii) a description of an interactive element, which includes a zone of said interactive element on said form;

associating the page identity with the page description in the computer system;

sending page identity data and data regarding said graphical banking information together to a printer networked with the computer system;

generating a plurality of tags in the printer using the page identity data, each tag containing coded data identifying an identity of the form and a location of the tag on the form; and

printing the form on demand using the printer such that said graphical banking information and the tags are printed together;

receiving, in the computer system and from a sensing device operated by a banking customer, indicating data from the sensing device regarding the identity of the form and a position of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using the at least some of the coded data;

identifying, in the computer system, using the indicating data and the page description associated with the page identity, at least one parameter relating to a banking transaction; and

performing online banking using said parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes:

receiving, in the computer system, data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the form using at least some of the coded data; and

identifying, in the computer system and from said movement being at least partially within said zone, said at least one parameter of the banking transaction.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the parameter is an option parameter of the banking transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the banking customer has entered a hand-drawn mark by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

a request for information relating to banking services, an order for checks, a request to stop checks, an application for a new account, an application for a loan, a request for an account history, a request for a withdrawal of funds, a request for a transfer of funds, a request for an account balance, a payment of a bill, a request for a list of bill payments, an account, a currency, and a payee name.

5. The method of claim 2, in which the parameter is a text parameter of the banking transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the banking customer has entered handwritten text data by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

6. The method of claim 5 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a check amount, a payee name, a currency amount, a transfer amount, a payment amount, a payment date, and a check number.

8. The method of claim 2, in which the parameter is an authorization parameter of the banking transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the banking customer has entered a handwritten signature by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorization parameter.

9. The method of claim 8 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the customer.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the authorization parameter is associated with authorization for at least one of:

access to account information, withdrawal of funds, transfer of funds, payment of a bill, modification of a bill payment, deletion of a bill payment, stopping of checks, and ordering of checks.

11. The method of claim 2, in which the parameter is a picture parameter of the banking transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the banking customer has entered a hand-drawn picture by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the picture parameter.

12. The method of claim 11 in which the picture parameter is associated with a graphic design for a customer'"'"'s checks.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the parameter is an action parameter of the banking transaction, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the action parameter of the banking transaction is selected from the group comprising:

a request for information relating to banking services, an order for checks, a request to stop checks, an application for a new account, an application for a loan, a request for an account history, a request for a withdrawal of funds, a request for a transfer of funds, a request for an account balance, a payment of a bill, and a request for a list of bill payments.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the form contains information relating to at least one of:

information relating to banking services, an order for checks, a request to stop checks, an application for a new account, an application for a loan, a request for an account history, a request for a withdrawal of funds, a request for a transfer of funds, a request for an account balance, a payment of a bill, and a request for a list of bill payments.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the coded data is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

17. The method of claim 1 which includes retaining a retrievable record of each form generated, the form being retrievable using the page identity as contained in its coded data.

18. The method of claim 1, which includes distributing a plurality of forms using a mixture of multicast and pointcast communications protocols.

19. The method of claim 1 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as being associated with a particular banking customer and in which the method includes monitoring, in the computer system, said identity.

20. The method of claim 1, which includes providing all required information relating to the banking transaction in the form to eliminate the need for a separate display device.

21. The method of claim 1, in which the form is printed on multiple pages and in which the method includes binding the pages.

22. Apparatus for printing an interactive banking form on demand and performing online banking via the printed form, the apparatus comprising:

a printer having a tag encoder for printing the form on demand, said printed form including graphical banking information and a plurality of tags printed together, each tag containing coded data identifying an identity of the form and a location of the tag on the form; and

a computer system configured for;

determining a unique page identity for said form;

determining a page description for said form, said page description comprising;

(i) a description of said graphical banking information and (ii) a description of an interactive banking element, which includes a zone of said interactive banking element on said form;

associating the page identity with the page description in the computer system;

sending page identity data and data regarding said graphical banking information together to the printer, said printer being networked with the computer system;

receiving indicating data from a sensing device, the indicating data being indicative of the identity of the form and a position of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the printed form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using the at least some of the coded data;

identifying, using the indicating data and the page description associated with the page identity, at least one parameter relating to a banking transaction; and

performing online banking using said parameter.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 which includes the sensing device, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the form using at least some of the coded data.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 which the sensing device includes a marking nib.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular customer.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, in which said at least one parameter of the banking transaction is selected from the group comprising an action parameter of the banking transaction, an option parameter of the banking transaction, a text parameter of the banking transaction, an authorization parameter of the banking transaction, and a picture parameter of the banking transaction.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the action parameter of the banking transaction is selected from the group comprising:

a request for information relating to banking services, an order for checks, a request to stop checks, an application for a new account, an application for a loan, a request for an account history, a request for a withdrawal of funds, a request for a transfer of funds, a request for an account balance, a payment of a bill, and a request for a list of bill payments.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

a request for information relating to banking services, an order for checks, a request to stop checks, an application for a new account, an application for a loan, a request for an account history, a request for a withdrawal of funds, a request for a transfer of funds, a request for an account balance, a payment of a bill, a request for a list of bill payments, an account, a currency, and a payee name.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a check amount, a payee name, a currency amount, a transfer amount, a payment amount, a payment date, and a check number.

30. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the authorization parameter is associated with authorization for at least one of

access to account information, withdrawal of funds, transfer of funds, payment of a bill, modification of a bill payment, deletion of a bill payment, stopping of checks, and ordering of checks.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the picture parameter is associated with a graphic design for a customer'"'"'s check.

32. The apparatus of claim 22 in which the coded data is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

33. The apparatus of claim 22 which includes a database for keeping a retrievable record of each form generated, each form being retrievable by using the page identity as included in its coded data.

34. The apparatus of claim 22 in which, to cater for a form printed on multiple pages, the printer includes a binding means for binding the pages.