Financing information processing system and method

• US 7,574,400 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Stokum, Craig E., Giglia, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian; Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US09/573,297
• Time in Patent Office: 3,372 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 38
• US Class Current: 705/38
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• 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 40/02 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 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A method and system which uses a communication network to facilitate financing-related activities is provided. A list of financing functions is provided to a user terminal across the communication network. The list of financing functions corresponds to those functions available to a user of the user terminal. The financing functions include at least one of a status function, a report generation function and a financing program function. A financing function request is received from the user terminal. The financing function request corresponds to a selected one of the financing functions provided to the user terminal. A database is accessed to retrieve data corresponding to the received financing function request. The retrieved data is arranged into a predetermined format and transmitted across the communication network to the user terminal.

Claims

1. A method for using a communication network to facilitate financing-related activities, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a list of financing functions to a user terminal across the communication network, the list of financing functions corresponding to those functions available to a user of the user terminal, the financing functions including at least one of a status function, a report generation function and a least one financing program function;

receiving a financing function request from the user terminal, the financing function request corresponding to a selected one of the financing functions provided to the user terminal;

receiving data corresponding to the received financing function request from a database by accessing the database;

arranging the received data into a predetermined format;

transmitting the formatted data across the communication network to the user terminal;

displaying summary contract data corresponding to at least one contract;

receiving a request to display detailed contact data for a selected one of the at least one contract; and

displaying detailed contract data, the detailed contract data corresponding to the requested one of the at least one contract;

wherein the status function is a contract status function and the received data includes at least one of summary contract data and detailed contract data and wherein the summary contract data and the detailed contract data each include;

contract receipt date;

contract status; and

contract booking data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the formatted data is in the form of an electronic screen.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the database is a multidimensional database.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined format is created by the user.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined format is made available to other users.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the list of functions is provided to the user as part of at least one of a Java applet or Active-X control program.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detailed contract data further includes:

vehicle data, the vehicle data corresponding to a vehicle for which the contract is being made; and

financing information, the financing data corresponding to the type of financing being sought by a purchaser of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of providing the user with the ability to electronically request reserve data for an account corresponding to the user.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the report generation function is a reserve report function and the received data includes at least one of summary reserve data, detailed reserve data and customer account data.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the summary reserve data corresponds to a time period, the summary reserve data comprising:

reserve calculation data; and

reserve adjustment data.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the detailed reserve data corresponds to a time period, the detailed reserve data comprising transaction details for a corresponding reserve account.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the acts of:

determining a time period;

displaying summary and detailed reserve data for the determined time period;

receiving a request to display selected customer account data; and

displaying the selected customer account data.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the report generation function is a prospect report generation function, the prospect report generation function providing the user with a list of customers whose financing is scheduled to terminate within a predetermined period of time, the received data including at least one of summary prospect data and detailed prospect data.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the summary prospect data corresponds to a time period, the summary prospect data including:

a customer name; and

a maturity date.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the detailed prospect data includes:

customer data;

a maturity date; and

a payoff amount.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the acts of:

determining a time period;

displaying summary prospect data for the determined time period, the summary prospect data corresponding to prospective customers;

receiving a request to display detailed prospect data for a selected one of the prospective customers; and

displaying detailed prospect data, the detailed prospect data corresponding to the selected one of the prospective customers.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including the acts of:

receiving comments from the user terminal for the selected prospective customer; and

storing the comments in the database.

18. The method according to claim 16, further including the acts of:

receiving a request for a payoff quote for the selected prospective customer;

determining the payoff quote for the selected prospective customer; and

displaying the payoff quote.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the financing program function is a program function for at least one of a lease program and loan program, the received data comprising at least one of current program summary data, current program detail data and archival program data, the current program summary data identifying programs currently available to the user, the current program detail data identifying programs and corresponding lease rates currently available to the user, the archival program data corresponding to archival data of previous programs and lease rates.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the acts of:

displaying current program summary data for currently available programs;

receiving a request to display current program detail data for a selected one of the currently available programs; and

displaying current program detail data, the current program detail data corresponding to the selected one of the currently available programs.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the acts of:

receiving a request to display archival program data; and

displaying the archival program data.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the financing program functions further include a dealer performance reporting function, the received data comprising dealer performance reporting data.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the dealer performance reporting data includes:

sales volumes;

efficiency levels;

asset quality; and

delinquency data.

24. A system which uses a communication network to facilitate financing activities, the system comprising:

a database;

an information processor coupled to the database, the information processor including;

a network interface coupling the information processor to the communication network;

a central processing unit, the central processing unit accepting requests from a user terminal coupled to the communication network, the central processing unit executing functions including;

receiving from the user terminal, a selected financing function request, the selected financing function request corresponding to a financing function selected from a list of financing functions made available to a user of the user terminal, the list of financing functions including at least one of a status function, a report generation function and a financing program function;

receiving data corresponding to the received financing function request from the database by accessing the database;

arranging the received data into a predetermined format;

using the network interface to transmit the formatted data to the user terminal;

displaying summary contract data corresponding to at least one contract;

receiving a request to display detailed contact data for a selected one of the at least one contract;

displaying detailed contract data, the detailed contract data corresponding to the requested one of the at least one contract; and

wherein the status function is a contract status function and the received data includes at least one of summary contract data and detailed contract data and wherein the summary contract data and the detailed contract data each include;

contract receipt date;

contract status; and

contract booking data.

25. The system according to claim 24, further comprising a financing processor, the financing processor being coupled to the information processor, the financing processor comprising data corresponding to financial accounts associated with users of the system.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the data includes reserve data.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein the financing processor is coupled to the information processor through another communication network.

28. The system according to claim 24, wherein the formatted data is in the form of an electronic screen.

29. The system according to claim 24, wherein the database is a multidimensional database.

30. The system according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined format is created by the user.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the predetermined format is made available to other users.

32. The system according to claim 24, wherein the central processing unit further executes the function of transmitting the list of functions to the user terminal as part of at least one of a Java applet or Active-X control program.

33. The system according to claim 24, wherein the detailed contract data further includes:

vehicle data, the vehicle data corresponding to a vehicle for which the contract is being made; and

financing information, the financing data corresponding to the type of financing being sought by a purchaser of the vehicle.

34. The system according to claim 24, further comprising the act of providing the user with the ability to electronically request reserve data for an account corresponding to the user.

35. The system according to claim 24, wherein the report generation function is a reserve report function and the received data includes at least one of summary reserve data, detailed reserve data and customer account data.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the summary reserve data corresponds to a time period, the summary reserve data comprising:

reserve calculation data; and

reserve adjustment data.

37. The system according to claim 35, wherein the detailed reserve data corresponds to a time period, the detailed reserve data comprising transaction details for a corresponding reserve account.

38. The system according to claim 35, wherein the central processing unit executes the further functions of:

determining a time period;

displaying summary and detailed reserve data for the determined time period;

receiving a request to display selected customer account data; and

displaying the selected detailed customer data.

39. The system according to claim 24, wherein the report generation function is a prospect report generation function, the prospect report generation function providing the user with a list of customers whose financing is scheduled to terminate within a predetermined period of time, the received data including at least one of summary prospect data and detailed prospect data.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the summary prospect data corresponds to a time period, the summary prospect data including:

a customer name; and

a maturity date.

41. The system according to claim 39, wherein the detailed prospect data includes:

customer data;

a maturity date; and

a payoff amount.

42. The system according to claim 39, wherein the central processing unit executes the further functions of:

determining a time period;

displaying summary prospect data for the determined time period, the summary prospect data corresponding to prospective customers;

receiving a request to display detailed prospect data for a selected one of the prospective customers; and

displaying detailed prospect data, the detailed prospect data corresponding to the selected one of the prospective customers.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein the central processing unit executes the further functions of:

receiving comments from the user terminal for the selected prospective customer; and

storing the comments in the database.

44. The system according to claim 42, wherein the central processing unit executes the further functions of:

receiving a request for a payoff quote for the selected prospective customer;

determining the payoff quote for the selected prospective customer; and

displaying the payoff quote.

45. The system according to claim 24, wherein the financing program function is a program function, the received data comprising at least one of current program summary data, current program detail data and archival program data, the current program summary data identifying programs currently available to the user, the current program detail data identifying programs and corresponding lease rates currently available to the user, the archival program data corresponding to archival data of previous programs and lease rates.

46. The system according to claim 45, wherein the central processing unit executes the further functions of:

displaying current program summary data for currently available programs;

receiving a request to display current program detail data for a selected one of the currently available programs; and

displaying current program detail data, the current program detail data corresponding to the selected one of the currently available programs.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein the central processing unit executes the further functions of:

receiving a request to display archival program data; and

displaying the archival program data.

48. The system according to claim 24, wherein the financing program functions further include a dealer performance reporting function, the received data comprising dealer performance reporting data.

49. The system according to claim 48, wherein the dealer performance reporting data includes:

sales volumes;

efficiency levels;

asset quality; and

delinquency data.

50. A storage medium storing programmatic code for a network-based financing information system which, when executed, performs acts comprising:

receiving from a user terminal, a requested financing function request, the requested financing function request corresponding to a financing function selected from a list of financing functions made available to a user of the user terminal, the list of financing functions including at least one of a status function, a report generation function and a financing program function;

receiving data corresponding to the received financing function request from a database by accessing the database;

arranging the received data into a predetermined format;

transmitting the formatted data across the communication network to the user terminal;

displaying summary contract data corresponding to at least one contract;

receiving a request to display detailed contact data for a selected one of the at least one contract; and

displaying detailed contract data, the detailed contract data corresponding to the requested one of the at least one contract;

wherein the status function is a contract status function and the received data includes at least one of summary contract data and detailed contract data and wherein the summary contract data and the detailed contract data each include;

contract receipt date;

contract status; and

contract booking data.

51. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the formatted data is in the form of an electronic screen.

52. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the database is a multidimensional database.

53. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the predetermined format is created by the user.

54. The storage medium according to claim 53, wherein the predetermined format is made available to other users.

55. The storage medium according to claim 50, further comprising the act of transmitting the list of functions to the user as part of at least one of a Java applet or Active-X control program.

56. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the detailed contract data further includes:

vehicle data, the vehicle data corresponding to a vehicle for which the contract is being made; and

financing information, the financing data corresponding to the type of financing being sought by a purchaser of the vehicle.

57. The storage medium according to claim 50, further comprising the act of providing the user with the ability to electronically request reserve data for an account corresponding to the user.

58. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the report generation function is a reserve report function and the received data includes at least one of summary reserve data, detailed reserve data and customer account data.

59. The storage medium according to claim 58, wherein the summary reserve data corresponds to a time period, the summary reserve data comprising:

reserve calculation data; and

reserve adjustment data.

60. The storage medium according to claim 58, wherein the detailed reserve data corresponds to a time period, the detailed reserve data comprising transaction details for a corresponding reserve account.

61. The storage medium according to claim 58, further comprising the acts of:

determining a time period;

displaying summary and detailed reserve data for the determined time period;

receiving a request to display selected customer account data; and

displaying the selected detailed customer data.

62. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the report generation function is a prospect report generation function, the prospect report generation function providing the user with a list of customers whose financing is scheduled to terminate within a predetermined period of time, the received data including at least one of summary prospect data and detailed prospect data.

63. The storage medium according to claim 62, wherein the summary prospect data corresponds to a time period, the summary prospect data including:

a customer name; and

a maturity date.

64. The storage medium according to claim 62, wherein the detailed prospect data includes:

customer data;

a maturity date; and

a payoff amount.

65. The storage medium according to claim 62, further comprising the acts of:

determining a time period;

displaying summary prospect data for the determined time period, the summary prospect data corresponding to prospective customers;

receiving a request to display detailed prospect data for a selected one of the prospective customers; and

displaying detailed prospect data, the detailed prospect data corresponding to the selected one of the prospective customers.

66. The storage medium according to claim 65, further including the acts of:

receiving comments from the user terminal for the selected prospective customer; and

storing the comments in the database.

67. The storage medium according to claim 65, further including the acts of:

receiving a request for a payoff quote for the selected prospective customer;

determining the payoff quote for the selected prospective customer; and

displaying the payoff quote.

68. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the financing program function is a program function, the received data comprising at least one of current program summary data current program detail data and archival program data, the current program summary data identifying programs currently available to the user, the current program detail data identifying programs and corresponding lease rates currently available to the user, the archival program data corresponding to archival data of previous programs and lease rates.

69. The storage medium according to claim 68, further comprising the acts of:

displaying current program summary data for currently available programs;

receiving a request to display current program detail data for a selected one of the currently available programs; and

displaying current program detail data, the current program detail data corresponding to the selected one of the currently available programs.

70. The storage medium according to claim 69, further comprising the acts of:

receiving a request to display archival program data; and

displaying the archival program data.

71. The storage medium according to claim 50, wherein the financing program functions further include a dealer performance reporting function, the received data comprising dealer performance reporting data.

72. The storage medium according to claim 71, wherein the dealer performance reporting data includes:

sales volumes;

efficiency levels;

asset quality; and

delinquency data.