Method and apparatus for tracking financial transactions for a user

• US 7,860,934 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Slattery, James A., Wolfe, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Oanh
• Application Number:
  US11/700,705
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/223, 709/224, 709/245, 705/35, 705/39, 705/40, 705/25
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A system that tracks financial transactions for a user is presented. During operation, the system receives an electronic message which includes one or more parameters for a financial transaction. The system parses the electronic message to extract the one or more parameters for the financial transaction. The system determines a source address for the electronic message. Next, the system determines whether the source address is associated with a user account. If so, the system associates the one or more parameters for the financial transaction with the user account.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tracking financial transactions for a user, wherein the computer includes a processor, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic message addressed to a destination address which indicates a financial transaction category, wherein the electronic message includes one or more parameters for a financial transaction;

determining the financial transaction category based on the destination address of the electronic message, wherein the financial transaction category indicates a purpose of the financial transaction;

parsing a body of the electronic message to extract the parameters for the financial transaction;

generating one or more financial records for the financial transaction based on the extracted parameters;

determining whether a source address of the electronic message is associated with a user account; and

if the source address of the electronic message is associated with the user account, associating the financial records and the financial transaction category with the user account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial transaction category includes one or more selected from the group consisting of:

donations;

expenses;

income;

gifts;

taxes; and

any other financial transaction category.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the destination address along with the financial records with the user account; and

associating a financial transaction category with the destination address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the source address is not associated with a user account, the method further comprises:

creating an unregistered user account that is associated with the source address; and

associating the financial records for the financial transaction with the unregistered user account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein after creating the unregistered user account, the method further comprises sending the user an electronic message which includes a uniform resource locator (URL) and login information which can be used to access the unregistered account.

6. The method of claim 4, the method further comprises allowing a user to register the unregistered user account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is sent by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the source address is located in a “

From”

field of the electronic message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is sent by another entity on behalf of the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the other entity can include a party to the financial transaction.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the source address is located in a “

CC”

field of the electronic message.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the source address is located in one or more of:

headers of the electronic message;

specified fields of network protocols; and

the body of the message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the source address includes one or more selected from the group consisting of:

an email address;

an Internet Protocol (IP) address;

a user name;

a Tax Identification Number (TIN);

a Social Security Number (SSN);

an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number;

a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID);

an Electronic Serial Number (ESN);

a Pseudo ESN (pESN);

a Media Access Control (MAC) address;

a domain name; and

a unique identifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a party to the financial transaction;

an amount of the financial transaction; and

a description of the financial transaction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein parsing the electronic message to extract the one or more parameters for the financial transaction involves determining:

a party to the financial transaction;

the amount of the financial transaction; and

the description of the financial transaction.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a set of diagnostics against the user account to determine whether a specified condition in the user account is present; and

if so, notifying the user that the specified condition is present.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of diagnostics can use one or more rulesets.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein one or more financial transaction categories are associated with corresponding rulesets.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the specified condition can involve exceeding a specified limit for a given financial category.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the specified condition can involve not meeting a specified minimum threshold for a given financial category.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein notifying the user involves sending a notification by one or more of:

an email message;

a short message service (SMS) message;

an instant message;

an automated phone message; and

a message contained in a letter.

22. The method of claim 1, where prior to receiving the electronic message, the method further comprises creating the user account.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising associating one or more source addresses for one or more users authorized to access the user account.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a report of financial transactions associated with the user account.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising importing the report into a financial application.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising delegating access to the user account to another entity.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for tracking financial transactions for a user, wherein the method comprises:

receiving an electronic message addressed to a destination address which indicates a financial transaction category, wherein the electronic message includes one or more parameters for a financial transaction;

determining the financial transaction category based on the destination address of the electronic message, wherein the financial transaction category indicates a purpose of the financial transaction;

parsing a body of the electronic message to extract the parameters for the financial transaction;

generating one or more financial records for the financial transaction based on the extracted parameters;

determining whether a source address of the electronic message is associated with a user account; and

if the source address of the electronic message is associated with the user account, associating the financial records and the financial transaction category with the user account.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the financial transaction category includes one or more selected from the group consisting of:

donations;

expenses;

income;

gifts;

taxes; and

any other financial transaction category.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising:

associating the destination address along with the financial records with the user account; and

associating a financial transaction category with the destination address.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein if the source address is not associated with a user account, the method further comprises:

creating an unregistered user account that is associated with the source address; and

associating the financial records for the financial transaction with the unregistered user account.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein after creating the unregistered user account, the method further comprises sending the user an electronic message which includes a uniform resource locator (URL) and login information which can be used to access the unregistered account.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises allowing a user to register the unregistered user account.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the electronic message is sent by the user.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the source address is located in a “

From”

field of the electronic message.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the electronic message is sent by another entity on behalf of the user.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the other entity can include a party to the financial transaction.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the source address is located in a “

CC”

field of the electronic message.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the source address is located in one or more of:

headers of the electronic message;

specified fields of network protocols; and

the body of the message.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the source address includes one or more selected from the group consisting of:

an email address;

an Internet Protocol (IP) address;

a user name;

a Tax Identification Number (TIN);

a Social Security Number (SSN);

an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number;

a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID);

an Electronic Serial Number (ESN);

a Pseudo ESN (pESN);

a Media Access Control (MAC) address;

a domain name; and

a other unique identifier.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the financial records include one or more of:

a party to the financial transaction;

an amount of the financial transaction; and

a description of the financial transaction.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein parsing the electronic message to extract the financial records for the financial transaction involves determining:

a party to the financial transaction;

the amount of the financial transaction; and

the description of the financial transaction.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

performing a set of diagnostics against the user account to determine whether a specified condition in the user account is present; and

if so, notifying the user that the specified condition is present.

43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 42, wherein the set of diagnostics can use one or more rulesets.

44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein one or more financial transaction categories are associated with corresponding rulesets.

45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 42, wherein the specified condition can involve exceeding a specified limit for a given financial category.

46. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 42, wherein the specified condition can involve not meeting a specified minimum threshold for a given financial category.

47. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 42, wherein notifying the user involves sending a notification by one or more of:

an email message;

a short message service (SMS) message;

an instant message;

an automated phone message; and

a message contained in a letter.

48. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, where prior to receiving the electronic message, the method further comprises creating the user account.

49. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 48, wherein the method further comprises associating one or more source addresses for one or more users authorized to access the user account.

50. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises generating a report of financial transactions associated with the user account.

51. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 50, wherein the method further comprises importing the report into a financial application.

52. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises delegating access to the user account to another entity.

53. An apparatus that tracks financial transactions for a user, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive an electronic message addressed to a destination address which indicates a financial transaction category, wherein the electronic message includes one or more parameters for a financial transaction;

a category-determining mechanism configured to determine the financial transaction category based on the destination address of the electronic message, wherein the financial transaction category indicates a purpose of the financial transaction;

a parsing mechanism configured to parse a body of the electronic message to extract the parameters for the financial transaction;

a generating mechanism configured to generate one or more financial records for the financial transaction based on the extracted parameters;

an account-lookup mechanism configured to determine whether a source address of the electronic message is associated with a user account; and

an association mechanism, wherein if the source address is associated with the user account, the association mechanism is configured to associate the financial records and the financial transaction category with the user account.