Systems and methods for administering return sweep accounts

• US 7,933,821 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Island Intellectual Property LLC (Double Rock Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Island Intellectual Property LLC (Double Rock Corporation)
• Inventors: Bent, Bruce, Bent, Bruce II
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US12/385,522
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 705/35, 705 38- 40, 705/42, 707/1, 707/10, 707100-104, 707/705, 902/24, 902/41
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• 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 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 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method, system, and program product for managing funds for a plurality of client accounts at a first banking institution, the system comprising: one or more electronic databases, comprising: (i) client account information; (ii) aggregated transaction account information for a plurality of FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in a plurality of banks in a program including the first banking institution; and (iii) subaccount information; and one or more computers configured for (a) accessing the electronic database and administering clients'"'"' deposits and withdrawals from the client accounts, comprising processing transaction data for more than six (6) withdrawals and/or transfers from each of at least two of the client accounts; (b) determining, whether the balance of funds for the respective client in the aggregated deposit account at the first bank equals or exceeds a specified amount, and if not, then designating the first bank to receive the deposit, and if it does, determining another bank in the program and designating the deposit for the other bank.

Claims

1. A system for managing funds for a plurality of client transaction accounts for a plurality of clients whose funds were accepted for deposit in respective client transaction accounts held in the names of the respective clients at a first banking institution, the system comprising:

one or more electronic databases, stored on one or more computer-readable media, comprising;

(i) client account information for each of the respective client transaction accounts;

(ii) aggregated transaction account information for a plurality of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in a plurality of banks in a program including the first banking institution; and

(iii) subaccount information on each client'"'"'s funds held in said plurality of the insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts; and

one or more computers comprising memory wherein the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform the steps;

(a) accessing the electronic database and administering clients'"'"' deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of a plurality of said client transaction accounts, said administering step comprising processing transaction data comprising data for one or more deposits and/or transfers for one or more client transaction accounts and data for each of more than six (6) withdrawals and/or transfers by check and/or debit card within a month from each of at least two of said client transaction accounts, with the transaction data comprising a respective amount for each respective deposit and/or transfer and for each respective withdrawal and/or transfer;

(b) determining, for one or more transaction deposits and/or transfers to a respective client transaction account held in the name of the respective client at the first banking institution, whether the balance of funds for the respective client in the aggregated deposit account at the first banking institution equals or exceeds a specified amount, and if not, then designating the first banking institution to receive the deposit and/or transfer, and if it does, determining another bank in the program and designating the deposit and/or transfer for the other bank;

(c) determining and designating, for one or more withdrawals and/or transfers, including by check and/or debit card, from a respective client transaction account, one or more of the banks in the program for the one or more withdrawals and/or transfers;

(d) determining, for each of a plurality of the banks in the program, one or more net transactions, with each net transaction comprising a sum of a plurality of clients'"'"' deposits and/or transfers designated for the respective bank and/or clients'"'"' withdrawals and/or transfers designated for the respective bank, from a plurality of said respective client transaction accounts of a plurality of the clients;

(e) generating, one or more instructions to transfer funds to the respective one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts in the respective banks in the program in accordance with the respective net transactions determined for the respective banks in the program, and further comprising making a withdrawal and/or transfer from the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at one of the banks in the program more than six (6) times during a month, while maintaining an insured and interest-bearing status of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at the one bank; and

(f) updating or having updated, the electronic database based on the deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein one or more of the electronic databases further comprise aggregated transaction account information for a plurality aggregated demand accounts in the plurality of banks in a program, and

wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions to facilitate the withdrawal and/or transfer of client funds from one of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts at one of the banks in the program through a respective aggregated demand deposit account at the respective bank.

3. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable instructions stored in the memory for performing the steps:

monitoring requested debits of funds from each of a plurality of the client transaction accounts; and

selectively authorizing or rejecting each of the requested debits based upon an account balance in a client transaction account for the client or a client'"'"'s funds in the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts, or based upon both the account balance in the client transaction account for the client and the client'"'"'s funds in the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts.

4. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable instructions stored in the memory for:

causing distribution of interest from said FDIC-insured interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts to said client transaction accounts; and

updating one or more of the electronic databases with client'"'"'s deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of their respective client transaction accounts.

5. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic databases maintain aggregated transaction account information for a plurality of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in a fixed number of banks in the program, and

wherein the steps are performed using the fixed number of banks in the program.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein one or more of the electronic databases includes client preference and/or exclusion information comprising a client'"'"'s one or more preferences and/or one or more exclusions of one or more banks to hold its funds;

and

wherein the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory determines the other bank in the program for distribution of the deposit and/or transfer, when the balance of funds for the respective client in the aggregated deposit account at the first bank equals or exceeds the specified amount, based at least in part on the client preference and/or exclusion information.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts is a money market deposit account.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform at least four of the steps:

receiving electronic check deposit data;

receiving electronic Fed wire deposit data;

receiving electronic ACH deposit data;

receiving electronic debit card transaction files;

receiving electronic credit card transaction files;

receiving electronic check presentment data;

receiving electronic ACH debit data;

receiving electronic touch tone bill paying data;

receiving electronic Internet bill paying data.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform the step of receiving the client transaction data from an Internet telecommunications network.

10. A system for managing funds for a plurality of client transaction accounts for a plurality of clients whose funds were accepted for deposit in respective client transaction accounts held in the names of the respective clients at a first banking institution that includes a first bank in its infrastructure, the system comprising:

one or more electronic databases, stored on one or more computer-readable media, comprising;

(i) client account information for each of the respective client transaction accounts;

(ii) aggregated transaction account information for a plurality of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in a plurality of banks in a program including the first bank in the first banking institution and a second bank in infrastructure of a different banking institution; and

(iii) subaccount information on each client'"'"'s funds held in said plurality of the insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts; and

one or more computers comprising memory wherein the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform the steps;

(a) accessing the electronic database and administering clients'"'"' deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of a plurality of said client transaction accounts, said administering step comprising processing transaction data comprising data for one or more deposits and/or transfers for one or more client transaction accounts and data for each of more than six (6) withdrawals and/or transfers by check and/or debit card within a month from each of at least two of said client transaction accounts, with the transaction data comprising a respective amount for each respective deposit and/or transfer and for each respective withdrawal and/or transfer;

(b) determining, for one or more transaction deposits and/or transfers to a respective client transaction account held in the name of the respective client at the first banking institution, whether the balance of funds for the respective client in the aggregated deposit account at the first bank equals or exceeds a specified amount, and if not, then designating the first bank to receive the deposit and/or transfer, and if it does, determining another bank in the program and designating the deposit and/or transfer for the other bank;

(c) determining and designating, for one or more withdrawals and/or transfers, including by check and/or debit card, from a respective client transaction account, one or more of the banks in the program for the one or more withdrawals and/or transfers;

(d) determining, for each of a plurality of the banks in the program, one or more net transactions, with each net transaction comprising a sum of a plurality of clients'"'"' deposits and/or transfers designated for the respective bank and/or clients'"'"' withdrawals and/or transfers designated for the respective bank, from a plurality of said respective client transaction accounts of a plurality of the clients;

(e) generating, one or more instructions to transfer funds to the respective one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts in the respective banks in the program in accordance with the respective net transactions determined for the respective banks in the program, and further comprising making a withdrawal and/or transfer from the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at one of the banks in the program more than six (6) times during a month, while maintaining an insured and interest-bearing status of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at the one bank; and

(f) updating or having updated, the electronic database based on the deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts.

11. The system defined in claim 10, wherein one or more of the electronic databases further comprise aggregated transaction account information for a plurality aggregated demand accounts in the plurality of banks in a program, and

wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions to facilitate the withdrawal and/or transfer of client funds from one of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts at one of the banks in the program through a respective aggregated demand deposit account at the respective bank.

12. The system defined in claim 10, further comprising computer-readable instructions stored in the memory for performing the steps:

monitoring requested debits of funds from each of a plurality of the client transaction accounts; and

selectively authorizing or rejecting each of the requested debits based upon an account balance in a client transaction account for the client or a client'"'"'s funds in the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts, or based upon both the account balance in the client transaction account for the client and the client'"'"'s funds in the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts.

13. The system defined in claim 10, further comprising computer-readable instructions stored in the memory for:

causing distribution of interest from said FDIC-insured interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts to said client transaction accounts; and

updating one or more of the electronic databases with client'"'"'s deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of their respective client transaction accounts.

14. The system defined in claim 10, wherein the one or more electronic databases maintain aggregated transaction account information for a plurality of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in a fixed number of banks in the program, and

wherein the steps are performed using the fixed number of banks in the program.

15. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein one or more of the electronic databases includes client preference and/or exclusion information comprising a client'"'"'s one or more preferences and/or one or more exclusions of one or more banks to hold its funds;

and

wherein the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory determines the other bank in the program for distribution of the deposit and/or transfer, when the balance of funds for the respective client in the aggregated deposit account at the first bank equals or exceeds the specified amount, based at least in part on the client preference and/or exclusion information.

16. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts is a money market deposit account.

17. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform at least four of the steps:

receiving electronic check deposit data;

receiving electronic Fed wire deposit data;

receiving electronic ACH deposit data;

receiving electronic debit card transaction files;

receiving electronic credit card transaction files;

receiving electronic check presentment data;

receiving electronic ACH debit data;

receiving electronic touch tone bill paying data;

receiving electronic Internet bill paying data.

18. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform the step of receiving the client transaction data from an Internet telecommunications network.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

(a) maintaining or having maintained or accessing an electronic database, on one or more computer readable media, containing client account information for a plurality of client accounts for a plurality of clients whose funds had been accepted for deposit in the names of the respective clients at a first banking institution that includes a first bank in its infrastructure;

(b) maintaining or having maintained or accessing the same or a different electronic database, on one or more computer-readable media, containing aggregated deposit account information for a plurality of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts, held in a plurality of banks of a plurality of banking institutions and including at least one FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at the first bank in the first banking institution, wherein each aggregated deposit account hold funds of a plurality of client accounts, wherein a client account represents funds of a client held in one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts held by the banks,

(c) allocating, by one or more computers, for more than one of the client accounts, the client funds from these respective client accounts, among more than one of aggregated deposit accounts, so that at least a portion of these client funds are maintained in the aggregated deposit account in the first bank and at least a portion of the client funds are maintained in an aggregated deposit account held in at least one of the banks in one of the different banking institutions;

(d) determining, by the one or more computers, client funds to be withdrawn from the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at one of the banks of one of the banking institutions more than six (6) times during a month while preserving an insured and interest-bearing status of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at the one bank; and

(e) updating or having updated, by the one or more computers, the electronic database based on the allocation of client funds to or from the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts.

20. The computer-implemented method defined in claim 19,

wherein the withdrawing or having withdrawn client funds from one of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts at one of the banks is through a respective aggregated demand deposit account at the respective one bank.

21. The computer-implemented method defined in claim 19, further comprising:

causing distribution of interest, by the one or more computers, from said FDIC-insured interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts to said client accounts; and

updating or having updated, by the one or more computers, one or more of the electronic databases with information about the interest distributed to said client accounts.

22. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 19, wherein the electronic database includes client preference and/or exclusion information comprising a client'"'"'s one or more preferences and/or one or more exclusions of one or more banks to hold its funds;

and

further comprising;

determining one or more of the different banks in the program for allocating a portion of the client'"'"'s funds, based at least in part on the client preference and/or exclusion information.

23. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 19, wherein at least one of the one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts is a money market deposit account.

24. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 19, further comprising performing, by the one or more computers, one or more of the following steps:

accessing electronic check deposit data;

accessing electronic Fed wire deposit data;

accessing electronic ACH deposit data;

accessing electronic debit card transaction files;

accessing electronic credit card transaction files;

accessing electronic check presentment data;

accessing electronic ACH debit data;

accessing electronic touch tone bill paying data;

accessing electronic Internet bill paying data.

25. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 19, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, allow the one or more computers to receive client data for deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of their respective client accounts from an Internet telecommunications network.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step:

on a regular, periodic, or recurring basis, calculating or having calculated, by the one or more computers, a net transaction amount as the sum of individual client deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of a plurality of the client accounts; and

,

utilizing, by the one or more computers, the net transaction amount to determine an amount or amounts of funds that need to be deposited into one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts to cover client deposits, or an amount or amounts of funds that needs to be withdrawn from one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts to cover client withdrawals.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the client accounts comprise corporate client accounts.

28. A system, comprising:

(a) one or more electronic databases, stored on one or more computer-readable media, comprising;

(i) client account information for a plurality of client accounts for a plurality of clients whose funds were accepted for deposit in the names of the respective clients at a first banking institution that includes a first bank in its infrastructure,

(ii) aggregated deposit account information for a plurality of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts, held in a plurality of banks of a plurality of banking institutions and including at least one FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at the first bank in the first banking institution, wherein each aggregated deposit account hold funds of a plurality of client accounts, wherein a client account represents funds of a client held in one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts held by the banks,

(b) one or more computers comprising memory wherein the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to access the one or more electronic databases and perform the steps;

(i) allocating, by the one or more computers, for more than one of the client accounts, the client funds from these respective client accounts, among more than one of the aggregated deposit accounts, so that at least a portion of these client funds are maintained in the aggregated deposit account in the first bank and at least a portion of the client funds are maintained in an aggregated deposit account held in at least one of the banks in one of the different banking institutions;

(ii) determining, by the one or more computers, client funds to be withdrawn from the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at one of the banks of one of the banking institutions more than six (6) times during a month while preserving an insured and interest-bearing status of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit account held at the one bank; and

(iii) updating or having updated, by the one or more computers, the electronic database based on the allocation of client funds to or from the plurality of aggregated deposit accounts.

29. The system defined in claim 28,

wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions to facilitate the withdrawing or having withdrawn client funds from one of the FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts at one of the banks through a respective aggregated demand deposit account at the respective one bank.

30. The system defined in claim 28, further comprising computer-readable instructions stored in the memory for:

causing distribution of interest from said FDIC-insured interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts to said client accounts; and

updating one or more of the electronic databases with information about the interest distributed to said client accounts.

31. The system as defined in claim 28, wherein one or more of the electronic databases includes client preference and/or exclusion information comprising a client'"'"'s one or more preferences and/or one or more exclusions of one or more banks to hold its funds;

and

wherein the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory determine one or more of the different banks in the program for allocating a portion of the client'"'"'s funds, based at least in part on the client preference and/or exclusion information.

32. The system as defined in claim 28, wherein at least one of the one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts is a money market deposit account.

33. The system as defined in claim 28, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform one or more of the steps:

accessing electronic check deposit data;

accessing electronic Fed wire deposit data;

accessing electronic ACH deposit data;

accessing electronic debit card transaction files;

accessing electronic credit card transaction files;

accessing electronic check presentment data;

accessing electronic ACH debit data;

accessing electronic touch tone bill paying data;

accessing electronic Internet bill paying data.

34. The system as defined in claim 28, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to receive client data for deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of their respective client accounts from an Internet telecommunications network.

35. The system as defined in claim 28, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform the steps:

on a regular, periodic, or recurring basis, calculating or having calculated, a net transaction amount as the sum of individual client deposits and/or transfers to and withdrawals and/or transfers from each of a plurality of the client accounts; and

,

utilizing the net transaction amount to determine an amount or amounts of funds that need to be deposited into one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts to cover client deposits, or an amount or amounts of funds that needs to be withdrawn from one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts to cover client withdrawals.

36. The system as defined in claim 28, wherein the client accounts comprise corporate client accounts.