System for card activity-based residential crediting

• US 8,078,491 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Home Mortgage Card LLC
• Original Assignee: Home Mortgage Card LLC
• Inventors: Carragher, Philip, Webster, Steven Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US09/669,196
• Time in Patent Office: 4,096 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705 38- 40, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• 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

Abstract

An electrical digital computer machine and a data processing system, methods of making and for using the machine, products produced thereby, as well as data structures and articles of manufacture pertaining thereto, and all necessary intermediates of that which is discussed herein, all in the field of computerized aspects of card crediting to mortgages and the like.

More particularly, there is a method for card activity-based residential expense crediting, such as that for points, an external mortgage, or the like. The method includes the steps of: associating card activity with an external residential expense; crediting an amount to the residential expense responsive to the card activity; and generating output including the card activity-based residential expense crediting; wherein at least some of the steps are carried out by computer.

Claims

1. A method of using an apparatus for card activity-based residential mortgage expense crediting, the method including:

providing a digital electrical computer electrically connected to an input device and to an output device;

associating, with said digital computer, data input at said input device, the data representing card activity with further input data representing an external residential mortgage expense selected from a group consisting of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, a closing cost, wherein said selection is received from a user from among a plurality of external residential mortgage expense options;

crediting, with said digital computer and according to the external residential mortgage expense, an amount to the external residential mortgage expense responsive to the card activity; and

generating, at the output device, output including the amount corresponding to the external residential mortgage expense crediting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options includes more than two options.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

obtaining, with said computer, identifying data for the external residential mortgage expense; and

wherein the crediting is carried out with the amount comprising a reward.

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

applying, with said digital computer, some of the amount in a funds transfer to pay the expense.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the associating card activity with an external residential mortgage expense includes entering external mortgage-identifying data;

and

carrying out the crediting according to the mortgage-identifying data.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the external residential mortgage expense is a closing cost from the group.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the external residential mortgage expense is a down payment.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the associating card activity with an external residential mortgage expense includes entering external mortgage-identifying data;

and

carrying out the crediting according to the mortgage-identifying data.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment for at least one discount point as the payment for the expense.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a prepaid interest payment as the payment for the expense.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment to an escrow account as the payment for the expense.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a tax payment as the payment for the expense.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a fee payment from the group consisting of an impact fee, new construction fee, government fee, recording fee, transfer fee, miscellaneous fee, mitigation fee, origination fee, commission, review and funding fee, wire transfer and courier fee, title and closing fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, and a flood certificate fee as the payment for the expense.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment for a cost from the group consisting of a stamp, a tax certificate, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, an inspection, an appraisal, abstract search, and a credit report as the payment for the expense.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment for fee payment from the group consisting of a tax service fee, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, an attorney fee, a realtor fee, and a notary fee as the payment for the expense.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment of a cost from the group consisting of a dockage fee and a marina fee as the payment for the expense.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment of a cost from the group consisting of a lot cost, land cost, equity sharing cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, material cost, landscaping, and fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the mortgage, as the payment for the expense.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying includes producing a payment of a cost from the group consisting of an ongoing residential mortgage expense, the ongoing residential mortgage expense from the group consisting of a special assessment, a homeowner assessment, a membership fee, an association due, and a common area fee as the payment for the expense.

25. The method of any one of claims 1-20, 9-11, 12-22, 3, and 23, further including applying, with said digital computer, a preferential crediting rate in the crediting for an internal expense.

26. The method of any one of claims 1-20, 9-11, 12-22, 3, and 23, further comprising options, which include non-mortgage residential expense options and a plurality of external residential mortgage expense options selected from the group, from which a selection for an external residential mortgage expense option is received.

27. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

printing, with said digital computer, a check;

printing, with said digital computer, a coupon with the amount for carrying out payment of the mortgage with the check; and

combining the check and the coupon with a statement of the card activity in a computer-addressed envelope so as to address the envelope.

28. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

changing, with said digital computer, an allocation of the credit activity between the options in response to an instruction from the cardholder.

29. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

allocating, with said digital computer, a portion of the credit activity to a charity; and

generating, with said digital computer, a tax deduction statement responsive to the portion.

30. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

computing, with said digital computer, an annual statement of said crediting; and

communicating, with said digital computer, the annual statement to the cardholder.

31. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

allocating, with said digital computer, a portion of the amount between a plurality of external residential mortgage expenses, wherein at least a first expense corresponds to a first mortgage and at least a second expense corresponds to a second mortgage.

32. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

associating, with said digital computer, the expense with second card activity of a second cardholder;

crediting, with said digital computer, an amount to the external residential mortgage expense responsive to the second card activity; and

wherein the generating output includes generating the output including the second charge card activity-based crediting.

33. The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 19, and 23, further including:

communicating an electronic funds transfer to a charity for payment of the external residential mortgage expense.

55. The method of any one of claims 1, 19, 34, 38, 40, 49, 51, 53, wherein one said option designates an ongoing expense.

56. The method of any one of claims 1, 19, 34, 38, 40, 49, 51, 53, wherein one said option designates a single transaction expense.

19. A method of using an apparatus for card activity-based residential expense crediting, the method including:

providing a digital electrical computer electrically connected to an input device and to an output device;

associating, with said digital computer, card activity award with data at said input device, said data representing an external residential mortgage expense option selected from a group consisting of at least one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, a closing cost, mineral rights, tax payment, title insurance, title examination, title insurance binder, moving cost, parking maintenance, and rent;

crediting, with said digital computer and according to the external residential expense option that has been selected, an amount to the external residential expense responsive to the card activity;

applying, with said digital computer, some of the amount to produce a payment for the expense; and

generating, at said output device, output including the amount corresponding to the payment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the applying includes producing a down payment as the payment for the expense.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the payment includes interest.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the group includes more than two options.

23. The method of claim 19, further including:

obtaining, with said computer, identifying data for the external residential mortgage expense; and

wherein the crediting is carried out with the amount comprising a reward.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the applying includes producing a closing cost payment as the payment for the expense.

34. A method of using an apparatus for carrying out card activity-based residential expense crediting, the method including:

responding to a cardholder selecting over the Internet from a plurality of external residential mortgage expense options by forming a combination in an envelope, the combination including at least two of;

a check printed for the payment of the expense, according to the external residential expense option that has been selected;

a coupon printed for making the payment with the check; and

a statement of showing the card activity and the crediting according to the external residential expense option that has been selected, wherein the option corresponds to a member selected from a group consisting of at least one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close a loan, a closing cost, mineral rights, tax payment, title insurance, title examination, title insurance binder, moving cost, parking maintenance, and rent.

35. The method of claim 34, further including the producing said card activity-based residential expense crediting by entering identifying data, at said input device, for the external residential expense in a computer and computing, with said computer, a reward corresponding to the crediting.

36. Apparatus to carry out card activity-based residential mortgage crediting, the apparatus including:

a data processing system comprising a digital computer in communication with an input device for receiving input data and with an output device, the digital computer programmed to process the input data to produce an electronic file including data representing an external residential mortgage, to credit an amount to the external residential mortgage responsive to awards generated from card activity, and to generate output, at the output device, the data including the card activity award credit;

wherein the file is accessed to communicate the data over the Internet representing the external residential mortgage to a lender computer, and the lender computer facilitates a computer-aided mortgage auction that produces a proposed new mortgage.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the programming includes programming to carry out the obtaining identifying data for the external residential expense, and wherein said amount comprises a reward.

38. A method for making a digital computer system programmed for carrying out card activity-based external residential mortgage expense crediting, the method including:

providing a data processing system comprising a digital computer electrically connected to an input device for inputting data and to an output device; and

programming the digital computer to associate card activity with an external residential mortgage expense selected by a cardholder over the Internet from a plurality of external residential mortgage expense options, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, a closing cost, mineral rights, tax payment, title insurance, title examination, title insurance binder, moving cost, parking maintenance, and rent, to credit an amount to the external residential mortgage expense responsive to the card activity and according to the external residential mortgage expense option that has been selected, and to generate output including the crediting, to form the digital computer system.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the programming includes programming to carry out the obtaining identifying data for the external residential expense, and wherein said amount comprises a reward.

40. A method for making a digital computer system programmed for carrying out card activity-based residential mortgage expense crediting, the method including

providing a data processing system comprising a digital computer electrically connected to an input device for inputting data and to an output device;

and

programming the digital computer to associate card activity with a residential mortgage expense selected by a cardholder over the Internet from a plurality of residential expense options, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, a closing cost, mineral rights, tax payment, title insurance, title examination, title insurance binder, moving cost, parking maintenance, and rent, to credit an amount to the residential mortgage expense responsive to the card activity, to apply some of the amount to produce a payment for the expense according to the residential mortgage expense option that has been selected, and to generate output including the amount credited.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the programming includes programming to carry out the obtaining identifying data for the expense, and wherein said amount comprises a reward.

54. The method of any one of claims 40, 49, 53, wherein the expense comprises a down payment.

42. A digital computer system programmed for carrying out card activity-based external residential mortgage expense crediting, the computer system including:

a data processing system comprising a digital computer electrically connected to an input device for inputting data and to an output device, said digital computer programmed to associate card activity with an external residential mortgage expense selected by a cardholder over the Internet from a plurality of external residential expense options, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, a closing cost, mineral rights, tax payment, title insurance, title examination, title insurance binder, moving cost, parking maintenance, and rent, to credit an amount to the external residential mortgage expense responsive to the card activity and according to the external residential expense option that has been selected, to apply some of the amount to produce a payment for the expense, and to generate output including at least two of;

a check printed for the payment of the expense;

a coupon printed for making the payment with the check; and

a statement of showing the card activity and the crediting.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said amount comprises a reward.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the expense comprises a down payment.

47. The system of any one of claims 42, 45, wherein one said option designates an ongoing expense.

48. The system of any one of claims 42, 45, wherein one said option designates a single transaction expense.

45. A digital computer system programmed for carrying out card activity-based residential mortgage expense crediting, the computer system including:

a data processing system comprising a digital computer electrically connected to an input device for inputting data and to an output device, said digital computer programmed to associate card activity with a residential mortgage expense selected by a cardholder from a plurality of external residential expense options over the Internet, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a tax, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, mineral rights, tax payment, title insurance, title examination, title insurance binder, moving cost, parking maintenance, and rent, to credit an amount to the residential mortgage expense responsive to the card activity and according to the residential mortgage expense option that has been selected, to apply some of the amount to produce a payment for the expense, and to generate output including at least two of;

a check printed for the payment of the expense;

a coupon printed for making the payment with the check; and

a statement of showing the card activity and the credit.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein said amount comprises a reward.

49. A method of using an apparatus for carrying out computerized card activity-based non-mortgage residential expense crediting, the method including:

providing a digital electrical computer electrically connected to an input device and to an output device; and

crediting, with said computer, card award activity to an external non-mortgage expense payment in response to a cardholder instruction received over the Internet, the instruction comprising a selection by a cardholder from a plurality of external residential non-mortgage expense options, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of;

rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, a special assessment, a lot cost, land cost, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, and rent, said crediting reflected in output produced at said output device.

50. The system of claim 49, further including the computing a reward used in carrying out said crediting.

51. A method of using an apparatus for carrying out computerized card activity-based external residential expense crediting, the method including:

providing a digital electrical computer electrically connected to an input device and to an output device; and

crediting, with said computer, card activity to an external residential mortgage expense payment in response to a cardholder instruction received over the Internet, the instruction comprising a selection by a cardholder from a plurality of external residential expense options, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of a down payment, an equity sharing cost, rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, an inspection, an appraisal, a credit report, a special assessment, an impact fee, a new construction fee, a homeowner assessment, a homeowner association due, a tax account, a hazard account, an escrow account, a stamp, a government fee, a tax, a realtor fee, a recording fee, a title endorsement, a tax certificate, a wire transfer and courier fee, a title and closing fee, flood certificates, a discount point, an origination fee, an underwriting fee, a processing fee, a review and funding fee, a tax service fee, an environmental and termite inspection, a radon test, a lot cost, land cost, development cost, infrastructure cost, an architect fee, an engineering fee, a surveying fee, a material cost, landscaping, a water right, a riparian right, a mitigation fee, an attorneys'"'"' fee, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, appliance acquisition or upgrade cost, a material upgrade, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, a fix-up cost for work and materials required to close the loan, a closing cost, and rent, said crediting reflected in output produced at said output device.

52. The system of claim 51, further including the computing a reward used in carrying out said crediting.

53. A computer-aided method of using an apparatus for card activity-based residential expense crediting, the method including:

providing a digital electrical computer electrically connected to an input device and to an output device;

associating, with said computer, card award activity with an external residential mortgage expense and with a non-mortgage residential expense, said expenses selected by a cardholder computer from a plurality of external residential expense options over the Internet, the options selected from a group consisting of more than one of rental assistance, a rental contribution, a rent-to-own credit or payment, a special assessment, a lot cost, land cost, a membership fee, parking space acquisition, garage maintenance, a dockage fee, a marina fee, a common area fee, a house-hunting cost, and rent;

crediting, with said computer, an amount to the external residential mortgage expense responsive to the card activity; and

generating, with said output device, output including the external residential mortgage expense crediting.