Methods and systems for account management and virtual agent design and implementation

• US 8,200,578 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BeGuided Inc., The InterProse Corporation
• Original Assignee: The InterProse Corporation
• Inventors: Hill, Matthew D., McGrew, Scott L., Uhrig, Casey F., Johnson, Greg W., Nelson, Kyle J., Gillespie, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Kito R
• Application Number:
  US12/170,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/35, 715/705
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/30 characterised by the use of specific devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/176 Dynamic expression

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention comprise systems and methods for design and use of web-based applications for account management. Some embodiments may comprise a virtual agent or avatar as part of an account collection or management web application. Some embodiments may comprise applications, utilities and tools for account-related web resource design.

Claims

1. A method for web-based account collections management, said method comprising:

presenting a delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message to a user through a virtual agent, wherein said virtual agent comprises animated features that move in coordination with an audible message portion of said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message to emulate speech and human-like gestures wherein said gestures comprise a hand gesture presenting a text message portion of said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message and said gestures further comprise a facial gesture expressed in coordination with said audible message portion, wherein said presenting is performed on a display device and wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises communication of payment plan options for a delinquent account;

accepting input from said user in response to said multi-media message, wherein said input comprises a selection of one of said payment plan options;

presenting a virtual agent response message in response to said accepting input wherein said virtual agent indicates approval or disapproval of said input by one of a display of a physical gesture and a change in voice tone; and

effecting an account transaction based on said input.

2. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising receiving user account data wherein said account data comprises at least one of a user'"'"'s height, weight, race, gender, income, area of residence, zip code, area code, telephone number, occupation, marital status, product preferences, purchase history, credit information and account balances and wherein said virtual agent animated features are varied based on said user account data.

3. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising receiving user account data wherein said account data comprises at least one of a user'"'"'s height, weight, race, gender, income, area of residence, zip code, area code, telephone number, occupation, marital status, product preferences, purchase history, credit information and account balances and wherein said virtual agent comprises attributes comprising voice, hairstyle, hair color, clothing, accessories, skin color and racial characteristics and apparent age and said virtual agent attributes are varied based on said user account data.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein aspects of said animated features are matched to an estimated user preference.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein aspects of said multi-media message are matched to an estimated user preference.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent account is owned by a third party and said transaction comprises successful negotiation of a payment plan, said method further comprising receiving compensation for said transaction from said third party.

7. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising receiving user account data and selecting said animated features and other virtual agent features based on said account data.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises a payment scheduling message and said effecting an account transaction comprises collecting a payment.

9. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises a payment type selection message wherein a plurality of electronic payment options are presented.

10. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises presentation of an issue resolution process wherein a user may make a selection identifying issues selected from the set consisting of:

the balance cannot be paid in full, the user disputes all or a portion of the balance, the user is a victim of identity fraud, the user has paid the balance, the user has filed for bankruptcy, and the balance has not been paid for other reasons.

11. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises presentation of multiple payment plans comprising a plurality of installment payments and said effecting an account transaction comprises recording a commitment from the user to adhere to one of said payment plans.

12. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises a dispute information message that allows a user to identify an amount in dispute.

13. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises a bankruptcy information page which allows a user to input bankruptcy information for a user'"'"'s current bankruptcy filing.

14. A method for web-based account collections management, said method comprising:

receiving user account data for an account, wherein said account data comprises at least one of a user'"'"'s height, weight, race, gender, income, area of residence, zip code, area code, telephone number, occupation, marital status, product preferences, purchase history, credit information and account balances;

determining user characteristics based on said account data, wherein said user characteristics comprise a user'"'"'s age and a user'"'"'s gender;

presenting a delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message to a user through a virtual agent, wherein said virtual agent comprises attributes and animated features, wherein said attributes comprise voice, hairstyle, hair color, clothing, accessories, skin color and racial characteristics and apparent age, wherein said animated features move in coordination with an audible portion of said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message to emulate speech and human-like gestures and wherein said attributes and animated features are adaptive to said user characteristics, wherein said presenting is performed on a display device and wherein said multi-media message comprises communication of payment plan options for said account;

accepting input from said user in response to said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message wherein said input comprises a selection of one of said payment plan options;

presenting a virtual agent response message in response to said accepting input wherein said virtual agent indicates approval or disapproval of said input by one of a display of a physical gesture and a change in voice tone; and

effecting an account transaction for said account based on said input.

15. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said user characteristics further comprise a user location and said virtual agent hairstyle, hair color, clothing, skin color and racial characteristics vary depending on said user location.

16. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said user characteristics further comprise user credit data.

17. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said user characteristics further comprise a user language and said virtual agent hairstyle, hair color, clothing, skin color and racial characteristics vary depending on said user language.

18. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said user characteristics further comprise a user purchase history.

19. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said account is owned by a third party and said transaction comprises successful negotiation of a payment plan, said method further comprising receiving compensation for said effecting said account transaction from said third party.

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for implementing a method for web-based account collections management, said executable instructions comprising instructions for:

presenting a delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message to a user through a virtual agent, wherein said virtual agent comprises animated features that move in coordination with an audible message portion of said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message to emulate speech and human-like gestures wherein said gestures comprise a hand gesture presenting a text message portion of said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message and said gestures further comprise a facial gesture expressed in coordination with said audible message portion, wherein said presenting is performed on a display device and wherein said delinquent-account-resolution multi-media message comprises communication of payment plan options for a delinquent account;

accepting input from said user in response to said multi-media message, wherein said input comprises a selection of one of said payment plan options;

presenting a virtual agent response message in response to said accepting input wherein said virtual agent indicates approval or disapproval of said input by one of a display of a physical gesture and a change in voice tone; and

effecting an account transaction based on said input.