Investor personality tool

• US 8,417,614 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Randall, Jonathan, Koch, Erin, Ford, Isabel, Mackrell, Bryan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Application Number:
  US12/803,707
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 705/36.R
• US Class Current: 705/36.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to computer-implemented methods for providing investor services. The methods may comprise providing a user interface to a user via a first computer device. The user interface may comprise a first axis describing a desired level of involvement of the user in investment decisions and a second axis describing a risk tolerance of the user. The user interface may also comprise a first icon representing a first position on the first and second axes and a second icon representing a second position on the first and second axes. When the first or second icons are activated, the interface may display a description of respective example investors having investment characteristics corresponding to the respective first and second positions on the axes. The user interface may also comprise first and second slider bars corresponding to the respective axes. The slider bars may be movable in response to a signal from a first input device in communication with the computer system. The methods may further comprise receiving from the user, via the user interface, an indication of a user position on the first and second axes; and storing first data describing the user position on the first and second axis in association with an identifier of the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing investor services, the method comprising:

providing a user interface to a user via a first computer device, wherein the first computer device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated memory, and wherein the user interface comprises;

a first axis describing a desired level of involvement of the user in investment decisions, such that a first end of the first axis corresponds to a high interest regarding the desired level of involvement and a second end of the first axis corresponds to a low interest regarding the desired level of involvement;

a second axis describing a risk tolerance of the user, such that a first end of the second axis corresponds to a high tolerance for financial risk regarding the risk tolerance of the user and a second end of the second axis corresponds to a low tolerance for financial risk regarding the risk tolerance of the user;

a first icon representing a first position on the first and second axes that, when activated by the user, causes the interface to display a description of a first example investor having investment characteristics corresponding to the first position on the first and second axes, and wherein the description of the first example investor comprises information regarding a desired level of involvement in investment decisions for the first example investor and risk tolerance for the first example investor;

a second icon representing a second position on the first and second axes that, when activated by the user, causes the interface to display a description of a second example investor having investment characteristics corresponding to the second position on the first and second axes, and wherein the description of the second example investor comprises information regarding a desired level of involvement in investment decisions for the second example investor and risk tolerance for the second example investor;

a first input field corresponding to the first axis, wherein the first input field comprises an element that is movable in response to a first signal from an input device in communication with the first computer device;

a second input field corresponding to the second axis, wherein the second input field comprises an element that is movable in response to a second signal from the input device in communication with the first computer device;

receiving by the first computer device, from the user, and via the user interface, an indication of a user position on the first and second axes, wherein the indication of the user position is first data;

the first computer device providing the first data to a host institution via a communication network;

storing by the host institution in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the first data describing the user position on the first and second axis in association with an identifier of the user; and

wherein the user interface is provided in a level of detail according to a type of device of the first computer device or an account type held by the user at a host institution that provides the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer device is a user device that comprises a portable computing device and the method further comprising:

providing the user interface to the user via a second computer device;

receiving, from the user through the user interface and via the second computer device, identifier data indicating the identifier of the user;

retrieving, by the second computer device, the first data provided by the first computer device to the host institution utilizing the identifier data;

receiving, by the second computer device, from the user, and through the user interface, additional data describing at least one of the user'"'"'s desired level of involvement of the user in investment decisions, the user'"'"'s risk tolerance, and the user'"'"'s investment-related confidence; and

storing by the host institution in the non-transitory computer readable medium, the additional data received by the second computer device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user interface is provided in a first level of detail to the first computer device and the user interface is provided in a second level of detail to the second computer device and wherein the first level of detail and the second level of detail are different.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the identifier of the user comprises reading an automated teller machine (ATM) card of the user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the identifier of the user comprises reading at least one object selected from the group consisting of a credit card and a driver'"'"'s license.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the identifier of the user comprises the second computer device prompting the user to provide the identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first computer device generating the identifier of the user.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the second computer device generating a medium comprising the identifier data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is computer-readable.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computer readable identifier comprises a bar code.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the computer-readable identifier comprises a grid having a plurality of locations, wherein each location on the grid is assigned at least one of a plurality of visual states and wherein the combination of the visual states of each location on the grid corresponds to the computer readable code.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of visual states comprises a plurality of colors.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is human readable.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving from the user through the user interface and via the second computer device, the additional data describing the at least one of the user'"'"'s desired level of involvement of the user in investment decisions, the user'"'"'s risk tolerance, and the user'"'"'s investment-related confidence comprises:

providing to the user through the user interface via the second computer at least one question eliciting investment-related information;

receiving from the user through the user interface via the second computer an answer to the at least one question.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises an account summary field listing information describing at least one investment account held by the user, and wherein the at least one investment account is provided by a host financial institution, the host financial institution providing the user interface to the user via the first computer device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the account summary field further comprises information describing at least one general banking account held by the user, and wherein the at least one general banking account is provided by the host financial institution.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a notebook field, and wherein the notebook field comprises a first input for receiving from the user at least one item selected from the group consisting of an investment related question and an investment related comment, and wherein the notebook field is also accessible by an investment advisor associated with the user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a live chat field to facilitate a live chat between the user and an investment advisor.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises an investment field to receive at least one instruction from the user selected from the group consisting of an investment purchase order and an investment sale order.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a planning field to:

provide recommendations to the user for future financial decisions generated automatically by a host institution based on account information of the user associated with the host institution;

receive financial goals of the user; and

project the user'"'"'s assets over time considering the financial goals and the user'"'"'s expected level of retirement spend in a plurality of spending categories.

21. A computer-implemented method for providing investor services, the method comprising:

providing a user interface to a user via a first computer device, wherein the first computer device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated memory, and wherein the user interface comprises;

a first axis describing a desired level of involvement of the user in investment decisions, such that a first end of the first axis corresponds to a high interest regarding the desired level of involvement and a second end of the first axis corresponds to a low interest regarding the desired level of involvement;

a second axis describing an investment-related confidence of the user, such that a first end of the second axis corresponds to a high tolerance for financial risk regarding the risk tolerance of the user and a second end of the second axis corresponds to a low tolerance for financial risk regarding the risk tolerance of the user;

a first icon representing a first position on the first and second axes that, when activated by the user, causes the interface to display a description of a first example investor having investment characteristics corresponding to the first position on the first and second axes, and wherein the description of the first example investor comprises information regarding a desired level of involvement in investment decisions for the first example investor and risk tolerance for the first example investor;

a second icon representing a second position on the first and second axes that, when activated by the user, causes the interface to display a description of a second example investor having investment characteristics corresponding to the second position on the first and second axes, and wherein the description of the second example investor comprises information regarding a desired level of involvement in investment decisions for the second example investor and risk tolerance for the second example investor;

a first slider bar corresponding to the first axis, wherein the first slider bar is movable in response to a first signal from an input device in communication with the first computer device;

a second slider bar corresponding to the second axis, wherein the second slider bar is movable in response to a second signal from the input device in communication with the first computer device;

receiving by the first computer device, from the user, and via the user interface, an indication of a user position on the first and second axes, wherein the indication of the user position is first data,

the first computer device providing the first data to a host institution via a communication network;

storing by the host institution in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the first data describing the user position on the first and second axis in association with an identifier of the user; and

wherein the user interface is provided in a level of detail according to a type of device of the first computer device or an account type held by the user at a host institution that provides the user interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first computer device is a user device that comprises a portable computing device and the method further comprising:

providing the user interface to the user via a second computer device;

receiving, from the user through the user interface and via the second computer device, identifier data indicating the identifier of the user;

retrieving, by the second computer device, the first data provided by the first computer device to the host institution utilizing the identifier data;

receiving, by the second computer device, from the user, and through the user interface, additional data describing at least one of the user'"'"'s desired level of involvement of the user in investment decisions, the user'"'"'s risk tolerance, and the user'"'"'s investment-related confidence; and

storing by the host institution in the non-transitory computer readable medium, the additional data received by the second computer device.