Systems and methods for automated institutional processing of payments

• US 8,712,801 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Oakes, Charles Lee III, Burks, Rickey Dale, Morlen, Randy Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCUS, LELAND R
• Application Number:
  US11/782,564
• Time in Patent Office: 2,471 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Various mechanisms are provided herein for automated institutional processing of payments. For example, fund can be transferred from one party to another party by transfer of funds from a static account into a dynamically created transaction account. Such a transfer can have additional features, including the refunding of the transfer funds and revocation thereof. According to another example, insurance claims can be automatically processed by transferring funds when claims are filed (with or without evidentiary documents). Such transfers can then be validated afterwards. Thus, when claims are received, they can be quickly examined for the relevant fields, such as claim amount, and then the amount can be disbursed in a matter of minutes after receiving a claim submission. Such disbursement, moreover, can be governed according to various heuristics, including the trustworthiness of claimants and rules regarding maximum disbursement amounts.

Claims

1. A system for automated institutional processing of claims, comprising:

a receiving computing device that receives a digitized insurance claim form from a user;

an examination unit, including a first processor and a first memory coupled to the first processor, that examines at least one field in said claim form;

an electronic transfer system that automatically opens a user account associated with the user upon indication from the examination unit that automatic payment will be made, and automatically transfers funds to the user account associated with said user upon examination of said at least one field by the examination unit, wherein the electronic transfer system grants access to the user account by both said user and an insurance company that provides the funds for the user account;

a confirmation unit, including a second processor and a second memory coupled to the second processor, that confirms, after said transfer of funds, a validity of a claim made in said claim form;

at least one subsystem that transfers said funds in proportion to a level of trustworthiness in a profile of said user, wherein the level of trustworthiness is determined using at least one of length of relationship with an institution, history of dubious claims, a credit rating, and armed service record; and

at least one subsystem that revokes said funds in the user account back to an institutional account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processor is the same as the second processor, wherein the first memory is the same as the second memory, and wherein the examination unit checks said claim form for a signature.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving computing device receives at least one document supportive of said claim form.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said funds are revoked when said confirming results in a deficient claim form.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one subsystem that updates an adjusted insurance rate for said user based on at least said received claim form.

6. A method for automated institutional processing of claims, comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a digitized insurance claim form from a user;

examining, by the computer system, at least one field in said claim form;

opening, in a database, a user account associated with the user upon examination of said at least one field indicating automatic payment;

granting access to the user account by both the user and the institution for withdrawal of funds;

automatically electronically transferring the funds from an institutional account to the user account associated with said user upon examination of said at least one field;

receiving, in a computer, a confirmation, after said transfer of funds, of a validity of a claim made in said claim form;

retrieving a level of trustworthiness from the database in a profile of said user stored in the computer system at the institution;

transferring said funds in proportion to the level of trustworthiness, wherein the level of trustworthiness is determined using at least one of length of relationship with an institution, history of dubious claims, a credit rating, and armed service record; and

revoking said funds in the user account back to the institutional account.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising checking said claim form for a signature.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving at least one document supportive of said claim form.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said funds are revoked when said confirming results in a deficient claim form.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising updating an adjusted insurance rate for said user based on at least said received claim form.

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-executable instructions for automated institutional processing of claims, comprising:

at least one instruction that receives a digitized insurance claim form from a user;

at least one instruction that examines at least one field in said claim form;

at least one instruction to open a user account upon indication from the examining instruction;

at least one instruction to grant access for withdrawal of funds to the user account by both the user and an institution;

at least one instruction that automatically transfers the funds to the user account upon examination of said at least one field;

at least one instruction that confirms, after said transfer of funds, a validity of a claim made in said claim form;

at least one instruction that transfers said funds in proportion to a level of trustworthiness in a profile of said user; and

at least one instruction that revokes said funds in the user account back to an institutional account.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising at least one instruction that checks said claim form for a signature.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising at least one instruction that receives at least one document supportive of said claim form.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said funds are revoked when said confirming results in a deficient claim form.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising at least one instruction that updates an adjusted insurance rate for said user based on at least said received claim form.

16. A method for automated institutional processing of claims, comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a digitized insurance claim form from a user;

examining, by the computer system, at least one field in said claim form;

opening, in a database, a user account associated with the user upon examination of said at least one field indicating automatic payment;

granting access to the user account by both the user and the institution for withdrawal of funds;

automatically electronically transferring the funds from an institutional account to the user account associated with said user upon examination of said at least one field;

receiving, in a computer, a confirmation, after said transfer of funds, of a validity of a claim made in said claim form,

wherein the user account is in a same institution as the institutional account; and

revoking said funds in the user account back to the institutional account.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising checking said claim form for a signature.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving at least one document supportive of said claim form.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said funds are revoked when said confirming results in a deficient claim form.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising updating an adjusted insurance rate for said user based on at least said received claim form.