Method and system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system

• US 8,996,417 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Channakeshava, Girish Mallenahally
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US13/272,946
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices

Abstract

A financial management system and a user mobile computing system are provided and geo-location data indicating the position of the user mobile computing system is monitored. One or more cash transaction triggers are defined which are used to indicate that a possible cash transaction is taking place, or has taken place, involving the user. When a cash transaction trigger is detected, the geo-location of the user mobile computing system at the time of the cash transaction trigger detection is automatically recorded and used to identify/determine a business associated with, or closest to, the geo-location. A potential cash transaction entry is then automatically generated including description and/or categorization data for the potential cash transaction entry selected/determined based, at least in part, on the identified/determined business.

Claims

1. A method for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system comprising:

providing a consumer financial management system under the control of a consumer;

defining one or more cash transaction triggers for determining that a consumer cash transaction has potentially taken place, the one or more defined cash transaction triggers at least including user being at a cash transaction business location for at least a predefined threshold amount of time;

monitoring geo-location data of a consumer mobile computing system of the consumer, the geo-location data representing a location of the consumer mobile computing system;

determining from the geo-location data that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time;

recording the location of the consumer mobile computing system at the time the determination is made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time;

identifying the cash transaction business at the location when the determination was made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time, wherein the identifying the cash transaction business comprises comparing the location of the consumer mobile computing system at the time when the determination was made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time with data in a database mapping geo-location data to businesses associated with geo-locations;

generating potential cash transaction entry data for the consumer financial management system and automatically providing data indicating the description and/or category of the potential cash transaction entry based, at least in part, on the identified business;

presenting the potential cash transaction entry data to the consumer mobile computing system for consumer approval and entry of amount data associated with the potential cash transaction entry;

receiving, through the consumer mobile computing system, consumer approval and the amount data associated with the potential cash transaction entry from the consumer;

transforming the potential cash transaction entry data into validated cash transaction entry data; and

providing the validated cash transaction entry data to the consumer financial management system for processing.

2. The method for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein;

the consumer mobile computing system is a mobile phone.

3. The method for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein;

the geo-location data of the consumer mobile computing system is obtained from a GPS capability of the consumer mobile computing system.

4. The method for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes the consumer taking one or more deliberate actions to indicate that a cash transaction is taking place.

5. The method for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes geo-location data and consumer financial transaction data indicating the consumer is at a business location historically frequented by the consumer and where cash transactions historically take place.

6. The method for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes geo-location data and date or time data indicating the consumer is at a business location at a time or date historically associated with cash transactions conducted by the consumer.

7. A computing system implemented process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system comprising:

using one or more processors to implement a consumer financial management system under the control of a consumer;

defining one or more cash transaction triggers for determining that a consumer cash transaction has potentially taken place, the one or more defined cash transaction triggers at least including user being at a cash transaction business location for at least a predefined threshold amount of time;

using one or more processors to monitor geo-location data of a consumer mobile computing system, the geo-location data representing a location of the consumer mobile computing system;

using one or more processors to determine from the geo-location data that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time;

using one or more processors to record the location of the consumer mobile computing system at the time the determination is made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time;

using one or more processors to identify the cash transaction business at the location of the consumer mobile computing system when the determination was made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time, wherein the identifying the cash transaction business comprises comparing the location of the consumer mobile computing system at the time when the determination was made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time with data in a database mapping geo-location data to businesses associated with geo-locations;

using one or more processors to generate potential cash transaction entry data for the consumer financial management system and automatically providing data indicating the description and/or category of the potential cash transaction entry based, at least in part, on the identified business;

using one or more processors to present the potential cash transaction entry data to the consumer mobile computing system for approval and entry of amount data associated with the potential cash transaction entry;

using one or more processors to receive, through the consumer mobile computing system, consumer approval and the amount data associated with the potential cash transaction entry from the consumer;

using one or more processors to transform the potential cash transaction entry data into validated cash transaction entry data; and

using one or more processors to provide the validated cash transaction entry data to the consumer financial management system for processing.

8. The computing system implemented process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 7, wherein;

the consumer mobile computing system is a mobile phone.

9. The computing system implemented process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 7, wherein;

the geo-location data of the consumer mobile computing system is obtained from a GPS capability of the consumer mobile computing system.

10. The computing system implemented process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 7, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes the consumer taking one or more deliberate actions to indicate that a cash transaction is taking place.

11. The computing system implemented process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 7, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes geo-location data and consumer financial transaction data indicating the consumer is at a business location historically frequented by the consumer and where cash transactions historically take place.

12. The computing system implemented process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 7, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes geo-location data and date or time data indicating the consumer is at a business location at a time or date historically associated with cash transactions conducted by the consumer.

13. A system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system comprising:

a consumer mobile computing system;

a consumer financial management system under the control of a consumer, the consumer financial management system being implemented by one or more processors of one or more computing systems; and

one or more processors of one or more computing systems, the one or more computing systems implementing a process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system, the process for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system including;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to obtain data defining one or more cash transaction triggers for determining that a consumer cash transaction has potentially taken place, the one or more defined cash transaction triggers at least including user being at a cash transaction business location for at least a predefined threshold amount of time;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to monitor geo-location data of the consumer mobile computing system, the geo-location data representing a location of the consumer mobile computing system;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to determining from the geo-location data that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to record the location of the consumer mobile computing system at the time the determination is made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to identify the cash transaction business at the location when the determination was made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time, wherein the identifying the cash transaction business comprises comparing the location of the mobile computing system at the time when the determination was made that the consumer has been at a cash transaction business location for more than the predefined threshold amount of time with data in a database mapping geo-location data to businesses associated with geo-locations;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to generate potential cash transaction entry data for the consumer financial management system and automatically providing data indicating the description and/or category of the potential cash transaction entry based, at least in part, on the identified business;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to present the potential cash transaction entry data to the consumer mobile computing system for approval and entry of amount data associated with the potential cash transaction entry;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to receive, through the consumer mobile computing system, consumer approval and the amount data associated with the potential cash transaction entry from the consumer;

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to transform the potential cash transaction entry data into validated cash transaction entry data; and

using the one or more processors of one or more computing systems to provide the validated cash transaction entry data to the consumer financial management system for processing.

14. The system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 13, wherein;

the consumer mobile computing system is a mobile phone.

15. The system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 13, wherein;

the geo-location data of the consumer mobile computing system is obtained from a GPS capability of the consumer mobile computing system.

16. The system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 13, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes the consumer taking one or more deliberate actions to indicate that a cash transaction is taking place.

17. The system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 13, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes geo-location data and consumer financial transaction data indicating the consumer is at a business location historically frequented by the consumer and where cash transactions historically take place.

18. The system for automatically obtaining and categorizing cash transaction data using a mobile computing system of claim 13, wherein;

at least one of the one or more cash transaction triggers includes geo-location data and date or time data indicating the consumer is at a business location at a time or date historically associated with cash transactions conducted by the consumer.