Ordering checks using a mobile device

• US 9,087,354 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Hambir, Santosh V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stopp, Courtney
• Application Number:
  US13/306,778
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/42, 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method to order a set of paper checks using a mobile device, including obtaining, using the mobile device, an image of a check, analyzing, using a computer processor of the mobile device and based on a pre-determined check template, the image to generate account information of the check, wherein the account information relates to a checking account of an account holder at a financial institution issuing the check, and wherein the account information comprises a checking account number, a name of the account holder, and an address of the account holder, searching, using the computer processor, a database to identify a check ordering service based on the account number and the address of the account holder, and submitting to the check ordering service, using the mobile device, an order of the set of paper checks for the account holder based on the account information of the account holder.

Claims

1. A method to authenticate a request for a set of paper checks using a smartphone, comprising:

obtaining, using the smartphone, an image of a check;

analyzing, using a computer processor of the smartphone and based on a pre-determined check template, the image to identify account information of the check, wherein the account information relates to a checking account of an account holder at a financial institution issuing the check;

extracting, using the computer processor, the account information comprising a checking account number, a name of the account holder, and an address of the account holder from the image;

determining, using a global positioning system (GPS) of the smartphone, a current location of a user of the smartphone;

authenticating the request by comparing the address of the account holder and the current location of the user of the smartphone;

searching, using the computer processor and in response to authentication of the request, a database to identify a check ordering service based on the account number and the address of the account holder; and

submitting to the check ordering service, using the smartphone, an order of the set of paper checks for the account holder based on the account information of the account holder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the check is unused based on analyzing the image of the check,

wherein submitting the order is in response to determining that the check is unused.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the request from the user to initiate the order of the set of paper checks; and

presenting, using the smartphone, a message prompting the user to capture the image of the check using a camera of the smartphone.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

retrieving, in the smartphone, authentication information from a profile of the user;

sending the authentication information to the check ordering service when submitting the order,

wherein the check ordering service validates the authentication information prior to processing the order.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

retrieving, in the smartphone, a ship-to address from a profile of the user;

wherein the order comprises the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining, analyzing, searching, and submitting are performed by a software application executing on the computer processor of the smartphone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the address from the account information of the check,

wherein the order comprises the address as the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a ship-to address from the user,

wherein the order comprises the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

9. A system to authenticate a request for a set of paper checks, comprising:

a server of a check ordering service configured to process an order of the set of paper checks; and

a smartphone coupled to the server of the check ordering service server via a mobile network, the smartphone comprising;

a camera configured to capture an image of a check;

a processor and memory storing instructions, the instructions when executed by the processor comprising functionalities to;

analyze the image to identify account information of the check based on a pre-determined check template, wherein the account information relates to a checking account of an account holder at a financial institution issuing the check;

extract the account information comprising a checking account number, a name of the account holder, and an address of the account holder from the image;

determine, using a global positioning system (GPS) of the smartphone, a current location of a user of the smartphone;

authenticate the request by comparing the address of the account holder and the current location of the user of the smartphone;

search, in response to authentication of the request, a database to identify the check ordering service based on the account number and the address of the account holder; and

submit, to the server of the check ordering service, an order of the set of checks for the account holder based on the account information of the account holder; and

a repository configured to store the image of the check.

10. The system of claim 9, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

determine that the check is unused based on analyzing the image of the check,

wherein submitting the order is in response to determining that the check is unused.

11. The system of claim 9, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

receive the request from the user to initiate the order of the set of checks;

present, using the smartphone, a message prompting the user to capture the image of the check using a camera of the smartphone.

12. The system of claim 11,

the repository further configured to store a profile of the user,

the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

retrieve authentication information from the profile; and

send the authentication information to the server of the check ordering service when submitting the order,

the server of the check ordering service further configured to validate the authentication information prior to processing the order.

13. The system of claim 11, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

retrieve, in the repository, a ship-to address from a profile of the user;

wherein the order comprises the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

14. The system of claim 9, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

retrieve the address from the account information of the check,

wherein the order comprises using the address as the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

15. The system of claim 9, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

receive a ship-to address from the user,

wherein the order comprises the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to authenticate a request for a set of checks, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor of a smartphone, comprising functionality to:

obtain, using a camera of the smartphone, an image of a check;

analyze, based on a pre-determined check template, the image to identify account information of the check, wherein the account information relates to a checking account of an account holder at a financial institution issuing the check;

extract, using the computer processor, the account information comprising a checking account number, a name of the account holder, and an address of the account holder from the image;

determine, using a global positioning system (GPS) of the smartphone, a current location of a user of the smartphone;

authenticate the request by comparing the address of the account holder and the current location of the user of the smartphone;

search, in response to authentication of the request, a database to identify a check ordering service based on the account number and the address of the account holder; and

submit, to the check ordering service, an order of the set of paper checks for the account holder based on the account information of the account holder.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions, when executed by the computer processor of a smartphone, further comprising functionality to:

determine that the check is unused based on analyzing the image of the check,

wherein submitting the order is in response to determining that the check is unused.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions, when executed by the computer processor of a smartphone, further comprising functionality to:

receive the request from the user to initiate the order of the set of paper checks; and

present a message prompting the user to capture the image of the check using a camera of the smartphone.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, the instructions, when executed by the computer processor of a smartphone, further comprising functionality to:

retrieve, in the smartphone, authentication information from a profile of the user;

send the authentication information to the check ordering service when submitting the order,

wherein the check ordering service validates the authentication information prior to processing the order.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

retrieve, in the smartphone, a ship-to address from a profile of the user;

wherein the order comprises the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions, when executed by the computer processor of a smartphone, further comprising functionality to:

retrieve the address from the account information of the check,

wherein the order comprises the address as the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions when executed by the processor further comprising functionalities to:

receive a ship-to address from the user,

wherein the order comprises the ship-to address for delivering the set of paper checks.