Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing an antecedent, location-based budget alert to a user

• US 9,727,910 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Eddy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Application Number:
  US13/097,946
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

Location-based notification to a user before the user engages in a transaction at a location. Embodiments determine a location of a store at which the user is in or near by using positioning data received at a mobile communication device and determines a potential transaction amount for the user at the store and generates budget data based at least in part on a budget goal identified from a local memory of the mobile communication device or received from a remotely hosted financial management system. Budget data is presented to the user, e.g., in the form of a message, notification, or warning on the mobile communication device to inform the user about budget items relevant to a merchant at that location. The user may choose to initiate or complete a transaction at the location with or without involving the financial management system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for implementing an antecedent, location-based alert to a user through a mobile communication device, the method being performed by a computing apparatus of the mobile communication device and comprising:

the computing apparatus providing an antecedent, location-based alert to a user prior to initiation of one or more transactions between the user and an organization and without knowledge of true intent of the user at least by performing;

the computing apparatus comprising a processor and a positioning device and identifying the organization at least by receiving positioning data that is determined by using at least one or more positioning signals received from one or more positioning satellite systems at the positioning device in the mobile communication device carried by the user and coupled to the one or more positioning satellite systems, by repeatedly receiving the one or more positioning signals and updating the positioning data at the positioning device with the one or more positioning signals, and, after passage of a pre-determined period of time after receiving the positioning data, by identifying the organization from multiple organizations, which correspond to the positioning data, with a data structure and one or more complementary positioning signals that enhance positioning accuracy of the positioning data and are received from a complementary positioning device on the mobile communication device based in part or in whole upon results of repeatedly updating the positioning data, wherein

the user is inside of or in proximity of the organization, the data structure correlates a plurality of organizations including the organization with their respective locations, and the positioning data of the mobile communication device correspond to the multiple organizations but are not sufficient to determine the organization from the multiple organizations;

a transaction identification and determination module coupled with the processor in the computing apparatus identifying multiple potential transactions for the organization prior to the initiation of the one or more transactions between the user and the organization and without the knowledge of the true intent of the user, wherein the multiple potential transactions correspond to multiple transaction categories having respective transaction limits for the user and are associated with the organization for the user;

the transaction identification and determination module coupled with the processor in the computing apparatus determining a potential transaction of a first transaction type from the multiple potential transactions of multiple transaction types for the user to conduct at the organization based at least in part upon a current time when the user is inside of or in proximity of the organization, the positioning data, and historical transaction data of the user, wherein the historical transaction data include one or more prior transaction patterns during one or more prior time periods, and different times correspond to different transaction types of the multiple transaction types for the user;

the transaction identification and determination module coupled with the processor in the computing apparatus determining a potential transaction amount for the potential transaction prior to the initiation or completion of the potential transaction, without the knowledge of the true intent of the user at the store;

an antecedent alert module stored at least partially in memory of the computing apparatus coupled to a financial management system hosted on a remote host computing system via a computer network and generating or receiving transaction data associated with a goal of the user for the first transaction type in response to at least the potential transaction that is determined by the computing apparatus from the multiple potential transactions; and

the antecedent alert module in the computing apparatus presenting the antecedent, location-based alert and at least some of the transaction data to the user on the mobile communication device, wherein the goal of the user comprises a budget goal for the first transaction type, and the transaction limits comprise at least one budget limit associated with the first transaction type.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, at least one of the budget goal and the budget data being stored in a physical memory of the mobile communication device or in one or more data structures of a financial management system on a remote computer server.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the budget data being presented to the user before the user engages in a transaction at the identified merchant store.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the budget data and the budget goal being presented to the user before the user engages in a transaction at the identified merchant store.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, the merchant store being selected from the plurality of candidate merchant stores based at least in part upon transaction data showing the user previously purchased an item from the merchant store.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, in which the action of the computing apparatus identifying the store comprises:

the computing apparatus identifying or receiving the positioning data of the mobile communication device;

the computing apparatus identifying one or more data structures including various positioning data and corresponding stores;

the computing apparatus determining or identifying one or more candidate stores by using the one or more data structures; and

the computing apparatus selecting the store from the one or more candidate stores.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, the action for the computing apparatus identifying the store further comprises:

the computing apparatus determining whether the positioning data corresponds to multiple stores;

the computing apparatus identifying the multiple stores as the one or more candidate stores, wherein the positioning data corresponds to the multiple stores such that the positioning data alone is insufficient to uniquely identify the store from the multiple stores;

the computing apparatus determining whether the store corresponds to the multiple potential transactions by using at least the one or more data structures which include stores and their respective types of transactions; and

the computing apparatus determining the potential transaction by using at least the one or more data structures.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, the action for the computing apparatus determining the potential transaction by using the at least the one or more data structures comprising at least one of:

the computing apparatus determining the potential transaction from the multiple transactions from a user'"'"'s input for the potential transaction, in which the user'"'"'s input overrides a result of using at least the one or more data structures;

the computing apparatus determining the potential transaction from the multiple transactions using historical data, in which the historical data comprise data or information about prior transaction history of the user at the store; and

the computing apparatus preventing the user from conducting the potential transaction at the store by locking up one or more payment means of the user.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, in which the action for the computing apparatus identifying the store further comprising at least one of:

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least one or more signals of a global positioning system;

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least one or more signals from a hybrid positioning system;

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least a Wi-Fi positioning system;

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least an electronic altimeter;

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least an electronic compass, in which an output of the electronic compass is used to determine the store;

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least a user'"'"'s input for the store;

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least historical data including a pattern that the user has visited one or more stores; and

identifying the store using at least a mobile communication device tracking technique.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 7, the process further comprising:

the computing apparatus identifying historical spending data of one or more prior time periods of the user; and

the computing apparatus using the historical spending data to determine at least one of the one or more candidate stores, the store, the multiple transactions, the potential transaction, and the budget data.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, the process further comprising:

the computing apparatus identifying current spending data of the user; and

the computing apparatus calibrating the historical spending data by using at least the current spending data.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the action of the computing apparatus generating or receiving budget data associated with a budget goal comprising:

the computing apparatus determining whether the store corresponds to multiple spending categories by using at least the one or more data structures, wherein the one or more data structures comprise data or information of stores or transaction and their respective categories;

the computing apparatus identifying or determining one or more candidate categories for the store by using the one or more data structures; and

the computing apparatus identifying or determining the potential transaction amount for the store.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, in which the one or more categories comprise multiple categories, and the process further comprises:

the computing apparatus identifying a respective budget goal for each of the multiple categories;

the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount among the multiple categories; and

the computing apparatus generating or receiving the budget data for each of the multiple categories using the respective budget goal.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 12, the process further comprising:

the computing apparatus determining a potential category for the store.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14, the action for the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount among the multiple categories comprising at least one of:

the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to a first category of the multiple categories in its entirety;

the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to a second category with most remaining budget;

the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to a third category with a slowest spending pace;

the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to two or more categories of the multiple categories based at least in part upon historical data, in which the historical data comprise one or more amounts that the user has spent in each of the two or more categories; and

the computing apparatus dividing the potential transaction amount among the two or more categories based at least in part upon a respective weight for each of the two or more categories.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the budget data comprises at least one of:

an amount of the budget goal remaining for a current budgeting period or an amount the user is over the budget goal for the current budgeting period;

an amount of the budget goal remaining for the current budget period or an amount the user would be over the budget goal for the current budget period if the user completed a transaction at the merchant store;

remaining time till an end of the current budgeting period;

an indication that the user is currently under or over the budget goal for a current budget period;

an amount of time remaining until an end of the current budgeting period;

a message to the user;

a message to a super user, a custodian, or a primary account holder;

an account balance of the user before and after a potential transaction at the store; and

a lock-up notification to the user.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 16, the transaction being initiated or completed using the mobile communication device.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the process further comprising:

the computing apparatus initiating or completing one or more transactions at the store;

the computing apparatus updating a record on the mobile communication device reflecting an amount of the one or more transactions; and

the computing apparatus synchronizing data or information between the mobile communication device and the computer to update the budget data based at least in part upon a transaction amount for the one or more transactions.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 18, further comprising the computing apparatus updating budget data stored on the computer.

32. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the process further comprising:

the transaction identification and determination mechanism coupled with the processor in the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount for the potential transaction to one or more spending categories of the multiple spending categories prior to the initiation or the completion of the potential transaction, without the knowledge of the true intent of the user at the store.

20. A system for implementing an antecedent reminder of a goal of a user through a mobile communication device, the system comprising:

a computing apparatus that comprises a processor and an positioning device and is configured at least to;

provide an antecedent, location-based alert to a user prior to initiation of one or more transactions between the user and an organization and without knowledge of true intent of the user at least by performing;

identify the organization at least by receiving positioning data that is determined by using at least one or more positioning signals received from one or more positioning satellite systems at the positioning device in the positioning device in the mobile communication device carried by the user and coupled to the one or more positioning satellite systems, by repeatedly receiving the one or more positioning signals and updating the positioning data with the one or more positioning signals, and, after passage of a pre-determined period of time after receiving the positioning data, by identifying the organization from multiple organizations that correspond to the positioning data with a data structure and one or more complementary positioning signals that enhance positioning accuracy of the positioning data and are received from a complementary positioning device on the mobile communication device based in part or in whole upon results of repeatedly updating the positioning data, wherein

the user is inside of or in proximity of the organization, the data structure correlates a plurality of organizations including the organization with their respective locations, and the positioning data of the mobile communication device correspond to the multiple organizations but are not sufficient to determine the organization from the multiple organizations;

invoke a transaction identification and determination module that is coupled with the processor and identifies multiple potential transactions for the organization prior to the initiation of the one or more transactions between the user and the organization and without the knowledge of the true intent of the user, wherein the multiple potential transactions correspond to multiple transaction categories having respective transaction limits for the user and are associated with the organization for the user;

invoke the transaction identification and determination module that is coupled to a financial management system hosted on a remote host computing system via a computing network and determines a potential transaction of a first transaction type from the multiple potential transactions of multiple transaction types for the user to conduct at the organization based at least in part upon and a current time when the user is inside of or in proximity of the organization, the positioning data, and historical transaction data of the user, wherein the historical transaction data include one or more prior transaction patterns during one or more prior time periods, and different times correspond to different transaction types of the multiple transaction types for the user;

invoke the transaction identification and determination module that determines a potential transaction amount for the potential transaction prior to the initiation or completion of the potential transaction, without the knowledge of the true intent of the user at the organization;

invoke an antecedent alert module that is stored at least partially in memory of the computing apparatus and is coupled to the financial management system and generates or receives transaction data in response to at least the potential transaction that is determined by the computing apparatus from the multiple potential transactions; and

invoke the antecedent alert module that presents the antecedent, location-based alert and at least some of the transaction data to the user on the mobile communication device, wherein the goal of the user comprises a budget goal for the first transaction type.

21. The system of claim 20, the computing apparatus that is to identify the store is further to:

identify or receive the positioning data;

identify one or more data structures including various positioning data and corresponding stores;

determine or identify one or more candidate stores by using the one or more data structures;

determine the store from the one or more candidate stores;

determine whether the positioning data corresponds to multiple stores;

identify the multiple stores as the one or more candidate stores, wherein the positioning data corresponds to the multiple stores such that the positioning data alone is insufficient to uniquely identify the store from the multiple stores;

determine whether the store correspond to multiple transactions by using at least the one or more data structures which include stores and their respective transactions; and

determine a potential transaction by using at least the one or more data structures.

22. The system of claim 21, in which the computing apparatus is further to:

identify the historical spending data of one or more prior time periods of the user;

use the historical spending data to determine at least one of the one or more candidate stores, the store, the multiple transactions, the potential transaction, and the budget data;

identify current spending data of the user; and

calibrate the historical spending data by using at least the current spending data.

23. The system of claim 21, in which the computing apparatus is further to:

identify the store using at least one or more signals of a global positioning system;

identify the store using at least one or more signals from a hybrid positioning system;

identify the store using at least a Wi-Fi positioning system;

identify the store using at least an electronic altimeter;

identify the store using at least an electronic compass, in which an output of the electronic compass is used to determine the store;

identify the store using at least a user'"'"'s input for the store;

identify the store using at least historical data including a pattern that the user has visited one or more stores;

or

identify the store using at least a mobile communication device tracking technique.

24. The system of claim 20, in which the computing apparatus that is to identify the budget goal for the store is further to:

determine whether the store corresponds to multiple spending categories by using at least the one or more data structures, wherein the one or more data structures comprise data or information of stores or transaction and their respective categories;

identify or determine one or more candidate categories for the store by using the one or more data structures;

determine a potential category for the store; and

identify or determine a potential transaction amount for the store.

25. The system of claim 24, the computing apparatus is further to:

determine a potential category for the store, in which the computing apparatus that is to allocate the potential transaction amount among the multiple categories is further to;

allocate the potential transaction amount to a first category of the multiple categories in its entirety;

allocate the potential transaction amount to a second category with most remaining budget;

allocate the potential transaction amount to a third category with a slowest spending pace;

allocate the potential transaction amount to two or more categories of the multiple categories based at least in part upon historical data, in which the historical data comprise one or more amounts that the user has spent in each of the two or more categories;

or

divide the potential transaction amount among the two or more categories based at least in part upon a respective weight for each of the two or more categories.

26. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereupon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a mobile communication device, causes the at mobile communication device to perform a set of acts for implementing an antecedent, location-based budget alert to a user through a mobile communication device, the set of acts being performed by a computing apparatus of the mobile communication device and comprising:

the computing apparatus providing an antecedent, location-based alert to a user prior to initiation of one or more transactions between the user and an organization and without knowledge of true intent of the user at least by performing;

the computing apparatus comprising a processor and an positioning device and identifying the organization at least by receiving positioning data that is determined by using at least one or more positioning signals received from one or more positioning satellite systems at the positioning device in the mobile communication device carried by the user and coupled to the one or more positioning satellite systems, by repeatedly receiving the one or more positioning signals and updating the positioning data with the one or more positioning signals, and, after passage of a pre-determined period of time after receiving the positioning data, by identifying the organization from multiple organizations, which correspond to the positioning data, with a data structure and one or more complementary positioning signals that enhance positioning accuracy of the positioning data and are received from a complementary positioning device on the mobile communication device based in part or in whole upon results of repeatedly updating the positioning data, wherein

the user is inside of or in proximity of the organization, the data structure correlates a plurality of organizations including the organization with their respective locations, and the positioning data of the mobile communication device correspond to the multiple organizations but are not sufficient to determine the organization from the multiple organizations;

a transaction identification and determination module coupled with the processor in the computing apparatus identifying multiple potential transactions for the organization prior to the initiation of the one or more transactions between the user and the organization and without the knowledge of the true intent of the user, wherein the multiple potential transactions correspond to multiple transaction categories having respective transaction limits for the user and are associated with the organization for the user;

the transaction identification and determination module coupled to a financial management system hosted on a remote host computing system via a computing network and determining a potential transaction of a first transaction type from the multiple potential transactions of multiple transaction types for the user to conduct at the organization based at least in part upon a current time when the user is inside of or in proximity of the organization, the positioning data, and historical transaction data of the user, wherein the historical transaction data include one or more prior transaction patterns during one or more prior time periods, and different times correspond to different transaction types of the multiple transaction types for the user,

the transaction identification and determination module coupled with the processor in the computing apparatus determining a potential transaction amount for the potential transaction prior to initiation or completion of the potential transaction, without knowledge of true intent of the user at the organization;

an antecedent alert module stored at least partially in memory of the computing apparatus coupled to the financial management system and generating or receiving transaction data associated with a goal of the user for the first transaction type in response to at least the potential transaction that is determined by the computing apparatus from the multiple potential transactions, and

the antecedent alert module in the computing apparatus presenting the antecedent, location-based alert and at least some of the transaction data to the user on the mobile communication device, wherein the goal of the user comprises a budget goal for the first transaction type, and the transaction limits comprise at least one budget limit associated with the first transaction type.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, the action of identifying the budget goal for the store comprising:

the computing apparatus determining whether the store corresponds to multiple spending categories by using at least the one or more data structures, wherein the one or more data structures comprise data or information of stores or transaction and their respective categories identifying or determining one or more candidate categories for the store by using the one or more data structures, and

the computing apparatus determining a potential category for the store, and identifying or determining a potential transaction amount for the store.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, the process further comprising:

the computing apparatus determining a potential category for the store, in which the action for the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount among the multiple categories comprising at least one of;

the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to a first category of the multiple categories in its entirety, the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to a second category with most remaining budget, the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to a third category with a slowest spending pace, the computing apparatus allocating the potential transaction amount to two or more categories of the multiple categories based at least in part upon historical data, in which the historical data comprise one or more amounts that the user has spent in each of the two or more categories, and the computing apparatus dividing the potential transaction amount among the two or more categories based at least in part upon a respective weight for each of the two or more categories.

29. The computer program product of claim 26, the action of the computing apparatus identifying the store comprising:

the computing apparatus identifying or receiving the positioning data, identifying one or more data structures including various positioning data and corresponding stores,

the computing apparatus determining or identifying one or more candidate stores by using the one or more data structures,

the computing apparatus determining the store from the one or more candidate stores,

the computing apparatus determining whether the positioning data corresponds to multiple stores,

the computing apparatus identifying the multiple stores as the one or more candidate stores,

the computing apparatus determining whether the store correspond to multiple transactions by using at least the one or more data structures which include stores and their respective transactions, and

the computing apparatus determining a potential transaction by using at least the one or more data structures.

30. The computer program product of claim 26, the process further comprising:

the computing apparatus identifying historical spending data of one or more prior time periods of the user,

the computing apparatus using the historical spending data to determine at least one of the one or more candidate stores, the store, the multiple transactions, the potential transaction, and the budget data,

the computing apparatus identifying current spending data of the user, and

the computing apparatus calibrating the historical spending data by using at least the current spending data.

31. The computer program product of claim 26, the process further comprising at least one of:

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least one or more signals of a global positioning system,

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least one or more signals from a hybrid positioning system,

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least a Wi-Fi positioning system,

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least an electronic altimeter,

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least an electronic compass, in which an output of the electronic compass is used to determine the store,

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least a user'"'"'s input for the store,

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least historical data including a pattern that the user has visited one or more stores, and

the computing apparatus identifying the store using at least a mobile communication device tracking technique.