Method and apparatus for a portable information account access agent

• US 20040098349A1
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: H.E.B., LLC (VHGI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: H.E.B., LLC (VHGI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tolson, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/381,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and/or system (FIG. 4) for providing persistent graphical agent (10) linked to accounts enabling a user to access one or more accounts using a computer system. In specific embodiments, the agent (10) can provide advanced interactive graphics and communications back to a server.

Claims

1. A method allowing a user to use an account to complete a transcation comprising:

providing a persistent graphical agent on a user device representing a credit/payment account;

registering a user action relating said persistent graphical agent with an item indication presented on a computer; and

in response to said action, said persistent graphical agent accesses necessary account data from local and/or remote storage and takes necessary actions to complete a transaction related to said item.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after initiating said persistent graphical agent on a user device, registering a user relocation of said persistent graphical agent to a new location outside of an initial application that displayed said persistent graphical agent;

moving said persistent graphical agent to said new location;

preserving state of said persistent graphical agent; and

preserving communication links of said persistent graphical agent.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said persistent graphical agent has state and has one or more possible external communication links.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said persistent graphical agent, once relocated, will persist and maintain state after termination of said initial application.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein said initial application is a web browser.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said allowing a user to perform an action comprises allowing a user to select said agent and swipe said agent over an item indication.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said allowing a user to perform an action comprises allowing a user to select an item indication and drag and drop said item indication over said agent.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said agent graphically resembles a credit/debit card and is linked to a credit/debit account.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein said agent graphically resembles a check and is linked to a checking account.

10. The method according to claim 2 wherein said initial application is an email client.

11. The method according to claim 2 wherein said new location is a desktop provided by an operating system.

12. The method according to claim 2 wherein said relocation may be repeated from a current location to any number of additional platforms.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein said desktop provided by an operating system is an interface of a platform, said platform selected from the group consisting of:

a windows PC, a Macintosh PC, a unix-type operating system, a set-top box, a wireless logic appliance, internet appliance, a personal digital assistant, or any other information device connected to a network.

14. The method according to claim 2 wherein said new location is selected from the group consisting of:

a desktop providing by an operating system;

a different application;

a different computer platform with a different operating system.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein said graphical agent includes one or more user interface components and wherein said components are preserved after a relocation.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein said graphical agent includes one or more connections to one or more external entities and wherein said connections are preserved after a relocation.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein said allowing a user to indicate relocation comprises selecting and dragging a persistent graphical agent.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein said allowing a user to indicate relocation comprises discontinuously selecting a persistent graphical agent and placing said persistent graphical agent in a new location.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein said one or more external entities are selected from the group consisting of:

web servers, other applications, background processes, local storage, remote storage, and remote processes.

20. A method of placing an order for an item comprising:

at a client system,

presenting a persistent graphical agent;

presenting information identifying one or more items available for purhcase; and

in response to a user selection of said persistent graphical agent, activating said persistent graphical agent to transmit data to a server system to complete a transaction;

under control of one or more components of the server system,

receiving account data from said persistent graphical agent;

returning confirmation of a purchase to said client system.

21. A persistent agent system allowing a user to access one or more accounts comprising:

a presentation component for presenting a perceivable representation of said agent to a user;

a persistance module locally resident on a user device and allowing said agent to be moved between applications while preserving state and/or connections;

one or more persistent connections allowing said agent to communicate with one or more remote systems; and

user interaction logic specifying how said agent will interact with a user.

22. A system enabling a persistent graphical agent linked to one or more credit accounts comprising:

means for presenting a representation of said agent to a user;

means for registering a user action upon said agent;

means for allowing said agent to be moved from an initial location to a new location while preserving state and connections; and

means for communicating between said agent and one or more remote entities that persist when said agent is moved to a new location.