SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING CONSUMER TRANSACTION-BASED INVESTMENTS

• US 20150081458A1
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acorns Grow Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acorns Grow Inc.
• Inventors: Cruttenden, Walter, Cruttenden, Jeffrey, Martell, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,734,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

The field of the invention relates to systems and methods for controlling investment funds, and more particularly to systems and methods for real-time projections based on consumer transactions. In one embodiment, an investment fund management system may include a consumer communication device configured to create a payment gateway with a Point of Sales (POS) terminal. The system further includes a portfolio server accessible over a data network. The consumer communication device is configured to execute a process including the steps of intercepting a transaction through the payment gateway; computing an expected return based on the investment of a transaction amount from said transaction; and providing the expected return to the consumer communication device.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. An investment fund management system, comprising:

a payment gateway server;

a Point of Sales (POS) terminal in electronic communication with the payment gateway server;

a consumer communication device configured to create an electronic payment gateway with the POS terminal during a consumer transaction;

a portfolio server, the portfolio server is accessible to the consumer communication device over a data network;

a computation server configured to monitor the payment gateway server over the data network;

wherein the computation server is operatively coupled to a computer program product, the computer program product having a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a process that creates investment projections based on a transaction between the POS terminal and consumer communication device, the process comprising;

intercepting a transaction through the electronic payment gateway, the transaction having a first numerical amount to be transferred;

determining a second transaction amount in excess of the first numerical amount;

determining a third transaction amount, wherein the third transaction amount is the difference between the first and second transaction amount;

computing an expected return, wherein the return is based on the investment of the third transaction amount; and

electronically publishing the expected return to the consumer communication device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the process further includes the step of electronically transferring the third transaction amount to the portfolio server over the data network.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the process further includes the step of aggregating the third transaction amount with additional electronic funds prior to transferring the third transaction amount.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the consumer communication device further includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the POS terminal further includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface configured to support electronic NFC payment gateways.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the second transaction amount is determined from rounding up the first numerical amount to the next whole dollar amount.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the process further includes the step of publishing the expected return to a social media platform.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein computing an expected return from investing the third transaction reflects the historical performance of similar investments designed according to Modem Portfolio Theory (MPT).

30. The system of claim 22, wherein user input modifies the third transaction amount.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein portfolio server represents a collective investment scheme.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the first transaction amount comprises a corresponding dollar amount of earned rewards points.