Method and system for processing unclaimed property information

• US 7,054,833 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mary K. Mcdonald
• Original Assignee: Patrick D. Mcdonald
• Inventors: McDonald, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US09/698,905
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A method and system for processing unclaimed property information. Escheat or unclaimed property information is periodically obtained from one or more unclaimed property repositories. The unclaimed property information maintained in multiple formats at the one or more unclaimed property repositories is transformed into a unified database format. Multiple database records are created in an unclaimed property database using the unified database format. Owners of unclaimed property, identified in the unclaimed property database are automatically located by searching one or more other databases on public and private computer networks such as the Internet. A located owner of unclaimed property is automatically notified as to the existence and amount of unclaimed property with electronic mail, an automatic voice recording or via paper documents. A graphical user interface available on a computer network is presented that allows an identified owner of unclaimed property to request unclaimed property. The graphical user interface is used to automatically request that unclaimed property from the one or more unclaimed property repositories for the identified owner be disbursed to the identified owner of unclaimed property.

Claims

1. A method for acquiring unclaimed property information, comprising:

automatically obtaining periodically a plurality of unclaimed property information from a plurality of unclaimed property repositories, wherein the plurality of unclaimed property information is maintained in a plurality of different formats by the plurality of unclaimed property repositories;

automatically transforming the plurality of unclaimed property information maintained in the plurality of different formats into a unified database, thereby creating transformed unclaimed property information; and

automatically creating a plurality of database records in an unclaimed property database with the transformed unclaimed property information using the unified database format.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically obtaining periodically a plurality of unclaimed property information from a plurality of unclaimed property repositories includes obtaining unclaimed property information from state government agencies, federal government agencies, state court agencies, federal court agencies, public financial institutions or private financial institutions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically transforming the plurality of unclaimed property information maintained in the plurality of formats into a unified database format includes automatically processing unclaimed property information from paper documents, microfiche, CD-ROMs, or computer tapes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically transforming the plurality of unclaimed property information maintained in the plurality of different formats into a unified database format includes extracting selected information from the plurality of different formats and storing the selected information in a designated information field in the unified database format.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically transforming the plurality of unclaimed property information in the plurality of different formats into a unified database format includes deleting duplicate or incomplete entries from the plurality of unclaimed property in formation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically transforming the plurality of unclaimed property information in the plurality of different formats into a unified database format includes combining two or more information fields from the plurality of unclaimed property information into one information field in the unified database format.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the stop of automatically creating a plurality of database records using the unified database format in an unclaimed property database with transformed unclaimed property information includes automatically creating a plurality of pass-through database records.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the unclaimed property database is a pass-through database.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically creating a plurality of database records using the unified database format includes automatically electronically linking selected ones of the plurality of database records in the unclaimed property database to original unclaimed property information from the plurality of unclaimed property repositories.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically creating a plurality of database records using the unified database format includes:

automatically creating a database record; and

automatically linking the database record with other database records that include similar names.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the database record from the unclaimed property database is linked to a plurality of other database records if an unclaimed property owner has multiple types or amounts of unclaimed property.

12. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 1.

13. A method of locating owners of unclaimed property, comprising:

(a) reading a database record from an unclaimed property database, wherein the unclaimed property database includes a plurality of database records automatically created from a plurality of unclaimed property information from a plurality of unclaimed property repositories, and wherein the unclaimed property information is stored in a unified database format in the unclaimed property database;

(b) determining whether an owner of unclaimed property identified in the database record can be automatically located by searching one or more other databases on public and private computer networks; and

if so,

(c) notifying automatically an owner of unclaimed property as to the existence and amount of unclaimed property; and

(d) repeating steps (a) and (b) for unique records in the unclaimed property database.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step (c) includes notifying an owner of unclaimed property with electronic mail, an automatically generated voice message or paper documents.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein step (c) includes notifying an owner of unclaimed property via a web-site, television, radio or via a publication in a newspaper or magazine.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step (c) includes notifying an owner of unclaimed property with a unique, unclaimed property identifier that can be used by the owner of unclaimed property to electronically request the unclaimed property electronically via a computer network.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein step (a) includes automatically searching other database records with similar information linked to the database record.

18. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 13.

19. A method for automatically requesting disbursement of unclaimed property, comprising:

providing a graphical user interface available on a computer network that allows an identified owner of unclaimed property to request unclaimed property;

electronically collecting appropriate information required by one or more unclaimed property repositories to disburse unclaimed property and a fee via the graphical user interface from an identified owner of unclaimed property;

electronically processing necessary forms for the one or more unclaimed property repositories for the identified owner of unclaimed property using the collected information;

requesting automatically with the electronically processed forms that unclaimed property from the one or more unclaimed property repositories for the identified owner be disbursed to the identified owner of unclaimed property.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of electronically collecting appropriate information for one or more unclaimed property repositories and a fee via a computer network from an identified owner of unclaimed property includes only specific information required by the one or more unclaimed property repositories to recover unclaimed property.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of electronically collecting appropriate information for one or more unclaimed property repositories and a fee via a computer network from an identified owner of unclaimed property includes collecting appropriate information for one Or more unclaimed property repositories via an input form written in the Hyper Text Markup Language or extensible Markup Language or the type of input) form and presented to an owner of unclaimed property via the Internet.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the fee is electronically collected automatically for a credit card, debit card, or electronically deducted from a checking or savings account.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of electronically collecting appropriate information includes automatically collecting and displaying input forms to collect appropriate information based on an unclaimed property identifier supplied to an owner of unclaimed property when the owner of unclaimed property was notified to existence of unclaimed property.

24. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 19.

25. An unclaimed property network system, comprising in combination:

an unclaimed property acquisition module for automatically obtaining periodically a plurality of unclaimed property information from a plurality of unclaimed property repositories, wherein the plurality of unclaimed property information is maintained in a plurality of different formats by the plurality of unclaimed property repositories, automatically transforming the plurality of unclaimed property information maintained in the plurality of formats into a unified database format, thereby creating transformed unclaimed property information, and automatically creating a plurality of database records in an unclaimed property database with transformed unclaimed property information using the unified database format;

an unclaimed property identification module for reading a database record from an unclaimed property database, determining whether an owner of unclaimed property identified in the database record can be automatically located by searching one or more other databases on public and private computer networks, and if so, notifying automatically an owner of unclaimed property as to the existence and amount of unclaimed property;

an unclaimed property disbursement module for electronically collecting appropriate information required by one or more unclaimed property repositories to disburse unclaimed property and a fee via a graphical user interface from an identified owner of unclaimed property, electronically processing necessary forms for the one or more unclaimed property repositories for the identified owner of unclaimed property using the collected information, and requesting automatically with the electronically processed forms that unclaimed property from the one or more unclaimed property repositories for the identified owner be disbursed to the identified owner of unclaimed property;

an unclaimed property database module for automatically storing a plurality of unclaimed property information in an unclaimed property database in a unified database format; and

a graphical user interface available on a computer network that allows an identified owner of unclaimed property to request unclaimed property via the unclaimed property disbursement module.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

an unclaimed property database including a plurality of database records stored in a unified database format created from a plurality of unclaimed property information from a plurality of unclaimed property repositories.