Systems and methods for online selection of service providers and management of service accounts

• US 7,707,071 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Leod Network Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rigole, Rod
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen; Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US11/553,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An interchange party computer system (IPCS) having means for presenting user interfaces to consumer computer systems and capturing data input through the user interfaces, the IPCS being associated with at least one database holding data representing a plurality of consumer profiles, the profiles including consumer profiles expressing service selection attributes for a plurality of service sectors, and at least one database holding data for a plurality of service programs under a plurality of service sectors, each sector being represented by service programs from a plurality of service providers, the IPCS including (a) a Service Comparison/Selection; (b) an Automatic Bill Payment Module; (c) an Automated Services Monitoring Module; (d) an Automated Best Services Selection Module; (e) a Services Search Module; (f) an Incentive Program Module; (g) a Data Mining Module; and/or (h) a Pooling Module.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

an interchange party computer system (IPCS) configured for network communication with a plurality of consumer computer systems and a plurality of service provider computer systems, the service provider computer systems representing a plurality of service sectors, each sector including at least one service provider computer system;

at least one electronic page, embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, presentable by the IPCS that includes information about a plurality of service providers in the plurality of service sectors;

at least one electronic page, embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, presentable by the IPCS that includes a user interface configured to allow a consumer to input data to create or update a consumer profile comprising one or more attributes;

means for receiving data input by the consumer through the user interface;

means for determining service offers that match the one or more attributes to a predetermined degree;

means for automatically enrolling the consumer in a service program associated with at least one matching service offer; and

means for electronically returning to a consumer computer system a results page that contains details of any matching service programs or offerings.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the results page includes means for the consumer to electronically accept a matching service program or offer and institute enrollment therein.

3. A computer system, comprising:

an interchange party computer system (IPCS) configured for network communication with a plurality of consumer computer systems and a plurality of service provider computer systems, the service provider computer systems representing a plurality of service sectors, each sector including at least one service provider computer system;

at least one electronic page, embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, presentable from the IPCS that includes information about a plurality of service providers in the plurality of service sectors;

at least one electronic page, embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, presentable by the IPCS that includes a user interface configured to allow a consumer to input data to create or update consumer profile data;

means for receiving consumer profile data input through the user interface;

means for determining service programs that match the consumer profile data to a predetermined degree; and

means for automatically electronically enrolling the consumer in matching service programs.

4. An interchange party computer system (IPCS) comprising:

means for presenting user interfaces to a plurality of consumer computer systems and capturing data input through the user interfaces;

one or more databases storing data representing a plurality of consumer profiles for different consumers, the profiles including consumer profiles expressing service selection attributes for a plurality of service sectors, the one or more databases storing data for a plurality of service programs under a plurality of service sectors, each sector being represented by service programs from a plurality of service providers; and

one or more computer-readable storage media embodying an Automated Best Services Selection Module for finding service programs that match consumer profiles to a predetermined degree and for automatically enrolling consumers in matching programs, the one or more computer-readable storage media embodying at least one of the following program modules;

a Service Comparison/Selection Module for finding service programs that match consumer profiles to a predetermined degree;

an Automatic Bill Payment Module for allowing consumers to engage in automated billing transactions;

an Automated Services Monitoring Module for monitoring service program databases for service programs that match consumer profiles to a predetermined degree and notifying consumers of matching programs;

a Services Search Module for finding service programs that are offered on Internet websites not directly associated with the IPCS;

an Incentive Program Module for analyzing consumers'"'"' bills and spending habits to determine service programs offered through the IPCS that better match consumers needs;

a Data Mining Module for generation of information from data stored in or passed through the IPCS;

or

a Pooling Module for providing a group of consumers benefits for group transactions with a service provider.

5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the system includes at least 3 of the modules.

6. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the system includes at least 4 of the modules.

7. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the system includes at least 5 of the modules.

8. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the system includes at least 6 of the modules.

9. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the system includes at least the Service Comparison/Selection Module and the Automated Services Monitoring Module.

10. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the system includes at least the Data Mining Module and at least one of the Service Comparison/Selection Module, the Automatic Bill Payment Module, the Incentive Program Module, or the Pooling Module.

11. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the Automated Best Services Selection Module is configured, in response to finding a particular service that surpasses selected criteria in the consumer profiles, to automatically switch consumers to the particular service.

12. A tangible computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, implement:

an Automated Best Service Selection Module for finding service programs that match consumer profiles to a predetermined degree and automatically enrolling consumers in matching programs, and at least one of the following additional program modules;

a Service Comparison/Selection Module for finding service programs that match consumer profiles to a predetermined degree;

an Automatic Bill Payment Module for allowing consumers to engage in automated billing transactions;

an Automated Services Monitoring Module for monitoring service program databases for service programs that match consumer profiles to a predetermined degree and notifying consumers of matching programs;

a Services Search Module for finding service programs that are offered on Internet websites not directly associated with the IPCS;

an Incentive Program Module for analyzing consumers'"'"' bills and spending habits to determine service programs offered through the IPCS that better match consumers needs;

a Data Mining Module for generation of information from data stored in or passed through the IPCS;

or

a Pooling Module for providing a group of consumers benefits for group transactions with a service provider.

13. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the tangible computer-readable storage medium includes at least the Service Comparison/Selection Module and the Automated Services Monitoring Module.

14. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the tangible computer-readable storage medium includes at least the Data Mining Module and at least one of the Service Comparison/Selection Module, the Automatic Bill Payment Module, the Incentive Program Module, or the Pooling Module.

15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the Automated Best Services Selection Module is configured, in response to finding a particular service that surpasses selected criteria in the consumer profiles, to automatically switch consumers to the particular service.