System and method for helping consumers understand and interpret credit scores

• US 7,711,635 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Inventors: Dornhelm, Ethan J., McAvoy, Edward Koichi, Jue, Jeffrey, Tilley, Sharon Hatcher, Steele, Michael Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US11/363,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/38, 705/76, 707/1, 707100-104, 726 17- 19, 709201-203
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A system and method is provided that provides tools to consumers to help consumers understand their credit scores and how to take action to improve their credit scores. A system and method for each of and for a combination of a score estimating tool, a best action simulation tool, an easy error correction tool, and a score improvement tool are provided.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for estimating a credit score for a consumer that gives the consumer an idea of the consumer'"'"'s credit health, comprising the steps of:

distributing to a partner site one or more files, corresponding to a score estimator tool, for integration into a partner'"'"'s web site, wherein said score estimator tool generates a score estimator characteristics from the one or more files on said partner site, generates months since oldest date opened associated with the consumer accessing the score estimator tool, determines an exclusion code associated with the calculating code, determines an estimator score algorithm identifier for an estimator score of the score estimator tool, calculates an interim estimator score for the estimator score, calculates a final estimator score for the estimator score, and calculates an estimator score range amounts for the estimator score;

hosting one or more other files on a host server, wherein said one or more hosted files are referenced by said distributed one or more files on said partner'"'"'s web site;

wherein said one or more files on said partner site can be modified as desired by the partner to fit the partner'"'"'s web site look and feel; and

wherein said one or more hosted files comprise calculating code and wherein said calculating code can be updated on the host without requiring redistributing the updates to the partner'"'"'s web site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said score estimator tool can be run many times by a single participant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said score estimator tool comprises a series of multiple-choice questions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said score estimator tool produces a score range within which a consumer'"'"'s score is most likely to be.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said score estimator tool provides a results web page wherein the layout of the page can be designed by the partner and other controls of the appearance is designed by the host.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using said estimated credit score in find a best action simulation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

helping a consumer realize an action plan to improve said estimated credit score.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

aiding the finding and disputing of errors on said credit report.

9. A system on a computer network for estimating a credit score for a consumer that gives the consumer an idea of the consumer'"'"'s credit health, comprising:

means for distributing to a partner site one or more files, corresponding to a score estimator tool, for integration into a partner'"'"'s web site, wherein said score estimator tool generates a score estimator characteristics from the one or more files on said partner site, generates months since oldest date opened associated with the consumer accessing the score estimator tool, determines an exclusion code associated with the calculating code,

determines an estimator score algorithm identifier for an estimator score of the score estimator tool, calculates an interim estimator score for the estimator score, calculates a final estimator score for the estimator score, and calculates an estimator score range amounts for the estimator score;

means for hosting one or more other flies on a host server, wherein said one or more hosted files are referenced by said distributed one or more files on said partner'"'"'s web site;

wherein said one or more files on said partner site can be modified as desired by the partner to fit the partner'"'"'s web site look and feel; and

wherein said one or more hosted files comprise calculating code and wherein said calculating code can be updated on the host without requiring redistributing the updates to the partner'"'"'s web site.