Web-based entry of financial transaction information and subsequent download of such information

• US 7,729,959 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Wells, Michael L., Wells, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borlinghaus; Jason M
• Application Number:
  US10/105,602
• Time in Patent Office: 2,994 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/34, 705/35, 705/40, 705/42, 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The systems, methods and related software products which enable users to temporarily store and subsequently retrieve information are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of input devices, client computers (each having a user-specific personal finance application) and a web-site server with a database. The input devices, client computers and server are communicatively linked via a communication network so that a plurality of users can temporarily store and/or manipulate financial transaction information on the server from any of the input devices. Each user can also transmit financial profile information to the server. This information enables the server to replicate the unique profile characteristics for each of the finance applications. This, in turn, simplifies remote entry of information, subsequent download of that information and integration of such information into each user'"'"'s personal finance application.

Claims

1. A method for managing financial transactions comprising:

storing a financial profile associated with a financial application on a client computer, wherein the financial profile comprises a plurality of financial accounts;

sending, from the client computer, a parameter including a list of the plurality of financial accounts to a web server for use in generating a replica of the financial profile on the web server, wherein the financial profile stored on the client computer exists before the replica;

sending a copy of a first financial transaction record (FTR) comprising a first timestamp from the client computer to the web server after sending the parameter, wherein the first timestamp records an occurrence of a first financial transaction, and wherein the first FTR is stored on the web server before the copy of the first FTR is sent from the client computer to the web server;

receiving, from the web server, a second FTR comprising a second timestamp and identifying a financial account selected from the plurality of financial accounts in response to sending the first FTR, wherein the second FTR is generated by the web server using financial transaction information sent to the web server from an input device, and wherein the financial transaction information is sent to the web server before the copy of the first FTR is sent to the web server from the client computer; and

adding the second FTR to the financial account of the financial application on the client computer,

wherein the input device is separate from the client computer,

wherein the second timestamp records an occurrence of a second financial transaction at the input device, and

wherein the first timestamp precedes the second timestamp.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter further comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a checksum and a signature of the list of the plurality of financial accounts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a third-party website.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a profile identification from the web server after sending the parameter; and

using the profile identification for automatic recognition of the client computer to the web server prior to sending the copy of the first FTR.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the profile identification is a random number generated by the web server and is stored on the client computer as a cookie.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, on the client computer, at least one selected from a group consisting of the financial account and a category associated with the second FTR prior to storing the second FTR.

7. A method for managing financial transactions comprising:

receiving, at a web server and from a client computer executing a financial application, a parameter comprising a list of a plurality of financial accounts associated with a financial profile of the financial application;

generating, at the web server, a replica of the financial profile using the parameter, wherein the financial profile on the client computer exists prior to the replica;

receiving, at the web server, financial transaction information from an input device, wherein the input device is separate from the client computer;

receiving, at the web server, a copy of a first financial transaction record (FTR) comprising a first timestamp from the client computer after receiving transaction information from the input device, wherein the first timestamp records an occurrence of a first financial transaction, and wherein the first FTR is stored on the web server before receiving the copy of the first FTR from the client computer;

generating, at the web server, a second FTR using the financial transaction information, wherein the second FTR comprises a second timestamp and identifying a financial account selected from the plurality of financial accounts, and wherein the second timestamp records an occurrence of a second financial transaction at the input device; and

sending the second FTR from the web server to the client computer in response to receiving the first FTR, wherein the first timestamp precedes the second timestamp, and wherein the second FTR is added to the financial account of the financial application on the client computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the parameter further comprises a checksum of the list of the plurality of financial accounts.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating a check sum of the list of the plurality of financial accounts;

receiving a new list from the client computer; and

comparing the check sum of the list of the plurality of financial accounts with a check sum of the new list prior to sending the second FTR.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a profile identification to the client computer after receiving the parameter; and

using the profile identification to authenticate the client computer prior to sending the second FTR.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a chronological transaction history to the input device to modify the chronological transaction history.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program instructions embodied thereon, the computer readable program instructions configured to control a client computer to perform a plurality of steps to manage financial transactions, the plurality of steps comprising:

storing store a financial profile associated with a financial application on the client computer, wherein the financial profile comprises a plurality of financial accounts;

sending, from the client computer, a parameter including a list of the plurality of financial accounts to a web server for use in generating a replica of the financial profile, wherein the financial profile stored on the client computer exists prior to the replica;

sending a copy of a first financial transaction record (FTR) comprising a first timestamp from the client computer to the web server after sending the parameter, wherein the first timestamp records an occurrence of a first financial transaction, and wherein the first FTR is stored on the web server before the copy of the first FTR is sent from the client computer to the web server;

receiving, from the web server, a second FTR comprising a second timestamp and identifying a financial account selected from the plurality of financial accounts in response to sending the first FTR, wherein the second FTR is generated using financial transaction information sent to the web server from an input device, and wherein the financial transaction information is sent to the web server before the first FTR is sent to the web server from the client computer;

adding the second FTR to the financial account of the financial application on the client computer,

wherein the input device is separate from the client computer,

wherein the second timestamp records an occurrence of a second financial transaction at the input device, and

wherein the first timestamp precedes the second timestamp.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, the plurality of steps further comprising:

receiving a profile identification from the web server after sending the parameter; and

using the profile identification for automatic recognition of the client computer to the web server prior to receiving the second FTR.

14. A computer readable medium having computer readable program instructions embodied thereon, the computer readable program instructions configured to control a web server to perform a plurality of steps to manage financial transactions, the plurality of steps comprising:

receiving, at the web server and from a client computer executing a financial application, a parameter comprising a list of a plurality of financial accounts associated with a financial profile of the financial application;

generating, at the web server, a replica of the financial profile using the parameter, wherein the financial profile on the client computer exists prior to the replica;

receiving, at the web server, financial transaction information from an input device, wherein the input device is separate from the client computer;

receiving, at the web server, a copy of a first financial transaction record (FTR) comprising a first timestamp from the client computer after receiving the financial transaction information from the input device, wherein the first timestamp records an occurrence of a first financial transaction, and wherein the first FTR is stored on the web server before receiving the copy of the first FTR from the client computer;

generating, at the web server, a second FTR using the financial transaction information, wherein the second FTR comprises a second timestamp and identifying a financial account selected from the plurality of financial accounts, and wherein the second timestamp records an occurrence of a second financial transaction at the input device; and

sending the second FTR from the web server to the client computer in response to receiving the first FTR, wherein the first timestamp precedes the second timestamp, and wherein the second FTR is added to the financial account of the financial application on the client computer.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, the plurality of steps further comprising:

generating a check sum of the list of the plurality of accounts;

receiving a new list from the client computer; and

comparing the check sum of the list of the plurality of accounts with a check sum of the new list prior to sending the second FTR.

16. A system for managing transactions comprising:

a first financial transaction record (FTR) comprising a first timestamp, wherein the first timestamp records an occurrence of a first financial transaction;

a second FTR comprising a second timestamp and identifying a financial account, wherein the second timestamp records an occurrence of a second financial transaction;

a client computer storing a copy of the first FTR and executing a financial application comprising a profile, wherein the financial profile is constructed based on a parameter including a list of a plurality of financial accounts, and wherein the client computer is configured to add the second FTR to the financial account of the financial application;

a web server operatively connected to the client computer and configured to receive the first FTR from the client computer, send the second FTR to the client computer in response to receiving the first FTR, and generate a replica of the financial application profile using the parameter after receiving the parameter from the client computer, wherein the financial application profile stored on the client computer exists prior to the replica, and wherein the first FTR is stored on the web server before the copy of the first FTR is received from the client computer; and

an input device separate from the client computer, operatively connected to the web server, and configured to transmit financial transaction information to the web server based on the replica,

wherein the second FTR is generated using the financial transaction information,

wherein the second financial transaction occurs at the input device, and

wherein the first timestamp predates the second timestamp.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the input device comprises a third-party web page.