Retroactive crediting of accounts with remote activity

• US 8,498,938 B1
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Bierschwale, Quentin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holly, John H
• Application Number:
  US12/813,241
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/42, 705/44, 705/35, 705/38, 705/45, 705/78, 235/380, 235/379, 714/15, 714/14.28, 714/14.17
• US Class Current: 705/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment

Abstract

Methods, devices, and apparatuses are described for retroactively applying financial activity recorded at an electronic device temporarily disconnected from a network to an account. This may include a customer providing financial transaction information, wherein the financial transaction information comprises funds to be credited to or debited from the account. After a period of time, it may be determined that a previously unavailable network connection to the host computer system is available. The financial transaction information and a timestamp indicating when the financial transaction information was received at the electronic device may then be transmitted. The financial transaction may then be applied to the account retroactively at a time linked to the timestamp.

Claims

1. A method for retroactively conducting a financial transaction linked to an account at an electronic device temporarily disconnected from a host computer system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the electronic device, instructions to complete the financial transaction;

determining, by the electronic device, a network connection to the host computer system is unavailable;

storing, by the electronic device, the instructions to complete the financial transaction at least until the network connection to the host computer system is available;

after a period of time, polling, by the electronic device, the network connection to determine that the host computer system is available;

transmitting, from the electronic device to the host computer system, the instructions to complete the financial transaction and a timestamp indicating when the set of financial data was received at the electronic device;

receiving, at the host computer system, the instructions to complete the financial transaction and the timestamp;

determining, at the host computer system, the financial transaction is eligible to be retroactively applied to the account;

retroactively applying, at the host computer system, the financial transaction to the account with the financial transaction at a time linked to the timestamp; and

adjusting, at the host computer system, a credit or debit of the account based on the account being retroactively adjusted by the financial transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a clock used to create the timestamp, and the method further comprising, prior to receiving the instructions to complete the financial transaction at the electronic device, while the network was previously available, synchronizing the clock with a time and a date received at the electronic device from the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time is greater than 1 day.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the electronic device is a computer system; and

the network is comprised of the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the mobile device is a cellular phone; and

the network is comprised of a cellular service provider'"'"'s network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, from the host computer system to the electronic device, a confirmation indicating that funds have been retroactively credited to the account; and

receiving, at the electronic device, the confirmation.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of a host computer system comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to apply a financial transaction retroactively to an account, the instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving, from a remote electronic device, a set of financial transaction data,

wherein the set of financial transaction data was recorded at the electronic device when the electronic device was unable to communicate with the host computer system;

wherein the financial data comprises an account identifier identifying an account, an amount of funds, and a timestamp indicating when the set of financial transaction data was received at the electronic device,

determining, using the set of financial transaction data, that the financial transaction is eligible to be retroactively applied to the account;

retroactively applying the financial transaction to the account; and

adjusting a balance of the account at least partially based on the retroactively applied financial transaction.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for transmitting a confirmation to a customer linked to the account indicating that funds have been credited to the account retroactively.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein, prior to receiving the set of financial transaction data, the remote electronic device was disconnected from a network and was thereby unable to communicate with the host computer system for a period of time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the set of financial transaction data was received from a customer at the remote electronic device while the remote electronic device was disconnected from a network.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the period of time between when at least the portion of the set of financial transaction data was received from the customer at the remote electronic device and when the set of financial transaction data was received from the remote electronic device is greater than a day.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein adjusting the balance of the account comprises eliminating a debit of an overdraft fee that is no longer applicable following the retroactive financial transaction.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein adjusting the balance of the account comprises increasing an amount of interest credited to the account and the increased amount of interest comprises interest accrued on an increased amount of funds in the account following the retroactive financial transaction.

15. A system for retroactively applying a financial transaction to an account, the system comprising:

a remote electronic device, wherein the remote electronic device is configured to;

receive financial transaction information from a customer, wherein the financial transaction information includes an account number and an amount of funds;

determine a host computer system is unavailable;

store the set of financial data at least until the host computer system is available;

periodically poll the network, until the host computer system is available via the network;

transmit to the host computer system the financial transaction information and a timestamp indicating when the financial transaction information was received by the electronic device from the customer; and

a banking host computer system, wherein the banking host computer system is configured to;

receive the financial transaction information and the timestamp;

determine the financial transaction is eligible to be retroactively applied to the account;

retroactively apply the financial transaction to the account at a time linked to the timestamp; and

adjust a balance of the account based on the retroactive financial transaction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises a clock used to create the timestamp configured to synchronize the clock with a time and a date received at the electronic device from the network, wherein the synchronization occurs prior to receiving the financial transaction information at the electronic device during a time when the network was available.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the adjustment of the balance of the account comprises eliminating a debit of an overdraft fee that is no longer applicable following the financial transaction being retroactively applied to the account.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the adjustment of the balance of the account comprises increasing an amount of interest credited to the account and the increased amount of interest comprises interest accrued on funds linked to the retroactively applied financial transaction.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the remote electronic device is a cellular phone; and

the network is comprised of a cellular service provider'"'"'s network.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the remote electronic device is a computer system; and

the network is comprised of the Internet.