United States Patent
`Schrader et al.
`
`[19]
`
`[54] PERSONAL ONLINE BANKING WITH
`INTEGRATED ONLINE STATEMENT AND
`CHECKBOOK USER INTERFACE
`
`[75] Inventors: Joseph A. Schrader, Los Altos;
`Patanjali Bhatt, Santa Clara; Charles
`A. Altekruse, Atherton, all of Calif.
`
`[73] Assignee: Intuit, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/869,580
`[22] Filed:
`Jun. 5, 1997
`
`[51] Int. Cl.6 ........................... .. G06F 17/60; G06F 19/00
`[52] US. Cl. ............................ .. 705/42; 235/379; 902/24;
`902/26
`[58] Field of Search ...................... .. 705/42, 18; 235/379;
`902/26, 24
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`8/1982 Musmanno ............................ .. 364/408
`4,346,442
`4/1988 Freeman, Jr. .
`364/406
`4,737,911
`7/1992 Dunn et a1. ........................... .. 364/406
`5,134,564
`6/1993 Gutman et al. ....................... .. 235/379
`5,221,838
`8/1993 Kapp et al.
`364/705.02
`5,233,547
`5,471,575 11/1995 Giansante .............................. .. 395/144
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Intuit, “Quicken 6 for Windows User’s Guide” Chapter 3 pp.
`11—22, Chapter 5, pp. 27—46, 1996.
`“Making the Most of Microsoft Money”, pp. 1—3, 30—40,
`and 42—49, Microsoft Corporation 1996.
`
`US005903881A
`Patent Number:
`Date of Patent:
`
`[11]
`[45]
`
`5,903,881
`May 11,1999
`
`“Quicken User’s Guide, Version 5 for Windows”, Chapter 5,
`pp. 27—50, Chapter 9, pp. 89—99, Intuit Inc. 1995.
`
`“Quicken User’s Guide, Version 6 for Macintosh”, Chapter
`4, pp. 23—26, Chapter 19, pp. 281—294, p. 344, Intuit Inc.
`1995.
`
`Primary Examiner—Allen R. MacDonald
`Assistant Examiner—Penny Caudle
`Attorney, Agent, or F irm—Fenwick & West LLP
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A software product, computer implemented method, and
`system provide an integrated user interface having three
`simultaneously displayed items of information, including a
`list of transaction instructions, a list of uncleared
`transactions, and a list of cleared transactions. The simulta
`neous display, and interaction between the lists, provides for
`integration of various tasks separately associated with per
`sonal ?nance software products and with online banking
`products. Two account balances are also simultaneously
`displayed, a balance for cleared transactions, and a separate
`balance based on both cleared and uncleared transactions.
`The two balances provide the user with a complete view of
`the status of their account and available funds. The software
`product and system supports online bill payment, electronic
`funds transfer, and checkbook transactions, without requir
`ing navigation through multiple, separate user interfaces for
`different modules of the product.
`
`11 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
`
`1,40
`/
`
`1,92 195 197
`/
`y‘
`1'
`
`from the makers of Quicken® A Test Bank
`
`‘
`
`I
`
`’
`
`Q g5 ?/
`
`499
`
`201g» 77 ©
`“is
`
`I
`
`It
`
`/
`
`175
`1:77 OUT BOX
`ONLINE STATEMENT
`EAYMENTS I TRANSFERE]
`/ UPDATE STATEMENT
`163
`161 174~\ \ltemstosendto::ATEs'tEIank
`
`EM 203 DATE
`INSTRUCTION
`View Account Information for: 2
`1.
`mg Snead
`153TTDATE TYPE//l55 DESCRIPTION @7157 159\ AMOUNT ‘\
`5
`95.129
`1998 lntuilTestBank
`413.59
`95.129
`1999 lntuitTestElank
`-59.49‘
`95.191
`2999 lntuitTestElank
`0156.95‘ 1
`95191
`2991 lntuitTestBank
`432.641 *4
`“5191
`19919515999 7 "m 23915‘?
`1.93
`
`179
`sEND... J
`
`/
`
`if’ ’ i169
`
`\\
`172 U 173
`
`187 191
`.1485 MM CHECKBOQE/ /
`x
`
`151%’ 795192 ' @994 mmnTeg-Bvank V
`
`p I
`
`I V v
`
`v V n @5514‘
`
`DATE
`
`TYPE
`
`DESCRIPTION /
`
`9619.2‘ ""2005 lntuitTestBank
`96193 Trans lntuitTestBank
`96193
`ATM Quick-NMoney Machine
`Trans lntuitTest Bank
`Int lntuitTest Bank
`299E|ntuitTes19ank
`
`12mm
`-229.52‘
`419.39
`159.99‘
`1.99
`
`AMOUNT
`
`K193
`
`7 75,155.95 : 7180
`
`189
`
`Plaid Technologies Inc.
`Exhibit 1023
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 1 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`@ HomeBase
`HomeBase
`IEChrie Savings
`[
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`105
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`a}
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`E ' 9 Balance:
`
`000
`7,4?3.32
`
`109
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 2 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`E]
`
`1 11
`
`Ma“
`
`\A Financial institution Name E
`
`1 1 3
`________ _ _
`v»? 091901329939}
`
`@ Iransfer Funds
`
`E
`1.7 imeeei 1%
`
`Transaction
`\ Send
`v Pmt - 8/30/95
`a’? Pmt - 8/30/95
`
`Online Banking
`
`IVIIAI‘I
`w Close
`
`i
`Online Statement as of 8/23/95
`Account
`Checking
`Credit Card
`Date
`Check# Payee
`
`Balance
`Previous Balance Transactions
`1,137.44
`0.00
`57
`34606
`0.00
`8
`Payment Deposit
`
`7/28/95 ATM Ossie St. #22134
`7/28/95 ATM
`Produce Market
`7/31/95
`155
`Check
`7/31/95
`155
`Check
`8/ 1/95
`154
`Check
`8/ 3/95
`153
`Check
`8/ 4/95 ATM LR Oil
`8/4/95
`Direct deposit salary
`
`20.00
`16.14
`25.00
`18.50
`30.00
`507.00
`18.36
`
`9
`
`:1
`
`553.35 Q
`
`Q ypdate Register
`
`FIG. 3
`
`Online Bill Payment
`Maj
`
`v A
`
`Payee
`Bel CCard
`City Garbage
`
`Account Number
`90625633
`408 225 3435 8901
`
`Account
`Amount
`62.62 Checking
`92.01
`Checking
`
`é §end
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11, 1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`
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`Ex. 1023 Page 4
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`Ex. 1023 Page 4
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 15
`
`5,903,881
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`Ex. 1023 Page 5
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 5
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 5 of 15
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`Ex. 1023 Page 6
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 6
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 6 0115
`
`5,903,881
`
`CLEARED TRANwTloNs
`[#140
`m
`
`1_6z
`
`TRANISLI-IICTION
`INSTRUCTIONS
`
`@
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`INSTITUTION
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`I165
`
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`
`_
`
`MANUAL
`TRANSACTIONS
`p189
`
`J
`
`FIG. 8
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 7
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 7 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`221
`
`Create New Payment Instructions
`New Paymentlnetructione.
`@ Enterthe name oftne
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`/ 229
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`
`233 //
`
`235
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`
`Cancel //237
`
`FIG. 9
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 8
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 8 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`241
`
`I New Payee Information
`
`E
`
`i Entertne billing accuunt numberfrclm yuur current bill. If
`there is no billing account, entertrnur last name.
`
`E
`
`243
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`251
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`
`Cancel
`
`l" "" 253
`
`FIG. 10
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 9
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 9 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`261
`/
`/
`‘ Create New Transfer-Funds Instruction
`
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`@ for the transfer.
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`
`/
`
`// 273
`
`FIG. 11
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 10
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 10 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`BenkHOW E-mail Center
`
`1200
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`
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`
`FIG. 12
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 11
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 11 of 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`
`
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`
`Ex. 1023 Page 12
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 12
`
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 12 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`140\1
`
`USER INTERFACE
`
`1403\ APPLICATION INTERFACE
`
`PLATFORM INDEPEDENT LAYEFI
`
`1/405
`/
`/
`
`DATABASE
`MODULE
`
`UTILITIES
`MODULE
`
`COMMUNICATION
`MODULE
`
`1407
`
`1409
`
`1411
`
`FIG. 14
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 13
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 13 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`m1
`
`Use Cases
`
`Register
`
`Actor (Role)
`
`Authenticate
`
`Fin. Inst. (Bank)
`
`Clear Transaction
`
`Vendor
`
`Update Statement
`
`Fin. lnst. (Clearing House)
`
`User
`
`Send...
`
`Edit Transaction
`
`Delete Transaction
`
`New Mini Checkbook Entr
`
`et Help
`
`Email
`
`Find
`
`File Operations
`
`FIG. 15
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 14 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`1600
`
`Online Banking Transmission Summary
`
`Updated 5 online banking account[s].
`
`UHLINE BANKING DrlTrir
`
`Ir
`
`Received 3 new transaction[s] for account Checking.
`The following 3 transactions in your Mini Checkbook have cleared:
`11H 5
`24?
`$13.25
`Acme Dry Cleaners
`11MB 'W'drwl
`$41150
`‘Withdrawal
`11.318
`5003
`$430.00
`Car Insurance
`
`Received 0 new transaction[s] for account Savings.
`
`Received U new transaction[s] for account Credit Card.
`
`Received [I new transaction[s] for account Money Market.
`
`-
`
`Erint
`
`Qlcse
`
`FIG. 16
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 15
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 11,1999
`
`Sheet 15 0f 15
`
`5,903,881
`
`1700
`
`Online Banking Transmission Summary
`
`Your 2 payment requests were accepted.
`
`PAYMENTS
`
`You have added the following payment:
`Payee : Car Insurance
`Date: ‘l‘lr’lElr’El?
`Cheek Num: 5003
`.i‘tmount : BELUU
`
`You have added the following payment:
`Payee : George Hill
`Date: llx'ZBJEI?
`Cheek Num : SUD-4
`Amount : ?B.25
`
`:1
`
`_
`
`Erint
`
`Qlose
`
`FIG. 17
`
`Ex. 1023 Page 16
`
`

`
`5,903,881
`
`1
`PERSONAL ONLINE BANKING WITH
`INTEGRATED ONLINE STATEMENT AND
`CHECKBOOK USER INTERFACE
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`10
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`15
`
`1. Field of Invention
`The present invention relates to systems, methods, and
`software products for online banking, and more particularly,
`to systems, methods, and softWare products for online
`banking that integrates end user checkbook activities
`directly With bank statement transactions.
`2. Background of Invention
`Online banking systems have been repeatedly promised,
`but rarely delivered in recent years. A lengthy summary of
`some of the problems the banking industry has faced in
`delivering online banking is found in LaWlor et al., US. Pat.
`No. 5,220,501.
`One of the key issues in delivering online banking is ease
`of use. Ease of use is predicated on many factors, including
`the ability of the user to identify the banking information of
`interest and eXecute desired banking tasks Without error or
`dif?culty. Generally, users perform four main tasks in check
`book and online banking applications:
`Account Management—This activity includes vieWing
`bank account data from the bank, such as cleared transac
`tions and account balances, initiating requests to bank to
`generate fund transfers betWeen accounts, and supporting
`tasks such as requesting information from the bank on
`certain accounts or transactions.
`Bill payment—Initiating requests to the bank to pay a
`vendor a certain amount by a certain date. Related tasks such
`as making payment inquiries may also be performed.
`Checkbook transactions—Accounting for checks,
`WithdraWals, debit card purchases, and the like, that the user
`does on a regular basis. These transactions must be
`accounted for and integrated With the account data from the
`bank for an accurate re?ection of the user’s account.
`Current balance calculation—Determining hoW much
`money the user really has available in their account, based
`on cleared and uncleared transactions (including other
`checkbook transactions). The current balance is calculated,
`typically by the user or sometimes by the application, by
`taking the latest account balance given by the bank and
`adding/subtracting any uncleared transactions in the user’s
`oWn checkbook.
`Extensive consumer and usability research indicates tWo
`key areas of usability concerns With these various tasks.
`First, customers vieW banking, bill payment and the deter
`mination of their current balance as interrelated tasks.
`Accordingly, they Want related banking task and banking
`information to operate together in an online banking prod
`uct. In fact banking tasks, such as obtaining balance
`information, cleared transactions, and so forth, are often
`used to provide information to support the bill payment
`tasks.
`Second, customers have dif?culty using an online banking
`system When it is necessary to navigate from one user
`interface to another user interface in order to complete some
`task. Navigation dif?culties increase both the time required
`by the user to complete the task, and the likelihood of error
`in completing the task.
`An eXample of a typical user task makes clear the need for
`integration of banking tasks and banking information. A
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`typical scenario is payment of bills, Which may include a
`large credit card bill. The user Will typically decide hoW
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`much of the credit card bill to pay based on currently
`available funds, taking into account cleared transactions, and
`uncleared transactions, such as other bills being paid. To
`complete this task With an online banking softWare product,
`the user needs to perform the folloWing steps:
`Determine current balance in the account based for
`cleared transactions.
`RevieW in the checkbook to determine actual current
`balance, based on the uncleared transactions, and
`cleared balance.
`Determine if they need to transfer money from another
`account to pay the bills.
`Enter the bill payment requests including, calculating hoW
`much of the credit card to pay from the actual balance.
`Use the requests to pay the bills.
`Send the request to transfer funds.
`From the user’s perspective, this banking activity is
`clearly an integrated one, since the user must integrate three
`tasks—Writing checks to pay other bills, obtaining cleared
`transactions and current balance from the bank, and deter
`mining a combined current balance based on this
`information—before Writing the credit card bill.
`Accordingly, there is a need to provide an online banking
`softWare product and system that supports the integration of
`these tasks and their underlying information components.
`There have been various approaches, as summariZed in
`LaWlor et al., to making online banking easy for consumers
`to use for bill payment and checkbook maintenance. These
`approaches fall mainly into tWo categories, typically tightly
`associated With the type of company that is delivering the
`online banking softWare and system. Generally, there are
`personal ?nance products from personal ?nance softWare
`companies, and banking products from banks and other
`?nancial institutions. Products in both of these categories are
`generally de?cient at integrating banking tasks and banking
`information in support of user’s actual needs.
`First, online banking softWare products from personal
`?nance softWare companies are typically “checkbook
`centric.” Most personal ?nance softWare products employ
`the checkbook as the underlying user model. As a result, all
`transactions, such as paying bills, Writing checking, depos
`iting or transferring funds, are done through a checkbook
`like user interface, even if the checkbook metaphor is not
`particularly appropriate for the task. For example, Quicken®
`5.0, provides a checkbook metaphor for users. In FIG. 1,
`there is shoWn a user interface 100 of the main entry screen
`for a personal ?nance softWare product. The entry screen has
`a number of icons that are invoked to perform different
`functions, such as the checkbook register 101, online bank
`ing 103, and online bill payment 105. FIG. 2 illustrates the
`user interface for the checkbook register 107.
`Prior to the availability of online banking, the user Would
`enter all of their various transactions into the checkbook
`register 107, and then manually reconcile the checkbook
`register 107 against a printed bank statement. In the check
`book register type user interface the user sees all of their
`transactions, including both cleared and uncleared transac
`tions miXed together. This is seen in FIG. 2, Where the ?rst
`transaction is indicated as cleared (the “R” in the column
`labeled “Clr”), and the other transactions are not cleared.
`Further, the balance 109 here is of all transactions that have
`been entered by the user, Whether cleared or not. The user
`has no separate balance information for just the cleared
`transactions immediately available, Which as noted above,
`Was the ?rst item of information the user typically needs
`during bill payment.
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`Once online banking became available, this type func
`tionality Was added as an additional feature in many check
`book products, to both automate reconciliation of uncleared
`transactions in the checkbook against the bank’s oWn
`records of cleared transactions, and to provide electronic,
`online payment of bills. Typically, an online banking module
`is provided in Which the user can vieW the bank’s current
`account balance in a user interface display separate from the
`checkbook register 107. As shoWn in FIG. 1, there are
`separate icons for checkbook register 101 and the online
`banking module 103. Selecting the online banking icon for
`the online banking module 103 causes the display of the
`online banking user interface 111, as shoWn in FIG. 3. In this
`interface, the user only sees the cleared transactions Which
`have been doWnloaded from the bank With the Get Online
`Data button 113. The balance 115 here is based only on the
`cleared transactions, the bank having no information about
`the user’s recently entered, and uncleared, checkbook trans
`actions.
`To use the online information for bill payment, the user
`must doWnload certain transactions to ?rst reconcile their
`account. Once the transactions are doWnloaded, the check
`book register 107 merely re?ects Which transactions have
`cleared. The only difference that appears to the user is the
`indication in the checkbook register 107 of Which transac
`tions have been cleared. This is shoWn in FIG. 2 as the letter
`“R” in the “Clr” column. To use both sets of the data, the
`user Would have to sWitch back and forth betWeen the
`different user interfaces.
`Electronic bill paying, Which is often touted as a desirable
`feature of online banking systems, is typically enabled, but
`often as an extension of the user’s checkbook. That is, bill
`payments are treated as checks, and entered in a separate
`user interface. FIG. 4 illustrates a typical eXample of an
`online bill payment interface 117. This interface 117, Which
`is invoked from its oWn icon 105 in the main user interface
`100, is completely separate from the user interfaces for the
`online banking module 111 or the checkbook 103. This
`separation of function hinders the integration of bill
`payment, account management, and checkbook tasks.
`For these reasons, in these types of softWare products,
`there is no persistent vieW of the bank’s online statement, as
`such. The online banking module, as illustrated, is essen
`tially a staging area Where the user vieWs transactions before
`using them to reconcile their checkbook or pay bills. In this
`user model the checkbook is persistent and the online
`statement is temporary, since it is only vieWed by doWn
`loading the information from the bank. Further, in
`checkbook-centric products, the balance that is visible
`throughout the softWare product is the ending balance based
`on the transactions in the user’s checkbook, as shoWn in
`FIG. 2, including both cleared and uncleared transactions.
`The latest balance of cleared transactions from the bank is
`typically visible only Within the separate user interface
`display for the online banking module and is not used
`anyWhere else in the product.
`The problem With this approach is that it assumes the
`primacy of the user’s checkbook in the user model and
`system design, and demotes the fact that the bank’s oWn
`records of the user’s account are a necessary component for
`an overall accurate re?ection of account activity. That is,
`While the bank’s oWn records shoW that user’s actual bal
`ance and cleared transactions, that information is never
`presented to the user in single user interface consolidated
`With the eXisting information in the checkbook. Rather, the
`information identifying cleared transactions is merely
`propagated into the user’s checkbook, as shoWn in the “Clr”
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`column in FIG. 2. Further, While bill payment is dependent
`on both the checkbook and online statement information,
`that activity and related information is presented in a com
`pletely separate user interface.
`As a result of this user model and design, there is a lack
`of integration in the product of the actual tasks the user
`Wants to perform. The softWare product separates check
`book functions, bill payment, and vieWing/doWnloading
`transactions from the bank into discrete operations, With
`their oWn user interfaces. The user must perform four
`separate tasks, and navigate multiple user interface screens
`to achieve What they consider to be the single task of paying
`bills based on currently available funds.
`In the second category of online banking systems are
`softWare products and systems provided by banks or their
`af?liates. Not surprisingly, these softWare products are
`“bank-statement centric” and take the bank’s statement as
`the primary user model and interface. These softWare prod
`ucts typically display only transactions that have actually
`been cleared by the bank. An eXample of this type of user
`interface is shoWn in FIG. 5, Which illustrates a portion of
`Wells Fargo’s OnlineTM Banking Web-site. In this account
`history screen (one of a number of user interfaces to be
`navigated, including an account summary screen, a fund
`transfer screen, and a doWnload screen). Along With only
`shoWing cleared transactions, there is only provided the
`balance information for cleared transactions.
`Because of this limitation, these products typically do not
`let the user incorporate transactions that have not been
`posted or cleared by the bank, for example, checks that the
`user has recently Written, or WithdraWals or deposits recently
`made but not posted, transactions Which are a fundamental
`component of the user’s overall account. Thus, the user does
`not get a complete vieW of the actual status of his account
`as the user considers it, but only the information about
`cleared transactions that the bank has. This information is
`insufficient to serve the user’s needs since the actual amount
`of funds the user has available is based on both the cleared
`and uncleared transactions.
`Another particular limitation of online banking systems
`such as Wells Fargo’s is that they do not contain information
`fully identifying the cleared transactions. As shoWn in FIG.
`5, there is no information identifying the payee for checks,
`debits, and point of sale transactions. This absence of
`information makes it dif?cult for the user to determine Which
`transaction is associated With Which payee, and thus Which
`transactions have cleared. The user must correlate check
`numbers instead, Which in some cases my be incorrectly
`recorded or even not recorded at all by the user, Who instead
`may easily remember the payee. Identi?cation of point of
`sale transactions is even harder, since only the date and
`amount are available from the ?nancial institution. Thus
`these types of online systems make integration of the various
`banking information and tasks very dif?cult and time con
`suming.
`Further, many of these bank-based softWare products are
`speci?cally intended to shoW merely the user’s current
`cleared balance and the cleared transactions on Which it is
`based. HoWever, the user cannot typically see the impact of
`these activities on their accounts until they actually clear the
`bank. That is, the effect of transactions on the balance of the
`user’s account is not re?ected in the user interface of the
`product. The user also cannot typically enter into the online
`system other transactions such as hand-Written checks or
`calculate a running balance based on both clear and
`uncleared transactions. To do these latter activities, the user
`typically needs to doWnload the cleared transaction data
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`5,903,881
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`5
`from the online banking product and import it into another
`personal ?nance product. An example of this limitation is
`shoWn in FIG. 6, Which is a vieW of another user interface
`screen of the Well Fargo OnlineTM Banking product. Here,
`the user can doWnload cleared transactions into a speci?c
`?le format. The user must then use a separate personal
`?nance application or spreadsheet to actually integrate the
`cleared transaction data With their checkbook of uncleared
`transactions. This process is time-consuming and dif?cult
`for many users, and requires using tWo different softWare
`products, and understanding hoW to interrelate them.
`As the foregoing discussion indicates, users of these
`various types of online banking products have to navigate
`betWeen multiple different user interfaces to perform a
`single task. Usability research on users Working With these
`types of products has shoWn that at each navigation step,
`there Was high potential for error and confusion. Users are
`not alWays sure hoW information in one user interface screen
`is related to information in another screen, or When it is
`necessary to sWitch to another part of the product to proceed
`through a task.
`The need for easy-to-use and ef?cient online banking
`softWare products and systems becomes even more pro
`nounced When considering that different users have different
`needs, expectations, and abilities. Research has shoWn that
`there are tWo types of users of ?nancial softWare products:
`Organizers and Transactors. Organizers speci?cally intend
`to use their ?nancial softWare products to organize,
`categorize, and track their ?nances With precision and
`detailed accuracy. For these types of users, conventional
`softWare products that provide the ability to categorize
`transactions, produce complex reports of income and
`expenses, and the like are seen as useful tools.
`In sharp contrast, Transactors mainly Want to pay bills and
`avoid overdrafts of their accounts. Transactors are typically
`not interested in categorizing transactions, tracking all
`income and expenses, or obtaining complex reports and
`summaries. To date, conventional softWare products have
`been designed almost exclusively With Organizers as the
`intended users, and as such do not provide the types of
`information Transactors desire most. Speci?cally, because
`Transactors are concerned With avoiding overdrafts, existing
`products and systems that do not provide an integrated vieW
`of both cleared transactions from the bank and uncleared
`transactions in the user’s account, along With a current
`balance, do not meet the Transactor’s need for an easy-to
`use ?nancial softWare product.
`In summary, existing softWare products and systems do
`not provide for an integration of all of the relevant infor
`mation about a user’s account—the checkbook of uncleared
`transactions, cleared transactions, pending bill payments,
`fund transfers, and other transactions—in a single user
`interface display. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide on
`an online banking softWare product and system that tightly
`integrates bill payment, account management, and determi
`nation of current balances, into a single user interface
`display.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`In accordance With one aspect of the present invention,
`there is provided a system, method, and ?nancial softWare
`product that integrates the key banking tasks and informa
`tion requirements users need to perform a variety of useful
`banking activities.
`In one embodiment of the present invention, there is
`provided an online banking softWare product having as its
`primary user interface a single display screen for presenta
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`tion on a display device of a personal computer. The user
`interface includes three simultaneously displayed areas that
`integrate the banking information and banking tasks for
`account management, bill payment, and balance determina
`tion. In a ?rst display area are listed transaction instructions
`for a user selected account Which are to be sent by the user
`to a ?nancial institution, such as a bank or clearing house,
`for processing. These transaction instructions may have
`various details, such as a description, or an amount. The
`description indicates the nature of the instruction, such as
`payment of a bill, transfer of funds, or other transaction
`instructions.
`A second display area that is concurrently displayed With
`the ?rst display area includes uncleared transactions for the
`user selected account. These uncleared transactions are
`created from both transaction instructions that have been
`sent to a ?nancial institution for processing, but that have not
`yet been reported as cleared, and from other transactions
`generated by the user, such as check Writing, ATM
`transactions, debit card transactions, and the like. A trans
`action instruction is removed from the ?rst display area and
`listed in the second display area as an uncleared transaction
`at about the time it is sent to the ?nancial institution for
`processing.
`A third display area is concurrently displayed With the
`?rst and second display areas. The third display area
`includes cleared transactions for the user selected account.
`The cleared transactions are determined in part from data
`received from the user’s ?nancial institution holding the
`user’s account. Uncleared transactions in the second display
`area are removed therefrom and listed as cleared transac
`tions in the third display area at a time subsequent to the
`transaction being cleared by a ?nancial institution.
`Finally, the user interface simultaneously displays tWo
`different account balances. A ?rst account balance is for the
`cleared transactions in the user selected account. A second
`account balance is a combination of both cleared transac
`tions and uncleared tran