U.S. patent application number 15/223558 was filed with the patent office on 2017-11-09 for wearable device for real-time monitoring of parameters and triggering actions.
The applicant listed for this patent is Bank of America Corporation. Invention is credited to Katherine Dintenfass, Khristian W. Hawver-Scott, Vasudevan Nagalingam, Daralyn Marie Nicholson, David C. Tyrie.
Application Number | 20170323068 15/223558 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60242619 |
Filed Date | 2017-11-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170323068 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dintenfass; Katherine ; et
al. |
November 9, 2017 |
WEARABLE DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME MONITORING OF PARAMETERS AND
TRIGGERING ACTIONS
Abstract
A system provides healthcare monitoring and actuation of a user.
The system establishes, via the distributed network, an operative
communication channel with a wearable device of a user; generates
and transmit a healthcare application to the wearable device via
the operative communication channel; authenticates the wearable
device at a first time based on at least receiving the indication
that the user is in possession of the wearable device; determines
that the user continues to remain in possession of the wearable
device; identifies one or more trigger events associated with the
user, wherein the one or more trigger events comprise healthcare
trigger events, activity trigger events and location trigger
events; and initiates one or more proactive response actions in
response to the one or more trigger events.
Inventors: |
Dintenfass; Katherine;
(Lincoln, RI) ; Hawver-Scott; Khristian W.;
(Buckingham, PA) ; Nicholson; Daralyn Marie;
(Charlotte, NC) ; Nagalingam; Vasudevan; (Wayland,
MA) ; Tyrie; David C.; (Winchester, MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bank of America Corporation |
Charlotte |
NC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60242619 |
Appl. No.: |
15/223558 |
Filed: |
July 29, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62333723 |
May 9, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/01 20130101;
G06F 16/9537 20190101; G16H 40/63 20180101; H04L 67/10 20130101;
H04L 67/20 20130101; G06F 16/176 20190101; G06F 16/29 20190101;
G06Q 30/0201 20130101; G06Q 40/06 20130101; G06F 19/00 20130101;
G06Q 20/3821 20130101; G06F 16/248 20190101; G06F 16/335 20190101;
H04L 67/18 20130101; G06Q 30/0226 20130101; G06F 16/9535 20190101;
G06Q 30/0645 20130101; G06Q 50/16 20130101; G06Q 10/1057 20130101;
G06Q 20/4014 20130101; H04L 67/306 20130101; H04L 63/08 20130101;
H04L 63/083 20130101; G06F 21/6245 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 19/00 20110101
G06F019/00; G06Q 20/38 20120101 G06Q020/38; G06Q 20/40 20120101
G06Q020/40; G06Q 50/00 20120101 G06Q050/00 |
Claims
1. A system for healthcare monitoring and actuation of a user, the
system comprising: at least one memory device; at least one
communication device connected to a distributed network; at least
one processing device operatively coupled to the at least one
memory device and the at least one communication device; and a
module stored in the at least one memory device comprising
executable instructions that when executed by the at least one
processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:
establish, via the distributed network, an operative communication
channel with a wearable device of a user; generate and transmit a
healthcare application to the wearable device via the operative
communication channel; authenticate the wearable device at a first
time based on at least receiving the indication that the user is in
possession of the wearable device; determine that the user
continues to remain in possession of the wearable device; identify
one or more trigger events associated with the user, wherein the
one or more trigger events comprise healthcare trigger events,
activity trigger events and location trigger events; and initiate
one or more proactive response actions in response to the one or
more trigger events.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to a third
party that the user is or has been located in a non-normal
location.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to a third
party that the user has performed a transaction.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification that the user
has performed an ATM withdrawal.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises preventing payment credentials
associated with the user from performing a transaction when the
user is or has been located in a non-normal location.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to a third
party that the user is or has been located at a medical provider
location.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to an
emergency service.
8. A computer program product for healthcare monitoring and
actuation of a user, the computer program product comprising at
least one non-transitory computer readable medium having
computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the
computer-readable program code portions comprising: an executable
portion configured to establish, via the distributed network, an
operative communication channel with a wearable device of a user;
an executable portion configured to generate and transmit a
healthcare application to the wearable device via the operative
communication channel; an executable portion configured to
authenticate the wearable device at a first time based on at least
receiving the indication that the user is in possession of the
wearable device; an executable portion configured to determine that
the user continues to remain in possession of the wearable device;
an executable portion configured to identify one or more trigger
events associated with the user, wherein the one or more trigger
events comprise healthcare trigger events, activity trigger events
and location trigger events; and an executable portion configured
to initiate one or more proactive response actions in response to
the one or more trigger events.
9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more
proactive response actions comprises initiating a notification to a
third party that the user is or has been located in a non-normal
location.
10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or
more proactive response actions comprises initiating a notification
to a third party that the user has performed a transaction.
11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the one or
more proactive response actions comprises initiating a notification
that the user has performed an ATM withdrawal.
12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or
more proactive response actions comprises preventing payment
credentials associated with the user from performing a transaction
when the user is or has been located in a non-normal location.
13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or
more proactive response actions comprises initiating a notification
to a third party that the user is or has been located at a medical
provider location.
14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or
more proactive response actions comprises initiating a notification
to an emergency service.
15. A computer-implemented method for healthcare monitoring and
actuation of a user, the method comprising: establishing, via the
distributed network, an operative communication channel with a
wearable device of a user; generating and transmit a healthcare
application to the wearable device via the operative communication
channel; authenticating the wearable device at a first time based
on at least receiving the indication that the user is in possession
of the wearable device; determining that the user continues to
remain in possession of the wearable device; identifying one or
more trigger events associated with the user, wherein the one or
more trigger events comprise healthcare trigger events, activity
trigger events and location trigger events; and initiating one or
more proactive response actions in response to the one or more
trigger events.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to a third
party that the user is or has been located in a non-normal
location.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to a third
party that the user has performed a transaction.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification that the user
has performed an ATM withdrawal.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises preventing payment credentials
associated with the user from performing a transaction when the
user is or has been located in a non-normal location.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more proactive
response actions comprises initiating a notification to a third
party that the user is or has been located at a medical provider
location.
Description
BENEFIT CLAIM
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 62/333,723, entitled "SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING
RESOURCE USAGE", filed May 9, 2016, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Those aged individuals or those with afflictions who live by
themselves may benefit from location monitoring and notification of
relatives or emergency services when they venture outside their
normal geographic area. Therefore, a need exists for a system that
can identify the current location of a user in order to initiate
one or more proactive actions.
SUMMARY
[0003] The following presents a simplified summary of one or more
embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic
understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive
overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to
neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments, nor
delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is
to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified
form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is
presented later.
[0004] Embodiments of the present invention address these and/or
other needs by providing an innovative system, method, and computer
program product for healthcare monitoring and actuation of a user.
Embodiments of the system may include at least one memory device;
at least one communication device connected to a distributed
network; at least one processing device operatively coupled to the
at least one memory device and the at least one communication
device; and a module stored in the at least one memory device
comprising executable instructions that when executed by the at
least one processing device, cause the at least one processing
device to establish, via the distributed network, an operative
communication channel with a wearable device of a user; generate
and transmit a healthcare application to the wearable device via
the operative communication channel; authenticate the wearable
device at a first time based on at least receiving the indication
that the user is in possession of the wearable device; determine
that the user continues to remain in possession of the wearable
device; identify one or more trigger events associated with the
user, wherein the one or more trigger events comprise healthcare
trigger events, activity trigger events and location trigger
events; and initiate one or more proactive response actions in
response to the one or more trigger events.
[0005] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user is or has been located in a non-normal location.
[0006] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user has performed a transaction. In other embodiments, the one
or more proactive response actions comprises initiating a
notification that the user has performed an ATM withdrawal.
[0007] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises preventing payment credentials associated with
the user from performing a transaction when the user is or has been
located in a non-normal location.
[0008] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user is or has been located at a medical provider location.
[0009] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to an emergency
service.
[0010] According to embodiments of the invention, a computer
program product has at least one non-transitory computer readable
medium with computer-readable program code portions embodied
therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising an
executable portion configured to establish, via the distributed
network, an operative communication channel with a wearable device
of a user; an executable portion configured to generate and
transmit a healthcare application to the wearable device via the
operative communication channel; an executable portion configured
to authenticate the wearable device at a first time based on at
least receiving the indication that the user is in possession of
the wearable device; an executable portion configured to determine
that the user continues to remain in possession of the wearable
device; an executable portion configured to identify one or more
trigger events associated with the user, wherein the one or more
trigger events comprise healthcare trigger events, activity trigger
events and location trigger events; and an executable portion
configured to initiate one or more proactive response actions in
response to the one or more trigger events.
[0011] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user is or has been located in a non-normal location.
[0012] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user has performed a transaction. In some such embodiments, the
one or more proactive response actions comprises initiating a
notification that the user has performed an ATM withdrawal.
[0013] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises preventing payment credentials associated with
the user from performing a transaction when the user is or has been
located in a non-normal location.
[0014] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user is or has been located at a medical provider location.
[0015] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to an emergency
service.
[0016] According to embodiments of the invention, a
computer-implemented method includes establishing, via the
distributed network, an operative communication channel with a
wearable device of a user; generating and transmit a healthcare
application to the wearable device via the operative communication
channel; authenticating the wearable device at a first time based
on at least receiving the indication that the user is in possession
of the wearable device; determining that the user continues to
remain in possession of the wearable device; identifying one or
more trigger events associated with the user, wherein the one or
more trigger events comprise healthcare trigger events, activity
trigger events and location trigger events; and initiating one or
more proactive response actions in response to the one or more
trigger events.
[0017] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user is or has been located in a non-normal location. In some
such embodiments, the one or more proactive response actions
comprises initiating a notification to a third party that the user
has performed a transaction. In some of these embodiments, the one
or more proactive response actions comprises initiating a
notification that the user has performed an ATM withdrawal.
[0018] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises preventing payment credentials associated with
the user from performing a transaction when the user is or has been
located in a non-normal location.
[0019] In some embodiments, the one or more proactive response
actions comprises initiating a notification to a third party that
the user is or has been located at a medical provider location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0020] Having thus described embodiments of the invention in
general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 provides a system environment in which embodiments of
the invention operate;
[0022] FIG. 2 provides a high level process flow illustrating a
holistic healthcare monitoring and actuation method according to
embodiments of the invention;
[0023] FIG. 3 provides a diagram of a wearable article or device
according to embodiments of the invention; and
[0024] FIG. 4 provides a block diagram illustrating collection of
positioning data related to the wearable device according to
embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described
more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown.
Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and
should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth
herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this
disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers
refer to elements throughout. Where possible, any terms expressed
in the singular form herein are meant to also include the plural
form and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, as
used herein, the term "a" and/or "an" shall mean "one or more,"
even though the phrase "one or more" is also used herein.
[0026] Embodiments of the invention provide a wearable device with
a location rail. Embodiments may provide those with physical
limitations such as aging individuals or those people with dementia
or other afflictions who are living by themselves with a
notification mechanism for providing third parties notification of
triggering events. Embodiments may generate an application on a
wearable device, to be worn by the user, which provides real-time
location identification of the user including location-based
identification relative to historical location and travel patterns.
Embodiments may identify when the user is or was at certain
locations, such as at a medical provider location or otherwise.
Further, embodiments may provide notifications to of triggering
events such as identifying a non-normal location of the user, an
ATM transaction such as a withdrawal or otherwise. The system may
also provide additional fraud protection as certain triggers such
as a non-normal location triggers prevention of any transaction
involving the payment accounts associated with the user wearing the
wearable device. In some situations, sharing of the data provided
by the wearable device is only provided to those third parties who
are authorized uses, and in some cases, it is only provided to them
after their identity authentication.
[0027] More specifically, various embodiments provide healthcare
monitoring and actuation of a user and/or real-time monitoring of
parameters and triggering actions. The system establishes, via the
distributed network, an operative communication channel with a
wearable device of a user; generates and transmit a healthcare
application to the wearable device via the operative communication
channel; authenticates the wearable device at a first time based on
at least receiving the indication that the user is in possession of
the wearable device; determines that the user continues to remain
in possession of the wearable device; identifies one or more
trigger events associated with the user, wherein the one or more
trigger events comprise healthcare trigger events, activity trigger
events and location trigger events; and initiates one or more
proactive response actions in response to the one or more trigger
events.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 1, the figure illustrates a processing
system environment 100, in accordance with some embodiments of the
invention. The environment 100 includes a user device 111
associated or used with authorization of a user 110 (e.g., an
account holder, a mobile application user, a bank customer, and the
like), a third party system 160, and a financial institution system
140. In some embodiments, the third party system 160 corresponds to
a third party financial institution. The environment 100 further
includes one or more third party systems 192 (e.g., a partner,
agent, or contractor associated with a financial institution), one
or more other financial institution systems 194 (e.g., a credit
bureau, third party banks, and so forth), and one or more external
systems 196.
[0029] The systems and devices communicate with one another over
the network 130 and perform one or more of the various steps and/or
methods according to embodiments of the disclosure discussed
herein. The network 130 may include a local area network (LAN), a
wide area network (WAN), and/or a global area network (GAN). The
network 230 may provide for wireline, wireless, or a combination of
wireline and wireless communication between devices in the network.
In one embodiment, the network 130 includes the Internet.
[0030] The user device 111, the third party system 160, and the
financial institution system 140 each includes a computer system,
server, multiple computer systems and/or servers or the like. The
financial institution system 140, in the embodiments shown has a
communication device 142 communicably coupled with a processing
device 144, which is also communicably coupled with a memory device
146. The processing device 144 is configured to control the
communication device 142 such that the financial institution system
140 communicates across the network 130 with one or more other
systems. The processing device 144 is also configured to access the
memory device 146 in order to read the computer readable
instructions 148, which in some embodiments includes one or more
applications such as applications 150 and 151. The memory device
146 also includes a datastore 154 or database for storing pieces of
data that can be accessed by the processing device 144.
[0031] As used herein, a "processing device," generally refers to a
device or combination of devices having circuitry used for
implementing the communication and/or logic functions of a
particular system. For example, a processing device may include a
digital signal processor device, a microprocessor device, and
various analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters,
and other support circuits and/or combinations of the foregoing.
Control and signal processing functions of the system are allocated
between these processing devices according to their respective
capabilities. The processing device 114, 144, or 164 may further
include functionality to operate one or more software programs
based on computer-executable program code thereof, which may be
stored in a memory. As the phrase is used herein, a processing
device 114, 144, or 164 may be "configured to" perform a certain
function in a variety of ways, including, for example, by having
one or more general-purpose circuits perform the function by
executing particular computer-executable program code embodied in
computer-readable medium, and/or by having one or more
application-specific circuits perform the function.
[0032] Furthermore, as used herein, a "memory device" generally
refers to a device or combination of devices that store one or more
forms of computer-readable media and/or computer-executable program
code/instructions. Computer-readable media is defined in greater
detail below. For example, in one embodiment, the memory device 146
includes any computer memory that provides an actual or virtual
space to temporarily or permanently store data and/or commands
provided to the processing device 144 when it carries out its
functions described herein.
[0033] The user device 111 includes a communication device 112
communicably coupled with a processing device 114, which is also
communicably coupled with a memory device 116. The processing
device 114 is configured to control the communication device 112
such that the user device 111 communicates across the network 130
with one or more other systems. The processing device 114 is also
configured to access the memory device 116 in order to read the
computer readable instructions 118, which in some embodiments
includes application 120 and online banking application 121. The
memory device 116 also includes a datastore 122 or database for
storing pieces of data that can be accessed by the processing
device 114. The user device 111 may be a mobile device of the user
110, a bank teller device, a third party device, an automated
teller machine, a video teller machine, or another device capable
of capturing a check image.
[0034] The third party system 160 includes a communication device
162 communicably coupled with a processing device 164, which is
also communicably coupled with a memory device 166. The processing
device 164 is configured to control the communication device 162
such that the third party system 160 communicates across the
network 130 with one or more other systems. The processing device
164 is also configured to access the memory device 166 in order to
read the computer readable instructions 168, which in some
embodiments includes an application 170. The memory device 166 also
includes a datastore 172 or database for storing pieces of data
that can be accessed by the processing device 164.
[0035] In some embodiments, the application 120, the online banking
application 121, and the application 170 interact with the
application 150 or 151 to receive or provide financial data,
analyze financial record data, and implement business strategies,
transactions, and processes. The applications 150 and 151 may be a
suite of applications for performing these functions.
[0036] In some embodiments, the application 120, the online banking
application 121, and the application 170 interact with the
applications 150 and 151 to utilize metadata to determine decisions
for processing.
[0037] The applications 120, 121, 150, 151, and 170 are for
instructing the processing devices 114, 144 and 164 to perform
various steps of the methods discussed herein, and/or other steps
and/or similar steps. In various embodiments, one or more of the
applications 120, 121, 150, 151, and 170 are included in the
computer readable instructions stored in a memory device of one or
more systems or devices other than the systems 160 and 140 and the
user device 111. For example, in some embodiments, the application
120 is stored and configured for being accessed by a processing
device of one or more third party systems 192 connected to the
network 130. In various embodiments, the applications 120, 121,
150, 151, and 170 stored and executed by different systems/devices
are different. In some embodiments, the applications 120, 121, 150,
151, and 170 stored and executed by different systems may be
similar and may be configured to communicate with one another, and
in some embodiments, the applications 120, 121, 150, 151, and 170
may be considered to be working together as a singular application
despite being stored and executed on different systems.
[0038] In various embodiments, one of the systems discussed above,
such as the financial institution system 140, is more than one
system and the various components of the system are not collocated,
and in various embodiments, there are multiple components
performing the functions indicated herein as a single device. For
example, in one embodiment, multiple processing devices perform the
functions of the processing device 144 of the financial institution
system 140 described herein. In various embodiments, the financial
institution system 140 includes one or more of the external systems
196 and/or any other system or component used in conjunction with
or to perform any of the method steps discussed herein. For
example, the financial institution system 140 may include a
financial institution system, a credit agency system, and the
like.
[0039] In various embodiments, the financial institution system
140, the third party system 160, and the user device 111 and/or
other systems may perform all or part of a one or more method steps
discussed above and/or other method steps in association with the
method steps discussed above. Furthermore, some or all the
systems/devices discussed here, in association with other systems
or without association with other systems, in association with
steps being performed manually or without steps being performed
manually, may perform one or more of the steps of one or more of
the method discussed herein, or other methods, processes or steps
discussed herein or not discussed herein.
[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a high level process flow for a holistic
healthcare monitoring and actuation system/method 200, in
accordance with some embodiments of the invention. As shown in
block 202, the process flow includes generating a healthcare
monitoring and actuation application, hereinafter referred to as
the healthcare application. In some embodiments, the aging
individuals, hereinafter referred to as "users" may be associated
with one or more wearable devices. In some embodiments, the system
may generate the healthcare application in accordance with the
technical specifications of the user's wearable device. Typically,
the system establishes an operative communication channel with the
user's wearable device. In this regard, in some embodiments, the
system may establish an operative communication channel with the
wearable device, via an auxiliary device associated with the
wearable device. Auxiliary devices may be smartphones, computers,
personal digital assistants and the like that are coupled to or in
communication with the wearable device, via near field
communication, other wireless communication networks and the like.
In some embodiments, generating the healthcare monitoring
application comprises transmitting the healthcare application to
the wearable device via the operative communication channel, and
storing the application on the wearable device. In other
embodiments, the wearable device may be transmitted and stored on
the auxiliary device in communication with the wearable device.
[0041] Typically, the healthcare application, either alone or in
conjunction with the system, is configured for providing real-time
location identification of the user. In this regard, the healthcare
application is configured to cause a location determining device of
the wearable device to transmit location information of the user.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, the healthcare application is
configured to activate and cause other sensing devices of the
wearable devices to transmit other healthcare parameters of the
user such as vital signs like heart rate, pulse rate, body
temperature and the like, physical activity parameters like number
of steps taken, distance travelled, and the like.
[0042] As such, the system may activate the installed healthcare
application based on receiving authentication credentials for the
user and/or the user's caregiver. Here, the user and/or the user's
caregiver may provide user preferences for monitoring and actuation
features of the healthcare application. In some embodiments, the
healthcare application may be constantly active, while in other
embodiments the healthcare application may be active for a
predetermined time period, for example during the time period when
the caregiver is away. In some embodiments, the healthcare
application may be constantly running in the background and may be
activated in response to an instruction from the system, from the
caregiver and/or from the user, or may be activated in response to
detecting a trigger event.
[0043] Next, the process flow includes determining a trigger event
associated with the user, as shown in block 204 based on at least
receiving the indication that the user is in possession of the
wearable device. In some embodiments, the system may determine that
the user is in possession of the wearable device based on receiving
an authentication request from the user, based on detecting
healthcare parameters and location of the user, and/or based on
comparing the detected parameters with historical location and
travel patterns of the user.
[0044] In some instances, the user and/or the caregiver may
initiate an authentication request via the wearable device when
initially adorning the wearable device. This may be done using a
combination of various authentication credentials input directly
into the wearable device or by pairing the wearable device with an
auxiliary device (e.g., mobile device or the like) and
authenticating the wearable device indirectly using the auxiliary
device. In this regard, the system may be configured to receive one
or more authentication credentials from the user via the auxiliary
device and authenticate the user based on the received
authentication credentials. In response to successfully
authenticating the user and the auxiliary device, the system may
automatically authenticate the wearable device paired or
communicably linked to the auxiliary device.
[0045] The process flow 206, includes determining that the user
continues to remain in possession of the wearable device based on
at least continuously monitoring the wearable device. The wearable
device may then be monitored using biometric feedback received
using physiologic tracking technology incorporated into the
wearable device that can read, record, and store individual
biometric traits such as heart rate, blood pressure, gait, or other
types of physical activity to determine whether the wearable device
has remained in continual possession of the user since
authentication. In some embodiments, the continuous monitoring of
the wearable device comprises, the healthcare application and/or
the system transmitting control instructions to the sensor devices
of the wearable devices, configured for causing these sensor
devices to determine and transmit the location and healthcare
parameters of the user.
[0046] The system may then identify one or more trigger events
based on the continuous monitoring of the wearable device. These
trigger events may be based on the received user preferences or
parameters received from the user, the user's caregiver, the user's
healthcare provider, and/or other sources. These trigger events may
be location trigger events, activity trigger events, healthcare
trigger events, and the like.
[0047] Location trigger events may be identified based on
determining that the user's location exceeds one or more location
parameters/preferences. For example, the system may determine that
the user is at a new location that deviates from the location
parameters, the user's historical locations and/or the user's
historical travel patterns. In this regard, the system may identify
a location trigger associated with the new location. As another
example, the system may identify that the user is located at a
first location different from the user's home location. The system
may further compare the first location with historical locations of
the user and determine that the user is located at a physician's
healthcare facility. Here the system may not identify a trigger
event based on determining that the user has an appointment with
the physician at that time. Alternatively, the system may identify
a location trigger based on determining that the physician is not
associated with the user, or based on determining that the user is
not scheduled to visit the physician. In some instances, location
trigger events may be associated with indoor positioning of the
user. For example, the system may determine the indoor location of
the user based on the wearable device sensors, auxiliary device
sensors, image capture devices, and/or proximity sensors located in
the user's surroundings. For instance, in response to comparing the
user's location with that of a house plan to determine that the
user has been proximate (within a predetermined distance) to a
stove or a heating device for a predetermined period of time, the
system may identify a location trigger. As another example, the
system may determine a location trigger event based on analyzing a
feed from an image capture device and determining that the user is
close to a patio/balcony fence.
[0048] Activity trigger events may be identified based on
determining that the user's activity is not associated with one or
more activity parameters/preferences. For example, the system may
determine that a purchase transaction is associated with an
activity trigger event based on the determining that the purchase
amount exceeds a purchase limit, based on determining that the
products purchased are not associated with a predetermined category
of products, based on determining that the current user location is
different from the purchase location or based on determining that
the purchase location is not associated with a predetermining list
of purchase locations. As another example, the system may determine
that the user is currently located near a transaction terminal such
as an ATM. The system may then analyze the transaction history
(with current, in-process, pending and posted transactions) of one
or more accounts of the user and/or the caregiver to determine
correlate one or more transactions with the time and location of
the user, and determine an activity trigger accordingly (for
example, based on determining that the requested ATM withdrawal
amount exceeds a predetermined threshold). As another example, the
system may determine an activity trigger based on determining that
the user has been stationary for a predetermined time period, at a
predetermined or non-normal location. As another example, the
system may determine an activity trigger based on determining that
the user is no longer associated with the wearable device.
[0049] Healthcare trigger events may be identified based on
determining that the user's vital signs exceeds one or more
healthcare parameters/preferences. For example, the system may
determine a healthcare trigger based on determining that the one or
more vital signs of the user exceed predetermined limits. As
another example, the system may determine a healthcare trigger
event when the user is required to receive or consume medication or
other treatment activities.
[0050] Next, the process flow includes initiation of one or more
proactive response actions in response to the one or more trigger
events, as shown in block 208. In some embodiments, the proactive
response actions may comprise transmitting one or more
notifications or alerts to the user, the user's caregiver, the
user's healthcare provider and/or other associated
individuals/entities. For instance, based on determining a location
trigger event that the user is outside a predetermined geographic
area, the system may initiate remission of a textual, audible or
vibratory alert to a device associated with the user's caregiver.
As another example, based on determining an activity trigger event
comprising the user being stationary for a predetermined period of
time, the system may transmit control instructions to the wearable
device configured to cause the wearable device to vibrate. As yet
another example, based on determining a healthcare trigger event
comprising abnormal vital signs of the user, the system may
transmit notifications and alerts (comprising the user's current
location and abnormal parameters) to the user's healthcare
provider, the user's caregiver and/or the an emergency healthcare
provider. In this regard, in some embodiments, the healthcare
application and/or the system may cause the wearable device and/or
the auxiliary device to transmit these notifications and alerts. In
some instances, the one or more proactive response actions may
comprise authorizing one or more activities of the user. For
example, for an activity trigger event comprising an ATM withdrawal
request, the system may authorize the withdrawal transaction based
on receiving approval from the account holder/caregiver. As another
example, for an activity trigger comprising a purchase transaction,
the system may seek additional authentication credentials before
authorizing the transaction.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 3, a block diagram representative of some
embodiments of a wearable device or article is shown. The wearable
article 301 generally includes an electronic device 300 portion
that is configured to perform the communication and/or logic
portions of the wearable article 301. The electronic device 300 may
be, in whole or in part, coupled to, embedded in, placed in, and/or
formed integrally with the other portions of the wearable article
301. The electronic device 300 includes, in various embodiments, a
communication device 312, a user interface 314 for communicating
with the customer 101, and a memory device 316 for storing data
and/or computer-executable program code. In various embodiments,
the electronic device 300 includes a processing device 318, energy
storage elements 320, a voltage regulator 322, and one or more
level shifters 324. In some embodiments, the communication device
312 includes an antenna 311 and in some it includes a transceiver
313, wherein one or both of the antenna 311 and/or transceiver 313
are configured for short and/or long range communication. The
communication device also includes readable indicia 309, which
include but are not limited to a scanable code, a quick response
(QR) code, image-readable code, a bar code, an image, picture,
icon, or text, or the like, that is integrated with the electronic
device 300 and its associated. The readable indicia 309 may be
electronic or electronically produced via a user interface 314 (or
more specifically a user output device 340 which includes a display
device 342). In other embodiments, the readable indicia 309 is
printed onto the wearable article 301 or is printed onto a sticker
adhesive that is coupled to the wearable article 301. In some
embodiments, the user interface 314 includes a user output device
340 having one or more of a display device 341, an auditory device
342, a vibratory device 343, some other output device or the like.
In some embodiments, the user interface 314 includes a user input
device 345 for receiving user input. In some embodiments, the
memory device is configured to store computer-readable or
computer-executable instructions and/or code. In the embodiment
shown, the memory device 316 includes financial account information
350, user output rules 353, financial indicator 352 and an
authentication/device-identifying information 351. The financial
account information 350 includes, in various embodiments,
information regarding one or more of the customer's accounts. The
user output rules 353 include instructions for providing output to
the customer. The financial indicator 352 includes instructions for
providing a financial indicator to the customer, such as, for
example, an indication when a transaction is performed on a
customer's account. The authentication/device-identifying
information 351 includes data and/or instructions regarding
authenticating the customer with another system, such as the
financial institution server 140, for example. In other
embodiments, the information 350 includes device-identifying
information 351, such as, for example, an identifier identifying
the wearable article 301. For example, in one embodiment, each
wearable article 301 and/or each electronic device 300 is
associated with an identification number used in communication with
one or more other systems. In various embodiments, the wearable
article 301 may or may not include some or all of the components
and instructions/code shown in the example embodiment of FIG. 3.
For example, in some embodiments, the wearable article 301 is a
payment device and may or may not include a display. In other
embodiments, for example, the wearable article 301 is a financial
indicator and may or may not have account identifying information,
or may only include readable indicia 309. In various other
embodiments, numerous combinations of the discussed components
and/or instructions are included.
[0052] In some embodiments of the wearable article 301, the
communication device 312 of the electronic device 300 is configured
for receiving an external signal from a field (not shown),
typically initiated at an external system 196. An external power
source environment may include a field that, in various
embodiments, is an electro-magnetic (EM) field, a radio frequency
(RF) field, some other wireless communication field, or the like.
The communication device 312 is also configured for converting the
electro-magnetic signal to electrical power (i.e., an electrical
signal) for powering the electronic device 300. A processing device
318 may be coupled (directly or indirectly) with the electrical
signal of the communication device 312. The processing device 318
may generate one or more data signals, a portion of the data
signals may be coupled with the user interface 314, and another (or
the same) portion of the data signals may be coupled with the
memory device 316. For example, the user interface 314, in one
embodiment, receives power (directly or indirectly) from or derived
from the electrical signal from the communication device 312. The
memory device 316, in some embodiments, receives power (directly or
indirectly) from or derived from the electrical signal from the
communication device 312. Responsive to the signal from the field
received by the electronic device 300, in some embodiments, data
can be presented by the user interface 314, and the data stored by
the memory device 316 can be changed.
[0053] In one example, the output of the communication device 312
is a voltage signal, such as a DC voltage, which may include but is
not limited to a low voltage such as, for example, approximately
1.25 volts. In some embodiments, for example, the electronic device
300 includes a voltage regulator 322. The voltage regulator 322 is
coupled with output of the communication device 312. The voltage
regulator provides a stable or regulated output voltage for use by
other components within the electronic device 300. For example, the
voltage regulator 322, in one embodiment, includes circuit elements
such as diodes, resistors, and/or capacitors for stabilizing the
output signal received from the communication device 312. The
voltage regulator 322, in some embodiments, is also configured for
providing a regulating voltage to the other components within the
electronic device 300. The voltage regulator 322, in some
embodiments, includes other circuits and/or components configured
for providing a regulated voltage and/or configured for stabilizing
the voltage on the output of the voltage regulator 322.
[0054] The electronic device 300 includes or is coupled with one or
more energy storage elements 320, also referred to as energy
storage circuits, in some circumstances. The energy storage
elements 320, in some embodiments, are coupled with the output of
the communication device 312. In one embodiment, for example, the
energy storage element 320 couples with the communication device
output in order to store energy received from the communication
device 312 and provide the energy to the input of the voltage
regulator 322. Alternatively or additionally in various
embodiments, energy storage elements 320 are coupled with the
output of the voltage regulator 322 so as to store energy and
provide energy to the components downstream of the voltage
regulator 322 within the electronic device 300. The energy storage
elements 320, in some embodiments, include capacitors, inductors,
or other energy storage elements or circuits configured for
providing energy storage.
[0055] In some embodiments, for example, one or more level shifters
324, also referred to as voltage conversion circuits or voltage
translator circuits, are configured to provide or create the
voltage levels utilized by the user interface 314 and/or by the
memory device 316. In an alternative embodiment, a voltage
regulator 322 is configured to provide multiple output voltage
signals 332. In such an embodiment, each output voltage signal is a
different voltage level in order to supply various voltage levels
as required by multiple components of the electronic device 300,
such as, for example, the processing device 318, the user interface
314, and/or the memory device 316 and/or other components. In some
embodiments, the one or more level shifters 324 use other circuits
and/or mechanisms configured for shifting a voltage signal.
[0056] In some embodiments, the communication device 312 receives a
signal from the field generated by a communication device, such as
communication device 162 (FIG. 1) of the third party system 160,
for example. In some embodiments, the signal from the field is
converted into electric power having varying characteristics
configured such that it can be utilized by the circuit components
of the electronic device 300. The processing device 318 is
activated by the electric power received from the field in some
embodiments.
[0057] The processing device 318, in some applications, changes the
state of the user interface 314 by writing data to the user output
device 340. In some such applications, the communication device 162
receives a financial indicator or instructions to provide a
financial indicator from one or both of a user device 111 and/or a
financial institution server 140. Likewise the processing device
318, in another applications, changes the state of the memory
device 316 by writing data. Furthermore, in another application,
the processing device 318 reads the memory device 316 and
communicates a customer's account information to a point of sale
terminal (not shown) in response to a request for payment
information from the point of sale terminal during a
transaction.
[0058] Referring again to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the
processing device 318 is powered, for example, based on the energy
received from an external source initiating the field. The
processing device 318, in various embodiments, has one or more
outputs. In one embodiment, for example, one or more outputs are
coupled to the user interface 314 and provide control signals from
the processing device 318 to the user interface 314. In some
embodiments, the outputs include data signals and control signals,
and in other embodiments, the outputs include only one or the
other. In some embodiments, the outputs include control signals
configured for controlling the memory device 316. The processing
device 318, in some embodiments, includes other outputs which can
be utilized to activate or de-activate other circuit elements
within the electronic device 300, such as to selectively enable or
selectively disable circuit sections of the electronic device 300
in order to conserve energy or efficiently utilize energy. The
processing device 318 in various embodiments is compliant with the
publicly available standards and/or specifications.
[0059] The user interface 314, in various embodiments, is
collocated with the electronic device 300 on the wearable article
301, and in other embodiments, the user interface 314 is coupled
with the electronic device 300 but is located separate from the
electronic device 300 on or in the wearable article 301. In some
embodiments, the display device 341 of the user interface 314 is or
includes a persistent display which, once written, will display the
desired data and will persistently maintain the display of that
data until the display is re-written or otherwise changed. The
display device 341, in some embodiments, is a fixed segment
display, a dot matrix display, a positive or negative reflective
display which can be read by the user or cardholder using ambient
light, a liquid crystal display, or other display. In other
embodiments, the display device 341 is a single indicator such as a
light emitting diode (LED). In some embodiments, the display device
341 includes one or more indicators configured to provide different
colors intended to communicate different messages to the customer.
In some embodiments, the wearable article 301 is configured for
communicating information to the customer such as personal or
financial health information. In some such embodiments, the display
device 341 includes one or more indicators configured for multiple
color light emission. In some embodiments, for example, the display
device 341 is a single indicator configured to emit red light when
the customer's account is overdrawn or within some predetermined
amount of being overdrawn or when the user is outside the user's
normal geographic boundaries or expected path of travel. Similarly,
in another embodiment, for example, the display is a single
indicator configured to emit a yellow light when the customer's
account is within some predetermined amount of being overdrawn, and
in yet another embodiment, for example, the display is a single
indicator configured to emit a green light when the customer's
account is outside a predetermined amount of being overdrawn. In
various other embodiments, the wearable device 301 includes one or
more additional indicator devices such as auditory devices 342, for
example speakers and the like, and/or vibratory devices 343. Such
additional indicator devices can be used, in some embodiments, in
lieu of a display device 341 for indicating the financial
information to the customer or some other information, or can be
used in conjunction with the display device 341 in other
embodiments.
[0060] In various embodiments of the wearable device 301, the
wearable device 301 is configured for wearing on various body parts
other than the wrist or ankle, and in other embodiments, the
wearable article 301 is configured for wearing on the wrist or
ankle in alternate configurations. For example, in one embodiment,
the wearable device 301 is worn as an earring. In another
embodiment, the wearable device 301 is worn as some other type of
piercing, and in yet other embodiments, the wearable device 301 is
attached to the customer's clothing such as by clip, snap,
Velcro.RTM., pin, or some other attachment mechanism. In some
embodiments, the wearable device is a sticker that attaches either
to the customer's skin or to the customer's clothing. In some
embodiments, the wearable device is disposable and includes a
pocket or other electronic device receiver, and the electronic
device is reusable such that when the customer discards the
wearable device 301, she can retain the electronic device and
attach it to another wearable device 301. In some embodiments, the
wearable article 301 is or includes a charm wearable on a chain
around the neck, ankle or wrist or is or includes a necklace. In
other embodiments, the wearable device 301 is or includes one or
more rings, a wristwatch or incorporated into a wristwatch,
eyeglass rims, eyeglasses, such as embedded in and/or on eyeglass
lenses, contact lenses, shoes, purse, wallet, a cap, a hat, a
visor, a shoelace, a button, a belt, a belt buckle, an implant, or
some other clothing accessory or personal accessory worn or carried
on a customer's person.
[0061] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram 400 for collecting positioning
data, wherein the positioning data of the customer or customers,
consistent with embodiments of the present invention. The
positioning data is used to determine the current location of a
group of potential customers. As represented by block 405, recent
transaction data may be retrieved from, for example, a financial
institution back-end system or server or group or systems or
servers. Such recent transaction data may indicate that a potential
customer has made one or more recent purchases at one or more
merchants. The data may also include location information
associated with the one or more merchants, so that the system of
the invention may glean from the recent transaction history the
location of the merchants from which the customer has recently
shopped, and thereby may infer the current position of the
customer. Of course, as the period of time since the last
transaction occurred increases, the predicted location of the
customer loses accuracy. Thus, the most recent transaction data is
typically used to predict the current location of the customer. In
fact, simultaneously to or substantially simultaneously to
conducting a transaction, the financial institution's systems may
determine the location of the merchant conducting the transaction
with the customer and thereby determine the current location of the
customer at or soon after completion of the transaction.
[0062] As represented by block 410, the positioning data may
include global positioning data. Global positioning data may
include any information collected from methods, systems, apparatus,
computer programs etc. involving locating a user's position
relative to satellites, fixed locations, beacons, transmitters or
the like. In some instances, global positioning data may be
collected from a GPS device, such as a navigation system. Such a
navigation system may be, but is not limited to, hardware and/or
software that is part of a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA,
automobile, watch etc. or a commercially available personal
navigation system such as a Garmin.RTM., TomTom.RTM. or the like.
The amount, nature and type of the global positioning data that is
collected may depend on the merchant's relationship with the
customer and the amount of information that the customer has
authorized the merchant or third-party provider to collect. For
instances, in some embodiments the global positioning data will be
snapshots of the user's location at different times. For example, a
snapshot of the user's location will be collected each time the GPS
software, navigation system or application is activated. In such
embodiments, the global positioning data may only provide
historical information regarding the customer's location (e.g. at
9:30 a.m. the customer activated the GPS software and was at
location X). Such historical positioning data may be used to
estimate the customer's current position, such as determining a
range of distances the customer may have traveled in the
intervening time. Alternatively, the global positioning data may be
combined with other positioning data to locate the customer's
current position. In other instances, the global positioning data
may dynamically provide information regarding the customer's
current location as the customer moves from location to location.
In such instances, additional positioning data may not be necessary
to project the route of the customer or can be used to confirm the
customer is traveling along the suggested route.
[0063] As shown in block 420 of FIG. 4, positioning data of the
customer may include mobile device data. Mobile device data may
include information regarding the current location of the
customer's mobile device. Such a mobile device may include, but is
not limited to, a cellular telecommunications device (i.e., a cell
phone or mobile phone), personal digital assistant (PDA),
smartphone, a mobile Internet accessing device, or other mobile
device including, but not limited to portable digital assistants
(PDAs), pagers, gaming devices, laptop computers, tablet computers,
and any combination of the aforementioned, or the like. For
instance, the current location of a mobile phone may be dynamically
determined from the cell phone signal and cell towers being
accessed by the mobile phone. In other instances, a mobile device
may include software or hardware to locate the position of the
mobile device from GPS signals, wireless network locations, and the
like. Furthermore, mobile device data may be the time and location
of calls placed using the telephone functionality of a mobile
device. By way of example, if a customer purchases a cup of coffee
at a local coffee house, and thereby triggers an indication of a
point-of-sale transaction, a merchant may be able to locate the
customer if the customer logs onto a wireless network at the coffee
house (for instance by locating the IP address associated with the
wireless network). In yet other embodiments, the mobile device data
may be data collected and analyzed by the hardware and/or software
of the mobile device concerning the surrounding environment. In
such embodiments, hardware, such as a video capture device, camera
or the like and software that is stored in the memory of a mobile
device captures a video stream of the environment surrounding the
mobile device and through object recognition, compass direction,
the location of the mobile device, and other such data identifies
information about the objects identified in the surrounding
environment and/or the environment itself. For example, in use, a
user may use the camera built into her smartphone to collect a
real-time video stream that includes images of the facade of a
store front and the surrounding area. This image may include the
store's name from a marquee, a street address (collected from an
image of the numbers on the building and of street signs in the
video image) and the direction the smartphone is facing (from a
compass in the mobile device). Such information may be sufficient
to locate the user's position.
[0064] Referring now to block 430, the positioning data of the
customer may also be collected from social network data. It will
also be understood that "social network" as used herein, generally
refers to any social structure made up of individuals (or
organizations) which are connected by one or more specific types of
interdependency, such as kinship, friendship, common interest,
financial exchange, working relationship, dislike, relationships,
beliefs, knowledge, prestige, geographic proximity etc. The social
network may be a web-based social structure or a non-web-based
social structure. In some embodiments, the social network may be
inferred from financial transaction behavior, mobile device
behaviors, etc. The social network may be a network unique to the
invention or may incorporate already-existing social networks such
as Facebook.RTM., Twitter.RTM., FourSquare.RTM., Linkedin.RTM.,
YouTube.RTM. as well as any one or more existing web logs or
"blogs, " forums and other social spaces. Social network data may
indicate the customer's recent, present or future location through
expressed data. For instance, a user may upload a blog post,
comment on a connection's page, send a friend an electronic message
etc. that identifies the customer's location (e.g. micro-blog entry
"Just enjoyed lunch at a new restaurant on 5.sup.th street . . .
check it out."). Moreover, many already-existing social networks
provide users with the ability to "check-in", "flag" or otherwise
indicate the user's current location. Accordingly, customer
positioning data collected from social networking data may consist
of such indications. Furthermore, many social networks allow users
to rate, like, comment etc. on restaurants, attractions, locations
and the like. Accordingly, a customer may indicate that he ate at a
certain restaurant or business at a given time and thereby provide
information about his location at that time. Furthermore, a
customer may upload photographs to a social networking site and
thereby provide information about the customer's location. In some
instances the customer's location may be determined from the
picture, (for example a picture of a state line sign, a highway
sign, a mile marker etc.) or a caption associated with the picture
may indicate the customer's location and/or the time the photo was
taken. As with the global positioning data, if the social network
data only includes historical location data, the social network
data may be used to estimate the customer's location or be combined
with other positioning data to locate the customer.
[0065] As shown in block 440, the positioning data of the customer
may also be collected from Internet data. Internet data, may
include any information relating to the searches conducted by the
customer, website's visited by the customer and the like that
suggests the customer's present or future location(s). For
instance, a customer may review an online menu for a restaurant
prior to visiting the restaurant. Similarly, a customer may search
for current sales being offered prior to visiting a store. A
customer may also search for construction or traffic reports
indicating planned travel along certain roads. It will be
understood that such Internet data may relate to searches or
websites visited by the customer before the indication of the POS
transaction (e.g. while the customer is still at home or work),
however, inasmuch as many mobile devices also include mobile
Internet connectivity, it will also be understood that such
information may be dynamically collected as the customer moves from
location to location.
[0066] In various embodiments, the notification and/or alerting
functionality of the systems described include one or more of
e-mailing, SMS messaging, vibratory, audible or visual alerting via
the wearable device, and/or the like.
[0067] In some embodiments, the wearable device application may
provide additional functionality such as enabling a ride sharing
mechanism whereby people nearby to one another may be able to share
taxi or other rides.
[0068] In various embodiments, the wearable device may provide
ongoing benefits to the wearer such as providing various
user-specific benefits like enabling modification of volume
controls on one or more connected devices, such as volume controls
for a connected smartphone, television, intercom or the like. In
addition, the wearable device may be enabled to unlock specified
doors, windows, gateways, or the like when the user is in close
proximity to the doors or other locks. In some cases, such
unlocking or other functionality may be predicated on the user
having been authenticated.
[0069] In various embodiments, the wearable device may confirm the
identity of the wearer such as by biometric authentication of the
user.
[0070] In various embodiments, the wearable device may track one or
more parameters associated with the user, such as the number of
steps the user takes. In some cases, the wearable device is
configured to generate one or more reports, generally delivered to
another system electronically. The reports may relate information
providing a summary of what the wearer has done in a specified time
period, such as a day or week. For example, the wearable device may
track that the user has consistently increased her steps per day
and may generate a report that is transmitted to the wearer's
caregiver.
CONCLUSION
[0071] In some embodiments of the invention one or more of the
systems described herein may be combined with each other, or
otherwise perform the functions of the other systems described
herein. In other embodiments of the invention one or more of the
applications described herein may be combined with each other, or
otherwise perform the functions of the other applications described
herein. Furthermore, the applications may be any type of
application, such as an application stored on a desktop, server, or
other device, a mobile application stored on a mobile device, a
cloud application, or other like application. As such, the
applications described herein, or portions of the applications
described herein may be stored and operated on any of the systems
or devices described herein. For example, a portion of one or more
applications may be stored on the user device, or may be included
as a portion of financial institution applications, such as an
online banking application, in order to achieve embodiments of the
inventions described herein.
[0072] It should be understood, that the systems and devices
described in FIG. 1, or other devices not specifically described
herein, may be configured to establish a communication link with
each other in order to accomplish the steps of the processes
described herein. The link may be an internal link within the same
entity (e.g., within the same financial institution or device
provider) or a link with the other systems of entities (e.g.,
social networking systems, third-party systems, or the like). In
some embodiments, the systems may be configured for monitoring the
applications and devices that the system(s) utilize as data
sources. The information received from monitoring may be provided
via wireless network path portions through the Internet. When the
systems or devices are not monitoring a source or are not being
monitoring, the information need not be transmitted from the source
through the Internet to the destination, although it could be. The
sources of information may be made continuously available, however,
continuously available does not necessarily mean that the sources
actually continuously generates data, but that a source is
continuously available to generate and send data real-time (e.g.,
instantaneously and/or within a few seconds, or the like) of
receiving a request for it. In any case, the sources may be
continuously available to receive and/or generate information, in
some cases in digitized data in Internet Protocol (IP) packet
format. In response to continuously monitoring the real-time data
feeds from the various systems or devices, the system may be
configured to provide target information to the user and/or allow
the user to make changes to or control the applications and/or
devices.
[0073] Moreover, it should be understood that the process flows
described herein include transforming the information sent and/or
received from the applications of the different systems (e.g.,
internally or externally) and/or the devices from one or more data
formats into a data format associated with an application for
display to the user on the user device. There are many ways in
which information is converted within the system environment. This
may be seamless, as in the case of upgrading to a newer version of
a computer program. Alternatively, the conversion may require
processing by the use of a special conversion program, or it may
involve a complex process of going through intermediary stages, or
involving complex "exporting" and "importing" procedures, which may
converting to and from a tab-delimited or comma-separated text
file. In some cases, a program may recognize several data file
formats at the data input stage and then is also capable of storing
the output data in a number of different formats. Such a program
may be used to convert a file format. If the source format or
target format is not recognized, then at times a third program may
be available which permits the conversion to an intermediate
format, which can then be reformatted.
[0074] As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the
present invention may be embodied as a method (including, for
example, a computer-implemented process, a business process, and/or
any other process), apparatus (including, for example, a system,
machine, device, computer program product, and/or the like), or a
combination of the foregoing. Accordingly, embodiments of the
present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.), or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may generally be referred to
herein as a "system." Furthermore, embodiments of the present
invention may take the form of a computer program product on a
computer-readable medium having computer-executable program code
embodied in the medium.
[0075] Any suitable transitory or non-transitory computer readable
medium may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be, for
example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical,
electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or
device. More specific examples of the computer readable medium
include, but are not limited to, the following: an electrical
connection having one or more wires; a tangible storage medium such
as a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access
memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable
read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM), or other optical or magnetic storage device.
[0076] In the context of this document, a computer readable medium
may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or
transport the program for use by or in connection with the
instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer
usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate
medium, including but not limited to the Internet, wireline,
optical fiber cable, radio frequency (RF) signals, or other
mediums.
[0077] Computer-executable program code for carrying out operations
of embodiments of the present invention may be written in an object
oriented, scripted or unscripted programming language such as Java,
Perl, Smalltalk, C++, or the like. However, the computer program
code for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present
invention may also be written in conventional procedural
programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or
similar programming languages.
[0078] Embodiments of the present invention are described above
with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of
methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products. It
will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations
and/or block diagrams, and/or combinations of blocks in the
flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented
by computer-executable program code portions. These
computer-executable program code portions may be provided to a
processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,
or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a
particular machine, such that the code portions, which execute via
the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create mechanisms for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or
blocks.
[0079] These computer-executable program code portions may also be
stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or
other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a
particular manner, such that the code portions stored in the
computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture
including instruction mechanisms which implement the function/act
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block(s).
[0080] The computer-executable program code may also be loaded onto
a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause
a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or
other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented
process such that the code portions which execute on the computer
or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the
functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram
block(s). Alternatively, computer program implemented steps or acts
may be combined with operator or human implemented steps or acts in
order to carry out an embodiment of the invention.
[0081] As the phrase is used herein, a processor may be "configured
to" perform a certain function in a variety of ways, including, for
example, by having one or more general-purpose circuits perform the
function by executing particular computer-executable program code
embodied in computer-readable medium, and/or by having one or more
application-specific circuits perform the function.
[0082] Embodiments of the present invention are described above
with reference to flowcharts and/or block diagrams. It will be
understood that steps of the processes described herein may be
performed in orders different than those illustrated in the
flowcharts. In other words, the processes represented by the blocks
of a flowchart may, in some embodiments, be in performed in an
order other that the order illustrated, may be combined or divided,
or may be performed simultaneously. It will also be understood that
the blocks of the block diagrams illustrated, in some embodiments,
merely conceptual delineations between systems and one or more of
the systems illustrated by a block in the block diagrams may be
combined or share hardware and/or software with another one or more
of the systems illustrated by a block in the block diagrams.
Likewise, a device, system, apparatus, and/or the like may be made
up of one or more devices, systems, apparatuses, and/or the like.
For example, where a processor is illustrated or described herein,
the processor may be made up of a plurality of microprocessors or
other processing devices which may or may not be coupled to one
another. Likewise, where a memory is illustrated or described
herein, the memory may be made up of a plurality of memory devices
which may or may not be coupled to one another.
[0083] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and
shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
such embodiments are merely illustrative of, and not restrictive
on, the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to
the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described,
since various other changes, combinations, omissions, modifications
and substitutions, in addition to those set forth in the above
paragraphs, are possible. Those skilled in the art will appreciate
that various adaptations and modifications of the just described
embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that,
within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced other than as specifically described herein.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0084] To supplement the present disclosure, this application
further incorporates entirely by reference the following commonly
assigned patent applications:
TABLE-US-00001 U.S. Patent Application Docket Number Ser. No. Title
Filed On 7299US1.014033.2856 To be assigned SYSTEM FOR TRIGGERING
OF Concurrently LIVING OPTION RESOURCE herewith ALLOCATION
7300US1.014033.2849 To be assigned GEOGRAPHIC SELECTION
Concurrently SYSTEM BASED ON RESOURCE herewith ALLOCATION AND
DISTRIBUTION 7301US1.014033.2857 To be assigned SYSTEM FOR A
GEOGRAPHIC Concurrently LOCATION BASED SHARING herewith REQUEST
NETWORK 7303US1.014033.2859 To be assigned SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT FOR
Concurrently USER-SPECIFIC PROGRAM herewith AGGREGATION AND NON-
COLLOCATED THIRD PARTY SYSTEM EXTRACTION AND DEPLOYMENT
* * * * *