U.S. patent application number 17/120029 was filed with the patent office on 2021-06-10 for mobile number credit prescreen.
This patent application is currently assigned to Comenity LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Comenity LLC. Invention is credited to Adam KOLTNOW, James WALZ.
Application Number | 20210174437 17/120029 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005413290 |
Filed Date | 2021-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210174437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KOLTNOW; Adam ; et
al. |
June 10, 2021 |
MOBILE NUMBER CREDIT PRESCREEN
Abstract
A method for mobile number credit prescreen is disclosed. The
method obtains a phone number associated with a customer's mobile
device. The phone number is utilized to access a mobile carrier
service and obtain identifying information about the customer. A
credit reporting agency is accessed and the identifying information
about the customer is used to perform a credit prescreen. In
addition, when the customer passes the credit prescreen, the
identifying information about the customer and a result of the
credit prescreen are used to pre-fill a credit application form.
The pre-filled credit application form in conjunction with a
pre-approved credit offer is then provided to the customer.
Inventors: |
KOLTNOW; Adam; (Worthington,
OH) ; WALZ; James; (Blacklick, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Comenity LLC |
Columbus |
OH |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Comenity LLC
Columbus
OH
|
Family ID: |
1000005413290 |
Appl. No.: |
17/120029 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15051526 |
Feb 23, 2016 |
10929924 |
|
|
17120029 |
|
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|
62209806 |
Aug 25, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/025 20130101;
H04W 4/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 40/02 20060101
G06Q040/02; H04W 4/14 20060101 H04W004/14 |
Claims
1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having
instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer
system to perform a method for mobile number credit prescreen, the
method comprising: obtaining a phone number associated with a
customer's mobile device; utilizing the phone number to access a
mobile carrier service and obtain identifying information about the
customer; accessing a credit reporting agency and using the
identifying information about the customer to perform a credit
prescreen; utilizing the identifying information about the customer
and a result of the credit prescreen to pre-fill a credit
application form when the customer passes the credit prescreen; and
providing, to the customer, the pre-filled credit application form
in conjunction with a pre-approved credit offer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS (PROVISIONAL)
[0001] This application is a continuation and claims priority to
and the benefit of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
15/051,526, filed on Feb. 23, 2016, entitled "MOBILE NUMBER CREDIT
PRESCREEN" by Adam Koltnow et al, having Attorney Docket No.
ADS-125, and assigned to the assignee of the present application,
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/051,526 claims priority
to and the benefit of then co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/209,806 filed on Aug. 25, 2015, entitled "MOBILE
NUMBER CREDIT PRESCREEN" by Adam Koltnow et al., and assigned to
the assignee of the present application, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Company specific, brand specific or even card network or
bank specific credit cards provide significant value to both
consumer and provider. By issuing a brand specific credit card, the
provider is able to provide a consumer with an increase in spending
power, tailored rewards and/or offers, loyalty discounts, and the
like while maintaining consumer brand loyalty. Similarly, the
consumer receives the perks from the increased spending power,
reward offers, loyalty discounts and the like. Additionally, the
more convenient the service, the more likely the consumer will
provide company specific recommendations via word of mouth, social
networks, internet rating sites, and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
form a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments
and, together with the Description of Embodiments, serve to explain
principles discussed below. The drawings referred to in this brief
description should not be understood as being drawn to scale unless
specifically noted.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile number credit
prescreening system, in accordance with an embodiment.
[0006] FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram for a method for mobile number
credit prescreen, in accordance with an embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example computer system with
which or upon which various embodiments of the present invention
may be implemented.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0008] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
subject matter, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. While the subject matter discussed herein
will be described in conjunction with various embodiments, it will
be understood that they are not intended to limit the subject
matter to these embodiments. On the contrary, the presented
embodiments are intended to cover alternatives, modifications and
equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of
the various embodiments as defined by the appended claims.
Furthermore, in the Description of Embodiments, numerous specific
details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding
of embodiments of the present subject matter. However, embodiments
may be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits
have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure
aspects of the described embodiments.
Notation and Nomenclature
[0009] Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the
following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the
present Description of Embodiments, discussions utilizing terms
such as "selecting", "outputting", "inputting", "providing",
"receiving", "utilizing", "obtaining", "updating", "accessing",
"changing", "correlating", "prescreening", "developing",
"presenting" or the like, often refer to the actions and processes
of an electronic computing device/system, such as a desktop
computer, notebook computer, tablet, mobile phone, and electronic
personal display, among others. The electronic computing
device/system manipulates and transforms data represented as
physical (electronic) quantities within the circuits, electronic
registers, memories, logic, and/or components and the like of the
electronic computing device/system into other data similarly
represented as physical quantities within the electronic computing
device/system or other electronic computing devices/systems.
Overview
[0010] Mobile number credit prescreen is discussed herein. One
embodiment obtains a phone number associated with a customer's
mobile device. The phone number is utilized to access a mobile
carrier service and obtain identifying information about the
customer. A credit reporting agency is accessed and the identifying
information about the customer is used to perform a credit
prescreen. In addition, when the customer passes the credit
prescreen, the identifying information about the customer and a
result of the credit prescreen are used to pre-fill a credit
application form. The pre-filled credit application form in
conjunction with a pre-approved credit offer is then provided to
the customer for acceptance.
[0011] In one embodiment, the pre-filled credit application form
and the pre-approved credit offer are provided to the customer via
the customer's mobile device. In one embodiment, by providing the
offer to the user's mobile device, the interaction and offer are
moved away from the register.
[0012] In the following discussion, the term "prescreen" is
utilized. In general, prescreen refers to a credit prescreen for a
customer. That is, a screening of a customer based on some sort of
identification information that allows a likely credit
determination to be performed via a credit reporting agency. For
example, if Tom is pre-screened, identifying information would be
obtained, such as, his name and address. The name and address would
be used to perform a quick check of at least a portion of Tom's
credit history at one of a number of possible credit reporting
agencies.
[0013] It should be appreciated that the obtaining or accessing of
user information conforms to applicable privacy laws (e.g., federal
privacy laws, state privacy laws, etc.). In one embodiment, prior
to accessing user information, the user affirmatively "opts-in" to
the services described herein. For example, during the use of a
store's mobile application, the user is prompted with a choice to
affirmatively "opt-in" to various services, such as accessing at
least the user's mobile device number. As a result, the mobile
number information is obtained with the user's prior
permission.
[0014] Thus, depending on present or future credit prescreening
requirements, rules and regulations, the credit prescreen described
herein may be more or less formal. For example, if the legislation
or regulation requires a customer be informed, or provide
authorization, before a review of the customer's credit score is
authorized, the credit prescreen described herein would be limited
to only overt credit score checks. That is, the customer would
authorize the mobile number credit prescreen system to contact the
credit reporting agency.
Operation
[0015] Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a mobile number
credit prescreen system 100 shown in accordance with an embodiment.
In an embodiment, mobile number credit prescreen system 100 obtains
a number from a mobile device 101 and determines if the mobile
device 101 owner should receive an offer 140. In one embodiment,
mobile number credit prescreen system 100 includes mobile device
number obtainer 105, mobile carrier determiner 106, credit
prescreen module 110, and credit application pre-fill module 120.
Although a number of applications and components are shown in
mobile number credit prescreen system 100, it should be appreciated
that the components and applications may be located separately from
one another. For example, one or more of the components and
applications may be found on one or more locations, such as, but
not limited to a computer in the retail store, a server at a remote
location, on the cloud 111, and even on mobile device 101.
[0016] In general, mobile device number obtainer 105 is used to
obtain a phone number of a customer's mobile device. Mobile device
number obtainer 105 may act surreptitiously or overtly in obtaining
the mobile device 101 phone number. For example, mobile device
number obtainer 105 may obtains the phone number of the customer's
mobile device from a text message sent from the customer's mobile
device 101 to a retailer's website. In another example, the phone
number of the customer's mobile device from a credit prescreen
request openly provided to the customer via the mobile device 101.
In another embodiment, the phone number may be obtained by having
an application on the mobile device broadcast the phone number to
an in-store beacon, wirelessly to a store website, or the like.
[0017] In one embodiment, mobile carrier determiner 106 is an
application that has a hook into a carrier service such that the
mobile carrier determiner 106 can provide a phone number to a
mobile carrier service 107 to determine customer identification
information, such as a customer's name and present home address.
For example, mobile device number obtainer 105 will provide the
customer's mobile device 101 number to mobile carrier determiner
106. Mobile carrier determiner 106 will access mobile carrier
service 107 via cloud 111 to retrieve the customer name and address
associated with the mobile device 101 phone number. An example of
cloud 111 is a network such as the Internet, local area network
(LAN), wide area network (WAN), or the like.
[0018] For example, in one embodiment, mobile carrier determiner
106 will use a matching service for porting the phone number to the
mobile carrier service 107 to obtain the identifying information
about the customer. The matching service could be, but is not
limited to, payphone, automatic number identification automatic
location identification (ANIALI) and the like, which would access
one or more of the mobile device carrier databases and provide the
customer information. In one embodiment, there may be a charge to
use the matching service such as a per-use charge, a monthly access
fee, or the like.
[0019] In one embodiment, mobile carrier determiner 106 provides
the customer identification information to customer credit
prescreen module 110. Customer credit prescreen module 110 accesses
a credit reporting agency 115 via cloud 111 to determine credit
information for the customer based on the identification
information. An example of cloud 111 is a network such as described
herein. The credit reporting agency 115 may be a company such as,
but not limited to, Experian, Equifax, TransUnion, Innovis and the
like.
[0020] Customer credit prescreen module 110 will analyze the
customer credit information provided by credit reporting agency 115
to determine if the customer passes a prescreen credit criteria. In
one embodiment, customer credit prescreen module 110 will also
receive a minimum amount. In general, minimum amount refers to a
minimum credit limit for the customer to prequalify. For example,
the minimum amount may be 5,000.00 USD. In the case where customer
credit prescreen module 110 receives a minimum amount, customer
credit prescreen module 110 will utilize the customer credit
information provided by credit reporting agency 115 in conjunction
with the minimum amount requirement to determine if the customer is
reasonably likely to receive an acceptable credit line if approved
upon application for credit.
[0021] Customer credit prescreen module 110 provides the customer
credit information provided by the credit reporting agency 115 to
credit application pre-fill module 120. Credit application pre-fill
module 120 utilizes the customer identification information and the
customer credit information provided by the credit reporting agency
115 to determine if the customer qualifies. In one embodiment, if
the customer does not pass the credit qualification prescreen, no
suggestion to apply for credit will be provided to the
customer.
[0022] However, if the customer does pass the credit prescreen,
credit application pre-fill module 120 will pre-fill a credit
application form and provide the pre-filled credit application form
in conjunction with a pre-approved credit offer to the customer's
mobile device. In one embodiment, credit application pre-fill
module 120 will include a security feature in the form and offer
140. For example, the pre-approved credit offer includes a security
option such that the offer is not accessible on the customer's
mobile device until the customer has correctly answered a security
question. The security question may be, but is not limited to, the
customer's social security number (or portion thereof), birthday,
middle name, child's name, anniversary, high school mascot, or the
like.
[0023] FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram 200 for a method for mobile
number credit prescreen, in accordance with an embodiment. By
prescreening the customer and providing an offer to apply for store
credit only to a prequalified customer, the concern of embarrassing
the customer due to denial of credit is reduced. Moreover, by
providing the offer to the customer on the customer's mobile device
101, the store can move the interaction and offer away from the
register area.
[0024] With reference now to 210 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1, one
embodiment obtains a mobile phone number associated with a
customer's mobile device 101. Examples of a mobile device 101
include, but are not limited to, a mobile phone, tablet, smart
glasses, smart watch, and other user portable devices having
wireless connectivity. In one embodiment, the phone number may be
obtained surreptitiously or may be openly requested by an
application that is operable on the customer's mobile device 101.
For example, obtaining the customer phone number from a credit
prescreen request openly provided to the customer.
[0025] In another embodiment, the phone number may be obtained by
having an application on the mobile device broadcast the phone
number to an in-store beacon. In yet another embodiment, the phone
number of the customer may be obtained from a solicitation on a
poster, a text message sent to a retailer's website, a scanned
code, or the like. In another embodiment, mobile device number
obtainer 105 utilizes a customer's specific providing of their
mobile phone number for the mobile device 101.
[0026] For example, during the shopping process the associate asks
the customer's mobile number to sign the customer up to a loyalty
program with an instant 10% off of any purchases made that day. The
customer provides the associate with the mobile device number. The
phone number is then entered into the mobile number credit
prescreen system 100, such as by the associate via a mobile device
or the like. Mobile number credit prescreen system 100 will then
commence prescreening the customer to determine if the customer
meets the criteria for store credit.
[0027] In general, the information may be provided via wireless
connectivity such as 3G, 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and the like. In one
embodiment, the customer may use the mobile device to scan a
barcode on a poster, or the like. For example, the barcode scan
will direct the customer's mobile device to an application download
option, where a customer can download an application consisting of
one or more components of the mobile number credit prescreen system
100 without applying for any type of store credit card.
[0028] Referring now to 220 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1, one embodiment
utilizes the phone number to access a mobile carrier service 107
and obtain identifying information about the customer. For example,
in one embodiment mobile carrier determination application 106 has
a hook into the carrier service used by the customer's mobile
device. The mobile carrier determiner 106 will utilize the phone
number when accessing the mobile carrier service to determine
customer identification information stored at the mobile carrier
service 107. For example, by using a matching service to port the
phone number to the mobile carrier to obtain the identifying
information about the customer.
[0029] In one embodiment, customer identification information
includes a customer's name and current address. However, in another
embodiment, customer identification information includes enough
information to enable a credit prescreening. For example, customer
identification information may be one or more of a name and
address, driver's license number, social security number, or other
unique customer identifier.
[0030] Referring now to 230 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1, one embodiment
accesses a credit reporting agency and using the identifying
information about the customer to perform a credit prescreen. For
example, the identification information obtained by mobile carrier
determination application is passed to credit prescreen module 110
where the identification information is used by credit prescreen
module 110 to access credit reporting agency 115 via cloud 111 and
determine if the customer qualifies for store credit.
[0031] With reference now to 240 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1, in one
embodiment when the customer passes the credit prescreen, credit
application pre-fill module 120 utilizes the identifying
information about the customer and a result of the credit prescreen
to pre-fill a credit application form.
[0032] Referring now to 250 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1, one embodiment
provides, to the customer, the pre-filled credit application form
in conjunction with a pre-approved credit offer. In one embodiment,
the form and offer 140 may be presented to the customer via the
customer's mobile device 101. For example, the form and offer 140
may be provided via a text message, email or the like to the
customer's mobile device 101. In one embodiment, to ensure
confidentiality the customer is asked a security question and the
form and offer will not be accessible to the customer until the
security question is properly answered.
[0033] In another embodiment, no pre-approved credit offer is
provided to the customer when the customer fails to pass the credit
prescreen. In other words, unsuccessful results would not be sent
to the customer's mobile device 101. Thereby the possibility for an
uncomfortable exchange with a customer wherein the customer is
asked to apply for a store credit card and then informed that they
did not qualify.
Example Computer System Environment
[0034] With reference now to FIG. 3, portions of the technology for
providing a communication composed of computer-readable and
computer-executable instructions that reside, for example, in
non-transitory computer-usable storage media of a computer system.
That is, FIG. 3 illustrates one example of a type of computer that
can be used to implement embodiments of the present technology.
FIG. 3 represents a system or components that may be used in
conjunction with aspects of the present technology. In one
embodiment, some or all of the components described herein may be
combined with some or all of the components of FIG. 3 to practice
the present technology.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates an example computer system 300 used in
accordance with embodiments of the present technology. It is
appreciated that system 300 of FIG. 3 is an example only and that
the present technology can operate on or within a number of
different computer systems including general purpose networked
computer systems, embedded computer systems, routers, switches,
server devices, user devices, various intermediate
devices/artifacts, stand-alone computer systems, mobile phones,
personal data assistants, televisions and the like. As shown in
FIG. 3, computer system 300 of FIG. 3 is well adapted to having
peripheral computer readable media 302 such as, for example, a
floppy disk, a compact disc, a flash drive, and the like coupled
thereto.
[0036] Computer system 300 of FIG. 3 includes an
address/data/control bus 304 for communicating information, and a
processor 306A coupled to bus 304 for processing information and
instructions. As depicted in FIG. 3, system 300 is also well suited
to a multi-processor environment in which a plurality of processors
306A, 306B, and 306C are present. Conversely, system 300 is also
well suited to having a single processor such as, for example,
processor 306A. Processors 306A, 306B, and 306C may be any of
various types of microprocessors. Computer system 300 also includes
data storage features such as a computer usable volatile memory
308, e.g., random access memory (RAM), coupled to bus 304 for
storing information and instructions for processors 306A, 306B, and
306C.
[0037] System 300 also includes computer usable non-volatile memory
310, e.g., read only memory (ROM), coupled to bus 304 for storing
static information and instructions for processors 306A, 306B, and
306C. Also present in system 300 is a data storage unit 312 (e.g.,
a magnetic disk drive, optical disk drive, solid state drive (SSD),
and the like) coupled to bus 304 for storing information and
instructions. Computer system 300 also includes an optional
alpha-numeric input device 314 including alphanumeric and function
keys coupled to bus 304 for communicating information and command
selections to processor 306A or processors 306A, 306B, and 306C.
Computer system 300 also includes an optional cursor control device
316 coupled to bus 304 for communicating user input information and
command selections to processor 306A or processors 306A, 306B, and
306C. Optional cursor control device may be a touch sensor, gesture
recognition device, and the like. Computer system 300 of the
present embodiment also includes an optional display device 318
coupled to bus 304 for displaying information.
[0038] Referring still to FIG. 3, optional display device 318 of
FIG. 3 may be a liquid crystal device, cathode ray tube, OLED,
plasma display device or other display device suitable for creating
graphic images and alpha-numeric characters recognizable to a user.
Optional cursor control device 316 allows the computer user to
dynamically signal the movement of a visible symbol (cursor) on a
display screen of display device 318. Many implementations of
cursor control device 316 are known in the art including a
trackball, mouse, touch pad, joystick, non-contact input, gesture
recognition, voice commands, bio recognition, and the like. In
addition, special keys on alpha-numeric input device 314 capable of
signaling movement of a given direction or manner of displacement.
Alternatively, it will be appreciated that a cursor can be directed
and/or activated via input from alpha-numeric input device 314
using special keys and key sequence commands.
[0039] System 300 is also well suited to having a cursor directed
by other means such as, for example, voice commands. Computer
system 300 also includes an I/O device 320 for coupling system 300
with external entities. For example, in one embodiment, I/O device
320 is a modem for enabling wired or wireless communications
between system 300 and an external network such as, but not limited
to, the Internet or intranet. A more detailed discussion of the
present technology is found below.
[0040] Referring still to FIG. 3, various other components are
depicted for system 300. Specifically, when present, an operating
system 322, applications 324, modules 326, and data 328 are shown
as typically residing in one or some combination of computer usable
volatile memory 308, e.g. random access memory (RAM), and data
storage unit 312. However, it is appreciated that in some
embodiments, operating system 322 may be stored in other locations
such as on a network or on a flash drive; and that further,
operating system 322 may be accessed from a remote location via,
for example, a coupling to the internet. In one embodiment, the
present technology, for example, is stored as an application 324 or
module 326 in memory locations within RAM 308 and memory areas
within data storage unit 312. The present technology may be applied
to one or more elements of described system 300.
[0041] System 300 also includes one or more signal generating and
receiving device(s) 330 coupled with bus 304 for enabling system
300 to interface with other electronic devices and computer
systems. Signal generating and receiving device(s) 330 of the
present embodiment may include wired serial adaptors, modems, and
network adaptors, wireless modems, and wireless network adaptors,
and other such communication technology. The signal generating and
receiving device(s) 330 may work in conjunction with one or more
communication interface(s) 332 for coupling information to and/or
from system 300. Communication interface 332 may include a serial
port, parallel port, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet port,
Bluetooth, thunderbolt, near field communications port, WiFi,
Cellular modem, or other input/output interface. Communication
interface 332 may physically, electrically, optically, or
wirelessly (e.g., via radio frequency) couple system 300 with
another device, such as a mobile phone, radio, or computer
system.
[0042] The computing system 300 is only one example of a suitable
computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation
as to the scope of use or functionality of the present technology.
Neither should the computing environment be interpreted as having
any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of
components illustrated in the example computing system 300.
[0043] The present technology may be described in the general
context of computer-executable instructions, such as program
modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules
include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures,
etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular
abstract data types. The present technology may also be practiced
in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by
remote processing devices that are linked through a communications
network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules
may be located in both local and remote computer-storage media
including memory-storage devices.
[0044] The foregoing Description of Embodiments is not intended to
be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form
described. Instead, example embodiments in this Description of
Embodiments have been presented in order to enable persons of skill
in the art to make and use embodiments of the described subject
matter. Moreover, various embodiments have been described in
various combinations. However, any two or more embodiments may be
combined. Although some embodiments have been described in a
language specific to structural features and/or methodological
acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the
appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features
or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts
described above are disclosed by way of illustration and as example
forms of implementing the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *