RESOURCE TRACKING AND UTILIZATION SYSTEM

Systems, computer program products, and methods are described herein for resource tracking and utilization. The present invention is configured to extract resource information related to a user from an entity server, extract resource information related to a plurality of users from the entity server, display the information associated with an event to the user, wherein the displayed information is based on the retrieved resource information related to the plurality of users and perform a series of steps based on the information associated with the event.

BACKGROUND

Users of an entity often make life changes and experience life events making it difficult to manage available resources. Improper utilization of resources may result in instability and inefficacy. There is a need for a system to track, manage, and utilize the resources to help the users of an entity through the transition.

SUMMARY

In general terms, embodiments of the present invention address the above needs and/or achieve other advantages by providing apparatuses (e.g., a system, computer program product and/or other devices) and methods for resource tracking, management and utilization. The present invention gathers information about the user and determines other users similarly situated to the user. The system accesses information about those user' spending and saving habits and how those users are tracking their goals and provides information to the user. The system may recognize (i.e., make an educated guess, use confidence scoring) that the user is making a life change based on information available to the system (and in some cases confirm that with the user or simply ask the user to input what life changes are coming) and then provide information to the user about other users who have gone through similar life changes. The bank can ask a customer what the purpose of their account is and use that information as input to this system. System provides a customer a holistic view of their entire financial life and provides vision into what the customer's life would look like if the customer did different things. For example, the model may look at another user's (or multiple users) similarly situated to the user and who went through similar situation(s) with different results. The system can present those different results to the user and let the user know what actions led to the end results. Embodiments of the invention are directed to an apparatus comprising a web-based communication interface, a memory device storing an application and a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device wherein the processing device is configured to execute computer-readable program code to extract from an entity server, profile information and resource information related to a user associated with an entity, wherein the information is extracted with authorization from the user; predict the occurrence of an event based on the extracted information related to the user; retrieve from a customized database table in the entity server, resource information related to a plurality of users associated with the entity matching profile information of the user, wherein the information is extracted with authorization from the plurality of users, wherein the identity of the plurality of users is anonymized by deliberate non-query of identity information from the customized database table; identify a one or more course of actions for managing resources to handle the event based on the resource information retrieved related to the plurality of users; display, via a graphical user interface, information associated with the event based on the retrieved resource information related to the user, wherein the information associated with the event is type of the event; determine that the information displayed is applicable to the user and transmit a trigger to the entity server; and in response to receiving the trigger based on determining that the information displayed is applicable to the user, display the identified one or more course of actions; prompt, via the computer processing device, the user to select a course of action from the one or more course of actions provided, wherein prompting the user comprises causing the device associated with the user to display a graphical user interface that is configured to receive the course of action from the user.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving the course of action from the user, initiating the course of action by performing a series of steps associated with the course of action.

In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to execute computer-readable program code to display the outcome of the one or more course of actions.

In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to execute computer-readable program code to recognize that the user is making a life change based on the identified information related to the user; and provide information to the user about the plurality of users who have experienced the life change.

In some embodiments, confidence scoring is used to recognize that the user is making the life change.

In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to execute computer-readable program code to forecast a series of steps to be performed based on identifying that the user is making the life change.

In some embodiments, the entity retrieves information from the user by generating a questionnaire to identify a purpose of the account.

In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to execute computer-readable program code to provide a holistic view of the financial life of the user.

In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to execute computer-readable program code to identify a mortgage payment scenario, based on the extracted resource information related to the user; identify a group of the plurality of users, matching the profile of the user; identify the mortgage payment scenario faced by the plurality of users and a series of measures executed by the plurality of users to handle the mortgage payment scenario from the resource information related to the plurality of users; prompt to the user, via a graphical user interface the series of measures executed by the plurality of users to handle the mortgage payment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the terms “financial institution” or “financial entity” or “entity” may include any organization that processes financial transactions including, but not limited to, banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, investment companies, stock brokerages, asset management firms, insurance companies and the like. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention use the term “user” or “customer.” It will be appreciated by someone with ordinary skill in the art that the user or customer may be a customer of the financial institution or a potential customer of the financial institution.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, an “account” is the relationship that a customer has with an entity, such as a financial institution. Examples of accounts include a deposit account, such as a transactional account (e.g., a banking account), a savings account, an investment account, a money market account, a time deposit, a demand deposit, a pre-paid account, a credit account, a debit/deposit account, a non-monetary user profile that includes information associated with the user, or the like. The account is associated with and/or maintained by the entity.

As used herein, the term “resource” will generally refer to objects, products, goods, commodities, services, and the like, and/or the ability and opportunity to view, access and use the same. Some example implementations herein contemplate property held by a user, including property that is stored and/or maintained by a third party entity. In some example implementations, a resource may be associated with one or more accounts or may be property that is not associated with a specific account. Examples of resources associated with accounts may be accounts that have cash or cash equivalents, commodities, and/or accounts that are funded with or contain property, such as safety deposit boxes containing jewelry, art or other valuables, a trust account that is funded with property, or the like. Examples of resources that may not necessarily be associated with accounts may be particularized goods, such as distinct pieces of furniture, equipment, or other valuables, or the like. Similarly, “funds” or “available balance” refer to types of resources. For example, the term “fund” may be used to refer to one or more sets of monetary resources available to a user, and may also be referred to as an available balance, a collected balance, good funds, and usable funds.

Many of the example embodiments and implementations described herein contemplate interactions engaged in by a resource user with a computing device and/or one or more resource access communication devices and/or secondary communication devices. A “user”, as referenced herein, may refer to an entity or individual that has the ability and/or authorization to access and use one or more resources or portions of a resource. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “user computing device” or “mobile device” may refer to mobile phones, user's computing devices, tablet computers, wearable devices, smart devices and/or any portable electronic device capable of receiving and/or storing data therein.

A “user interface” is any device or software that allows a user to input information, such as commands or data, into a device, or that allows the device to output information to the user. For example, the user interface include a graphical user interface (GUI) or an interface to input computer-executable instructions that direct a processing device to carry out specific functions. The user interface typically employs certain input and output devices to input data received from a user second user or output data to a user. These input and output devices may include a display, mouse, keyboard, button, touchpad, touch screen, microphone, speaker, LED, light, joystick, switch, buzzer, bell, and/or other user input/output device for communicating with one or more users. An “entity” may be a financial institution, a third party provider, and the like. A “user device” is any device that is associated with the user of the entity. For example, user device may be a computing device, mobile device and the like.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, a method and a computer program product for extracting information about a user of a financial institution and predicts the occurrence of an event based on the extracted information. The system is configured to access information about the resources and retrieve information about the practices implemented by the plurality of users, anonymizing the identity of the plurality of users. In some embodiments, the system also identifies the major life events faced by a plurality of users, collects and stores the data related to the major life events. The system identifies the data related to the user already stored in the memory device associated with the life event, displays the retrieved information to the user, determines that the information displayed to the user is related to the information requested by the user and displays one or more course of actions that the user can choose to handle the life event and/or a life change. The system in response to receiving the course of action from the user, performs a series of steps to initiate the course of action. In some embodiments the system is further configured to predict the occurrence of a life event and/or a life change by using confidence scoring, notify the user about the life event and/or a life change and display one or more course of actions for managing resources based on the retrieved resource information related to a plurality of users. In some embodiments the system also provides the user a holistic view of their entire financial life and a vision into what user's life would look like if the user had taken a different course of action.

The system provides one or more course of actions for managing resources matching the profile of the user, improving the efficiency of the processor by eliminating the process of reallocation of resources. The system also identifies the major life events and/or life changes and stores the resource information related to the events and/or changes to reduce the processing time of compiling the one or more course of actions for managing resources after predicting the occurrence of an event.

FIG. 1presents an exemplary block diagram of the system environment100for implementing the process flows described herein in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As illustrated, the system environment100includes a user105, a plurality of users110and a network150. A user of the system may be an individual account holder, an agent of the account holder, a user of a financial institution, or any other entity capable of maintaining a financial account.

The environment100includes a plurality of user devices300,301,400, and401. The user devices300,301,400, and401may comprise any machine, apparatus, system or the like that may be connected to and communicate with other devices over network150. At least one of the devices may comprise a mobile device400for use by the user105. The mobile device400may be any portable device that employs a processor and memory and can perform computing functions, and that may be connected to or access network150. As used herein, the mobile device400may comprise any mobile communication device, such as a cellular telecommunications device (i.e., a cell phone or mobile phone), personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile Internet accessing device, or other mobile device. The mobile device400may be connected to a network150by wireless access such as wireless local area network (WLAN) such as Wi-Fi based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards, Bluetooth short-wavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz or other wireless access technology.

The computing device300of the user105may be any device that employs a processor and memory and can perform computing functions, such as a personal computer. The mobile device400or the user device of the user105can be any device that employs a processor and memory and may refer to mobile phones, user's computing devices, tablet computers, wearable devices, and/or any portable electronic device capable of receiving and/or storing data therein. The computing devices300, and301and mobile devices400, and401of user105and plurality of users110are configured to communicate over a network150with a financial system server200. The computing device, mobile device, and financial system server are described at a greater detail below with reference toFIGS. 2-4.

The network150may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and/or a global area network (GAN). The network150may provide for wireline, wireless, or a combination of wireline and wireless communication between devices in the network. In one embodiment, the network150includes the Internet.

In general, the computing device300is configured to connect with the network150to allow user105to access his/her online banking account with the financial system server200. The computing device300is also configured to connect with network150allow the user105to access the third party system such as an online domain. The financial system server200involves authentication of a user105in order to access the user's account in the financial system server200. For example, the financial system server200is a system where a user105logs into his/her account such that the user or other entity can access data that is associated with the user. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the financial system server200is an online banking system maintained by a financial institution. In such an embodiment, the user105can use the computing device300or mobile device400to log into the financial system server200to access user's online banking account. Logging into the financial system server200generally requires user105authenticate his/her identity using a user name, a passcode, a cookie, a biometric identifier, a private key, a token, and/or another authentication mechanism that is provided by the user105to the financial system server200via the computing device300or mobile device400. In some embodiments the authentication system may be a tiered system that may require different levels of authentication based on conditions such as, for example, previous activity of the user over the network150. For example, the tiered authentication system may have three levels of authentication—hard, medium and soft. Hard authentication may require that the user input a high level of authentication information such as a combination of password, user identification, answer to challenge questions, biometrics, random key number or the like. A hard authentication may be required when the user logs on from an unrecognized user device or where the user activity is not recognized by the system. A medium authentication level may require only a user identification and password. A medium level of authentication may be required where, for example, the user105has already logged-in to the mobile device400or computing device300using an authentication procedure for the device such as a thumbprint or password. A soft authentication may require only a user identification such as user name. A soft level of authentication may be used, for example, where the user105has already logged-in to the mobile device400or computing device300using an authentication procedure for the device such as a thumbprint or password and the user has performed activities on the user device300or400that are recognized as “normal” activity for that user and/or the user device300or400is in a recognized location for that user105. Thus, the level of authentication required for accessing the banking application, whether online, mobile or in person, may be adjusted based on conditions, activity, functions or information received about or from the user105.

The computing device301is configured to connect with the network150to allow plurality of users110to access his/her online banking account with the financial system server200. The computing device301is also configured to connect with network150allow the plurality of user110to access the third party system such as an online domain. The financial system server200involves authentication of a plurality of user110in order to access the account in the financial system server200. For example, the financial system server200is a system where a plurality of users110logs into his/her account such that the plurality of users110or other entity can access data that is associated with the plurality of users110. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the financial system server200is an online banking system maintained by a financial institution. In such an embodiment, the plurality of users110can use the computing device301or mobile device401to log into the financial system server200to access online banking account. Logging into the financial system server200generally requires plurality of users110authenticate his/her identity using a user name, a passcode, a cookie, a biometric identifier, a private key, a token, and/or another authentication mechanism that is provided by the plurality of users110to the financial system server200via the computing device301or mobile device401. In some embodiments the authentication system may be a tiered system that may require different levels of authentication based on conditions such as, for example, previous activity of the user over the network150. For example, the tiered authentication system may have three levels of authentication—hard, medium and soft. Hard authentication may require that the user input a high level of authentication information such as a combination of password, user identification, answer to challenge questions, biometrics, random key number or the like. A hard authentication may be required when the user logs on from an unrecognized user device or where the user activity is not recognized by the system. A medium authentication level may require only a user identification and password. A medium level of authentication may be required where, for example, the one of the plurality of users110has already logged-in to the mobile device401or computing device301using an authentication procedure for the device such as a thumbprint or password. A soft authentication may require only a user identification such as user name. A soft level of authentication may be used, for example, where the user has already logged-in to the mobile device401or computing device301using an authentication procedure for the device such as a thumbprint or password and the user has performed activities on the user device401or301that are recognized as “normal” activity for that user and/or the user device301or401is in a recognized location for that user. Thus, the level of authentication required for accessing the banking application, whether online, mobile or in person, may be adjusted based on conditions, activity, functions or information received about or from one of the plurality of users110.

The financial system server200extracts resource information about users of the financial institution. In some embodiments, the extracted information may be the financial activity and the profile of the user105and plurality of users110. For example, the profile of the user may include monthly income, profession, job industry, location, age group, and the like. In some embodiments, the system recognizes the common life events and/or life changes by the user105and the plurality of users110and extracts information about the measures taken by the users for managing resources to handle the events. The extracted information is sorted according to the profile of the users in the database of the financial system server200. The financial system server200is in network communication with the mobile devices400,401and computing devices300,301of the user105and plurality of users110of the financial institution. For example, the financial system server receives a request from the device associated with the user and provides the requested information to the user by accessing the database containing the retrieved information.

FIG. 2provides a block diagram illustrating the financial system server200, in greater detail, in accordance with embodiments of the invention. As illustrated inFIG. 2, in one embodiment of the invention, the financial system server200include one or more processing devices220operatively coupled to a network communication interface210and a memory device230. In certain embodiments, the financial system server200are operated by a first entity, such as a financial institution, while in other embodiments, the financial system server200are operated by an entity other than a financial institution.

It should be understood that the memory device230may include one or more databases or other data structures/repositories. The memory device230also includes computer-executable program code that instructs the processing device220to operate the network communication interface210to perform certain communication functions of the financial system server200described herein. For example, in one embodiment of the financial system server200, the memory device230includes, but is not limited to, a network server application270, an authentication application260, a user account data repository280which includes user authentication data282and user account information284, a banking system application290which includes a web server application292, a resource tracking and utilization application294and other computer-executable instructions or other data. The computer-executable program code of the network server application270, the authentication application260, or the banking system application290may instruct the processing device220to perform certain logic, data-processing, and data-storing functions of the financial system server200described herein, as well as communication functions of the financial system server200.

In one embodiment, the user account data repository280includes user authentication data282and user account information284. The network server application270, the authentication application260, and the banking system application290are configured to invoke or use the user account information284, and the user authentication data282, when authenticating a user to the financial system server200.

As used herein, a “communication interface” generally includes a modem, server, transceiver, and/or other device for communicating with other devices on a network, and/or a user interface for communicating with one or more users. Referring again toFIG. 2, the network communication interface210is a communication interface having one or more communication devices configured to communicate with one or more other devices on the network150, such as the mobile device400, and the personal computing device300. The processing device220is configured to use the network communication interface210to transmit and/or receive data and/or commands to and/or from the other devices connected to the network150.

The resource tracking and utilization application294causes the processing device220to extract the resource data associated with the user105from the user account data repository280and analyze the data to predict occurrence of an event. The resource tracking and utilization application294then causes the processor to identify one or more course of actions for managing resources implemented by a plurality of users110matching the profile of user105from the resource information related to a plurality of users110present in the user account data repository280and transmit the extracted data via the network communication interface210to display the one or more course of actions on the user's computing device300or the mobile device400. In some embodiments, the one or more course of actions related to common life events and/or life changes are stored in the memory device230of the financial system server200reducing the processing time of displaying the one or more course of actions to the user105.

Referring now toFIG. 3, the user's computing devices300,301associated with user105and plurality of users110also include various features, such as a network communication interface310, a processing device320, a user interface330, and a memory device340. The network communication interface310includes a device that allows the user's computing devices300,301to communicate over the network150(shown inFIG. 1). In one embodiment of the invention, a network browsing application345provides for a user to establish network communication with a financial system server200(shown inFIG. 1) for the purpose of initiating enrollment in the transaction program, interacting with a device transaction interface, inputting data indicative of actions associated with one or more smart contracts and/or managing transactions, in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

As used herein, “transaction information” may include both monetary and non-monetary transaction information and records. Non-monetary transaction information or records means historical transaction information such as account balances, account activity, misappropriation activity, purchase activity, payment activity and the like and is distinguished from the underlying monetary transactions such as settling of accounts, payments, debits, credits, fund transfers and the like.

As used herein, a “processing device,” such as the processing device320, 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 device320may 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 device320may 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 device320may 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.

The processing device320is configured to use the network communication interface310to communicate with one or more other devices on the network150. The processing may interact with the processing devices of other devices on the network150. The processing device320may control or give instructions to other devices on the network.

As used herein, a “user interface”330generally includes a plurality of interface devices and/or software that allow a user to input commands and data to direct the processing device to execute instructions. For example, the user interface330presented inFIG. 3may include a graphical user interface (GUI) or an interface to input computer-executable instructions that direct the processing device320to carry out specific functions. The user interface330employs certain input and output devices to input data received from the first user105or second user110or output data to the first user105or second user110. These input and output devices may include a display, mouse, keyboard, button, touchpad, touch screen, microphone, speaker, LED, light, joystick, switch, buzzer, bell, and/or other user input/output device for communicating with one or more users.

As used herein, a “memory device”340generally refers to a device or combination of devices that store one or more forms of computer-readable media for storing data and/or computer-executable program code/instructions. Computer-readable media is defined in greater detail below. For example, in one embodiment, the memory device340includes any computer memory that provides an actual or virtual space to temporarily or permanently store data and/or commands provided to the processing device320when it carries out its functions described herein. In some embodiments, resource data, merchant profile data, user account data and the like may be stored in a non-volatile memory distinct from instructions for executing one or more process steps discussed herein that may be stored in a volatile memory such as a memory directly connected or directly in communication with a processing device executing the instructions. In this regard, some or all the process steps carried out by the processing device may be executed in near-real-time, thereby increasing the efficiency by which the processing device may execute the instructions as compared to a situation where one or more of the instructions are stored and executed from a non-volatile memory, which may require greater access time than a directly connected volatile memory source. In some embodiments, one or more of the instructions are stored in a non-volatile memory and are accessed and temporarily stored (i.e., buffered) in a volatile memory directly connected with the processing device where they are executed by the processing device. Thus, in various embodiments discussed herein, the memory or memory device of a system or device may refer to one or more non-volatile memory devices and/or one or more volatile memory devices.

FIG. 4provides a block diagram illustrating a mobile devices400,401ofFIG. 1in more detail, in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention, the mobile devices400,401are a mobile telephone. However, it should be understood that a mobile telephone is merely illustrative of one type of mobile device400,401that may benefit from, employ, or otherwise be involved with embodiments of the present invention and, therefore, should not be taken to limit the scope of embodiments of the present invention. Other types of mobile devices400,401may include portable digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, mobile televisions, gaming devices, laptop computers, cameras, video recorders, audio/video player, radio, GPS devices, or any combination of the aforementioned.

Some embodiments of the mobile devices400,401include a processor410communicably coupled to such devices as a memory420, user output devices436, user input devices440, a network interface460, a power source415, a clock or other timer450, a camera470, and a positioning system device475. The processor410, and other processors described herein, generally include circuitry for implementing communication and/or logic functions of the mobile device400. For example, the processor410may include a digital signal processor device, a microprocessor device, and various analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, and/or other support circuits. Control and signal processing functions of the mobile device400are allocated between these devices according to their respective capabilities. The processor410thus may also include the functionality to encode and interleave messages and data prior to modulation and transmission. The processor410can additionally include an internal data modem. Further, the processor410may include functionality to operate one or more software programs, which may be stored in the memory420. For example, the processor410may be capable of operating a connectivity program, such as a web browser application424. The web browser application424may then allow the mobile device400to transmit and receive web content, such as, for example, location-based content and/or other web page content, according to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and/or the like.

The processor410is configured to use the network interface460to communicate with one or more other devices on the network150. In this regard, the network interface260includes an antenna476operatively coupled to a transmitter474and a receiver472(together a “transceiver”). The processor410is configured to provide signals to and receive signals from the transmitter474and receiver472, respectively. The signals may include signaling information in accordance with the air interface standard of the applicable cellular system of the wireless telephone network152. In this regard, the mobile device400may be configured to operate with one or more air interface standards, communication protocols, modulation types, and access types. By way of illustration, the mobile device400may be configured to operate in accordance with any of a number of first, second, third, and/or fourth-generation communication protocols and/or the like. For example, the mobile device400may be configured to operate in accordance with second-generation (2G) wireless communication protocols IS-136 (time division multiple access (TDMA)), GSM (global system for mobile communication), and/or IS-95 (code division multiple access (CDMA)), or with third-generation (3G) wireless communication protocols, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), CDMA2000, wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and/or time division-synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA), with fourth-generation (4G) wireless communication protocols, with LTE protocols, with 3GPP protocols and/or the like. The mobile device400may also be configured to operate in accordance with non-cellular communication mechanisms, such as via a wireless local area network (WLAN) or other communication/data networks.

As described above, the mobile device400has a user interface that is, like other user interfaces described herein, made up of user output devices436and/or user input devices440. The user output devices436include a display430(e.g., a liquid crystal display or the like) and a speaker432or other audio device, which are operatively coupled to the processor410. The user input devices440, which allow the mobile device400to receive data from a user such as the first user105, may include any of a number of devices allowing the mobile device400to receive data from a user, such as a keypad, keyboard, touch-screen, touchpad, microphone, mouse, joystick, other pointer device, button, soft key, and/or other input device(s). The user interface may also include a camera470, such as a digital camera.

The mobile device400may also include a positioning system device475that is configured to be used by a positioning system to determine a location of the mobile device400. For example, the positioning system device475may include a GPS transceiver. In some embodiments, the positioning system device475is at least partially made up of the antenna476, transmitter474, and receiver472described above. For example, in one embodiment, triangulation of cellular signals may be used to identify the approximate location of the mobile device400. In other embodiments, the positioning system device475includes a proximity sensor or transmitter, such as an RFID tag, that can sense or be sensed by devices known to be located proximate a merchant or other location to determine that the mobile device400is located proximate these known devices. Such information may be used by embodiments of the invention in order to demonstrate completion or partial completion of one or more activities associated with a smart contract.

The mobile device420further includes a power source415, such as a battery, for powering various circuits and other devices that are used to operate the mobile device400. Embodiments of the mobile device400may also include a clock or other timer450configured to determine and, in some cases, communicate actual or relative time to the processor410or one or more other devices.

The mobile device400also includes a memory420operatively coupled to the processor410. As used herein, memory includes any computer readable medium (as defined herein below) configured to store data, code, or other information. The memory420may include volatile memory, such as volatile Random Access Memory (RAM) including a cache area for the temporary storage of data. The memory420may also include non-volatile memory, which can be embedded and/or may be removable. The non-volatile memory can additionally or alternatively include an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or the like.

The memory420can store any of a number of applications which comprise computer-executable instructions/code executed by the processor410to implement the functions of the mobile device400and/or one or more of the process/method steps described herein. For example, the memory420may include such applications as a mobile banking application422, a conventional web browser application424, Email application426and/or a SMS application428. These applications also typically provide a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display430that allows the first user105to communicate with the mobile device400, the financial system server200, and/or other devices or systems. In other embodiments of the invention, the first user105interacts with the financial system server200via the web browser application424and/or mobile banking application422.

The memory420can also store any of a number of pieces of information, and data, used by the mobile devices400,401and the applications and devices that make up the mobile devices400,401or are in communication with the mobile devices400,401to implement the functions of the mobile devices400,401and/or the other systems described herein. For example, the memory420may include such data as user authentication information, or the like.

FIG. 5illustrates a process flow for providing the user of a financial institution, event related data extracted from data associated with a plurality of users matching the profile of the user500, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. As shown in block510, the process500is initiated upon system extraction of profile information and resource information related to the user from an entity server. In some embodiments, the entity server may comprise a financial system server. In some embodiments, the system accesses the resource information of the user by accessing the database in the memory device of the financial system server. For example, the system accesses the spending habits, monthly income, payments, loans, and the like of the user. In some embodiments, the system accesses the resource information related to the user only after receiving authorization from the user. For example, the system determines if the user would like to participate in releasing the resource information to allow the financial institution to gather information and analyze the data to provide recommendations about managing and utilizing resources to the users of the financial institution to help them handle the life events and/or life changes. In some embodiments, the user may opt to release the data only from one account associated with the user. For example, a user can have one or more accounts including savings account, checking account, money market account, retirement account, and the like and the user may opt to release the financial activity data associated with the checking account. In some embodiments, the user may opt to release the data from all the accounts associated with the user. For example, a user may opt to release the financial activity data related to all the accounts associated with the user including savings account, checking account, money market account, retirement account, and the like.

As illustrated in block520, the system predicts the occurrence of an event based on the information related to the user, wherein the event refers to life event and/or a life change. For example, life events include marriage, child birth and the like and life changes include change of location, change of job, transitioning from student life to first job and the like. In some embodiments, the system analyzes the data extracted in block510to predict the occurrence of a life event and/or a life change by making an educated guess. For example, if the financial activity data has a set of transactions indicating payment to a wedding planner, payment to a venue or the like, the system recognizes that the user is getting married. In some embodiments, the system uses confidence scoring to predict the occurrence of an event. In other embodiments, the system prompts the user to input the occurrence of an event. For example, the system prompts the user to input any upcoming events or select from a list of events presented to the user. In some other embodiments, the system prompts the user to provide the purpose of the account by generating a questionnaire. For example, the system determines the purpose of the account by prompting the user to answer a series of questions generated by the system.

In some embodiments, the financial activity of all the accounts associated with each user of the financial entity is stored in the customized database tables in the memory device of the entity server. The system extracts the financial activity information related to the plurality of users associated with the financial entity from the customized database tables. For example, the financial activity data including debit transactions, credit transactions, and the like associated with all accounts including savings account, checking, and the like of each user of the financial entity, is stored in the customized database tables.

Next, as shown in block530, the system extracts resource information related to a plurality of users associated with the entity matching the profile information of the user. Wherein the entity is a financial institution. Furthermore, as illustrated in block520, the system as it extracts the resource information, anonymizes the users. In some embodiments, the system anonymizes the users by deliberate non-query of identity information from the customized database table and thus anonymizing the identity of the user. For example, the system extracts the financial activity data from the database tables by the method of querying using a query language such as SQL, PL/SQL, and the like and while extracting the resource information related to a plurality of users, the system excludes querying of the identity of the plurality of users. In some embodiments, the system accesses the resource information of a plurality of users associated with the financial institution matching the profile of the user after predicting the occurrence of an event. For example, the financial institution accesses the spending habits, monthly income, payments, loans, and the like of a plurality of users enrolled in the system present in the database of the financial system server. In some embodiments, the system extracts the resource information related to a plurality of users only after receiving authorization from the plurality of users associated with entity. For example, the system determines if the users enrolled in the system would like to participate in releasing the personal financial activity data to allow the financial institution to gather information and analyze the data to provide recommendations to the users of the financial institution to help them handle the life events and/or life changes. In some embodiments, the plurality of users may opt to release the data only from one account. For example, the plurality of users can have one or more accounts including savings account, checking account, money market account, retirement account, and the like and the user may opt to release the financial activity data associated with the checking account. In some embodiments, the plurality of users may opt to release the data from all the accounts. For example, the plurality of users may opt to release the financial activity data related to all the accounts including savings account, checking account, money market account, retirement account, and the like. In some embodiments, the system uses the extracted resource information related to a plurality of users matching the profile of the user to provide information to the user about spending, saving and investing habits of the plurality of users and the method of tracking their goals. For example, the system identifies the goals the users set and their spending habits like number of trips to a coffee shop and saving habits like decreasing the number of trips to a coffee shop for saving towards the goal. In some embodiments, the system also advises the users about altering the spending habits. For example, the user has a student loan that he/she is paying for, the system displays via a graphical user interface to the user, by decreasing the number of coffee shop visits from five times a week to three times a week will help reaching the goal of paying the student loan faster.

Next as shown in block540, the system identifies one or more course of actions for managing resources to handle the event. In some embodiments, the system identifies the course of actions by analyzing the extracted data related to a plurality of users. The system, after predicting the occurrence of an event, analyzes the resource information extracted related to the plurality of users to identify one or more course of actions for managing resources performed by the plurality of users who experienced the predicted event. For example, if the predicted event is marriage, the system identifies plurality of users who experienced marriage and a course of steps taken by the plurality of users to manage the expenses and/or investing the income and the like. In some embodiments, the system directly extracts the course of actions from one or more database tables. The system identifies common events experienced by a plurality of customers, extracts one or more course of actions implemented by the plurality of customers and stores the extracted data associated with the common events in one or more database tables different from the customized database tables used for storing financial activity of each user. For example, the system stores the identified course of actions for managing resources which were successful to handle a child birth. In some embodiments, the system sorts the financial activity data related to course of actions for managing resources before storing the data in the database of the entity server. For example, the system sorts the extracted data according to the income level, age group, location of the user, and the like and stores the sorted data in one or more database tables.

As shown in block550, the system displays, via a graphical user interface, information associated with the event, wherein the information associated with the event is type of event predicted. The information associated with the event is based on the retrieved resource information related to the user, wherein the resource information is extracted from the database of the financial system server. In some embodiments, the system also displays the information related to the user that is causing the event. For example, the system displays via a graphical user interface, the occurrence of marriage in the near future and the resource information including transaction data that caused the prediction of marriage. In some embodiments, the system displays the information associated with the event after identifying an online banking session. For example, the system identifies that the user has initiated an online banking session by logging in using the user credentials and displays the information related to the predicted event. In some embodiments, the user is allowed to choose the type of alerts that he/she would like to receive. For example, the user may limit the type of alerts or display of information related to life events such as financial crisis.

Next as shown in block560, the system determines that the information is applicable to the user and transmits a trigger to the entity server. In some embodiments, the system determines if the prediction is applicable to the user based on the alert and the information displayed to the user. For example, the system prompts the user to determine whether the occurrence of the predicted event is valid based on the displayed information and transmits a trigger to the entity server. In some embodiments, the system after displaying the information related to the predicted event, the system prompts the user via a graphical user interface, a series of questions to determine that the displayed information is applicable to the user. This improves the accuracy of serving the user with correct course of actions for managing resources. For example, from the resource information related to the user like the payment to a wedding event planner the system predicts the occurrence of marriage in the near future. Before presenting the course of actions to the user, the system determines whether the prediction is true after displaying the cause of prediction by asking the user if the payment to the wedding event planner was for a personal purpose or was on behalf of another person related to the user.

In some embodiments, after determining that the information is applicable to the user, the system further prompts the user to determine if the predicted event is followed by any other event and repeats the process in blocks520-560. For example, the event marriage may be followed by another event and/or a life change such as moving to a new house. The system prompts the user to input any events and/or life changes that follow the predicted life event and repeats the process of retrieving information related to the plurality of users and one or more course of actions

As shown in block570, in response to receiving the trigger based on determining that the information displayed is applicable to the user, the system displays one or course of actions for managing resources to handle the event, wherein the one or more course of actions are extracted from one or more database tables. In some embodiments, the course of actions of certain events are already existing in the database tables. For example, the system extracts course of actions taken by plurality of users for most occurring life events and/or life changes as shown in blocks530and540and displays the extracted course of actions to the user. This reduces the processing time as the data is already sorted according to the type of life events and life changes and also according to different user profiles such as age group, location, job type and the like. The system matches the profile of the user with different user profiles and extracts the corresponding course of actions listed under the user profiles. In other embodiments, the course of action data related to certain life events and/or life changes doesn't exist in the database. For example, if the course of action for certain events and/or changes is listed in the database, the system compiles the list of course of actions on the go by following the steps mentioned in block520and530.

As shown in block580, the system prompts the user to select a course of action form one or more course of actions, wherein prompting comprises causing the device associated with the user to display a graphical user interface configured to receive the course of action from the user. In some embodiments, the system also predicts the possible outcomes for each course of action presented to the user before prompting the user to select a course of action. For example, the system represents graphically, outcomes of each course of action including displaying the success rate and the like.

In some embodiments, the system performs a series of steps associated with the course of action. For example, when the predicted event is child birth, the course of actions selected by the user may include opening an account or enrolling in a college savings plan for the new child, the system performs the steps of opening an account, enrolling in a college savings plan and the like.

In some other embodiments, the present invention identifies an existing event form the resource information related to the user extracted in block510and identifies a plurality of users who experienced the event. The system then extracts the resource information related to the identified plurality of users as explained in block530and identifies one or more course of actions as explained in block540. The system displays via a graphical user interface, the identified one or more course of actions as explained in block570and prompts the user to select a course of action from one or more course of actions presented to the user, wherein prompting comprises causing the device associated with the user to display a graphical user interface configured to receive the course of action from the user as explained in block580. The system after receiving the course of action from the user, performs a series of steps associated with the course of action selected by the user. For example, the system identifies a mortgage payment scenario based on the extracted resource information related to the user, identifies a group of plurality of users matching the profile of the user and identifies the mortgage payment scenario faced by the plurality of users and a series of measures executed by the plurality of users to handle the mortgage payment scenario from the resource information related to the plurality of users. The system then prompts via a graphical user interface the series of measures executed by the plurality of users to handle the mortgage payment.

In some embodiments, the system provides a holistic view of the entire financial life of the user and provides a vision into what user's life would like look if the user utilized the resources in a different way. The model may use the extracted data related to a plurality of users matching the profile of the user to present to the user, results achieved by the plurality of users in a scenario applicable to the user and the actions which led to the results. For example, the system identifies a mortgage payment scenario the user experienced in the past from the data extracted related to the user in block510and provides results achieved by performing a series of steps by a plurality of users like investing the resources achieved by savings which led to the quick repayment of mortgage. The system identifies the series of steps performed by a plurality of users from the data extracted in block530.

The process of tracking, managing and utilizing the resources improves the functioning of an entity as the system provides a solution to help the users of the entity to better manage and utilize the resources which eliminates the process of reallocation of resources and overriding of data records related to the reallocation process. The entity has a huge volume of data related to utilization and management of resources, the system utilizes the already existing data to provide useful information to the users of the entity.

FIG. 6illustrates a process flow for forecasting a series of steps to be performed based on identifying that the user is making a life change600, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. In block610, the system recognizes the user is making a life change based on the identified information related to the user. The system recognizes the life changes including change of location, change of job, transitioning from student life to first job and the like based on the financial activity data extracted from the customized database tables having the financial activity data of each user. For example, the financial activity data has a set of transactions such as transaction indicating receiving first salary from a company or the like, the system recognizes that the user is transitioning from college to first job. In another example, if the financial activity data has a set of transactions indicating payment to realtors, payment to movers or the like, the system recognizes that the user is relocating to a new city. In some embodiments, confidence scoring is used to recognize that the user is making the life change.

As shown in block620, the system provides information to the user about the plurality of users who have experienced the life change. In some embodiments, the system has the data about the measures taken by the users to transition without difficulty. For example, if the system determines that the user has his first job and has taken an education loan previously, the system provides information about a plurality of users who experienced the same transition and were successful in repaying the loan efficiently. In some embodiments, the system extracts information about a plurality of users who experienced common life changes and stores the information in one or more database tables. For example, the system extracts information about a plurality of users matching the profile of the user who experienced transition between jobs and stores it in the database for easy retrieval of data upon recognizing that the user is transitioning between jobs. In some embodiments, the system stores the extracted information related to a plurality of users based on different use profiles such as age group, job type, job industry and the like reducing the processing time for extraction of data to present it to the user. In other embodiments, the system does not store information related to life changes in the database. Instead, the system compiles the data after determining that the user is making a life change.

Next, as shown in block630, the system forecasts the next steps to be performed based on identifying that the user is making the life change. For example, if the user is moving to a new city, the system predicts all the steps to be performed including updating residence address in employee portal, setting up electricity, internet and the like. In some embodiments, the system forecasts the next steps to be performed by the user based on extracted information. For example, if the user is moving to a new city, the system predicts all the steps to be performed including updating residence address in employee portal, setting up electricity, internet and the like. For example, if the user is moving to a new job, the system predicts all the steps to be performed based on the extracted information related to a plurality of users matching the profile of the user.

As shown in block640, the system displays the forecasted steps to the user. In some embodiments, the system alerts the user about the forecasted steps to be performed by the user. For example, the system sends alerts to the user about the steps to be performed, to the device associated with the user. In some embodiments, the system alerts the user about the forecasted steps to be performed based on determining the location of the user. For example, if the system recognizes that the user is moving to a new city and based on the location of the user, for instance if the user is near the post office, the system reminds the user about adding a forwarding address. In some embodiments, the system presents a check list to the user listing all the steps to be performed before making the life change. For example, the system creates an interactive check list, using which the user can keep track of steps which are yet to be performed. In some embodiments, the system allows the user to share the check list with other users. For example, the system allows the user to share the checklist with the user's life partner or the like. In some embodiments, the system allows the user to limit the use of check list by a secondary user. For example, the user can limit the usage of check list by restricting the secondary user from editing the checklist.

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