Patent Publication Number: US-2011071934-A1

Title: Electronic checkbook register

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/244,942, filed on Sept. 23, 2009, entitled ELECTRONIC CHECKBOOK REGISTER, which application is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent permitted by law. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to personal electronic devices and, more particularly, to an electronic register of traditional check writing transactions, as well as online, telephone, and other financial transactions. 
     Good record keeping is an important aspect of making financial transactions so as to maintain knowledge of one&#39;s overall financial well-being. A person keeps an accurate account balance by recording each transaction that debits or credits the account. One problem with traditional checkbook registers is that all of the lines may become filled with transaction data and notes before all of a pad of checks are used up. The lines of information may also become messy and difficult to read. 
     Various electronic devices have been proposed in the past for improving the convenience of a person&#39;s daily life, such as cell phones, personal data assistants, and other portable electronic devices. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, these devices do not provide a comprehensive device having a protective cover that is also useful for storing checks, electronic means for recording a transaction including a category identification, a full keypad and number pad, as well as multiple means for interfacing with a personal computer. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to have an electronic checkbook register device that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and that provides an improved device for recording all of a person&#39;s financial transactions. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An electronic checkbook device according to the present invention meets the following objectives. 
     A general object of this invention is to provide an electronic checkbook register for recording all financial transactions that have a positive or negative effect on a financial account. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an electronic checkbook register, as aforesaid, that provides a full keypad and numeric pad for data input. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide an electronic checkbook register, as aforesaid, that provides a durable housing having a pivotal cover. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide an electronic checkbook register, as aforesaid, having category selection input buttons that enable transactions to be tracked for budgeting purposes. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an electronic checkbook register, as aforesaid, having multiple electronic connections for interfacing with a remote computer. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide an electronic checkbook register, as aforesaid, that is convenient to use and store. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic checkbook register according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the checkbook register as in  FIG. 1 , illustrated in an open configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the checkbook register as in  FIG. 1  taken from another angle; 
         FIG. 4   a  is another perspective view of the checkbook register as in  FIG. 3  with a stylus shown exploded from the housing; 
         FIG. 4   b  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of  FIG. 4   a ; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevated rear view of the checkbook register as in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating the electronic components of the checkbook register according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing an exemplary example of usage of the checkbook register. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic checkbook register according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7  of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, the checkbook register  10  includes a housing  12  having a base  14  and a cover  22  that is pivotally coupled to opposed sides adjacent a front edge  18  of the base  14  ( FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, the cover  22  is pivotal relative to the base  14  between open ( FIG. 2 ) and closed ( FIG. 1 ) configurations. An inside surface of the cover  22  may also include a pocket  24  in which actual checks, receipts, or other records may be removably held. 
     A processor  30  is situated within the interior space defined by the base  14 . Various data input devices are provided. More particularly, a full alphanumeric keyboard  32  is positioned on an inner surface of the base  14  and is in electrical communication with the processor  30 . Similarly, a numeric keypad  34  is positioned on an inner surface of the base  14  and is in electrical communication with the processor  30 . It is noted that either or both of alphanumeric keyboard  32  and numeric keypad  34  may be physical, or virtual as displayed on one or more touch-sensitive screens. The keypad  34  is positioned adjacent the front edge  18  of the base  14  and oriented for use by a person facing the front edge  18 . A display  36  is positioned on the inner surface  16  of the base  14  and situated above the keyboard  32  ( FIG. 2 ). The processor  30  includes programming for displaying predetermined data fields on the display  36 . Additionally, processor  30  may be capable of executing applications other than those relating to a checkbook register, such as a digital music player, digital video player, or any of the other applications for electronic devices available on the market. In this regard, various icons may be displayed on display  36 , such that selecting an icon opens the related application. Alternatively, checkbook register  10  may be dedicated to receiving information relating to financial transactions. A digital clock  38  may also be included on the base  14 . 
     It is understood that the display  36  may be a touch screen such that desired data fields displayed thereon may be accessed or selected using a stylus  40 . A side  26  of the base  14  may define a receptacle  28  extending into the interior area thereof for removably containing the stylus  40  ( FIG. 4   a ), the receptacle  28  and stylus  40  including complementary fastening structures. A scroll bar control  42  is also situated on the inner surface of the base  14  and electrically connected to the processor  30 . The scroll bar control  42  may be actuated with the stylus  40  so as to move the field on the display  36  up or down in a conventional manner. An on/off button  44  is also provided on the inner surface of the base  14  for selectively regulating the delivery of current from a battery  46  to the processor  30 , display  36 , and other electronic components. 
     A plurality of spending category selection buttons  48  may also be provided on the inner surface of the base  14  and in electrical communication with the processor  30 . As above, these spending category selection buttons  48  may be physical, or may be virtual as displayed on one or more touch-sensitive screens. The one or more touch-sensitive screens utilized to display the spending category selection buttons  48  may be the same as or separate from any touch-sensitive screens used to display a virtual keyboard  32  and/or keypad  34 , where applicable. The virtual keys and buttons displayed on such touch-sensitive screens may be reconfigurable depending on user preference, the active application, user input, etc. In this regard, the actual spending categories may be defined by the user and displayed on the virtual spending category selection buttons  48  during use, or may be preset and not subject to change. Where the spending categories are not subject to change, different versions of checkbook register  10  are envisioned for different situations, each having different preset spending categories. For example, a checkbook register  10  for personal use may have different spending categories as compared to a checkbook register  10  for small business use, and the spending categories chosen would relate to either personal or business finances. It is understood that the processor  30  includes data fields associated with each register transaction entered by a user, including date, check number, payee, spending category, and so on. It is understood that data input via the various input means is stored in onboard memory  50  connected to the processor  30 . Exemplary predetermined spending categories may include, but are not limited to, food, shelter, entertainment/fun, and the like. Accumulating data regarding categorical spending over time may be useful in budgeting for future spending, analyzing compliance with a user&#39;s budget goals, etc. It is understood that all of the data collected by the electronic checkbook register  10  may be uploaded to a personal computer as will be described later in greater detail. 
     A support stand  52  may be pivotally coupled to an outer surface of the base  14 . More particularly, the support stand  52  is positioned adjacent a rear edge  20  of the base  14  and movable between extended ( FIG. 5 ) and closed (not shown) configurations. 
     The electronic checkbook register  10  includes multiple means for interfacing the device&#39;s memory  50  with a remote computer, such as a user&#39;s personal computer, so as to enable data collected and recorded to the processor  30  to be uploaded and used with complementary computer software, for tax purposes, or the like. More particularly, the base  14  of the housing  12  may include at least one input/output port, such as a USB port  56 , a mini-USB port  58 , and a SD memory port  60  in electrical connection with the processor  30 , all of which enable data to be directly transferred to a computer or transferred to respective digital media that may then be connected to a remote computer. Additionally, other types of input/output ports, such as an Ethernet port, a wireless internet adaptor, and an 802.11b port could be utilized. The device may even include a card reader  62  for entering data into the electronic register  10 . Swiping a credit or debit card via card reader  62  may provide the checkbook register  10  with information necessary to begin accessing the online account information related to such credit or debit card. In order to access such online account information, checkbook register  10  may connect to the internet wirelessly, via a wired connection or through an accompanying computer (with internet access) to which the checkbook register  10  is connected as discussed above. Transactions listed online may thereby be downloaded into the checkbook register  10 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary use of the electronic checkbook register. A user is still able to write a conventional check  70  but now has the opportunity to record the details thereof into the checkbook register  10 . Paper checks may be conveniently stored in the pocket  24  within the cover  22 . Transaction details may be inputted at step  72  using the keyboard  32 , numeric keypad, and stylus  40 . With each transaction, a user may press an appropriate spending category selection button  48  and this data is also saved to memory  50  along with the financial data itself, as indicated at  74  and  76 . More particularly, the spending category allows each category spending total for a particular month and year to be calculated. The checking balance of the account being tracked will be updated by programming in the processor  30  as indicated at  78 . Finally, all of the data from the electronic checkbook register  10  may be synchronized with a remote computer as indicated at  80  using the interface components discussed above. In this way, the data may be utilized with budget software, tax software, or the like with no risk of typing or double entry errors. Processor  30  is operable to execute programming for receiving transaction information, keeping an accurate ledger and running totals of such transaction information, whether by spending category or in total. 
     Accordingly, the electronic checkbook register  10  will enable a user to track all financial transactions made using traditional checks, online purchases using a debit card, etc. in one location without inconvenient entry after the fact or by squeezing data onto the narrow lines of a traditional checkbook register. 
     It is also understood that various modifications may be made to all of the various embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of an electronic checkbook register. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.