GB2545391A

GB2545391A - Generating a notification

Info

Publication number: GB2545391A
Application number: GB1517762.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wiles Nick
Original assignee: Atom Bank PLC
Current assignee: Atom Bank PLC
Priority date: 2015-10-08
Filing date: 2015-10-08
Publication date: 2017-06-21
Also published as: GB201517762D0

Abstract

Generating a notification at a mobile device comprising receiving an event notification message from a server indicating a type of account event of a user account has occurred. Where the account may be a bank account and the account event may include a payment to the users account, a users account going overdrawn or cash withdrawal. The predetermined notification action associated with the type of account event is identified and may include an audio or vibration alert, that notification is then performed. What notification action is performed may be dictated by the location of the mobile device, the state of the mobile device or the mode the device is in for instance a location or phone mode may dictate that the notification be silent allowing the way a user is notified about an account event to be adapted based on particular circumstances.

Description

Generating a Notification

Technical Field

The present invention relates to methods for generating notifications relating to the occurrence of account events of a user account.

Background

Many service providers such as banks, utilities providers, telecommunication providers and so on, enable their customers to access information about their accounts via the internet.

Typically customers of these service providers do so via a web browser running on a device such as a personal computer or via an “app” running on a device such as a smartphone. In such arrangements, a customer is typically presented with an interface on which is shown information about their account such as service usage, account balance, past payments, future payments and so on.

In this way, a customer can view information about their account information at their convenience. However, these techniques rely on a customer choosing to access their account information. If an event occurs relating to a customer’s account, the customer will only become aware of it when, of their own volition, they access their account information.

In certain situations, for example if a particularly significant event relating to a customer’s account has occurred, it may be desirable that a customer is informed about this as soon as possible rather than waiting for the next time the customer checks their account information. In such situations the customer may be sent a notification via a conventional messaging system such as email, SMS message, instant messaging service or similar, prompting the customer to check their account information.

This technique relies on a customer periodically reviewing messages received via the conventional messaging system (i.e. checking their emails or SMS text messages), which a customer may not be guaranteed to do. Further, if a particular customer typically receives many messages using conventional messaging systems, the likelihood of them paying attention to a particular message from a service provider may be reduced.

Furthermore, a service provider may wish to provide customers with notifications about events occurring on their accounts on a frequent basis. If a customer becomes accustomed to receiving notification messages, for example via email, on a frequent basis, they may begin to pay less attention to them or ignore them all together, meaning that a customer will only find out about important events occurring relating to their account when they check their account information of their own volition.

It is an aim of the present invention to at least partly mitigate the above-mentioned problems.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of generating a notification. The method comprises the steps of receiving an event notification message from a server indicating a type of account event of a user account has occurred; identifying a predetermined notification action associated with the type of account event, and performing said notification action.

Optionally, the method is performed by an app running on a mobile device.

Optionally, the predetermined notification action is one of a plurality of predetermined notification actions.

Optionally, the event notification message is one of a plurality of different event notification messages, each of the different event notification messages associated with a different type of account event of the user account, and each account event is associated with at least one of the plurality of predetermined notification actions.

Optionally, the method further comprises defining, by a user, with which predetermined notification action at least one of the type of account events is associated.

Optionally, at least one type of account event is associated with two or more predetermined notification and the method further comprises identifying the two or more predetermined notification actions; detecting a current state of the mobile device, and selecting one of the two or more predetermined notification actions based on the detected current state of the mobile device.

Optionally, the current state of the mobile device is a current location of the mobile device

Optionally, the current location of the mobile device based on a connection of the mobile device to a predetermined access point.

Optionally, the method further comprises determining the current location of the mobile device based on a geographic location determined by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver.

Optionally, the user account is a user bank account.

Optionally, each of the one or more of the notification actions are the generation of a different sound.

Optionally, the different sounds are from a predefined group of sounds forming a theme. Optionally, the mobile device is a smartphone.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is a provided a mobile device comprising a processor and memory, said memory having stored thereon a computer program which when run by the processor controls the mobile device to perform a method according to the first aspect of the invention.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for generating a notification at a mobile device. The system comprises a server on which is run service software providing a service associated with a user account. The server is arranged to send an event notification message to the mobile device in response to an account event occurring associated with the user account, the event notification message indicating a type of the account event. Responsive to receiving the event notification message from the server, the mobile device is arranged to identify a predetermined notification action associated with the type of account event, and to perform said notification action.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed on a suitably programmed computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to the first aspect of the invention.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product on which is stored a computer program according to the fourth aspect of the invention.

In accordance with certain embodiments of the invention, a technique is provided whereby a user can be notified of the occurrence of account events relating to a user account by a particular type of notification action being performed that is associated with a specific type of account event. The user can thus be informed when an account event occurs and what type of account event has occurred without any active steps required from the user themselves.

This contrasts with conventional techniques in which a user is typically required to actively access their account information, for example via the internet, to determine what type of account events have occurred.

In certain embodiments, the notification action is performed by an app on a user’s mobile device responsive to the receipt of an event notification message from a server. In this way, a user can be informed of that an account event of a particular type has occurred in a convenient manner as most users have their mobile device with them for much of the time.

In certain embodiments, the user can themselves set which notification actions are associated with which type of account events. This provides a user with additional convenience in that notification actions that they prefer can be used to alert them to the occurrence of particular account events.

In certain embodiments a state of the mobile device, for example its location, can be used to determine which of more than one notification actions are used to alert the user to the occurrence of an account event. In these embodiments, a user can ensure that notifications regarding sensitive or confidential account actions are appropriate to the current location of the user. For example, if the mobile device is in a public space, notifications can be set to be non-audible, for example a sequence of vibrations of the mobile device’s vibration unit.

Various aspects and features of the invention are defined in the claims.

Brief Description of Figures

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 provides a simplified schematic diagram of a system arranged in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention;

Figure 2 provides a diagram illustrative of a look-up table maintained by an app in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention;

Figure 3 provides a simplified schematic diagram of a further system arranged in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention;

Figure 4 provides a diagram illustrative of a further look-up table maintained by an app in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention; and

Figure 5 provides a flow diagram illustrative of a process performed by an app on a mobile device in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention.

Detailed Description

In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts.

Figure 1 provides a simplified schematic diagram of a system 101 arranged in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention.

An application server 102 is connected to a public land mobile network (PLMN) 103 via an IP network 104 such as the internet. In this way data can be can be sent to and from the application server 102 from devices connected to the PLMN 103 via the IP network 104.

The PLMN 103 includes a base station 105 which enables data to be communicated to and from a mobile device 106. The mobile device 106 includes a transceiver 110 for communicating data to and from the base station 105 via a radio interface, a processor unit 107 and a memory 108. The mobile device 106 also includes a speaker unit 109 connected to the processor 107 for generating sound. The mobile device can be a smartphone including a touch screen allowing a user to control the smartphone via detected touch gestures. However, any suitably data connected mobile device, such as a tablet computer, games device, laptop and so on can be used.

The application server 102 has running thereon service software which provides a service to a user of the mobile device 106. For example, the application server 102 may be a banking server which maintains a user’s bank account, allowing, for example, payments of money to be made to the user’s bank account and payments to be taken from the user’s bank account.

Correspondingly, the mobile device 106 includes an “app” stored in the memory 108. As is known, an app is a software computer program. In some examples, an app might be preinstalled on a mobile device or downloaded from a remote server. The app can be run by the processor unit 107. The app can be a banking app which when run communicates data to and receives data from the application server 102 relating to the user’s bank account. The app controls the mobile device 106 to display an interface on a screen of the mobile device (not shown) which displays account information relating to the user’s bank account such as a current balance, previous transactions, pending transactions and so on. Typically the interface allows a user to control different views of the account information, using for example, touch screen gesture controls as is known in the art.

During the running of the service software on the application server 102, an event might occur relating to a user’s account. Such events are referred to as “account events”. Examples of an account event, particularly in the context of a bank account include a payment (credit) being made to a user’s account, a payment (debit) being taken from a user’s account, a user’s account going overdrawn; funds in a user’s account dropping below a predefined amount; a payment being taken from a user’s account from a particular payee (e.g. a mortgage payment) or by a particular mechanism (e.g. a cash withdrawal from an automated teller machine (ATM)).

Responsive to certain account events occurring, the service software generates and sends via the IP network 104 and the PLMN 103 an event notification message to the app running on the mobile device 106. The event notification message comprises data identifying the type of account event that has occurred.

Responsive to the receipt of the event notification message, the app is arranged to identify from the event notification message the type of account event that has occurred. This step can be performed in any suitable way. For example, the account notification message may comprise a predefined number of data fields including at least an account event code data field. The code in the account event code data field can then be used to identify the account event type. As will be understood, the account notification message may comprise further information relating to the account event, for example a date and time of the account event and/or a numerical value associated with the account event.

Once the account event type has been identified, then the app identifies a predetermined notification action associated with that type of account event. Once the relevant predetermined notification action has been identified, the app controls the mobile device 106 to perform the notification action.

In some examples, the notification action is the generation of a particular sound. In such examples, the processor unit controls the speaker unit 109 to produce such a sound. When the user hears the sound they are informed that an account event of a particular type has occurred. This may reassure the user that a particular event has occurred (e.g. that their monthly salary has been received into their bank account) or may prompt a user to access their account information via the app to find out why a particular account event has occurred (for example if a payment has been taken from their bank account and the bank account has become overdrawn).

Accordingly, a technique is provided whereby a user can be alerted to the occurrence of an account event, and the type of account event, without requiring the user to actively access their account information by interacting with the app. In examples in which the notification action is a sound, there is no requirement for the user to interact with their mobile device at all, providing the mobile device is within earshot of the user.

Figure 2 shows a diagram illustrative of a look-up table 201 maintained by the app in the memory 108 of the mobile device 106. The look-up table associates types of account events with notification actions. As can be seen from Figure 2, the account event of a payment being paid into a user’s account (e.g. a monthly salary) is associated with reproducing a “till register” sound, the account event of a monthly standing order being debited from a user’s account is associated with reproducing a “bell” sound, the account event of a user entering an overdraft is associated with reproducing a “klaxon” sound and the account event of a cash withdrawal from an ATM is associated with reproducing a “beep” sound.

As will be understood, the app may store in the memory 108 a number of sound files, that is data that can be converted into sound by the mobile device 106 controlling the speaker unit 109. When the app receives an event notification message as described above, it determines which account event is associated with it, identifies from the look-up table which notification action is associated with that account event and then controls the mobile device 106 to reproduce the corresponding sound using the relevant sound file.

In examples in which the notification action is sound, the sound used can be any suitable sound that can be identified and distinguished from other sounds by the user. In the examples above, the user will typically know that a particular sound is associated with a particular type of account event. In some examples, the app may be provided with sound files that reproduce a speech sound saying what the account event is, for example a sound file that says “You have received a payment”, or “Your bank account has gone overdrawn”.

In certain examples, the app is arranged to control the mobile device to perform a different notification action for the same type of account event, in dependence on a state of the mobile device when an event notification message is received. This means that the way in which a user is notified about an account event can be adapted in dependence of particular circumstances. For example, if a user is in a home location, this is likely to be a private setting and they will be happy to receive clearly perceptible notifications relating to their account information. On the other hand, if the user is in a public setting, for example on a train or in a crowded public space, they may prefer not to receive clearly perceptible notifications relating to their account information as they may prefer to keep this information private.

It will be understood that embodiments of the invention are not restricted to the types of sounds discussed above with reference to Figure 2, and any suitable sounds can be used. In certain embodiments, the app may provide various predefined groups of sounds which a user can select to be used. In this way sound “themes” can be used. For example, the sounds can all relate to a particular topic such as a sporting event, a television show, a movie, songs of a particular pop group and so on. Such sound “themes” could be periodically downloaded onto the mobile device 106.

This is explained further with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 3 provides a simplified schematic diagram of another system 301 arranged in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention. The system 301 shown in Figure 3 corresponds to the system 101 shown in Figure 1 except that the system 301 shown in Figure 3 includes a wireless access point 302 connected to the application server 102 via the IP network 104. Further, a vibration unit 303 of the mobile device 106 is shown. In some examples, the wireless access point 302 is provided by a user’s wireless modem that allows mobile devices to send data to and receive data from the internet via a Wi-Fi connection. Typically, the wireless access point 302 will be positioned at a fixed location such as a user’s home or place of work.

In certain examples, the app running on the mobile device 106 is arranged to determine whether or not the mobile device 106 is connected to the IP network 104 via a wireless data connection provided by the wireless access point 302 or via some other means, for example via the base station 105 forming part of the PLMN 103. This information is typically available to the app via the operating system of the mobile device.

In such examples, the app maintains a modified lookup table as shown in Figure 4. As can be seen in Figure 4, each type of account event is associated with more than one notification action. More specifically, when the mobile device is in a first state (connected to the internet via a pre-identified wireless access point, such as a user’s wireless modem located in their home), the notification action is a first notification action corresponding to that shown in the look up table of Figure 2. When the mobile device is a second state (connected to the internet via a means that is not the pre-identified wireless access point), the notification action is a second notification action, different from the first notification action.

More specifically, when the mobile device is connected to the internet via a means that is not the pre-identified wireless access point (for example, a base station of a PLMN) then the notification actions are different sequences of vibrations of the mobile device. An account event of a payment being paid into a user’s account is associated with three short vibrations, the account event of a monthly standing order being debited from a user’s account is associated with one short vibration and two long vibrations, the account event of a user entering an overdraft is associated with three long vibrations and the account event of a cash withdrawal from an ATM is associated with a long vibration followed by a short vibration, followed by a long vibration.

As will be appreciated, a sequence of vibrations may be detected by a user, particularly if they have the user device in close contact, for example in a pocket. However, the vibrations are likely to be less perceptible to other people.

Responsive to the receipt of an event notification message, the app is arranged to identify which state the mobile device is currently in and to identify the predetermined notification action associated with the type of account event for the current state. Once the type of account event has been identified, the app controls the mobile device 106 to perform the notification action. With reference to Figure 4, in the event that an ATM withdrawal event notification message is received whilst the mobile device is connected to the internet via a PLMN, the app controls a vibration unit 303 of the mobile device to generate a long vibration followed by a short vibration, followed by a long vibration. On the other hand, in the event that an ATM withdrawal event notification message is received whilst the mobile device is connected to the internet via the wireless access point 302, the app controls the speaker unit 109 to produce the “beep” sound

In certain examples, the app enables the user to select which notification actions are associated with which types of account events. This can be done in any suitable way, for example via a selection menu of the interface of the app presented to the user on the mobile device when the user first runs the app. In examples in which the notification action is dependent on the state of the mobile device, the notification action for a specific account event for each mobile device state can also be selected by a user of an app.

In certain examples, when the mobile device is in a particular state, then performing notification actions is disabled. That is, no notification action will be performed in the event of receipt of an event notification message.

As will be understood, any suitable type of mobile device state that can be discerned at the mobile device can be used to control the notification action type.

In certain embodiments, the location of the mobile device could be detected by other means than the connection to the internet. For example, if a mobile device is equipped with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, such as a GPS receiver, then a mobile device state used to determine which notification action is used can be the location of the mobile device, as detected by virtue of the GNSS receiver.

In other examples, the app itself could allow the user to select a “private state” or “public state” via the interface and this user selection could be used to control which notification action is used.

In further examples, the app could detect, via the mobile device’s operating system, a physical orientation of the mobile device, for example if it has been placed screen-side down on a surface. This physical orientation can then be used to determine which notification action is used.

In certain embodiments, the mobile device is determined to be in a particular state if it is connected to the internet via more than one predetermined access points or connected to the internet via a particular radio access interface, for example any of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G, 3G, 2G or any combination thereof.

Figure 5 provides a flow diagram of a process performed by an app running on a mobile device in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention. At a first step 501 an event notification message is received by the app from an application server. The event notification message is generated by the application server in response to an account event of a particular type, from a plurality of possible types of account events, occurring relating to a user account. The event notification message indicates that an account event of a particular type has occurred.

At a second step 502, the app identifies the type of account event associated with the event notification message (for example a user’s monthly salary being paid in, an ATM withdrawal occurring etc.)· The app then identifies a predetermined notification action associated with that type of account event.

At a third step 503, the app controls the mobile device to perform the predetermined notification action.

As will be understood, the app running on the mobile device comprises computer-readable code which when run on the processor unit of the mobile device causes the processor to control the mobile device in accordance with the flow diagram of Figure 5. Such a computer program can be stored on a suitable computer program product such as a CD-ROM or solid state memory device.

The skilled person will understand that the component parts of the various embodiments of the invention described above are in some cases simplified logical designations. For example, the functionality associated with the application server 102 depicted in Figures 1 and 3 may typically be implemented by a more complex arrangement of several servers with further intermediate components or an arrangement of server systems. Further infrastructure, such as banking terminals and ATMs may also be linked to these servers/server systems.

In the embodiments described above, the user account has been described mainly in terms of a bank account. Flowever, it will be understood that the principles of the invention can be applied to any suitable user account including but not limited to user accounts associated with a utility provider (e.g. gas or electricity), user accounts associated with a telecoms provider (e.g. a mobile network operator, a telephone/internet connection provider), user accounts associated with a credit card provider or online payment provider, user accounts associated with online retailers, user accounts associated with an online service, for example a video streaming service and so on.

Features, integers, characteristics or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of the features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to any details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

The reader’s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A method of generating a notification, said method comprising: receiving an event notification message from a server indicating a type of account event of a user account has occurred; identifying a predetermined notification action associated with the type of account event, and performing said notification action.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by an app running on a mobile device.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined notification action is one of a plurality of predetermined notification actions.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the event notification message is one of a plurality of different event notification messages, each of the different event notification messages associated with a different type of account event of the user account, and each type of account event is associated with at least one of the plurality of predetermined notification actions.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising defining, by a user, with which predetermined notification action at least one of the type of account events is associated.

6. A method according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein at least one type of account event is associated with two or more predetermined notification actions, said method further comprising: identifying the two or more predetermined notification actions; detecting a current state of the mobile device, and selecting one of the two or more predetermined notification actions based on the detected current state of the mobile device.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the current state of the mobile device is a current location of the mobile device.

8. A method according to claim 7, comprising determining the current location of the mobile device based on a connection of the mobile device to a predetermined access point.

9. A method according to claim 7, comprising determining the current location of the mobile device based on a geographic location determined by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver.

10. A method according to any previous claim, wherein the user account is a user bank account.

11. A method according to any previous claim, wherein each of the one or more of the notification actions are the generation of a different sound.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the different sounds are from a predefined group of sounds forming a theme.

13. A method according to any of claims 2 to 12, wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

14. A mobile device comprising a processor and memory, said memory having stored thereon a computer program which when run by the processor controls the mobile device to perform a method according to any of claims 1 to 13.

15. A system for generating a notification at a mobile device, said system comprising a server on which is run service software providing a service associated with a user account, said server arranged to send an event notification message to the mobile device in response to an account event occurring associated with the user account, said event notification message indicating a type of the account event, wherein responsive to receiving the event notification message from the server, the mobile device is arranged: to identify a predetermined notification action associated with the type of account event, and to perform said notification action.

16. A computer program comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed on a suitably programmed computer, cause the computer to perform a method as defined by any of the claims 1 to 13.

17. A computer program product on which is stored a computer program as defined in claim 16.

18. A method, mobile device or system as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.