HK1209510B - Methods and systems for accessing account information electronically - Google Patents

Description

Method and system for electronically accessing account information

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of financial account information management, and more particularly to methods and systems for electronically accessing account information.

Background Art

While shopping, customers may occasionally want to know exactly how much funds or credit they have available in their various accounts and their recent transactions. Currently, bank customers who wish to obtain this information via their mobile devices must typically perform an authentication process that requires entering a user ID and password each time they access this information. Some bank customers may be allowed to access information on their mobile devices using the same user ID and password they use for online banking, but other customers may need to use a different user ID and password to access their balance and recent transaction information on their mobile devices.

In any case, for example, a customer shopping at a mall may want to check their balance relatively frequently to ensure they have sufficient funds or credit to pay for their purchases. This necessitates repeatedly entering their username and password on their mobile device. Furthermore, most financial institutions set standards for customer passwords that require the use of uncommon characters, which can complicate the process of entering a password on a customer's mobile device. Consequently, entering a password on a mobile device's keypad or touchscreen can be awkward and time-consuming.

In the past, financial institutions have implemented some relatively minor improvements to provide convenience to customers, such as allowing customers to choose to keep their sessions open for a limited period of time after logging in with their user ID and password. Thus, customers may be allowed to extend their sessions slightly beyond the typical allotted time after logging in. Furthermore, some financial institutions have been moving toward allowing limited access to customer account information without entering a password. However, such services carry significant risks, such as exposing customer account information to unauthorized individuals.

Currently, there is a need for methods and systems for electronically accessing account information that provide a high degree of convenience to busy customers of financial institutions, such as banks, who want to quickly and easily know how much money or credit is in their accounts without having to repeatedly perform complex log-in procedures, while also providing multiple controls to ensure that the security of customer information is securely maintained.

Summary of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention employ computer hardware and software, including but not limited to one or more processors coupled to a memory and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon one or more executable programs that instruct the processors to implement the methods and systems described herein. Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for electronically accessing account information, which may include, for example, using a processor of a backend server to bind a computing device to a customer's profile via at least one attribute of the computing device and an encrypted token stored on the computing device.

Then, using the processor of the backend server, an authentication request may be received, the authentication request being composed at least in part of at least one attribute of the computing device and an encrypted token stored on the computing device. Also using the processor of the backend server, a determination may be made as to whether entry of client credentials has been received within a predetermined previous time interval. Also using the processor of the backend server, when it is determined that entry of client credentials has been received within the predetermined previous time interval, predefined client account information may be displayed on the computing device without requiring entry of client credentials.

In one aspect of embodiments of the present invention, binding the computing device may include, for example, binding the computing device to the client's profile only upon receiving an opt-in selection from the client. In another aspect, binding the computing device may include, for example, binding the computing device only upon receiving confirmation of the opt-in selection from the client. In yet another aspect, binding the computing device may include, for example, deactivating binding of the computing device whenever an opt-out selection is received from the client after receiving the opt-in selection from the client.

In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, binding a computing device may include, for example, deactivating the binding of the computing device whenever a request is received from a client to change client credentials. In yet another aspect, the client credentials may include, for example, a client password. In yet another aspect, binding a computing device may include, for example, deactivating the binding of the computing device whenever a request is received to bind a different computing device to a client's profile.

In another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, the at least one computing device attribute may include, for example, a unique computing device identifier. In other aspects, the computing device may include, for example, a mobile communication device, and the at least one computing device attribute may include a mobile network identifier. In other aspects, the encrypted token may include, for example, a token encrypted using a hash algorithm.

In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, determining whether input of customer credentials has been received may include, for example, determining whether input of customer credentials has been received at least once within a predetermined previous time interval. In another aspect, determining whether input of customer credentials has been received may include, for example, determining whether input of customer credentials has been received at least once within the previous fifteen days.

In yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, displaying predefined customer account information can include, for example, displaying non-personally identifiable customer account information on a computing device. In another aspect, displaying non-personally identifiable customer account information can include, for example, displaying non-personally identifiable customer checking, savings, and credit card account information on a computing device. In other aspects, displaying non-personally identifiable customer checking account information can include, for example, displaying a partial checking account identifier and one or more available balances of the checking account on a computing device. In still other aspects, the partial checking account identifier can include, for example, a predetermined portion of the checking account number.

In yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, displaying non-personally identifiable customer savings account information may include, for example, displaying a portion of a savings account identifier and one or more savings account balances on a computing device. In further aspects, the portion of the savings account identifier may include, for example, a predetermined portion of the savings account number. In another aspect, displaying non-personally identifiable customer credit card account information may include, for example, displaying a portion of a credit card account identifier and one or more credit card account balances on a computing device. In yet another aspect, the portion of the credit card account identifier may include, for example, a predetermined portion of the credit card account number.

In further aspects of embodiments of the present invention, displaying non-personally identifiable customer account information can include, for example, displaying non-personally identifiable customer account transaction information for a predetermined number of transactions on a computing device. In another aspect, the predetermined number of transactions can include, for example, the fifteen most recent transactions. In yet another aspect, displaying predefined customer account information can include, for example, rejecting a customer transaction request received without entering customer credentials.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be set forth in part in the following description and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned through practice of the present invention. It is intended that all such aspects be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the types of information that can be accessed by a preview application via an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a screenshot illustrating an example of menu items that can be accessed after opening the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention without entering a customer's password;

3A and 3B are screenshots illustrating examples of a home screen of a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 and 5 are screenshots illustrating examples of a checking ledger view and a savings ledger view of a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a screenshot illustrating an example of a credit card ledger view of a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG7 is a screenshot illustrating an example of an offer based on a customer's card relationship in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a process of binding a customer's mobile device to a customer's profile during a preview registration process of an embodiment of the present invention;

9A-9D are screenshots illustrating examples of aspects of a preview login screen according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example overview of key components of an embodiment of the present invention and the flow of information between the key components; and

11 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a process for accessing customer account information using a preview application of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of illustration, not limitation, of the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to yield yet another embodiment. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention encompass such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the invention.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an unprecedented level of convenience for busy customers of financial institutions, such as banks, who want to quickly and easily see how much money is in their accounts without having to repeatedly perform complex log-in procedures, while also providing multiple controls to ensure that the security of customer information is securely maintained. Embodiments of the present invention allow customers of financial institutions to see, at a glance, their current balances on all of their deposit accounts and credit cards, and see how much money they have available for spending, without having to enter their password each time they access such information. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also allow these customers to see their most recent transactions without having to enter their password each time. Rather than requiring the customer to enter his or her password on their mobile device each time to access recent information, embodiments of the present invention only require the customer to periodically refresh and reopen the application on the mobile device.

Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide a "sneak peek" mode within the global mobile application that allows customers to preview their balances and recent transactions "on the fly" whenever they access the application, for example, on their mobile device. In embodiments of the present invention, only non-personally identifiable information is provided, and this information is only provided to customers who opt-in to the preview service and who then successfully enter their password into the preview application at least once during a predetermined time interval (e.g., at least once every fifteen days).

An important aspect of embodiments of the present invention is that they require the customer to opt-in to ensure their willingness to participate. In an "opt-in-only" approach, for example, the customer can be asked to opt-in to the service upon first logging into a preview application of embodiments of the present invention. The customer may then be able to change their preview opt-in/opt-out status at any time via a settings menu. Thus, when the customer first logs in, the features of embodiments of the present invention are suggested to the customer. If the customer does not choose to accept and immediately register for the preview application of embodiments of the present invention, the customer may be given the opportunity to register at a later time.

Another security feature of the preview application of embodiments of the present invention ensures, for example, that the only types of information that can be accessed include account balances and a predetermined number of recent transactions, such as the last fifteen transactions. Furthermore, in preview mode, the customer may not be allowed to perform any transactions at all. Non-personally identifiable information may be displayed, and no one may be allowed to perform any type of fund movement from within the preview application of embodiments of the present invention without entering the customer's password.

If a customer chooses to accept and register for a preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, he or she may then be able to access certain of his or her account information via the customer's mobile device without having to enter the customer's password. Thus, embodiments of the present invention allow a customer to view, for example: checking account information, including account name and one or more available balances; savings account information, including account name and one or more available balances; and credit card information, including cardholder name and one or more card limits, as well as merchant offers for customers who hold a credit card account with a financial institution.

FIG1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the type of information that can be accessed via a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG1 , balance information 100 that can be accessed using the preview functionality can include, for example: the last four digits of the account number, the current balance, and the available credit limit for a customer's credit card account 102; the last four digits of the account number, the amount on deposit, and the available balance for a customer's checking account 104; and the last four digits of the account number, the amount on deposit, the available balance, and the year-to-date interest for a customer's savings account 106. Further referring to FIG1 , balance information 108 that can be accessed using the preview functionality can include, for example, the amount on deposit, the minimum payment, and the payment date for a customer's credit card account 102.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the account history information 110 that can be accessed using the preview functionality may include, for example, up to the most recent fifteen transactions involving any of the customer's credit card account 102, checking account 104, or savings account 106. The mobile application of embodiments of the present invention provides customers with a truly differentiated mobile banking experience, providing dynamic access to and storage of their financial information. Enabling customers who opt in to this functionality to access advanced, non-personally identifiable account information can take advantage of the fact that mobile phones are typically on or near the user's person for most of the day and are personal devices that are not typically shared between users.

Customers who choose to accept the use of the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention can access various functionalities without having to enter their password each time after opening the application. FIG2 is a screenshot 200 illustrating an example of menu items that can be accessed after opening the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention without entering the customer's password. Referring to FIG2 , the full range of functional menu items that a customer can access after opening the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention without entering a password may include, for example, a branch locator 202, FAQ help 204, contact the financial institution 206, and a cumulative reward points display 208. However, while in the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, the customer may not be allowed to update settings using the settings button 210. A log in/out menu item 212 enables the customer to log in by entering the customer's password, thereby allowing the customer to access the full preview application and perform additional activities such as making payments, transferring money, depositing checks, and viewing all transactions.

The home screen menu item 214 shown in the screenshot of FIG2 may allow a customer to access the home screen without entering the customer's password after opening the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG3A and FIG3B are screenshots illustrating an example of a home screen 300 of the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention. The home screen 300 provides access to available balance information for all account types, including, for example, checking 302, savings 304, and credit card 306. For a checking account 302, the home screen 300 may provide the account name and one or more available balances. For a savings account 304, the home screen 300 may provide the account name and one or more available balances. For a credit card account 306, the home screen 300 may provide the cardholder name and one or more credit card limits.

Figures 4 and 5 are screenshots illustrating examples of a checking account view 400 and a savings account view 500, respectively, that can be accessed after opening a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention without re-entering the customer's password each time the customer accesses information using the preview application. The checking account view 400 and the savings account view 500 may provide, for example, one or more available balances 402 and one or more available balances 502, respectively, and transaction information for a predetermined number (e.g., fifteen) of the most recent unposted and posted checking account transactions 404 and savings account transactions 504. The displayed checking account transaction information and savings account transaction information may include, for example, transaction amounts, transaction descriptions, and the date of each transaction. It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to digital display of recent transaction and balance information. Visual representations of the same information or any other suitable representation of such information may also be employed. According to embodiments of the present invention, account information is not personally identifiable information, and further account details cannot be accessed without entering the customer's password.

FIG6 is a screenshot illustrating an example of a credit card ledger view 600 that can be accessed after opening a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention, without requiring the customer to re-enter their password each time they access information using the preview application. Credit card ledger view 600 may provide, for example, available credit 602, current balance 604, minimum payment amount and payment date 606, and transaction information 608 for a predetermined number (e.g., fifteen) of the most recent unbilled and billed transactions. The displayed credit card transaction information 608 may include, for example, the amount, transaction description, and purchase date of each transaction. In credit card ledger view 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention, no further transaction details or account details are provided. As previously mentioned, customers holding credit card accounts may also be able to view offers available to them based on their specific card relationships. FIG7 is a screenshot illustrating an example of offers 700 based on a customer's card relationships.

As previously mentioned, embodiments of the present invention provide a variety of control aspects to ensure that the security of a customer's information is securely maintained. In the opt-in confirmation aspect, each time a customer restarts the customer's mobile device, updates an application, or enters the customer's password after a period of 15 days has expired in which the customer's password has not been entered, the customer may be reminded of the customer's security preferences and asked to reconfirm his or her preferences in order to proceed. The opt-in confirmation aspect ensures that the customer is familiar with and aware of the customer's security preferences. Yet another aspect is a persistent opt-out option, i.e., the ability to opt-out of the preview application functionality of embodiments of the present invention at all times via a settings menu displayed by the application. Thus, a customer may be allowed to opt-out of features of embodiments of the present invention and will not be prompted to opt-in to such features in the future.

Furthermore, opt-in customers can disable the preview features of embodiments of the present invention by logging in and changing their online password via any other computing device (including a mobile device). For example, suppose an opt-in customer loses their mobile device and is concerned about security, even though an unauthorized third party would not be able to use the customer's mobile device to access any of the customer's personally identifiable account information. This concern can be addressed, for example, by allowing the customer to change their online password while immediately disabling the preview features of embodiments of the present invention.

Customer service agents at banks and credit cards may be able to provide guidance to customers whose phones have been lost or whose wallets have been stolen. For example, a calling customer may be directed to the online banking preview application to change their password, thereby remotely deactivating the application functionality of embodiments of the present invention. Thus, a customer may be able to remotely deactivate the preview application functionality by simply changing the customer's password using a different contact point to access the online banking server. Alternatively, a customer service representative may be able to deactivate the customer's user ID at the customer's request. In addition, if the customer's mobile device has a "find my phone" feature, the customer can enable the "find my phone" feature on the customer's device and remotely lock his or her device with a password if the phone is lost. The customer can also remotely destroy the data on his or her mobile device.

In another aspect, any change to the customer's online banking credentials may disable the preview functionality and require the customer to enter his or her password when opening the preview application. In the event of a password change, the customer may not be prompted to proceed with the preview opt-in flow, but instead may be prompted to verify his or her customer settings and preview settings for the customer's remembered user ID. In the event of a user ID change, the customer may be prompted to proceed with the full preview opt-in flow to enable the preview functionality.

In another security aspect, as previously described, the customer must enter their password at least once within a predetermined time interval (e.g., once every fifteen days) in order for the functionality of the preview application of embodiments of the present invention to remain active. It should be understood that this periodic schedule for re-entering the customer's password is not limited to once every fifteen days, but can be any other number of re-entries and any other suitable time interval. For example, if a customer chooses to accept the functionality of the preview application, but then does not enter his or her password within fifteen days (by performing a transaction, viewing a message requiring the customer to enter his or her password, or by actively choosing to log in electronically via the application menu), then the next time the customer opens the application, he or she will be required to enter his or her password to satisfy the 15-day password requirement. Once the customer enters his or her password, the customer can be reminded of his or her preferences, including the customer's preference to accept the functionality of embodiments of the present invention, and can be given an opportunity to opt out if the customer's preferences have changed.

On the other hand, if the customer chooses to accept the preview functionality and launches the application and enters the customer's password (by performing an activity requiring such input, requesting to view information requiring such input, or actively selecting to log in via the application menu at least once every fifteen days), the customer will have satisfied the 15-day login requirement. Therefore, as long as the customer continues to meet this requirement at least every fifteen days, the preview application of embodiments of the present invention will not further force the customer to enter a password.

In another security aspect, a customer is permitted to register for the preview application functionality of embodiments of the present invention on only one device at a time. Thus, if a customer attempts to opt-in to the functionality from another device, the preview application functionality can be immediately deactivated on the previously registered device. Furthermore, before completing registration on the new device, the customer attempting to register on the other device can be presented with a notification informing him or her that the new registration will invalidate the registration for the customer's previously registered device. Thus, if a customer has two or more mobile devices through which he or she can access his or her account, the customer is limited to registering for the preview features of embodiments of the present invention on only one of these devices. If a customer registers for the preview functionality on one of his or her mobile devices and later decides to switch to another device, doing so will deactivate the previously registered device in order to register the other device.

In another security aspect, each time a registered mobile device is restarted or powered on again, or a customer upgrades or updates a previous version of a preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, the customer may be required to re-enter their password in order to continue using the features of the present invention. In the device restart aspect, each time a customer restarts their mobile device, the next time the customer opens a preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, the customer may be prompted to enter their password. In the application update aspect, each time a customer upgrades the preview application with a newer version of the application, the customer may be required to enter their password. In either aspect, after launching the preview application and entering the customer's password, the customer may be reminded of their preferences, including the customer's preference to accept functionality of an embodiment of the present invention, and may be given an opportunity to opt out if their preferences have changed.

An important security aspect of embodiments of the present invention, for example, includes tightly binding a customer's physical device (such as the customer's mobile phone) to the customer's personal profile. FIG8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a process for binding a customer's mobile device to the customer's profile during a registration process in an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG8 , at S1, during a registration process, a processor, such as a financial institution processor, is used to receive a customer's user ID; a unique device identifier for the customer's mobile device, such as a Media Access Control (MAC) address, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), or other Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID); and network details for the customer's mobile device processor.

With further reference to FIG8 , at S2 , upon receiving this information, also using a processor, an encrypted token may be generated based on an algorithm such as a Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC), using an algorithm such as the Secure Hash Algorithm SHA256, with the current timestamp and a random number as input. Note that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the use of the HMAC-SHA256 algorithm, and any other suitable encryption method or algorithm may be employed. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may employ either symmetric or asymmetric encryption. Referring again to FIG8 , at S3 , also using a processor, the encrypted token may be sent back to the customer's mobile device processor, which may then store the received token. Furthermore, using a processor, the customer's mobile device attributes and the encrypted token may be stored so that verification of the authentication of the preview application functionality of embodiments of the present invention may be performed each time the customer opens the application.

Then, referring again to Figure 8, at S4, each time a customer opens a preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, during the authentication process, using the processor, information sent to the customer's device during the registration process can be received from the customer's mobile device processor, including (for example) the customer's user ID, the customer's unique device identifier, the customer's network details, and an encrypted token. Note that the network details can be included in the token information so that the financial institution can remotely disable the features of an embodiment of the present invention in the event that the customer loses his or her mobile device. At S5, using the processor, the received encrypted token and device attributes can be verified using the stored information to ensure that the request was made by the same device. If the user ID or password changes, the token verification process may fail, and the customer can be notified to continue the normal login process using his or her password.

The network detail requirement aspect of an embodiment of the present invention can identify when a preview application is accessed without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection and can require re-authentication the next time the application is accessed after a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is re-established. Yet another security aspect can include, for example, a master switch that allows a financial institution to completely disable the preview service for all of the financial institution's customers. In the master switch aspect, rather than disabling the preview functionality on a customer-by-customer basis, the master switch aspect can allow the financial institution to disable this functionality if any type of violation occurs that requires disabling this functionality for all customers. Yet another security aspect can include, for example, a selective control that allows a financial institution to disable features of an embodiment of the present invention for one or more of the financial institution's customers on a selective basis (e.g., if a customer's mobile device number changes).

It should be understood that using the preview features of embodiments of the present invention, any type of transaction, such as a payment, transfer, or deposit, involving any of the customer's accounts may not be performed. Therefore, in order to perform one or more transactions, such as making a payment or setting up a funds transfer between the customer's accounts, the customer must enter his or her password. If the customer uses features of embodiments of the present invention to access his or her account information and decides to make a payment, the customer must then enter his or her password to proceed and make such a payment. Other actions that may require the customer to enter the customer's password may include, for example, editing or deleting a scheduled payment; executing a funds transfer transaction; or accessing information related to investments, retirement accounts, lines of credit, loans, mortgages, trading accounts, or business accounts. Additional actions that may require the customer to enter the customer's password may include, for example, payments to a payee module (including a summary of the payee's payment information), mobile check deposits, accessing transactions prior to a predetermined number of recent transactions, or accessing transaction or account details.

Figures 9A through 9D are screenshots illustrating examples of aspects of a login screen 900 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 9A through 9D , during the initial login process, upon first logging into a preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention, once a customer correctly enters their username and password, the customer may be guided through an initial login process, which may consist of multiple screens displayed on the customer's mobile device. The first such screen may be a preview introduction and opt-in screen, an example screenshot 902 of which is shown in Figure 9B , where the customer can read information about the preview functionality. The customer may be prompted to click a "Learn More/Security" link icon 904, which directs the customer to a "Learn More/Security" screen 906, shown in Figure 9C , where the customer can learn about the information available in preview mode. The customer may also learn about information that may require a password to access, as well as the risks associated with enabling the preview functionality. Furthermore, the customer may be advised of available security measures in the event that the customer loses their mobile device and wishes to remotely disable the preview feature.

9B , in the opt-in aspect of the preview functionality, the default state of the "Activate Preview" box 908 may be an unchecked condition, and the customer must actively opt-in to the preview functionality in order to activate it. If the customer opts in, and has not previously opted-in to have their user ID remembered on an earlier screen, the customer may be advised that they must opt-in to have their user ID remembered in order for the preview aspect to take effect. If the customer disagrees, they may opt-out of the preview functionality and be directed directly to the home screen.

FIG9D illustrates an example of a mobile device screenshot 910 for confirming preferences according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the customer chooses to accept, they are directed to a confirm preferences screen 910 where they can confirm their preferences by remembering their user ID 912 and enabling preview functionality 914. When the customer is satisfied with their settings, they can click "Complete Login" 916 to confirm their settings. Once the customer's settings have been confirmed, they are directed to the home screen of the preview application according to an embodiment of the present invention, at which point they are fully logged in and can view and execute all functions within the application according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example overview of key components and the flow of information between key components of an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG10 , the key components may include, for example, a processor of a customer's computing device 1002 (such as a customer's smartphone), which is coupled to a processor of a back-end server 1006, such as a financial institution's server, via a network 1004. FIG11 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a process for accessing customer account information according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG10 and FIG11 , at S10, using the processor of the back-end server 1006, the computing device 1002 may be bound to the customer's profile via at least one attribute of the computing device 1002 and an encrypted token stored on the computing device 1002.

10 and 11 , at S11, again using the processor of the backend server 1006, an authentication request may be received, the authentication request being composed at least in part of at least one attribute of the computing device 1002 and an encrypted token stored on the computing device 1002. At S12, again using the processor of the backend server 1006, a determination may be made as to whether input of client credentials has been received within a predetermined previous time interval. At S13, also using the processor of the backend server 1006, if it is determined that input of client credentials has been received within the predetermined previous time interval, predefined client account information may be displayed on the computing device 1002 without requiring input of client credentials.

Within a predetermined time period (such as 60 days) after the first login, customers who did not choose to accept during the first login process may be prompted with a preview functionality selection acceptance screen. Customers who choose to accept during the first login process or through settings, within a predefined time period (such as the first fifteen days) after registration, each time the customer opens the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, they can immediately reach the home screen and access the level of information allowed within the preview functionality. As mentioned above, as a security measure, the customer will be required to enter his or her password at least once at predetermined time intervals (such as every fifteen days). If the customer closes the preview application of an embodiment of the present invention, the next time the customer attempts to access his or her information, token verification and account information refresh may occur. In addition, when the preview application is running in the background and is called to the foreground by the customer, token verification and account information refresh may also occur.

It should be understood that embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as processes of a computer program product, each of which may operate on one or more processors, either solely on a single physical platform (such as a personal computer), or across multiple platforms (such as a system or network, including networks such as the Internet, an intranet, a WAN, a LAN, a cellular network, or any other suitable network). Embodiments of the present invention may employ client devices, each of which may include computer-readable media, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM) coupled to a processor. The processor may execute computer-executable program instructions stored in the memory. These processors may include, but are not limited to, microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and or state machines. These processors may include, or may be in communication with, a medium such as a computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform one or more of the steps described herein.

It should also be understood that these computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, electronic, optical, magnetic, RFID, or other storage or transmission devices that can provide computer-readable instructions to the processor. Other examples of suitable media include, but are not limited to, CD-ROMs, DVDs, disks, memory chips, ROMs, RAMs, ASICs, configured processors, optical media, magnetic media, or any other suitable media from which a computer processor can read instructions. Embodiments of the present invention may employ other forms of such computer-readable media to transmit or carry instructions to a computer, including routers, private or public networks, or other transmission devices or channels (wired or wireless). These instructions may include code written in any suitable computer programming language, including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Java, Python, Perl, and JavaScript.

It should also be understood that the client device that embodiments of the present invention can adopt can also comprise multiple external or internal devices, such as mouse, CD-ROM, DVD, keyboard, display or other input or output devices.In general, these client devices can be the platform based on processor of any suitable type, and this platform is connected to network, and interacts with one or more application programs, and can operate on any suitable operating system.Server device can also be coupled to network, and is similar to client device, and these server devices can comprise processor, and this processor is coupled to computer-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM).These server devices (it can be single computer system) can also be embodied as the network of computer processor.The example of these server devices is server, mainframe computer, networked computer, system and device based on the device of processor and similar type.

Claims (19)

1. A method for accessing customer account information, comprising: The processor binds the computing device to the customer's profile using at least one attribute of the computing device and an encrypted token stored on the computing device. The processor receives an authentication request, which consists at least in part of the at least one attribute of the computing device and the encrypted token stored on the computing device; The processor is used to determine whether input of customer credentials has been received within a predetermined previous time interval; and When it is determined that input of the customer credential has been received within the predetermined previous time interval, the processor uses the processor to display predefined customer account information on the computing device without requiring input of the customer credential. The display of the predefined customer account information also includes displaying non-personally identifiable customer account information on the computing device. The display of the non-personally identifiable customer account information also includes displaying the non-personally identifiable customer's checking, savings, and credit card account information on the computing device, and The information on non-personally identified customers' checking, savings, and credit card accounts includes a portion of the account identifier and one or more available balances. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein binding the computing device further includes binding the computing device to the client's profile only when the client receives an acceptance of the selection from the client. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein binding the computing device further comprises binding the computing device only upon receiving confirmation from the client that the selection is accepted. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein binding the computing device further includes deactivating the binding of the computing device whenever a selection to exit is received from the client after receiving the selection to accept the selection from the client. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein binding the computing device further comprises deactivating the binding of the computing device whenever a request to change the customer credentials is received from the customer. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the customer credential includes a customer password. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein binding the computing device further includes deactivating the binding of the computing device whenever a request to bind a different computing device to the client’s profile is received. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one computing device attribute includes a unique computing device identifier. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes a mobile communication device, and the at least one computing device attribute further includes mobile network details. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted token comprises a token encrypted using a hash algorithm. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether input of the customer credential has been received further comprises determining whether input of the customer credential has been received at least once within the predetermined prior time interval. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the input for the customer credential has been received further includes determining whether the input for the customer credential has been received at least once within the preceding fifteen days. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial cheque account identifier comprises a predetermined portion of the cheque account number. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial savings account identifier comprises a predetermined portion of the savings account number. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial credit card account identifier comprises a predetermined portion of the credit card number. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the non-personally identifiable customer account information further includes displaying a predetermined number of non-personally identifiable customer account transaction information on the computing device. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined number of transactions includes the most recent fifteen transactions. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the predefined customer account information further includes rejecting customer transaction requests received without the customer credentials being entered. 19. A system for accessing customer account information, comprising: A processor coupled to memory, the processor being programmed to: The computing device is bound to a customer's profile via at least one attribute of the computing device and an encrypted token stored on the computing device; Receive an authentication request, the authentication request consisting at least in part of the at least one attribute of the computing device and the encrypted token stored on the computing device; Determine whether customer credentials have been received within a predetermined previous time interval; and When it is determined that input of the customer credential has been received within the predetermined previous time interval, predefined customer account information is displayed on the computing device without requiring the input of the customer credential. The display of the predefined customer account information also includes displaying non-personally identifiable customer account information on the computing device. The display of the non-personally identifiable customer account information also includes displaying the non-personally identifiable customer's checking, savings, and credit card account information on the computing device, and The information on non-personally identified customers' checking, savings, and credit card accounts includes a portion of the account identifier and one or more available balances.