Suzanne L Crane

US Patent:

7653596, Jan 26, 2010

Filed:

Oct 17, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/873951

Inventors:

Suzanne P Crane - New Hope MN, US
Marcus Sheire - St. Paul MN, US
Mark D Sweazy - Minnetonka MN, US
Bonnie Schlegel - Coon Rapids MN, US
Joan Prairie - Minneapolis MN, US
Rockell Metcalf - New York NY, US

Assignee:

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. - Minneapolis MN

International Classification:

G06Q 40/00

US Classification:

705 39, 705 35

Abstract:

A known charge card billing system communicates with an investment broker system, wherein the investment broker system includes an instruction arrangement database, payment hierarchy and an investment account. An interested cardholder suitably appoints the charge card administrator as a processing agent to collect and promptly remit the cardholder's voluntary, periodic payments for investment into preselected investment products, such as, for example, mutual fund shares, fixed annuities, variable annuities, CDs, insurance, certificates, equities and/or the like. The billing system distributes a billing statement at the end of each month, wherein the statement includes all of the charges for that month and a reminder to remit an additional dollar amount for the preselected investments. The cardholder then sends a single payment for the charges and the investments to the charge card administrator. After receiving the payment, the system appropriately unbundles the payment and distributes the remitted payment to the card account to satisfy the captured financial events and to the investment broker system for the purchase of investment products.

US Patent:

7313543, Dec 25, 2007

Filed:

Oct 12, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/415632

Inventors:

Suzanne P. Crane - New Hope MN, US
Marcus Sheire - St. Paul MN, US
Mark D. Sweazy - Minnetonka MN, US
Bonnie Hein - Brooklyn Park MN, US
Joan Prairie - Minneapolis MN, US
Rockwell Metcalf - New York NY, US

Assignee:

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. - Minneapolis MN

International Classification:

G06Q 40/00

US Classification:

705 39, 705 35, 705 36 R

Abstract:

A known charge card billing system communicates with an investment broker system, wherein the investment broker system includes an instruction arrangement database, payment hierarchy and an investment account. An interested cardholder suitably appoints the charge card administrator as a processing agent to collect and promptly remit the cardholder's voluntary, periodic payments for investment into preselected investment products, such as, for example, mutual fund shares, fixed annuities, variable annuities, CDs, insurance, certificates, equities and/or the like. The billing system distributes a billing statement at the end of each month, wherein the statement includes all of the charges for that month and a reminder to remit an additional dollar amount for the preselected investments. The cardholder then sends a single payment for the charges and the investments to the charge card administrator. After receiving the payment, the system appropriately unbundles the payment and distributes the remitted payment to the card account to satisfy the captured financial events and to the investment broker system for the purchase of investment products.