Automated investment system

Claim 2

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: means for storing a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said inventment vehicles having a pre-determined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of first means for accessing said storing means and reviewing said plurality of investment vehicles, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, processing means, coupled to said means for storing and said first means, responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized, undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, and means, coupled to said processing means, for recording said investment vehicle purchases and said assignment of said specifically identified securities and/or instruments.

Claim 3

A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said storing means is accessible by said plurality of first means at conventional and unconventional selling times of a day so that said customers can initiate said investment vehicle purchases at said selling times of said day.

Claim 4

A system as recited in claim 2 wherein said processing means completes said investment vehicle purchases automatically without intervention by a salesperson.

Claim 6

A system as recited in claim 4 wherein said plurality of securities and/or instruments stored in said storing means are interest bearing and/or discounted.

Claim 7

An online interacitve investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one at least fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and one fractionalized undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of date recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases, and wherein each of said investment vehicle purchases are initiated by transmitting transaction data identifying an investment vehicle having a desired pre-determined maturity and a corresponding pre-determined rate of interest and an amount of funds to be used for the purchase of said investment vehicle to said computer from one of said devices.

Claim 8

An online interacitve investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one at least fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and one fractionalized undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of date recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases, and wherein each of said investment vehicle purchases are initiated by transmitting transaction data identifying an investment vehicle having a desired pre-determined maturity and a corresponding pre-determined rate of interest and an amount of funds to be used for the purchase of said investment vehicle to said computer from one of said devices.

Claim 9

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: means for storing a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a pre-determined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of first means for accessing said storing means and reviewing said plurality of investment vehicles, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, processing means coupled to said means for storing and said first means, responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized, undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, means coupled to said processing means, for recording said investment vehicle purchases and said assignment of said specifically identified securities and/or instruments, and wherein said storing means is accessible by said plurality of first means at conventional and unconventional selling times of a day so that said customers can initiate said investment vehicle purchases at said selling times of said day, and wherein said processing means completes said investment vehicle purchases automatically without intervention by a salesperson, and wherein each of said investment vehicle purchases is initiated by one of said first means sending to said processing means transaction data comprising a selection of one of said investment vehicles having a desired pre-determined maturity and corresponding pre-determined rate of interest and an indication of an amount of funds to be used for the purchase of said selected investment vehicle.

Claim 10

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: means for storing a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a pre-determined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of first means for accessing said storing means and reviewing said plurality of investment vehicles, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, processing means coupled to said means for storing and said first means, responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized, undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, means coupled to said processing means, for recording said investment vehicle purchases and said assignment of said specifically identified securities and/or instruments, and wherein said storing means is accessible by said plurality of first means at conventional and unconventional selling times of a day so that said customers can initiate said investment vehicle purchases at said selling times of said day, and wherein said processing means completes said investment vehicle purchases automatically without intervention by a salesperson, and wherein each of said investment vehicle purchases is initiated by one of said first means sending to said processing means transaction data comprising a selection of one of said investment vehicles having a desired pre-determined maturity and corresponding pre-determined rate of interest and an indication of an amount of funds to be used for the purchase of said selected investment vehicle.

Claim 11

A system as recited in claim 7; further comprising means, coupled to said processing means, for debiting a specified customer deposit account to cover each of said investment vehicle purchases and means, coupled to said processing means, for crediting a specified customer deposit account when each of said investment vehicles matures, and second means, coupled to said processing means, for recording said debits and credits.

Claim 12

A system as recited in claim 7 further comprising means, coupled to said processing means, for substituting other securities and/or instruments for those of said assigned securities and/or instruments used for purposes other than matching said investment vehicle purchases.

Claim 13

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, and a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized undivided interest in specificallly identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of data recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases.

Claim 14

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, and a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized undivided interest in specificallly identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of data recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases.

Claim 15

A system as recited in claim 10 further comprising a plurality of telecommunications links linking said storage unit to said plurality of devices, each of said telecommunication links allowing a corresponding one of said devices to acess said inventory file at conventional and unconventional selling times of a day so that investment vehicle purchases can be executed during said selling times without the need of a salesperson.

Claim 16

A system as recited in claim 11 further comprising a safe facility for holding said assigned securities and/or instruments for each of said customers initiating said investment vehicle purchases so that said assigned securities and/or instruments are not delivered to said customers.

Claim 17

An online interactive investment processing systems linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, and a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of data recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases, a plurality of telecommunications links linking said storage unit to said plurality of devices, each of said telecommunication links allowing a corresponding one of said devioes to access said inventory file at conventional and unconventional selling times of a day so that investment vehicle purchases can be executed during said selling times without the need of a salesperson, a safe facility for holding said assigned securities and/or instruments for each of said customers initiating said investment vehicle purchases so that said assigned securities and/or instruments are not delivered to said customers, and means, coupled to said computer for substituting other securities and/or instruments for those of said assigned securities and/or instruments used of purposes other than matching investment vehicle purchases.

Claim 18

An online interactive investment processing systems linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, and a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of data recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases, a plurality of telecommunications links linking said storage unit to said plurality of devices, each of said telecommunication links allowing a corresponding one of said devioes to access said inventory file at conventional and unconventional selling times of a day so that investment vehicle purchases can be executed during said selling times without the need of a salesperson, a safe facility for holding said assigned securities and/or instruments for each of said customers initiating said investment vehicle purchases so that said assigned securities and/or instruments are not delivered to said customers, and means, coupled to said computer for substituting other securities and/or instruments for those of said assigned securities and/or instruments used of purposes other than matching investment vehicle purchases.

Claim 19

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of data recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases, and wherein said computer confirms each of said investment vehicle purchases by transmitting trade data identifying a maturity and rate of return for each of said investment vehicles purchased, an amount of funds invested and the securities and/or instruments assigned to match said investment vehicles purchased.

Claim 20

An online interactive investment processing system linking an inventory of investments with customers at various remote locations comprising: a storage unit for storing an inventory file comprised of data identifying a plurality of securities and instruments, and a plurality of investment vehicles, each of said investment vehicles having a predetermined maturity and offering a pre-determined rate of interest, a plurality of devices for accessing said inventory file so that said plurality of investment vehicles can be reviewed, and for initiating purchases of said investment vehicles by said customers, a computer responsive to the initiation of said investment vehicle purchases by assigning at least one fractionalized, undivided interest or at least one whole and at least one fractionalized undivided interest in specifically identified securities and/or instruments of said plurality of securities and instruments to match each of said investment vehicle purchases, and for confirming each of said investment vehicle purchases, said storage unit also storing a customer file comprised of data recording said investment vehicle purchases, said assigned securities and/or instruments and the names of said customers initiating said purchases, and wherein said computer confirms each of said investment vehicle purchases by transmitting trade data identifying a maturity and rate of return for each of said investment vehicles purchased, an amount of funds invested and the securities and/or instruments assigned to match said investment vehicles purchased.

Claim 23

A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising, after said step of confirming, the steps of debiting a specified deposit account of each of said customers initiating investment vehicle purchases to cover each of said investment vehicle purchases, and crediting said specified deposit accounts upon said purchased investment vehicles maturing, and storing said debits and credits in said customer file.

Claim 27

A method as recited in claim 18 further comprising, after said step of confirming, the steps of debiting a specified deposit account of each of said customers initiating investment vehicle purchases to cover each of said investment vehicle purchases, and crediting said specified deposit accounts upon said purchased investment vehicles maturing, and storing said debits and credits in said customer file.

Claim 30

A method as recited in claim 20 further comprising, after said step of confirming, the steps of debiting a specified deposit account of each of said customers initiating investment vehicle purchases to cover each of said investment vehicle purchases, and crediting said specified deposit accounts upon said purchased investment vehicles maturing, and storing said debits and credits in said customer file.

Claim 33

A method as recited in claim 22 further comprising, after said step of confirming, the steps of debiting a specified deposit account of each of said customers initiating investment vehicle purchases to cover each of said investment vehicle purchases, and crediting said specified deposit accounts upon said purchased investment vehicles maturing, and storing said debits and credits in said customer file.