Bank-centric service platform, network and system

Claim 1

A bank-centric service platform that enables access by a bank customer at a remote location to financial information, products and services maintained by a bank at a central location and to financial and non-financial information, products and services of other providers accessible through the bank, said banking service platform comprising: a central information processor at the central location of a bank, said processor including data storage files relating to bank customers and accounts as the bank maintains these files in the ordinary course and categories of financial information, products and services conventionally offered by the bank; a branded access gateway interconnected to the bank central information processor providing communication with other providers of financial and non-financial information, products and services with which a bank customer may initiate a transaction, the branded access gateway being controlled by the bank and having characteristics uniquely associated with the bank; a client server operatively interconnected to communicate with customer operable transceivers at remote locations, said client server enabling live video-conferencing between the bank and a customer substantially simultaneously with real-time data transmission between said customer operable transceiver and said central information processor through said client server, said client server processing communications to and from said customer operable transceivers, and enabling a customer using the transceiver to access and control items in, and perform transactions with respect to, information products and services of the bank in the data storage files of the central information processor and to access the financial and non-financial information, products and services of other providers that are accessible through the branded gateway from said central information processor and to initiate transactions therewith.