US8228299B1
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 1.2 years remaining
Transaction automation and archival system using electronic contract and disclosure units
Assignee: Reynolds and Reynolds Co
•
Filing: 2008-01-04
•
Granted: 2012-07-24
•
Expires: 2028-01-04
Abstract
Abstract A transaction automation and archival system is provided for controlling, real-time logging, and archiving complex commercial transactions such as the purchase and financing of an automobile. The heart of the system is an electronic contract disclosure unit, or ECDU. The ECDU includes a digitizing display that includes a video display for imaging to participants the various documents involved in the transaction and a digitizer for allowing participants to sign, indicate choices, and otherwise interact directly on documents and images presented on the display. A computer controls the entire progress of the transaction, and thus controls the collaborative space occupied by the participants to the transaction. The computer, for instance, controls the order of presentation of documents to a vehicle purchaser, receives the purchaser's signature on the displayed documents when required, offers choices of various packages that can be accepted or declined by the purchaser, and insures that the entire transaction is carried out properly. The ECDU further logs the transaction for future review and preferably includes a video camera and microphone for logging images and sounds of the participants during the transaction. One or more fingerprint readers are associated with the digitizing display for allowing participants to select between options by pressing their thumb or finger on the reader, which simultaneously verifies the identity of the individual making the selection through the fingerprint.
Inventors
- 👤 William C. Maloney
- 👤 Mark A. Singleton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/0412; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/14; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1637; G06F3/033; G06F3/0354; G06F3/03543; G06F3/03545; G06Q20/10; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0241; G06Q30/06; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/03; G06Q40/08; G06Q50/00; G06Q50/10; G06Q50/18; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
353 words
An electronic contract disclosure unit (ECDU) for controlling a commercial transaction between at least a business employee and a customer, said ECDU comprising: a computer; a housing having an upper surface, the housing being sized and configured to be located between the business employee and the customer with its upper surface oriented generally horizontally for access by the business employee and by the customer; a digitizing display visible to the business employee and to the customer through the upper surface of the housing, the digitizing display being coupled to said computer and including a video display for presenting documents and information and a digitizer for detecting written input from a user; a first stylus associated with the business employee for interaction by the business employee with said digitizer in response to documents and information presented on said display; a second stylus associated with the customer for interaction by the customer with said digitizer in response to documents and information presented on said display; said computer being programmed to distinguish interactions with the first stylus from interactions with the second stylus for identifying the individual making the interaction; said computer being programmed to cause images of documents associated with the commercial transaction to be imaged on said display and to receive responsive inputs from the business employee via said first stylus and said digitizer and to receive responsive inputs from the customer via said second stylus and said digitizer; the computer being further programmed for selective rotation of documents imaged on the video display so that the documents face either the business employee for business employee interaction or face the customer for customer interaction; a first biometric reader associated with said digitizing display and coupled to said computer, said first biometric reader permitting the customer to select a first option in response to information presented on said display while simultaneously acquiring an image of the customer's biometrics, the computer being programmed to accept the first option and to associate the biometrics with the first option so that it may be confirmed that it was the customer and not another who selected the first option.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
353 words
An electronic contract disclosure unit (ECDU) for controlling a commercial transaction between at least a business employee and a customer, said ECDU comprising: a computer; a housing having an upper surface, the housing being sized and configured to be located between the business employee and the customer with its upper surface oriented generally horizontally for access by the business employee and by the customer; a digitizing display visible to the business employee and to the customer through the upper surface of the housing, the digitizing display being coupled to said computer and including a video display for presenting documents and information and a digitizer for detecting written input from a user; a first stylus associated with the business employee for interaction by the business employee with said digitizer in response to documents and information presented on said display; a second stylus associated with the customer for interaction by the customer with said digitizer in response to documents and information presented on said display; said computer being programmed to distinguish interactions with the first stylus from interactions with the second stylus for identifying the individual making the interaction; said computer being programmed to cause images of documents associated with the commercial transaction to be imaged on said display and to receive responsive inputs from the business employee via said first stylus and said digitizer and to receive responsive inputs from the customer via said second stylus and said digitizer; the computer being further programmed for selective rotation of documents imaged on the video display so that the documents face either the business employee for business employee interaction or face the customer for customer interaction; a first biometric reader associated with said digitizing display and coupled to said computer, said first biometric reader permitting the customer to select a first option in response to information presented on said display while simultaneously acquiring an image of the customer's biometrics, the computer being programmed to accept the first option and to associate the biometrics with the first option so that it may be confirmed that it was the customer and not another who selected the first option.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a second biometric reader associated with said digitizing display and coupled to said computer, said second biometric reader permitting the customer to select a second option in response to information presented on said display while simultaneously acquiring the customer's biometrics, the computer being programmed to accept the second option and to associate the biometrics with the second option so that it may be confirmed that it was the customer and not another who selected the second option.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 wherein customer interaction with the digitizer includes applying a signature on the image of a document presented on said display using said second stylus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and wherein customer interaction with the digitizer includes selecting among options presented on the display by tapping designated images on said display using said second stylus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said computer is programmed to control the order in which images of documents associated with the transaction are imaged on said display.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 5 and wherein said computer is programmed to insure that each document associated with the transaction is properly responded to before subsequent documents are imaged.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising audio speakers located on the upper surface of said housing and connected to said computer, said computer being programmed selectively to recite verbally through said audio speakers the contents of a document imaged on said display.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 7 and wherein said computer is programmed selectively to recite verbally the contents of a document imaged on said display in two or more languages.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a microphone associated with said ECDU and connected to said computer, said computer being programmed to record voices during the transaction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a camera associated with said ECDU and connected to said computer, said computer being programmed to record images during the transaction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 10 and wherein said camera is a video camera and wherein said computer is programmed to record video images during the transaction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 10 and wherein said camera is mounted on a swing arm for selectively positioning said camera in a first position for imaging a physical document located on the upper surface of the housing and a second position for imaging participants in the transaction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said computer is programmed to assign allowed and disallowed user inputs to said first stylus and allowed and disallowed inputs to said second stylus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the documents associated with the transaction include legally required disclosures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said computer is connected to a network and is programmed to transmit information from the transaction to other parties to the transaction over said network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 15 and wherein the other parties to the transaction include financing institutions and the information transmitted to the other parties includes credit information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
An ECDU as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said first biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint reader.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
251 words
An automated system for controlling a commercial transaction requiring the presentation of documents and information by a first user and the acknowledgement and execution of documents by a second user, said system comprising: a housing having a substantially flat upper surface, the housing being sized and configured for placement between the first user and the second user with the upper surface oriented generally horizontally to define a collaborative transaction volume incorporating the first user, the second user, and the upper surface of the housing; a digitizing display within the housing and visible through the upper surface of the housing, the digitizing display including a video display on which documents can be imaged and a digitizer for detecting the motion of an associated stylus on said display; a computer operatively coupled to said digitizing display; software in said computer for imaging documents associated with the commercial transaction in a predetermined order on said video display and receiving and interpreting responsive motion of said stylus on said display; said software further permitting selective rotation of documents associated with the transaction to face the first user when interaction by the first user is desired and to face the second user when interaction by the second user is desired; and a pair of audio speakers mounted in the upper surface of the housing on either side of the digitizing display and connected to said computer, said software being capable of reciting verbally the contents of a document imaged on said display through said audio speakers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
251 words
An automated system for controlling a commercial transaction requiring the presentation of documents and information by a first user and the acknowledgement and execution of documents by a second user, said system comprising: a housing having a substantially flat upper surface, the housing being sized and configured for placement between the first user and the second user with the upper surface oriented generally horizontally to define a collaborative transaction volume incorporating the first user, the second user, and the upper surface of the housing; a digitizing display within the housing and visible through the upper surface of the housing, the digitizing display including a video display on which documents can be imaged and a digitizer for detecting the motion of an associated stylus on said display; a computer operatively coupled to said digitizing display; software in said computer for imaging documents associated with the commercial transaction in a predetermined order on said video display and receiving and interpreting responsive motion of said stylus on said display; said software further permitting selective rotation of documents associated with the transaction to face the first user when interaction by the first user is desired and to face the second user when interaction by the second user is desired; and a pair of audio speakers mounted in the upper surface of the housing on either side of the digitizing display and connected to said computer, said software being capable of reciting verbally the contents of a document imaged on said display through said audio speakers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The automated system of claim 18 and wherein said software is further capable of reciting verbally the contents of a document imaged on said display in two or more languages.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
The automated system of claim 18 and further comprising at least a first and a second stylus and wherein said system is capable of distinguishing between motions of said first stylus and motions of said second stylus on said digitizer and restricting interactions that may be performed by the firsts to prevent unwanted interactions by the first user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2131145A
Cited
US4878553B1
Cited
US4878553A
Cited
US5028745A
Cited
US4999461A
Cited
US4988837A
Cited
US5059749A
Cited
US5038023A
Cited
US5195133A
Cited
US5589856A
Cited
US5679930A
Cited
US5600105A
Cited
US5672852A
Cited
US5691748A
Cited
US5751229A
Cited
US5576502A
Cited
US7342494B2
Cited
US5801628A
Cited
US6707380B2
Cited
WO1997009687A1
Cited
US5878403A
Cited
US6587841B1
Cited
US5988908A
Cited
US5997200A
Cited
USD444331S1
Cited
US6075441A
Cited
US6317044B1
Cited
US6005555A
Cited
US6064426A
Cited
US6611810B1
Cited
US6891473B2
Cited
US20040095241A1
Cited
US6204764B1
Cited
US6262664B1
Cited
US20010022552A1
Cited
US6195005B1
Cited
WO2000016280A1
Cited
US6392543B2
Cited
US6407665B2
Cited
US20020075154A1
Cited
US7250865B2
Cited
US7202785B2
Cited
US6424260B2
Cited
US6427913B1
Cited
US20020145520A1
Cited
US20020153418A1
Cited
US6501379B2
Cited
WO2000016564A1
Cited
WO2000016281A1
Cited
US20030201321A1
Cited
US20040021570A1
Cited
US6693538B2
Cited
US7109864B2
Cited
WO2000016284A1
Cited
US6727817B2
Cited
US6232876B1
Cited
US7046145B2
Cited
US7005984B2
Cited
US6958698B2
Cited
US20050040232A1
Cited
WO2000016282A1
Cited
USD456852S1
Cited
US6933928B1
Cited
USD460782S1
Cited
US20020087555A1
Cited
US6867695B2
Cited
US7116228B1
Cited
US6812838B1
Cited
US7049961B2
Cited
US6966495B2
Cited
US6707381B1
Cited
US7317393B2
Cited
US6906694B2
Cited
US7336174B1
Cited
US7965190B2
Cited
US20040229560A1
Cited
US20040111323A1
Cited
US7420546B2
Cited
USD522235S1
Cited
US7152802B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2015-07-24 | 2016-01-23 | 2016-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2019-07-24 | 2020-01-23 | 2020-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2023-07-24 | 2024-01-23 | 2024-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |