TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates a personalised report, and an interactive prompting tool used in updating the report.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] Companies often send personalized reports to their customers. For example, superannuation funds send annual reports to their customers indicating superannuation portfolio performance.

[0004] in recent years, the Applicant has sought to provide personalized reports online. In this manner, person can alter or enter details upon which the report is based in an interactive manner.

[0005] However, the Applicant has noticed that the person often becomes frustrated when completing an exhaustive list of mandatory fields before the report can be successfully generated. Further, the process of completing the exhaustive list of mandatory fields is often uninteresting and daunting to the person, who either loses patience during information entry, or abandons attempting to generate the report before commencing any information entry whatsoever.

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention maintain the person's interest during information entry for a personalised report.

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention avoid the frustration of completing an exhaustive list of mandatory fields before the personalised report can be successfully provided. 7

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interactive prompting tool for prompting a person to enter information used in updating a personalised report, the interactive prompting tool including:

a target; and

icons representing types of information and for associating with the target;

a prompt for prompting the person to enter information related to an icon associated with the target;

a receiving device for receiving the prompted information so that the report is updated using the received information,

[0009] The target may be centrally located and surrounded by the icons. The target may be of greater size than each icon. The icons ma be respectively dragged and dropped onto the target to associate the icons with the target. The prompt and receiving device may be combined.

[00010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for updating a personalised report relating to a person, the method including the steps of:

displaying an interactive prompting tool for prompting the person to enter information; the interactive prompting tool including a target, and icons representing types of information and for associating with the target;

prompting the person to enter information related to an icon associated with the target;

receiving the prompted information; and

updating the report using the received information.

[00011] Advantageously, the interactive prompting tool is provided for maintaining the person's interest during information entry for the personalised report The person may associate icons with the target and, in turn, control the amount and type of information entered by the associated prompting.

[00012] The method may involve the step of providing the partially completed report to the person, with the degree of completion correlating to the degree of received information. Accordingly, the provision of the partially completed report avoids the frustration of otherwise completing an exhaustive list of mandatory fields before the personalised report can be successfully provided.

[00013] The method may include the steps of dragging and dropping icons on the target to associate the icons with the target

[00014] The method may involve altering (e.g. ghosting) the displayed icon and/or displaying the icon on the target to visually signify entry of information relating to the icon. The step of updating may involve updating a page within the report.

[00015] The step of updating may involve a company providing content to be updated. The content may be an offer or other information. The ste of updating may involve updating images in the report.

[00016] Prior to the step of displaying, the method may further include the step of prompting the person to enter initial information to initiate generation of the report.

[00017] The method may further include the step of displaying the updated report only subsequent to verifying the identity of the person.

[00018] The method may further include the step of enabling the person to switch back and forth between the interactive prompting tool to add information and the report updated using the information. The method may further include the step of the report prompting the person to perform the method,

[00019] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a prompting method for prompting information entry when updating a personalised report relating to a person, the method including the steps of:

displaying an interactive prompting tool for prompting the person to enter information; the interactive prompting tool including a first icon, and at (east one second icon representing a type of information and for associating with the first icon.

[00020] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interactive prompting tool for prompting a person to enter information when updating a personalised report, the interactive prompting tool including:

a first icon; and at least one second icon representing a type of information and for associating with the first icon.

[00021] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a prompting system for prompting information entry when updating a personalised report relating to a person, the system configured to:

display an interactive prompting tool for prompting the person to enter information; the interactive prompting tool including a first icon, and at least on second icon representing a type of information and for associating with the first icon.

[00022] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing personalized information to a person, the method involving:

prompting, with a system, input from the person; and

the system selecting one of many servers to obtain personalized information based upon the input; and

providing, with the system, the obtained personalized information to the person from the selected server.

[00023] The information may be determined using a calculator hosted by the selected server.

[00024] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00025] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[00026] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a personalised reporting system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; [00027] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a displayed interactive prompting tool in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[00028] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a personalised reporting method performed using the system of Figure 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[00029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the front page of a personalized wealth report generated when performing the method of Figure 3;

[00030] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a home report page of the personalized wealth report of Figure 4;

[00031] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a suburb profile page of the personalized wealth report of Figure 4;

[00032] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a family page of the personalized wealth report of Figure 4;

[00033] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the dispiayed i teractive prompting tool of Figure 2 when entering information relating to a home property icon;

[00034] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the displayed interactive prompting tool of Figure 2 when entering information relating to a family member icon;

[00035] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the updated front page of Figure 4;

[00036] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram showing the updated suburb profile page of Figure 6;

[00037] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the updated family page of Figure 7; and

[00038] Figure 13 is an updated page of the report of Figure 4 incorporating an offer from a company.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [00039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an online personalised reporting system 100 as shown in Figure 1 which can be used for generating and updating a personalised report. Advantageously, the reporting system 100 prompts a person 104 to enter personal information, and then uses appropriate programs (e.g. calculators) hosted by externa! servers to provide information for inclusion in the personalised report.

[00040] The system 100 includes a computer 102 (e.g. PC. tablet, smartphone, etc.) which is configured to display an interactive prompting tool 200 as shown in Figure 2. The interactive prompting tool 200 prompts the person 104 operating the computer 102 to enter personal information. The interactive prompting too! 200 includes a large centra! target 202 (i.e. large icon), and surrounding menu icons 204 representing different types of information and for dragging onto the target 202. The person 104 is prompted, by way of a displayed information box 206, to enter information related to an icon 204 dragged onto the target 202.

[00041] Advantageously, the interactive prompting too! 200 is provided for

maintaining the person's Interest during information entry for th© personalised report. The person 104 can drag icons 204 onto the target 202 and, in turn, control the amount and type of information entered by the associated prompting. A detailed description of the system 100 and its method of operation is provided below.

[00042] Returning to Figure 1 , the system 100 further includes an administration web server 106 for administering the system 100. The administration server 106 hosts a website which enables the person 104 to create and update a personalised report relating to their lifestyle. The administration server 106 includes a database 108 of personal accounts, in turn, each staring an online modifiable personal report.

[00043] The system 100 further includes a real-estate information sever 1 10 (e.g. RPdata™) for providing information relating to real-estate values to the administration server 106. The system 100 further includes a lender server 112 administered by a financial lender (e.g. bank) for providing offers to the administration server 106.

[00044] Each of the system computers 102, 106, 1 10, 112 can communicate with each other over the Internet 1 14. [00045] Returning to Figure 2, the prompting too! icons 204 include family member icons 204a relating to information prompting associated with the person's famil members; an income icon 204b relating to information prompting associated with the person's income; a dreams icon 204c relating to information prompting associated with the person's desires or dreams; properties icons 204d relating to information prompting associated with the person's properties; assets icons 204e relating to information prompting associated with th person's assets; and liabilities icons 2041 relating to information prompting associated with the person's liabilities.

[00046] A personalised reporting method 300 performed using the system 100 is now described with reference to Figure 3.

[00047] Initially, the person 104 using computer 102 logs into the administrator website hosted on administrator server 106, and creates an account in database 1 08.

[00048] At step 302, the server 1 06 connected to computer 102 prompts the person 104 to enter initial minimal information to initiate generation of the report stored in the account. The initial information includes the person's gender, name and age as shown in Figure 2, and address details.

[00049] At step 304, the server 106 connected to computer 102 generates a multi- page personalized wealth report 400 as shown in Figure 4. Based upon the minimal information already provided by the person 104, a powerful report is generated. For example, the electronic wealth report 400 includes a front cover image 402 of a male based upon the person 104 entering their gender as male in step 302. The report 400 also makes reference to the person's name 404, age and address details entered at step 302.

[00050] As shown in Figure 5 _S a home report page 500 displays the person's address 502 entered at step 302. The home report page 500 also displays a map 504 of the area in which the person's home is located, photo of the person's house 506 and useful suburb snippets all provided to the administration server 106 when generating the report from the real-estate information sever 1 1 0. This type of personalization creates an 'emotive connection' within the person 104 viewing the report 400. The personalized information within the report 400 is initially incomplete. [00051] At step 306, as the person 104 reviews the pages of the electronic report 400, the report 400 prompts the person 104 to return to the website to use the interactive prompting tool 200 to enter further personal information, in turn, used t regenerate a more personalized report 400.

[00052] For example, a suburb profile page 600 shown in Figure 6 includes historical median house price values (growth rates} 602 from real-estate server 1 10, and a note prompt 604 for the person 104 to return to the interactive prompting tool 200 to enter their property purchase price so that the administration server 106 can calculate the current property value using the growth rates 602 for the suburb.

[00053] Further, a family page 700 shown in Figure 7 includes milestones for any family members. The family page 700 further includes a note prompt 702 for the person 104 to return to the interactive prompting tool 200 to enter details about any other family members.

[00054] At step 308, in response to note prompts 604, 702 on pages 800, 700 of the report 400, the person 104 returns to the website to update the personalized report 400. The server 106 connected to computer 102 displays the interactive prompting tool 200 prompting the person 104 to enter more information as shown in Figure 8. I response to a message in message box 800, the person 104 uses computer 102 to drag and drop the home property icon 204d onto the target 202 thereby associating the icon 204a with the target 202.

[00055] At step 310, the interactive prompting too! 200 prompts the person 1 04 to enter information related to the icon 204 now associated with the target 202. In particular, the information entry box 802 is displayed.

[00056] At step 312, the interactive prompting tool 200 receives the prompted information when the person 104 completes the property details 804 (e.g. purchase price, purchase date, etc.) in the information entry box 802.

[00057] As shown in Figure 9, the person 104 can similarly further drag and drop other icons such as family member icons 204a onto the target 202. In turn, information relating to each ico is entered by the person 104 once prompted using information entry boxes 900. The interactive prompting tool 200 alters (e.g. ghosts) the displayed menu home property icon 204d and instead displays this icon 204d on the target 202 to visua!ly signify entry of information relating to that icon 204d.

[00058] At step 314, the server 106 connected to computer 102 updates the report 400 using the received information once the person 104 actuates an actuator 902 of the interactive prompting tool 200. At this stage, the person 104 may need to verify their identity, by way of user name and password, before they are presented with the updated report 400 on computer 102, The updated report 400 may onc again be only partially completed when presented to the person 104, with the degree of completion correlating to the degree of information received using the prompting tool 200. The provision of the partially completed report 400 avoids the frustration of otherwise completing an exhaustive list of mandatory ftelds before the personalised report 400 can be successfully provided.

[00059] At step 316, the person 104 reviews the pages of the updated electronic report 400, and can further complete the report by providing further personal information using the interactive prompting tool 200 as above. Advantageously, the interactive prompting tool 200 maintains the person's interest during information entry for the personalised report 400. The person 104 can associate icons 204 with the target 202 and, in turn, control the amount and type of information entered b the associated prompting. The person 102 can advantageously switch back and forth between the interactive prompting tool 200 for adding more information and the report 400 updated using that information.

[00060] Turning to Figure 10, the person 104 notes that the updated front cover image 402 includes two adults and two young children, to reflect additional family members and ages entered above at step 312. Further, the person's name 404 includes that of the father as well as the mother previously entered.

[00081] Turning to Figure 1 1 , the person 104 notes that the updated suburb profile page 600 now includes an estimate 1 00 of the value of the person's property calculated using the property details 804, prompted at step 306 and entered at step 312 above, and the median house price values (growth rates) 602 from real-estate server 1 10. The person 104 may not otherwise know of the existence of the real-estate server 1 10 and need not know of its existence. Instead, the system 100 is used to select an appropriate server 110 and query a property value calculator provided by that server 1 10 to seamlessl obtain pertinent personlised information of interest to the person 104.

[00082] Turning to Figure 12, the updated family page 700 now includes milestones 1200 for further family members prompted at step 306 and entered above at step 312, The milestones are presented on a timeline 1202 for each family member. The children milestones include the average costs of schooling using data sourced from an external server.

[00063] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

[00064] For example, the updating step 312 may involve the Sender server 1 12 (i.e. company) providing content to be updated in the report 400 based upon the prompted and entered information. Turning to Figure 13, a page 1300 can include the offer presented in a prompt note 1302 to apply for an increased level of credit card based upon income details entered by the person 104 using income icon 204b. Upon the administration server 106 or lender server 1 12 recognising the meeting of an income threshold to qualify for the credit card upgrade, the server 106 incorporates the offer in the updated report 400,

[00065] The skilled person will appreciate that data received by the system 100 from the person 104 can be used to interrogate a number of servers when generating the report 400, without the need for the person to re-enter the same data multiple times which would otherwise occur if the person 104 individually visited multiple websites hosted by the servers.

[00066] By way of example, calculators provided by respective web servers could be accessed individually by the person 104 as follows:

1 . Mortgage repayment calculator

2. Tax calculator (i.e. how much tax is the person 1 4 paying)

3. Rental income calculator 4. Negative gearing savings cafculator

[00067] Instead, the information prompting too! 200 can be used to elicit from the person 104 as follows; a) the mortgage repayments on the person's investment property b) the person's salary (and hence tax thresholds) c) the rental income on the investment property

[00068] The administration server 106 can then determine a tax saving using the foregoing received information and the calculators 1 to 4 above,

[00069] Further, the information prompting tool 200 could be used to elicit from the person 104: d) the address of the property

[00070] The administration server 106 can then offset the person's monthly expenditure (after tax savings) against capital gains which is a very useful overall figure for the person 104 who is an investor. Advantageously, the person 104 can obtain this personalized information without the need to visit the calculators 1 to 4 above, which are not only boring to use but the person 104 may also not know of their existence.

Accordingly, the system 100 seamlessly provides the person 104 with useful personalized information, without the person 104 wanting or needing to know how that personalized information is derived.

[00071] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art. [00072] Reference throughout this specification to One embodiment' or 'an embodiment' means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases 'in one embodiment' or 'in an embodiment' in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily ail referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or charactenstics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.