Secure Account Fund Transfers Through Delegate SMS Approval

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for managing joint financial accounts lack the ability to provide fine-grained control and customization for primary account holders, especially when they are unavailable, leading to potential overspending and penalties due to inadequate communication among account holders.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that uses an account management service to convert fund requests into text-based messages sent via SMS to delegates for approval, allowing secure management of funds without direct access to account controls, ensuring authorization through text-based responses or tokens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional joint account management methods are used, then account holders can access and use funds, but the primary account holder cannot provide fine-grained control or customization when unavailable, leading to potential overspending

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefund accessVSAvoidoverspending control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a delegate as an intermediary who receives text-based notifications of fund requests and provides approval or denial. This mediator enables the primary account holder to maintain control over fund usage even when unavailable, while still allowing the user to access funds through the delegate's authorization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by sending real-time text-based notifications to the delegate when a fund request is made. The delegate's response (approval or denial) is fed back to the system, which then either authorizes or blocks the transaction, ensuring continuous monitoring and control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If direct access to account controls is provided, then users can manage funds freely, but security and authorization control are reduced when the primary account holder is unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefund management flexibilityVSAvoidauthorization security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The delegate acts as a trusted intermediary who receives and processes fund requests through text-based communication. This intermediary maintains security by requiring explicit approval for each transaction while enabling flexible fund management when the primary account holder cannot be reached.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical account control systems (requiring physical presence or direct access to account controls) with an electronic text-based notification and approval system. This substitution maintains security through digital authorization while providing adaptability through remote delegate access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If real-time communication among account holders is implemented, then overspending can be prevented, but device complexity and communication infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction monitoringVSAvoidcommunication system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex real-time communication systems with simple text-based messaging (SMS or similar). This substitution maintains reliable transaction monitoring through straightforward text notifications while minimizing device complexity by using widely available text messaging capabilities rather than requiring specialized communication infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses inexpensive text-based messages as the communication medium rather than costly or complex communication systems. Each text notification is a simple, low-cost unit that effectively conveys fund request information without requiring elaborate communication infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS12400196B1Communications methods and systems for secure account fund transfer using a third party

Publication Date: 2025.08.26 UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USAA)

AI summary

A method and system for securely communicating with third parties who are authorized to control access to funds in a banking account held by a financial institution is disclosed. The method and system are particularly useful when the third party does not have direct access to account controls (for example, through a secure web portal or a secure banking application). While joint account holders, or other authorized users, of the banking account may communicate directly through an account management service, communication with the third party is mediated using a separate messaging service, such as a short messaging service (SMS). An authorization token may also be used as part of the approval process.