Subscription Service Management via Financial Intermediary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customers face difficulties in identifying suitable subscription services and managing multiple login credentials, while service providers struggle with processing individual subscription accounts and collecting payments, especially when account information changes.

Innovation Solution

A method where a financial institution retrieves customer data to identify and offer customer-specific subscription services, calculates bulk subscriptions, purchases them, and securely creates accounts, including generating login information and handling payments, to streamline subscription management and reduce burdens on both customers and providers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If customers manually identify and sign up for subscription services, then they can access desired services, but the process becomes time-consuming and difficult especially for technologically unsophisticated customers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of subscribing to servicesVSAvoidtime to identify and sign up for services

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables customers to automatically subscribe to services without manual intervention. The financial institution's server automatically identifies subscription opportunities based on customer data, presents options to customers, and completes enrollment upon customer indication of interest, eliminating the need for customers to manually search and sign up for each service

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The financial institution acts as an intermediary between customers and subscription services. The server receives customer data from the financial institution, identifies suitable subscription services, and facilitates automatic enrollment, simplifying the process for customers while reducing administrative burden on service providers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If customers manage multiple subscription accounts individually, then they can access various services, but keeping track of multiple login credentials becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to multiple subscription servicesVSAvoidmanagement of login credentials

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system consolidates multiple subscription account management functions into a single interface through the financial institution's server. Customers receive consolidated information about their subscription options and can manage all subscriptions through one system, eliminating the need to separately track multiple login credentials across different services

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If service providers process individual subscription accounts, then they can provide personalized services, but the administrative burden increases and payment collection becomes difficult when account information changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalized subscription servicesVSAvoidadministrative processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The financial institution's server serves as an intermediary that handles the administrative burden of processing subscription accounts. The server receives customer data, identifies suitable services, manages enrollment, and handles payment information, freeing service providers from complex administrative tasks while maintaining personalized service delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying suitable subscription services for customers based on their existing data before actual enrollment occurs. The server proactively presents subscription opportunities to customers, allowing service providers to avoid reactive account management and payment collection challenges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20230259909A1Methods and devices for subscription offerings

Publication Date: 2023.08.17 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

Methods and devices for subscription offerings are disclosed. The device determines a set of subscription-based applications stored on the device and for each of the subscription-based applications, determines a service type. The device then determines a first subscription service to offer the user of the device via a graphical user interface of the device. After receiving acceptance of the offer for the first subscription service from the user, the device automatically establishes a customer account for the first subscription service. Then, the device downloads a first subscription service application, generates login information for the customer account, and performs a login to the customer account with the login information.