Method and apparatus for inbound message management

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for identifying accounts with which an individual does business. The computer receives an access credential for at least one message source and analyzes a plurality of messages in the message source. From the analysis, a plurality of institutions are identified and a system account is created on the computer that is preloaded with the institutions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for identifying accounts with which an individual does business, the method comprising:
 accessing a message stream, the message stream being associated with a message source, the message source requiring an access credential to access messages;   analyzing a plurality of messages in the message stream using the computer and the access credential;   responsive to the analyzing, inferring a plurality of institutions that the individual has a business relationship with; and   creating a system account on the computer, the system account including the plurality of institutions preloaded.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the analyzing further comprises identifying at least one institution account for a first institution in the plurality of institutions and   wherein the creating further comprising including the institution account in the system account.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising identifying at least a second institution account for a second institution in the plurality of institutions, the first institution and the second institution being different entities. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the analyzing further comprising:
 using a white list to identify a second plurality of messages in the plurality of messages sent from desired institutions; 
 extracting at least one account number for a first institution account from a first institution from the second plurality of messages according to one or more rules; and 
 the creating further comprising including the institution account and the account number in the system account. 
   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the creating occurs responsive to verification that the extracted account number is unique for the first institution. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the analyzing further comprises identifying a first message in the plurality of messages from a first institution and identifying at least a first institution account and a second institution account from the first message and   wherein the creating further comprising including the first institution account and the second institution account in the system account.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the first institution account and the second institution account with the first institution. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the first institution account with the first institution and the second institution account with a second institution, the first institution and the second institution being different entities. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 inferring that the first institution account is a payment method for the second institution account and   wherein the creating further comprising including the payment method in the system account.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the analyzing further comprises
 identifying a first message in the plurality of messages sent by a first institution and 
 identifying at least a first institution account in the first message and 
 identifying a second institution for the first institution account, the first institution and the second institution being different entities; and 
   wherein the creating further comprising including the first institution account associated with the second institution in the system account.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating the receiving, analyzing, inferring, and creating with a second message stream for a second individual into the system account. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 a storage,   a network interface, and   a computer system, the computer system coupled in communication with the network interface and the storage, the computer system including a controller programmed to:   receive an access credential for at least one message source at the computer over the network interface;   analyze a plurality of messages in the message source accessed over the network interface through use of the access credential;   responsive to the analysis, infer a plurality of institutions that the individual has a business relationship with; and   create a system account on the storage, the system account including the plurality of institutions preloaded.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the analysis further comprises programming to identify at least one institution account for a first institution in the plurality of institutions, and to identify at least a second institution account for a second institution in the plurality of institutions, the first institution and the second institution being different entities. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the creation occurs responsive to verification by the controller that the extracted account number is unique for the first institution. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the analyzing further comprises
 identifying a first message in the plurality of messages sent by a first institution and 
 identifying at least a first institution account in the first message and 
 identifying a second institution for the first institution account, the first institution and the second institution being different entities; and 
   wherein the creating further comprising including the first institution account associated with the second institution in the system account.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising the controller to repeat the reception, analysis, inference, and creation with a second message source for a second individual and to store results into the system account on the storage. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for identifying accounts with which an individual does business, the apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving an access credential for at least one message source at a computer;   means for analyzing a plurality of messages in the message source using the computer and the access credential;   means for responsive to the analyzing, inferring a plurality of institutions that the individual has a business relationship with; and   means for creating a system account on the computer, the system account including the plurality of institutions preloaded.   
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving an access credential for at least one message source at a computer;   analyzing a plurality of messages from the message source using the computer and the access credential and a plurality of templates;   responsive to the analyzing, generating a summary of information about household accounts extracted from the plurality of messages using the computer.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 determining a set of institutions associated with at least some of the plurality of messages, at least some of the plurality of messages having institution identifying information and institution account related information; and, 
 wherein the summary of information about household accounts includes the set of institutions and related institution account information. 
 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 determining that a message of the plurality of messages indicates that a bill is due; and, 
 associating the institution account, an institution name, a bill amount with the household accounts. 
 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  further comprising:
 associating a bill payment status with the household accounts.