Patents by Inventor James Malcolm Spears

James Malcolm Spears has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11914774
    Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically determining the flow of screens to be presented in a user interface (UI) of an application executing on a computing device, based at least partly on a detected presence of a user device (e.g., a portable computing device) in a particular geographic area. Area designation data is transmitted to, and stored on, a user device. The area designation data can describe a geofenced area and/or beacon signals. In response to determining that the user device is in the geographic area indicated by the area designation data, the user device may transmit an alert signal that causes an interface flow to be dynamically determined and executed for an application executing on the computing device that is separate from the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: James Malcolm Spears, John David Clark, Lisa Horgan, John David Windham
  • Patent number: 11829960
    Abstract: Techniques are described for using a supplemental data layer of a real time payments channel to send data. For example, an entity may request a transaction with another entity, and the transaction may be performed using a channel that includes a supplemental data layer. Supplemental data, in addition to the data for the transaction itself, may be communicated using the supplemental data layer to entities involved in the transaction, and/or to third parties. The supplemental data may be sent in real time with respect to the sending of the data for the transaction. In some instances, supplemental data layer is present in one or both directions in the two-way communications between the entities involved in the transaction. The supplemental data layer can be leveraged to provide additional information and/or services to a user involved in the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Dorothy Jean Bolt, Michael L. Hertz, Joseph Matthew Doddato, Gunjan C. Vijayvergia, James Malcolm Spears
  • Patent number: 11676202
    Abstract: An integrated transaction platform facilitates a transaction, such as a purchase of a vehicle or other item. The platform provides a pre-negotiated purchase price for the item to facilitate a transaction to purchase the item from a seller, the transaction being substantially frictionless from the buyer's perspective. The pre-negotiation can involve a reverse auction process in which sellers bid to sell the item to a buyer. After the buyer has identified a particular item for purchase, sellers that have the item available are notified to provide a bid indicating a price at which the seller is willing to sell the item. The lowest bid is selected, and a purchase agreement is finalized based on the lowest bid. After the agreement is finalized, the buyer can accept delivery of the item without further negotiation with the seller, and thus with substantially reduced friction compared to traditional purchase scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Brian Latronico, Teresa A. Mays, Claudia Anne Luna, David Anthony Phelps, Kevin W. Thornley, Tracy Lent, James Malcolm Spears
  • Patent number: 11294465
    Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically determining the flow of screens to be presented in a user interface (UI) of an application executing on a computing device, based at least partly on a detected presence of a user device (e.g., a portable computing device) in a particular geographic area. Area designation data is transmitted to, and stored on, a user device. The area designation data can describe a geofenced area and/or beacon signals. In response to determining that the user device is in the geographic area indicated by the area designation data, the user device may transmit an alert signal that causes an interface flow to be dynamically determined and executed for an application executing on the computing device that is separate from the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: James Malcolm Spears, John David Clark, Lisa Horgan, John David Windham
  • Patent number: 11200609
    Abstract: A system and method for customizing a vehicle for a user from a dealer through a user interface of a mobile device. The system and method may include a vehicle customization application stored on the mobile device. The user interface can be used to select the vehicle from a plurality of vehicles using the vehicle customization application. The vehicle customization application may create a user desires profile for the user of the vehicle customization application and may retrieve all dealer installed option packages for the selected vehicle from a dealer database of the dealer. Based on the user desires profile and the retrieved dealer installed packages, artificial intelligence may be used to generate a list of dealer installed option packages for the user. The user may select dealer installed option packages from the generated list of dealer installed option packages through the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: James Malcolm Spears, David Anthony Phelps, Brian Thomas Latronico, Teresa A. Mays, Doyle Russell Dennis, Jr., Gary Don Bourn, Kevin W. Thornley
  • Patent number: 11132653
    Abstract: Techniques are described for using a supplemental data layer of a real time payments channel to send data. For example, an entity may request a transaction with another entity, and the transaction may be performed using a channel that includes a supplemental data layer. Supplemental data, in addition to the data for the transaction itself, may be communicated using the supplemental data layer to entities involved in the transaction, and/or to third parties. The supplemental data may be sent in real time with respect to the sending of the data for the transaction. In some instances, supplemental data layer is present in one or both directions in the two-way communications between the entities involved in the transaction. The supplemental data layer can be leveraged to provide additional information and/or services to a user involved in the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Dorothy Jean Bolt, Michael L. Hertz, Joseph Matthew Doddato, Gunjan C. Vijayvergia, James Malcolm Spears
  • Patent number: 11010827
    Abstract: An integrated transaction platform facilitates a transaction, such as a purchase of a vehicle or other item. The platform provides a pre-negotiated purchase price for the item to facilitate a transaction to purchase the item from a seller, the transaction being substantially frictionless from the buyer's perspective. The pre-negotiation can involve a reverse auction process in which sellers bid to sell the item to a buyer. After the buyer has identified a particular item for purchase, sellers that have the item available are notified to provide a bid indicating a price at which the seller is willing to sell the item. The lowest bid is selected, and a purchase agreement is finalized based on the lowest bid. After the agreement is finalized, the buyer can accept delivery of the item without further negotiation with the seller, and thus with substantially reduced friction compared to traditional purchase scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Brian Latronico, Teresa A. Mays, Claudia Anne Luna, David Anthony Phelps, Kevin W. Thornley, Tracy Lent, James Malcolm Spears
  • Patent number: 10318001
    Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically determining the flow of screens to be presented in a user interface (UI) of an application executing on a computing device, based at least partly on a detected presence of a user device (e.g., a portable computing device) in a particular geographic area. Area designation data is transmitted to, and stored on, a user device. The area designation data can describe a geofenced area and/or beacon signals. In response to determining that the user device is in the geographic area indicated by the area designation data, the user device may transmit an alert signal that causes an interface flow to be dynamically determined and executed for an application executing on the computing device that is separate from the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: James Malcolm Spears, John David Clark, Lisa Horgan, John David Windham