① On November 22, it was reported that the Bank of China has applied for a patent called “an advertising display method and related equipment in metaverse banks”. ② The Finance Association reporter was unable to find the above patent on the official website of the General Administration of Intellectual Property. However, searchable information shows that the Bank of China has indeed published a similar patent application. ③ According to various information, the topic of metaverse, which was very popular last year, is still quite popular within the banking industry.
Financial News Agency, November 23 (Reporter Peng Kefeng) Although the metaverse is coming too fast, like a tornado, recent market news shows that many commercial banks are still exploring and accumulating patents in this field.
According to information on November 22, according to an announcement from the State Intellectual Property Office, Bank of China Co., Ltd. applied for a patent called “an advertisement display method and related equipment in the metaverse bank”, public number CN117094771A. According to the news, the invention provides an advertisement display method and related equipment in the metaverse bank, which is applied to the field of big data and finance.
This news attracted a lot of attention within the industry. However, after logging on to the “Patent Search and Analysis” section of the official website of the State Intellectual Property Office on November 23, the Finance Association did not find the above patent information. However, publicly available information shows that the Bank of China has indeed applied for quite a few patents related to Metaverse Bank.
The Bank of China has applied for a number of patents related to metaverse banks
According to the relevant application disclosure, the Bank of China's application includes: first determining the target user; the target user is the user whose distance from the target billboard meets the pre-set range; the target billboard is the billboard to be displayed in Metaverse Bank; the analysis of users within the pre-set range is more informative... It is possible to determine the target advertisement that is most suitable for the target user, and the target advertisement is sent to the target billboard for display, which is conducive to achieving the best marketing results.
The Finance Association reporter was unable to find the above patent on the official website of the General Administration of Intellectual Property. However, the Bank of China did publish a similar patent application.
For example, the application period is August 2023, and the applicant is “a metaverse banking service method, device, equipment and storage medium” patent introduction of Bank of China Co., Ltd. This application discloses a metaverse banking service method, device, equipment, and storage medium, which is used in the field of artificial intelligence or finance to obtain the location of the user in the metaverse bank and the time the user stays at that location.
According to the relevant introduction, the relevant patent can “enable digital employees to actively provide services to users, increase the service methods for digital employees, and enhance the user experience, thereby increasing Metaverse Bank's business transaction rate.”
Another example is that the applicant applied for “a message display method and related equipment in the metaverse” from Bank of China Co., Ltd., stating that the invention provides a message display method and related equipment in the metaverse, which is applied to the mobile internet field and the financial field to first receive multiple messages to be displayed sent by users with a pre-set reception range in the metaverse. Each message to be displayed includes generation time information, transmission location information, and transmission content information.
Many banks also had metaverse-related projects during the year, but experts say they are no longer popular
A reporter from the Financial Services Association noticed that since this year, with the rise of the artificial intelligence boom, the topic of metaverse, which was very popular last year, is still quite popular within the banking industry.
For example, in April of this year, at the 2nd China (Anhui) Science and Technology Innovation Achievement Transformation Fair, many novel and interesting technology products and black technology were unveiled, attracting many citizens to stop and visit. According to local media reports, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China exhibited the “Metaverse Financial Holographic Cabin” on site, and virtual customer service staff provided business services.
The media also said that the metaverse financial holographic capsule launched by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China combines cutting-edge metaverse technology to realistically restore the three-dimensional effect of people and objects. Users can “see” realistic holographic images in an immersive way without wearing 3D glasses or other equipment, and achieve real-time two-way interaction. The backstage broadcaster addressed the guests and introduced the products through a holographic transparent display screen. The guests could communicate and interact with the live streamers in real time through hidden cameras and microphones. This equipment can be used in financial salons and new product launches. It is different from the traditional face-to-face introduction and communication between account managers at outlets in the past.
Another example is that in May of this year, Zhongke Jincai's WeChat account reported that Beijing Zhongke Jincai Technology Co., Ltd. successfully won the bid for the Bank of Shanghai Metaverse Bank project. As the leading enterprise of domestic urban commercial banks, the Bank of Shanghai has industry-representative and exemplary effects in building metaverse projects.
Economist Song Qinghui told the Finance Association reporter that compared to the past, it is clear that the metaverse boom has faded this year. In this context, banks of China are more likely to apply for metaverse patents due to marketing considerations in order to gain widespread attention from the market.
However, Song Qinghui believes that the combination of the banking industry and the metaverse has a certain degree of market imagination, and suggests that it is possible to start from two sides. First, the metaverse can be used to turn incomprehensible financial products into tangible, immersive forms, thereby increasing consumers' personal experience and laying the foundation for customer acquisition. Second, the metaverse can be used to improve bank operations, such as saving employee travel expenses, reducing the “carbon footprint”, etc.
“However, looking at it now, the once hot metaverse has indeed reached a point where few people care about it. In this context, the need for banks to invest in the metaverse does not seem too great, and the prospects are unspeakably optimistic.” Song Qinghui made a final statement.