System and method for facilitating a transaction between a merchant and a cardholder

• US 10,043,164 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dogin, Jennifer, Maw, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Hafiz A
• Application Number:
  US13/897,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 705 729, 705 39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating a transaction, e.g., shopping experience, between a merchant and a cardholder. The system comprises an electronic storage device having a database of cardholder profile information and location information stored therein; an access path for allowing access to the cardholder profile information and location information; and a processor for assembling the cardholder profile information and location information in the database, and for providing the assembled cardholder profile information and location information to a merchant and a cardholder that have been granted access to the database. The assembled cardholder profile information and location information are provided to the merchant and the cardholder so as to effect targeted interaction between the merchant and cardholder based at least in part on the assembled cardholder profile information and location information. A method for monitoring efficiency of a transaction between a merchant and a cardholder, and for determining customer shopping trends at a merchant facility.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating a transaction between a merchant and a cardholder by a financial transaction processing entity, said system comprising:

an electronic storage device having a database of cardholder profile information, cardholder location information, and merchant location information stored therein, wherein the cardholder location information is from a location module of a first communication device of the cardholder comprising a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the first communication device comprising an application that can be activated by the cardholder with a request of the transaction, wherein the merchant location information is from a merchant processing platform comprising a GPS that maps both inside and outside of a facility of the merchant and includes floor plans inside the facility of the merchant, wherein the cardholder location information includes 2D and 3D GPS mapping and geofencing,

a processing engine comprising an interface, wherein the interface is configured for communication (1) between the first communication of the cardholder and the processing engine, and (2) between a second communication device of the merchant comprising a second GPS receiver and the processing engine, wherein the merchant is notified of the request of the transaction, and wherein the GPS sends a first GPS signal to the first GPS receiver to direct the cardholder to a desired area or sends a second GPS signal to the second GPS receiver to direct an employee of the merchant to a desired inventory stored at the facility of the merchant;

an access path for allowing access, granted by the financial transaction processing entity, to the cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information, and the merchant location information by the merchant and the cardholder, wherein the cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and the merchant location information are located in the processing engine; and

a processor configured to;

establish a geofence or perimeter within or surrounding the merchant facility location by the GPS so that the GPS sends an alert to the first communication device of the cardholder or the second communication device of the merchant when the geofence or perimeter is crossed by the payment cardholder;

determine whether the merchant is tagged in the application of the first communication device when the payment cardholder enters an area defined by the geofence or the perimeter;

operate the application to (1) open an application page of the merchant when the merchant is tagged in the application, or (2) open a main application page leading to a connection to the application page of the merchant when the merchant is not tagged in the application but the merchant is a part of a network of the application;

assemble the cardholder profile information and the cardholder location information in the database, and

provide the assembled cardholder profile information and the cardholder location information via the processing engine to the second communication device of the merchant and the first communication device of the cardholder by the financial transaction processing entity, thereby effecting an in-person interaction between the cardholder and an agent of the merchant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the assembled cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and the merchant location information are provided to the merchant and the cardholder that have been granted access to the database so as to effect targeted interaction between the agent of the merchant and cardholder based at least in part on the assembled cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information, and the merchant location information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein targeted interaction comprises services and assistance on the part of the agent of the merchant and questions and requests on the part of the cardholder, for facilitating the transaction between the merchant and the cardholder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access path comprises a network or web site for making the assembled cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information, and the merchant location information available to the merchant and the cardholder.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the access path includes an Internet connected device for connecting to the network or web site.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said Internet connected device is one selected from the group consisting of a mobile telephone, a computer, a tablet, and a personal digital assistant.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein based at least in part on the assembled cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and the merchant location information, the merchant provides a feature selected from the group consisting of timely and targeted services and assistance to the cardholder.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the cardholder profile information includes preferences, loyalty points number, a digital wallet, other electronic payment systems, a shopping cart, and mobile offerings.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the database further includes online coupons, location-based services, location-based deals and offers, and advertisements that can be accessed by the cardholder.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein access to the database is granted through a communication device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication device is configured as a mobile platform.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising said cardholder communicating with a call center to obtain payment card benefit information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the payment card benefit information comprises one or more information selected from the group consisting of extended warranty on purchases, price protection, insurance, roadside assistance, emergency travel assistance, foreign transaction fees, rental car insurance, and hotel and airline upgrades.

14. A method for facilitating a transaction between a merchant and a cardholder by a financial transaction processing entity, said method comprising:

providing an electronic storage device having a database of cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and merchant location information stored therein, wherein the cardholder location information is from a location module of a first communication device of the cardholder comprising a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the first communication device having an application that can be activated by the cardholder with a request of the transaction, wherein the merchant location information is from a merchant processing platform comprising a GPS that maps both inside and outside of a facility of the merchant and includes floor plans inside the facility of the merchant, wherein the cardholder location information includes 2D and 3D GPS mapping and geofencing;

providing a processing engine comprising an interface, wherein the interface is configured for communication (1) between the first communication of the cardholder and the processing engine, and (2) between a second communication device of the merchant comprising a second GPS receiver and the processing engine, wherein the merchant is notified of the request of the transaction, and wherein the GPS sends a first GPS signal to the first GPS receiver to direct the cardholder to a desired area or sends a second GPS signal to the second GPS receiver to direct an employee of the merchant to a desired inventory stored at the facility of the merchant;

allowing access, granted by the financial transaction processing entity, via an access path to the cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and the merchant location information by the merchant and the cardholder, wherein the cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and the merchant location information are located in the processing engine;

establishing a geofence or perimeter within or surrounding the merchant facility location by the GPS so that the GPS sends an alert to the first communication device of the cardholder or the second communication device of the merchant when the geofence or perimeter is crossed by the payment cardholder;

determining, by a processor, whether the merchant is tagged in the application of the first communication device when the payment cardholder enters an area defined by the geofence or the perimeter;

operating, by the processor, the application to (1) open an application page of the merchant when the merchant is tagged in the application, or (2) open a main application page leading to a connection to the application page of the merchant when the merchant is not tagged in the application but the merchant is a part of a network of the application;

assembling in the database via the processor the cardholder profile information and location information; and

providing, by the processor, the assembled cardholder profile information and the cardholder location information via the processing engine to the second communication device of the merchant and the first communication device of the cardholder by the financial transaction processing entity, thereby effecting targeted interaction between the merchant and cardholder based at least in part on the assembled cardholder profile information and the cardholder location information, the targeted interaction comprising an in-person interaction between the cardholder and an agent of the merchant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said targeted interaction comprises services and assistance on the part of the agent of the merchant and questions and requests on the part of the cardholder, for facilitating the transaction between the merchant and the cardholder.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the access path comprises a network or web site for making the assembled cardholder profile information, the cardholder location information and the merchant location information available to the merchant and the cardholder.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the access path includes an Internet connected device for connecting to the network or web site.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said Internet connected device is one selected from the group consisting of a mobile telephone, a computer, a tablet, and a personal digital assistant.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein based at least in part on the cardholder profile information, and the cardholder location information and the merchant location information, the merchant provides a feature selected from the group consisting of targeted services and assistance to the cardholder.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the cardholder profile information includes preferences, loyalty points number, a digital wallet, other electronic payment systems, a shopping cart, and mobile offerings.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the database further includes online coupons, location-based services, location-based deals and offers, and advertisements that optionally can be accessed by the cardholder.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein access to the database is granted through a communication device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication device is configured as a mobile platform.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising said cardholder communicating with a call center to obtain payment card benefit information.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the payment card benefit information comprises one or more information selected from the group consisting of extended warranty on purchases, price protection, insurance, roadside assistance, emergency travel assistance, foreign transaction fees, rental car insurance, and hotel and airline upgrades.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating data based on the targeted interaction between the merchant and the cardholder; and

analyzing the generated data to determine efficiency of the transaction between the merchant and the cardholder.

27. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating data based on the targeted interaction between the merchant and the cardholder; and

analyzing the generated data to determine customer shopping trends at the merchant facility.