Method and apparatus for sending a rebate via electronic mail over the internet
First Claim
1. A method for processing a funds transfer representing a rebate associated with a product purchased by a customer, the method comprising:
- after purchase of the product by the customer, a rebate computer processor inputting a completed rebate application received over a computer network from the customer and including rebate information, the rebate information comprising;
a request to initiate a funds transfer associated with the product purchase;
a recipient identifier identifying a rebate recipient;
amount data representing an amount of money to be rebated to the rebate recipient; and
product data including a universal product code of the product that was purchased and a serial number of the product that was purchased;
the rebate computer processor verifying that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction;
the rebate computer processor creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications received during a time period, the rebate processor outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor;
wherein the transaction computer processor;
parses the single electronic file into a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information;
assigns a transaction ID to each transaction record; and
creates an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and
the rebate computer processor sending the electronic message to each rebate recipient over the computer network using the recipient identifier, which was received from the rebate recipient, to inform the rebate recipient that the rebate request has been processed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for transferring money representing a rebate from a retailer or manufacturer to a customer/recipient via an electronic mail message over a computer network such as the Internet. The recipient purchases, either conventionally or via an online store, a product for which an electronic rebate applies. In one embodiment, the recipient acquires the product through a conventional sale and requests a rebate online. Using the product'"'"'s universal product code and serial numbers as identifiers, the sale is authenticated, and a transaction processor completes a funds transfer between the retailer or manufacturer and the recipient.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for processing a funds transfer representing a rebate associated with a product purchased by a customer, the method comprising:
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after purchase of the product by the customer, a rebate computer processor inputting a completed rebate application received over a computer network from the customer and including rebate information, the rebate information comprising; a request to initiate a funds transfer associated with the product purchase; a recipient identifier identifying a rebate recipient; amount data representing an amount of money to be rebated to the rebate recipient; and product data including a universal product code of the product that was purchased and a serial number of the product that was purchased; the rebate computer processor verifying that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction; the rebate computer processor creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications received during a time period, the rebate processor outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor; wherein the transaction computer processor; parses the single electronic file into a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information; assigns a transaction ID to each transaction record; and creates an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and the rebate computer processor sending the electronic message to each rebate recipient over the computer network using the recipient identifier, which was received from the rebate recipient, to inform the rebate recipient that the rebate request has been processed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for delivering a rebate to a customer, who constitutes a recipient of the rebate, and completing a funds transfer associated with a product purchase, the method comprising the steps of:
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the rebate recipient making a purchase of the product and, subsequent to making the purchase, the recipient identifying product data including a universal product code of the product that was purchased and a serial number of the product that was purchased, the purchase being made via an online seller; redirecting the rebate recipient from the online seller to a web site so as to effect delivery of the rebate; receiving, by a computer processor, over a computer network, from the rebate recipient and subsequent to the rebate recipient making the purchase, a submission of information, the information received from the recipient including; a request to receive a rebate associated with a product purchase; a transaction identifier identifying the funds transfer associated with the product purchase; and the product data including the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased; transferring funds, by the computer processor, based on the information that was received in the submission of information and information that is retrieved by the web site based on the transaction identifier, to a deposit account associated with the rebate recipient including; verifying that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction; creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications during a time period, and outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor; and parsing the single electronic file a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information; assigning a transaction ID to each transaction record; and creating an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and outputting the individual electronic message to perform the funds transfer for the rebate to each rebate recipient; and determining, by the computer processor, a recipient identifier identifying the rebate recipient; determining, by the computer processor, a computer processor identifier identifying the rebate computer processor; and sending, by the computer processor, a confirmation of the funds transfer to the rebate computer processor and the rebate recipient over the computer network using the computer processor identifier and the rebate recipient identifier, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for initiating a funds transfer representing a rebate associated with a product purchase by a rebate recipient, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer processor; and a memory connected to said computer processor storing a program to control the operation of said computer processor; the processor operative with the program in the memory to; monitor a claim of the rebate submitted by the rebate recipient, and sending a reminder communication to the recipient once the rebate has not been claimed for a period of time; receive over the computer network from a rebate computer processor; a request to initiate a funds transfer associated with the product purchase, the product being purchased by the rebate recipient; a recipient identifier identifying the rebate recipient; amount data representing an amount of money to be rebated to the rebate recipient; and product data identifying the particular individual product that was purchased by the rebate recipient, the product data including a universal product code of the product that was purchased and a serial number of the product that was purchased; verify that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction; generate an electronic message, including embedded funds transfer data disposed in the electronic message, including; creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications received during a time period, and outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor; and the transaction computer processor; parsing the single electronic file into a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information; assigning a transaction ID to each transaction record; and creating an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and the computer processor sending the electronic message to each rebate recipient over the computer network using the recipient identifier to inform the rebate recipient that the rebate request has been processed and the computer processor performing processing to determine whether the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of a valid rebate transaction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for delivering a rebate and completing a funds transfer associated with a product purchase, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer processor; and a memory connected to said computer processor storing a program to control the operation of said computer processor; the computer processor operative with the program in the memory to; receive over a computer network from a rebate recipient; a request to receive a rebate associated with a product that has been previously purchased utilizing a separate computer processor; and a transaction identifier identifying the funds transfer associated with the product purchase; transfer funds to a deposit account associated with the rebate recipient including; verifying that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction; creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications received during a time period, and outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor; and parsing the single electronic file into a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information; assigning a transaction ID to each transaction record; and creating an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and outputting the individual electronic message to perform the funds transfer for the rebate to the rebate recipient; and the computer processor performing further processing including; determining a recipient identifier identifying the rebate recipient; determining a computer processor identifier identifying the rebate computer processor; and send a confirmation of the funds transfer to the rebate computer processor and each rebate recipient over the computer network using the computer processor identifier and the recipient identifier, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus that initiates a funds transfer representing a rebate associated with a product purchase, the apparatus comprising:
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a receiving portion that receives over the computer network from a rebate computer processor; a request to initiate a funds transfer associated with the product purchase; a recipient identifier identifying a rebate recipient; amount data representing an amount of money to be rebated; and product data including a universal product code of the product that was purchased and a serial number of the product that was purchased; a generating portion that generates an electronic message that includes embedded funds transfer data, the generates an electronic message including; verifying that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction; creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications received during a time period, and outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor; and the transaction computer processor; parsing single electronic file into a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information; assigning a transaction ID to each transaction record; and creating an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and a sending portion that sends the electronic message to each rebate recipient over the computer network using the recipient identifier to inform the recipient that the rebate request has been processed. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An apparatus that delivers a rebate and completing a funds transfer associated with a product purchase, the apparatus comprising:
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a receiving portion that receives over a computer network from a rebate recipient information including; a request to receive a rebate associated with a product purchase, the product having been previously purchased and the rebate recipient previously verifying receipt of the purchased product; and a transaction identifier identifying the funds transfer associated with the product purchase; a transferring portion, in the form of a processing machine, that transfers funds, based on the information, to a deposit account associated with the rebate recipient, the transfer funds including; verifying that the universal product code of the product that was purchased and the serial number of the product that was purchased match those of an eligible rebate transaction; creating a single electronic file comprising a plurality of verified rebate applications received during a time period, and outputting the single electronic file to a transaction computer processor; and parsing the single electronic file into a plurality of individual transaction records, each transaction record comprising an electronic message including embedded funds transfer data based on the rebate information; assigning a transaction ID to each transaction record; and creating an individual electronic message for each rebate application; and outputting the individual electronic message to perform the funds transfer for the rebate to each rebate recipient; and the transferring portion performing processing including; a first determining portion that determines a recipient identifier identifying the rebate recipient; a second determining portion that determines a computer processor identifier identifying the rebate computer processor; and a sending portion that sends a confirmation of the funds transfer to the rebate computer processor and the rebate recipient over the computer network using the computer processor identifier and the recipient identifier, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification