System and method for contextual services experience

• US 10,360,597 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bruno, John, Basheerahammed, Sibish Neelikattil, Manivannan, Premkumar, Muthukrishnan, Sathish, Chirravuri, Nageshwara R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Luis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Robert C
• Application Number:
  US14/318,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3263 characterised by activation or deactivation of payment capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A contextual services delivery system may comprise a services repository containing services instructions and a contextual services delivery module. The contextual services delivery module may deliver different contextual services to a smartphone and/or a POS terminal in response to a context environment, in order to provide a user with a customized contextual services experience.

Claims

1. A contextual services delivery system comprising:

a services repository comprising a database of contextual services;

a contextual services delivery module comprising;

a merchant linkage database comprising directives indicating which of the contextual services to provide in response to a context environment;

a context database comprising context characteristics representing the context environment,

a contextual services delivery processor configured to identify, using a standardized API, the context environment in response to the context characteristics and to provide executed contextual services from the services repository in response to the directives;

wherein the services repository communicates with the contextual services delivery module, and

wherein the contextual services delivery module provides a user with a contextual services experience based on the context environment,

wherein the contextual services delivery module performs operations of;

evaluating, in response to the user at least one of initiating a transaction between the user and a merchant or the user in range of a point of sale device, the context environment,

wherein the context environment includes whether the user is located at the point of sale device, whether the user entered a store of the merchant, whether the user is located within the store of the merchant, whether the user swiped a payment card, whether the user authorized a payment on a mobile device, whether the user opened an application on the mobile device, and whether the user scanned a SKU for a product;

determining information about the point of sale device involved in the transaction;

determining information about software involved in the transaction;

determining characteristics of the user conducting the transaction;

determining characteristics of the transaction;

determining physical locations of the user, the merchant and location technology;

determining merchant services provided by the merchant;

determining a date and time of the transaction;

identifying that the context environment includes a linkage to a context service from the services repository, wherein the merchant linkage database indicates a merchant desires a consumer to receive the context service in response to the context environment being identified from the determining of the information about the point of sale device, the information about software, the characteristics of the user, the characteristics of the transaction, the physical locations of the user, the merchant services , the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, risk analysis of the user, merchants visited by the user, a transaction history of the user, an amount of spend for the transaction, a frequency of the transaction, a number of transactions, a categorization of the transaction, activities by the user in a social media channel, activities by the user in an entertainment channel, activities by the user in a reservation channel and activities by the user in a review channel;

applying a promotion applicable to the user in response to the linkage of the context environment;

delivering customized content applicable to the user in response to the linkage of the context environment, the information about the point of sale device, the information about software, the characteristics of the user, the characteristics of the transaction, the physical locations of the user, the merchant services , the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, the risk analysis of the user, the merchants visited by the user, the transaction history of the user, the amount of spend for the transaction, the frequency of the transaction, the number of transactions, the categorization of the transaction, activities by the user in a social media channel, activities by the user in an entertainment channel, activities by the user in the reservation channel and activities by the user in the review channel;

providing inventory data to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

providing the customized content to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

providing the promotion to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

applying, in response to the context environment linking to a merchant service of the merchant, the promotion to the transaction;

determining, based on the promotion, a payment amount for the product;

distributing the payment amount for display to the user;

receiving a transaction authentication comprising a user fingerprint;

processing the transaction in response to the receiving; and

transmitting a transaction confirmation.

2. The contextual services delivery system of claim 1, further comprising, based on the context environment, providing at least one of:

user interface flows tailored to a desired experience relative to capabilities of devices involved in the transaction;

uplifting of the point of sale device allowing participation in an advanced payment experience;

brokering of the transaction between the mobile device located in range of the point of sale device located in a location of the merchant and the point of sale device, wherein a transaction card is not required;

a simultaneous brokering of the transaction between the mobile device and the point of sale device such that the mobile device and the point of sale device receive a customized presentment and either may be used to pay for the transaction;

biometric authentication at least one of mobile device or the point of sale device;

a capability to pay for the transaction using rebates and different forms of payment on the mobile device and the point of sale device;

a capability for the user to navigate in-store inventory;

a capability to conduct purchases from the mobile device without interaction of the merchant at the point of sale device located in the location of the merchant;

or

a capability for the merchant to dynamically customize an experience of the user with promotions, instructions and other information.

3. The contextual services delivery system of claim 1 further comprising a network configured to communicate with the point of sale device.

4. The contextual services delivery system of claim 1, wherein the contextual services comprises at least one of:

transactional services, display services or authentication services.

5. The contextual services delivery system of claim 4, wherein the transactional services comprise at least one of a delivery of inventory data, an offer of sale, a sale of an item or a proposed discount.

6. The contextual services delivery system of claim 4, wherein the display services comprise at least one of a textual information presentation, a graphical information presentation or an invitation to complete the transaction via at least one of:

the mobile device or the point of sale device.

7. The contextual services delivery system of claim 4, wherein the authentication services comprise mechanisms of confirming a user identity comprising at least one of:

biometric authentication comprising fingerprinting, a payment card swipe, a pin number, an identification photograph or a user location.

8. The contextual services delivery system of claim 1, wherein the context characteristics comprise:

information provided by third parties comprising at least one of;

merchants, social media, credit reporting agencies, or payment processors; and

internal data comprising at least one of;

a risk analysis of a user, stores visited by the user, a transaction history of the user, the date and the time of the transaction, an amount spend per transaction, a frequency of transactions, the number of transactions or a categorization of transactions.

9. The contextual services delivery system of claim 1, wherein the context environment comprises triggers, wherein the triggers comprise a user location and a user payment status.

10. A method comprising:

evaluating, by a computer based system using a standardized API, and in response to a user at least one of initiating a transaction between the user and a merchant or the user in range of a point of sale device, a context environment,

wherein the context environment includes whether the user is located at the point of sale device, whether the user entered a store of the merchant, whether the user is located within the store of the merchant, whether the user swiped a payment card, whether the user authorized a payment on a mobile device, whether the user opened an application on the mobile device, and whether the user scanned a SKU for a product;

determining, by the computer based system, information about the point of sale device involved in the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, information about software involved in the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, characteristics of the user conducting the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, characteristics of the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, physical locations of the user, the merchant and location technology;

determining, by the computer based system, merchant services provided by the merchant;

determining, by the computer based system, a date and time of the transaction;

identifying, by the computer based system, that the context environment includes a linkage to a context service from the services repository, wherein a merchant linkage database indicates a merchant desires a consumer to receive the context service in response to the context environment being identified from the determining of information about the point of sale device, the information about software, the characteristics of the user, the characteristics of the transaction, the physical locations of the user, the merchant services , the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, risk analysis of the user, merchants visited by the user, a transaction history of the user, an amount of spend for the transaction, a frequency of the transaction, a number of transactions, a categorization of the transaction, activities by the user in a social media channel, activities by the user in an entertainment channel, activities by the user in a reservation channel and activities by the user in a review channel;

applying, by the computer based system, a promotion applicable to the user in response to the linkage of the context environment;

delivering, by the computer based system, customized content applicable to the user in response to the linkage of the context environment, the information about the point of sale device, the information about software, the characteristics of the user, the characteristics of the transaction, the physical locations of the user, the merchant services , the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, the risk analysis of the user, the merchants visited by the user, the transaction history of the user, the amount of spend for the transaction, the frequency of the transaction, the number of transactions, the categorization of the transaction, activities by the user in a social media channel, activities by the user in an entertainment channel, activities by the user in the reservation channel and activities by the user in the review channel;

providing, by the computer based system, inventory data to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

providing, by the computer based system, the customized content to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

providing, by the computer based system, the promotion to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

applying, by the computer based system and in response to the context environment linking to a merchant service of the merchant, the promotion to the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system and based on the promotion, a payment amount for the product;

distributing, by the computer based system, the payment amount for display to the user;

receiving, by the computer based system, a transaction authentication comprising a user fingerprint;

processing, by the computer based system, the transaction in response to the receiving; and

transmitting, by the computer based system, a transaction confirmation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the distributing further comprises:

transmitting, by the computer based system, the payment amount to a mobile device, and

transmitting, by the computer based system, the payment amount to a POS terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

distributing, by the computer based system, a discount offer to at least one of;

a mobile device, or the point of sale device;

receiving, by the computer based system, an acceptance of the discount offer;

storing, by the computer based system, the acceptance of the discount offer; and

applying, by the computer based system, the discount offer to the payment amount in response to the storing.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

distributing, by the computer based system, an upsell opportunity to at least one of;

a mobile device, and the point of sale device;

receiving, by the computer based system, an acceptance of the upsell opportunity;

storing, by the computer based system, the acceptance of the upsell opportunity; and

distributing, by the computer based system, a modified payment amount in response to the storing.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

distributing, by the computer based system, a discount offer to at least one of;

a mobile device, and the point of sale the device;

distributing, by the computer based system, an upsell opportunity to at least one of;

the mobile device, or a the point of sale device;

receiving, by the computer based system, an acceptance of the discount offer;

receiving, by the computer based system, an acceptance of the upsell opportunity;

storing, by the computer based system, the acceptance of the discount offer;

storing, by the computer based system, the acceptance of the upsell opportunity;

applying, by the computer based system, the discount offer to the payment amount in response to the storing; and

distributing, by the computer based system, a modified payment amount in response to the storing.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising, based on the context environment, providing at least one of:

user interface flows tailored to a desired experience relative to capabilities of devices involved in the transaction;

uplifting of the point of sale device allowing participation in an advanced payment experience;

brokering of the transaction between a mobile device located in range of the point of sale device located in a location of the merchant and the point of sale device, wherein a transaction card is not required;

a simultaneous brokering of the transaction between the mobile device and the point of sale device such that the mobile device and the point of sale device receive a customized presentment and either may be used to pay for the transaction;

biometric authentication at least one of the mobile device or the point of sale device;

a capability to pay for the transaction using rebates and different forms of payment on the mobile device and the point of sale device;

a capability for the user to navigate in-store inventory;

a capability to conduct purchases from the mobile device without interaction of the merchant at the point of sale device located in the location of the merchant;

or

a capability for the merchant to dynamically customize an experience of the user with promotions, instructions and other information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the characteristics of the user include spend patterns, risk profile and analytics.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the point of sale device includes at least one of the point of sale device terminal, the mobile device, a merchant cash register or a website.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the characteristics of the transaction include at least one of legacy point of sale device, green field, mobile payment at the merchant, card swipe at the point of sale device at the merchant, or mobile interaction with the point of sale device.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the location technology includes at least one of BLE (blue tooth low energy) or GPS (global positioning system).

16. A non-transitory computer program product having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer based system, causes the computer based system to be capable of performing operations comprising:

evaluating, by the computer based system using a standardized API, and in response to a user at least one of initiating a transaction between the user and a merchant or the user in range of a point of sale device, a context environment,

wherein the context environment includes whether the user is located at the point of sale device, whether the user entered a store of the merchant, whether the user is located within the store of the merchant, whether the user swiped a payment card, whether the user authorized a payment on a mobile device, whether the user opened an application on the mobile device, and whether the user scanned a SKU for a product;

determining, by the computer based system, information about the point of sale device involved in the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, information about software involved in the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, characteristics of the user conducting the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, characteristics of the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system, physical locations of the user, the merchant and location technology;

determining, by the computer based system, merchant services provided by the merchant;

determining, by the computer based system, a date and time of the transaction;

identifying, by the computer based system, that the context environment includes a linkage to a context service from the services repository, wherein a merchant linkage database indicates a merchant desires a consumer to receive the context service in response to the context environment being identified from the determining of information about the point of sale device, the information about software, the characteristics of the user, the characteristics of the transaction, the physical locations of the user, the merchant services , the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, risk analysis of the user, merchants visited by the user, a transaction history of the user, an amount of spend for the transaction, a frequency of the transaction, a number of transactions, a categorization of the transaction, activities by the user in a social media channel, activities by the user in an entertainment channel, activities by the user in a reservation channel and activities by the user in a review channel;

applying, by the computer based system, a promotion applicable to the user in response to the linkage of the context environment;

delivering, by the computer based system, customized content applicable to the user in response to the linkage of the context environment, the information about the point of sale device, the information about software, the characteristics of the user, the characteristics of the transaction, the physical locations of the user, the merchant services , the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, the risk analysis of the user, the merchants visited by the user, the transaction history of the user, the amount of spend for the transaction, the frequency of the transaction, the number of transactions, the categorization of the transaction, activities by the user in a social media channel, activities by the user in an entertainment channel, activities by the user in the reservation channel and activities by the user in the review channel;

providing, by the computer based system, inventory data to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

providing, by the computer based system, the customized content to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

providing, by the computer based system, the promotion to the point of sale device for display on the point of sale device;

applying, by the computer based system and in response to the context environment linking to a merchant service of the merchant, the promotion to the transaction;

determining, by the computer based system and based on the promotion, a payment amount for the product;

distributing, by the computer based system, the payment amount for display to the user;

receiving, by the computer based system, a transaction authentication comprising a user fingerprint;

processing, by the computer based system, the transaction in response to the receiving; and

transmitting, by the computer based system, a transaction confirmation.