Systems and methods to provide a user interface to control an offer campaign

• US 10,380,617 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Mark, Stan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Sun M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuy N
• Application Number:
  US13/630,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20130085869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

In one aspect, a computer implemented method is provided for the provision, on a computing apparatus, of a user interface configured via a portal to permit a merchant to define an offer campaign. The offer has a plurality of milestones required to be met in order to provide a benefit to a user. The computing apparatus may be further configured to associate the offer with a user, detect the progress of the user toward the milestone, and transmit a message to the user regarding the user'"'"'s progress toward the milestone.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

providing a computing apparatus including;

a processor configured on an electronic payment processing network;

a data warehouse coupled with the processor; and

a communication portal coupled with the processor and the data warehouse, wherein the communication portal is connected to communicate outside the electronic payment processing network;

configuring the computing apparatus with a rule engine, wherein;

the rule engine is configured to be controlled by a set of event records stored in the data warehouse for an offer campaign, the set of event records comprising a first event record and a second event record;

the rule engine is configured to use predefined modules in the computing apparatus to control operations of the processor and the communication portal in response to events in the computing apparatus according to event types specified in the event records, the predefined modules corresponding to the event types respectively for processing the events of the event types respectively; and

each respective record of the event records has a plurality of event data fields, including;

a first field to specify an event type,

at least one second field to specify conditions related to events of the event type, and

a third field to specify an identifier of the respective event record; and

the second event record further having;

a fourth field specifying the identifier of the first event record, wherein the rule engine is configured to not detect a second event associated with the second event record before a first event associated with the first event record identified in the fourth field is detected, and

a fifth field specifying a message;

in response to detecting the first event based on the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the first event record, the rule engine is configured to invoke a first respective module in the predefined modules corresponding to the event type specified in the first field of the first event record; and

in response to detecting the second event based on the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record and detecting the first event associated with the first event record based on the identifier of the first record specified in the fourth field of the second event record, the rule engine is configured to invoke a second respective module in the predefined modules corresponding to the event type specified in the first field of the second event record;

providing, by the communication portal, a first user interface;

receiving, in the first user interface, first input from a merchant, the first input including the set of event records defining the offer campaign in which users are notified of a benefit offered by the merchant in response to payment transactions made in the electronic payment processing network, wherein;

the event type specified in the first field of the second event record is associated with a transaction;

at least one of the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record is associated with at least one transaction attribute;

and

the message specified in the fifth field of the second event record is associated with the benefit;

providing, by the communication portal, a second user interface;

receiving, in the second user interface, second input from the merchant, the second input adjusting a scale of the offer campaign to a first scale via identifying the first scale; and

executing, by the computing apparatus, the offer campaign as programmed by the set of event records in accordance with the first scale identified via the second user interface, including;

processing, by the rule engine, the second event record in response to authorization of a transaction in a consumer account of a first user, after the first event record has been processed;

determining whether the at least one of the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record is satisfied by at least one attribute of the transaction; and

in response to a determination that the second event record has been processed and the at least one of the conditions is satisfied by the at least one attribute of the transaction, instructing, by the rule engine in accordance with the second event record, the communication portal to transmit the message of the fifth field of the second even record to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first scale of the offer campaign corresponds to a size of a geographic region in which the offer campaign is executed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the offer campaign is limited by the size of the geographic region in offering the benefit to users.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

offering, by the computing apparatus, the benefit to users satisfying one or more requirements of the offer campaign.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first scale of the offer campaign corresponds to a rate according to which the benefit is offered to users in accordance with the offer campaign.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first scale of the offer campaign corresponds to a desired rate at which the benefit is provided to users who have completed requirements specified in the offer campaign.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer campaign includes at least one rule to attach an offer of the benefit to an account of a user;

and the first scale is based on a rate to attach the offer to users according to the at least one rule.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first scale is based on at least one of:

a speed of providing the offer, and

a scale of recipients of the offer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer campaign identifies a fulfillment action to provide the benefit to the consumer account of the first user when the first user satisfies fulfillment requirements of the offer campaign.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing of the offer campaign comprises:

associating an offer of the benefit with the consumer account of the first user in accordance with a rule specified using the first user interface;

determining the first user achieving a milestone in the offer campaign based on a transaction being processed by a transaction handler; and

transmitting, by the computing apparatus, the message to the first user in real time as the transaction handler processes the transaction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first scale is limited based at least on one of:

a geographical area and a budget associated with the benefit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the offer is associated with the consumer account of the first user in response to one of:

a selection of an advertisement by the first user;

a determination that a current location of a device of the first user satisfies a location criterion of the offer campaign;

a transaction of the first user performed using the consumer account of the first user; and

enrollment in a program to receive, from the computing apparatus, offers.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a user interface configured to allow the merchant to bid against competitors for opportunities to present the offer to users.

14. A non-transitory computer-storage medium storing instructions configured to instruct a computing apparatus to at least perform a method, the method comprising:

providing a computing apparatus including;

a processor configured on an electronic payment processing network;

a data warehouse coupled with the processor; and

a communication portal coupled with the processor and the data warehouse, wherein the communication portal is connected to communicate outside the electronic payment processing network;

configuring the computing apparatus with a rule engine, wherein;

the rule engine is configured to be controlled by a set of event records stored in the data warehouse for an offer campaign, the set of event records comprising a first event record and a second event record;

the rule engine is configured to use predefined modules in the computing apparatus to control operations of the processor and the communication portal in response to events in the computing apparatus according to event types specified in the event records, the predefined modules corresponding to the event types respectively for processing the events of the event types respectively;

each respective record of the event records has a plurality of event data fields, including;

a first field to specify an event type,

at least one second field to specify conditions related to events of the event type, and

a third field to specify an identifier of the respective event record;

the second event record further having;

a fourth field specifying the identifier of the first event record, wherein the rule engine is configured to not detect a second event associated with the second event record before a first event associated with the first event record identified in the fourth field is detected, and

a fifth field specifying a message;

in response to detecting the first event based on the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the first event record, the rule engine is configured to invoke a first respective module in the predefined modules corresponding to the event type specified in the first field of the first event record; and

in response to detecting the second event based on the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record and detecting the first event associated with the first event record based on the identifier of the first record specified in the fourth field of the second event record, the rule engine is configured to invoke a second respective module in the predefined modules corresponding to the event type specified in the first field of the second event record;

providing, by the communication portal, a first user interface;

receiving, in the first user interface, first input from a merchant, the first input including the set of event records defining the offer campaign in which users are notified of a benefit offered by the merchant in response to payment transactions made in the electronic payment processing network, wherein;

the event type specified in the first field of the second event record is associated with a transaction;

at least one of the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record is associated with at least one transaction attribute;

and

the message specified in the fifth field of the second event record is associated with the benefit;

providing, by the communication portal, a second user interface;

receiving, in the second user interface, second input from the merchant, the second input adjusting a scale of the offer campaign to a first scale via identifying the first scale; and

executing, by the computing apparatus, the offer campaign as programmed by the set of event records in accordance with the first scale identified via the second user interface, including;

processing, by the rule engine, the second event record in response to authorization of a transaction in a consumer account of a first user, after the first event record has been processed;

determining whether the at least one of the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record is satisfied by at least one attribute of the transaction; and

in response to a determination that the second event record has been processed and the at least one of the conditions is satisfied by the at least one attribute of the transaction, instructing, by the rule engine in accordance with the second event record, the communication portal to transmit the message of the fifth field of the second even record to the first user.

15. A computing apparatus having at least a processor and a memory storing instructions configured to instruct the processor to perform operations, the computing apparatus comprising:

a transaction handler configured to process transactions in consumer accounts;

a data warehouse storing a set of event records for an offer campaign, the set of event records comprising a first event record and a second event record;

a portal configured to provide;

a first user interface configured to allow a merchant to specifying the set of event records defining the offer campaign in which users are notified of a benefit offered by the merchant, and

a second user interface configured to allow the merchant to adjust a scale of the offer campaign to a first scale; and

a rule engine configured to, after first input including the set of event records is received in the first user interface to configure the offer campaign and second input is received in the second user interface to identify the first scale, execute the offer campaign in accordance with the first scale identified via the second user interface, wherein;

the rule engine is configured to be controlled by the set of event records stored in the data warehouse for the offer campaign;

the rule engine is configured to use predefined modules in the computing apparatus to control operations of the processor and a communication portal in response to events in the computing apparatus according to event types specified in the event records, the predefined modules corresponding to the event types respectively for processing the events of the event types respectively;

each respective record of the event records having a plurality of event data fields, including;

a first field to specify an event type,

at least one second field to specify conditions related to events of the event type, and

a third field to specify an identifier of the respective event record;

the second event record further having;

a fourth field specifying the identifier of the first event record, wherein the rule engine is configured to not detect a second event associated with the second event record before a first event associated with the first event record identified in the fourth field is detected, and

a fifth field specifying a message;

in response to detecting the first event based on the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the first event record, the rule engine is configured to invoke a first respective module in the predefined modules corresponding to the event type specified in the first field of the first event record; and

in response to detecting the second event based on the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record and detecting the first event associated with the first event record based on the identifier of the first record specified in the fourth field of the second event record, the rule engine is configured to invoke a second respective module in the predefined modules corresponding to the event type specified in the first field of the second event record;

wherein the portal;

receives, in the first user interface, the first input including the set of event records defining the offer campaign, wherein;

the event type specified in the first field of the second event record is associated with a transaction;

at least one of the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record is associated with at least one transaction attribute;

and

the message specified in the fifth field of the second event record is associated with the benefit;

receives, in the second user interface and from the merchant, the second input adjusting the scale of the offer campaign to the first scale;

wherein the rule engine;

processes the second event record in response to authorization of a transaction in a consumer account of a first user, after the first event record has been processed;

determines whether the at least one of the conditions specified in the at least one second field of the second event record is satisfied by at least one attribute of the transaction; and

in response to a determination that the second event record has been processed and the at least one of the conditions is satisfied by the at least one attribute of the transaction, instructing, by the rule engine in accordance with the second event record, the communication portal to transmit the message of the fifth field of the second even record to the first user.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a data warehouse configured to store rules of the offer campaign, transaction records of transactions processed by the transaction handler, and a communication reference in association with the consumer account of the first user;

a message broker configured to generate the message in accordance with the rules of the offer campaign; and

a media controller configured to transmit the message to the communication reference of the first user.

17. The computing apparatus of claim 16, wherein each respective record of the event records identifies a respective milestone to be achieved by the first user in the offer campaign.