Payment account processing which conveys financial transaction data and non financial transaction data

• US 10,395,264 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fordyce, III, Edward W., Patterson, Barbara Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Asfand M
• Application Number:
  US12/110,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,138 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A payment processing system enables a consumer to purchase items at a merchant using an account provided by an issuer. Financial data related to payment for the purchase are sent by the merchant through an acquirer and a transaction expeditor to the issuer. The issuer responds by determining whether to authorize the purchase and if authorized, sends a notification back to the merchant. The acquirer also issues non-financial data that is conveyed by the transaction expeditor to a recipient connected to the payment processing system. The financial and non-financial data for the same transaction may be sent in separate messages and a technique is provided for matching those messages at the recipient. Different types of non-financial data can be conveyed, such as identification of the items being purchased which the recipient uses to determine whether the consumer should receive a reward under a product purchase incentive program.

Claims

1. A method for processing non-financial transaction data related to a product purchase incentive program, comprising:

processing, by a transaction handler processor, a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant upon an account of the consumer within a payment processing system, the processing using financial transaction data related to the financial transaction associated with a purchase of an item by the consumer at the merchant, the financial transaction data including an account number of the consumer, and the transaction handler processor configured to communicate with an acquirer processor and an issuer processor to handle exchange of the financial transaction data for the purchase of the item by the consumer at the merchant;

receiving, by the transaction handler processor and from a merchant computing device of the merchant during processing of the financial transaction, a first message comprising a transaction identification code and the financial transaction data related to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item, wherein the transaction identification code is generated by the merchant computing device, the transaction identification code comprises a hashed value, and the transaction identification code identifies characteristics of the financial transaction, the characteristics comprising a date of the financial transaction and a location of the merchant computing device;

receiving, by a transaction data repository and from the merchant computing device during processing of the financial transaction, a second message comprising the account number, the transaction identification code, and non-financial transaction data including a product identifier that identifies the item, the non-financial transaction data being generated by the merchant computing device during processing of the financial transaction;

wherein the first message and the second message are received in real-time during the financial transaction, prior to an authorization of the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item by the issuer processor;

forwarding, by the transaction data repository during processing of the financial transaction, the non-financial transaction data to the transaction handler processor and to a qualifier processor;

analyzing, by the transaction handler processor during processing of the financial transaction, the account number of the consumer to determine an identification of the issuer processor that issued the account of the consumer based on the account number of the consumer during processing of the financial transaction;

sending, by the transaction handler processor during processing of the financial transaction, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to a transaction processor associated with the issuer processor based on determining that the issuer processor is associated with the account of the consumer using the identification of the issuer processor;

communicating, by the transaction handler processor, the first message to the issuer processor for authorization of the financial transaction by the issuer processor based on determining the identification of the issuer processor;

communicating, by the transaction handler processor, the non-financial transaction data to a transaction processor associated with the issuer processor;

communicating, by the transaction handler processor, the first message including the transaction identification code and the financial transaction data to the transaction processor associated with the issuer processor;

matching, by the transaction processor associated with the issuer processor during processing of the financial transaction and using the transaction identification code, the account number of the consumer, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to provide matched data, wherein the matched data comprises an indication that the first message and the second message correspond to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item;

communicating, by the transaction processor associated with the issuer processor, a notification message to the issuer processor, wherein the notification message comprises identification data associated with an identification of the account of the consumer;

receiving, by the qualifier processor, the identification data associated with the identification of the account of the consumer and product purchase incentive program rules of a product purchase incentive program that include a requirement to purchase the item;

storing, by the qualifier processor, the product purchase incentive program rules of the product purchase incentive program;

applying, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction, the product purchase incentive program rules to the non-financial transaction data based on receiving an indication that the issuer processor provided the authorization of the financial transaction, wherein applying the product purchase incentive program rules comprises using the product identifier that identifies the item to identify that the purchase of the item has occurred;

matching, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction and using the transaction identification code, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to determine that the first message and the second message correspond to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item;

determining, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction, based on matching the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data, whether the consumer is entitled to a reward under the product purchase incentive program based on the product purchase incentive program rules; and

in response to determining that the consumer is entitled to the reward;

sending, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction, an electronic message to the merchant computing device, the electronic message to cause the merchant computing device to provide the reward to a computing device of the consumer; and

sending, by the qualifier processor, an electronic incentive program processing message to the merchant computing device and to the issuer processor.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the program rules from the issuer processor.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message is issued via the payment processing system, and the second message is issued via the payment processing system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first message comprises receiving the first message from the merchant computing device via the acquirer processor.

4. A system for processing non-financial transaction data related to a product purchase incentive program, comprising:

a transaction handler hardware processor configured to;

process a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant upon an account of the consumer within a payment processing system, the processing using financial transaction data related to the financial transaction associated with a purchase of an item by the consumer at the merchant, the financial transaction data including an account number of the consumer,

communicate with an acquirer hardware processor and an issuer hardware processor to handle exchange of the financial transaction data associated with the purchase of the item by the consumer at the merchant, and

receive, from a merchant computing device of the merchant during processing of the financial transaction, a first message comprising a transaction identification code and the financial transaction data related to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item, wherein the transaction identification code is generated by the merchant computing device, and the transaction identification code identifies a location of the merchant computing device, wherein the first message is received during the financial transaction, prior to an authorization of the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item by the issuer hardware processor;

a transaction data repository configured to;

receive, from the merchant computing device during processing of the financial transaction, a second message comprising;

the account number of the consumer,

the transaction identification code, and

non-financial transaction data, including a product identifier that identifies the item, the non-financial transaction data being generated by the merchant computing device during processing of the financial transaction, wherein the second message is received during the financial transaction,

prior to the authorization of the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item by the issuer hardware processor, and

forward the non-financial transaction data to the transaction handler hardware processor and a qualifier hardware processor;

a transaction hardware processor associated with the issuer hardware processor;

wherein the transaction handler hardware processor is further configured to;

analyze the account number of the consumer to determine an identification of the issuer hardware processor that issued the account of the consumer based on the account number of the consumer during processing of the financial transaction,

send the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to a transaction hardware processor associated with the issuer hardware processor based on determining that the issuer hardware processor is associated with the account of the consumer using the identification of the issuer hardware processor,

communicate the first message to the issuer hardware processor for authorization of the financial transaction by the issuer hardware processor based on determining the identification of the issuer hardware processor, communicate the non-financial transaction data to a transaction hardware processor associated with the issuer hardware processor, and

communicate the first message including the transaction identification code and the financial transaction data to the transaction hardware processor associated with the issuer hardware processor;

wherein the transaction hardware processor is configured to;

during processing of the financial transaction, match, using the transaction identification code, the account number of the consumer, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to provide matched data, wherein the matched data comprises an indication that the first message and the second message correspond to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item, and

communicate a notification message to the issuer hardware processor, wherein the

notification message comprises identification data associated with an identification of the account of the consumer;

wherein the qualifier hardware processor is configured to;

receive the non-financial transaction data from the transaction data repository, and the qualifier hardware processor is further configured to store product purchase incentive program rules of a product purchase incentive program that include a requirement to purchase the item, and to apply the product purchase incentive program rules to the non-financial transaction data based on receiving an indication that the issuer hardware processor provided the authorization of the financial transaction, wherein applying the product purchase incentive program rules comprises using a product identifier that identifies the item to identify that a purchase of the item has occurred;

during processing of the financial transaction, match, using the transaction identification code, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to determine that the first message and the second message correspond to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item;

during processing of the financial transaction and based on matching the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data, determine whether the consumer is entitled to a reward under the product purchase incentive program based on the product purchase incentive program rules; and

in response to determining that the consumer is entitled to the reward;

send, during processing of the financial transaction, an electronic message to the merchant computing device, the electronic message to cause the merchant computing device to provide the reward to a computing device of the consumer; and

send an electronic incentive program processing message to the merchant computing device and to the issuer hardware processor.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the transaction handler hardware processor is

further configured to receive the first and second messages from the acquirer hardware processor, wherein the acquirer hardware processor is configured to receive the financial transaction data for the purchase of the item from the merchant computing device, and wherein the qualifier hardware processor is integrated with the issuer hardware processor.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the qualifier hardware processor is further configured to receive, from the issuer hardware processor, the product purchase incentive program rules.

7. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the qualifier hardware processor is further configured to receive the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data from the transaction handler hardware processor.

8. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the transaction handler hardware processor receives the first and second messages from the acquirer hardware processor, and wherein:

the acquirer processor is further configured to receive;

identification data associated with an identification of the account; and

the non-financial transaction data from the merchant computing device; and

the acquirer hardware processor is further configured to generate;

the first message to contain the identification data associated with the identification of the account; and

the second message to contain the identification data associated with the identification of the account.

9. A non-transitory tangible machine readable medium storing instructions for processing non-financial transaction data related to a product purchase incentive program, the instructions, when executed by a computer processing system, causing the computer processing system to:

process, by a transaction handler processor, a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant upon an account of the consumer within a payment processing system, the processing using financial transaction data related to the financial transaction associated with a purchase of an item by the consumer at the merchant, and the transaction handler processor configured to communicate with an acquirer processor and an issuer processor to handle exchange of the financial transaction data for the purchase of the item by the consumer at the merchant;

receive, by the transaction handler processor and from a merchant computing device of the merchant during processing of the financial transaction, a first message comprising a transaction identification code and the financial transaction data related to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item, wherein the transaction identification code is generated by the merchant computing device;

receive, by a transaction data repository and from the merchant computing device during processing of the financial transaction, a second message comprising the transaction identification code and non-financial transaction data including a product identifier that identifies the item, the non-financial transaction data being generated by the merchant computing device during processing of the financial transaction;

wherein the first message and the second message are received during the financial transaction, prior to an authorization of the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item by the issuer processor;

forward, by the transaction data repository during processing of the financial transaction, the non-financial transaction data to the transaction handler processor and to a qualifier processor;

determine, by the transaction handler processor during processing of the financial transaction, an identification of the issuer processor that issued the account of the consumer based on the account number of the consumer during processing of the financial transaction;

send, by the transaction handler processor during processing of the financial transaction, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to a transaction processor associated with the issuer processor based on determining that the issuer processor is associated with the account of the consumer;

communicate, by the transaction handler processor, the first message to the issuer processor for authorization of the financial transaction by the issuer processor based on determining the identification of the issuer processor;

communicate, by the transaction handler processor, the non-financial transaction data to a transaction processor associated with the issuer processor;

communicate, by the transaction handler processor, the first message including the transaction identification code and the financial transaction data to the transaction processor associated with the issuer processor;

match, by the transaction processor associated with the issuer processor during processing of the financial transaction and using the transaction identification code, the account number of the consumer, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to provide matched data, wherein the matched data comprises an indication that the first message and the second message correspond to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item;

communicate, by the transaction processor associated with the issuer processor, a notification message to the issuer processor, wherein the notification message comprises identification data associated with an identification of the account of the consumer;

receive, by the qualifier processor, the identification data associated with an identification of the account of the consumer and consumer purchase incentive program rules of a consumer purchase incentive program that include a requirement to purchase the item;

store, by the qualifier processor, the product purchase incentive program rules of the product purchase incentive program;

apply, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction, the product purchase incentive program rules to the non-financial transaction data based on receiving an indication that the issuer processor provided the authorization of the financial transaction, wherein applying the product purchase incentive program rules comprises using the product identifier that identifies the item to identify that the purchase of the item has occurred;

match, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction and using the transaction identification code, the financial transaction data and the non-financial transaction data to determine that the first message and the second message correspond to the financial transaction associated with the purchase of the item;

based on matching the financial transaction data and non-financial transaction data, determine, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction, whether the consumer is entitled to a reward under the product purchase incentive program based on the product purchase incentive program rules; and

in response to determining that the consumer is entitled to the reward;

send, by the qualifier processor during processing of the financial transaction, an electronic message to the merchant computing device of the merchant, the electronic message to cause the merchant computing device to provide the reward to a computing device of the consumer; and

send, by the qualifier processor, an electronic incentive program processing message to the merchant computing device and to the issuer processor.