Dynamic rewards program

• US 10,504,132 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• 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: Chatterjee, Priyabroto, Daniels, Jaimie, Das, Debasish, King Goulart, Kathleen, Huang, Zhenling, Eddings Lott, Marissa, Mavromatis, Anthony, Minervini, Cristina, Ojo-Ade, Olutokunbo, Sarmadi, Sepehr, Varadachary, Venkat
• Primary Examiner(s): Van Bramer, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beheshti, Brendon
• Application Number:
  US13/686,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,569 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

The systems are generally configured to provide rewards. The systems are capable of syncing transaction accounts with one or more reward programs and one or more channels. Moreover, the systems are capable dynamically provisioning rewards in one or more subsets to a rewards program to distribute high, medium and low value rewards to a reward program throughout the duration of the program.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer based system, a request to participate in a rewards program, wherein the request includes a transaction account number identifying a transaction account;

receiving, by the computer based system, preferences for notifications, a social media channel, rewards, sharing, purchasing and shipment,

wherein the social media channel includes a communication system for delivering content, joining groups and exchanging the content via internet communication, and

wherein the rewards include monetary value;

linking, by the computer based system and based on the preferences, the transaction account with the rewards program in response to receiving the transaction account number;

transferring, by the computer based system, a first plurality of rewards from a rewards database and into a rewards pool associated with the rewards program;

assigning, by the computer based system, the monetary value to each of the first plurality of rewards;

maintaining, by the computer based system, the first plurality of rewards in the rewards pool;

receiving, by the computer based system, transaction information for a transaction completed with the transaction account;

analyzing, by the computer based system and based on rules, the transaction information and the transaction account to determine that the transaction and the transaction account qualifies for a reward;

determining, by the computer based system, a high subset of the first plurality of rewards with a high monetary value, a medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with a medium monetary value, and a low subset of the first plurality of rewards with a low monetary value;

randomly selecting, by the computer based system and in response to a first distribution trigger and based on the preferences, the reward from the high subset of the first plurality of rewards with the high monetary value, the medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with the medium monetary value, and the low subset of the first plurality of rewards with the low monetary value in response to the analyzing the transaction information;

obtaining, by the computer based system, distribution instructions for providing the reward to an account holder of the transaction account;

establishing, by the computer based system, access to the reward via the social media channel associated with a sponsoring merchant;

notifying, by the computer based system and based on distribution instructions and based on the preferences, the account holder of the reward;

providing, by the computer based system, reward information to the account holder, wherein the reward information includes information describing the reward, the transaction associated with the reward, the transaction account associated with the reward, reward statistical information, and transaction statistical information;

providing, by the computer based system and via an electronic message and based on the preferences, the account holder with a hyperlink to a website of the sponsoring merchant that accesses instructions to obtain the reward from the sponsoring merchant via the social media channel and to share at least a portion of the reward with a second party via the social media channel;

receiving, by the computer based system, a request to share at least the portion of the reward with the second party via the social media channel based on an action of the second party in the social media channel,

wherein the second party is associated with a profile of the account holder in the social media channel, and

wherein the action includes at least one of a broadcast or selection in the social media channel;

transferring, by the computer based system via the social media channel and based on the preferences, the reward to the second party in response to receiving the action from the second party in the social media channel;

transferring, by the computer based system, a second plurality of rewards from the rewards database into the rewards pool associated with the rewards program, based on a second distribution trigger associated with the rewards program; and

maintaining, by the computer based system, the second plurality of rewards in the rewards pool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction is associated with at least one of a merchant or the social media channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first distribution trigger is at least one of random or predetermined.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein a transaction account identifier is provided through the social media channel to initiate the linking of the transaction account and the rewards program, and

wherein the social media channel is operated by a party that is not a transaction account issuer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a transaction account identifier is provided through the social media channel to initiate the linking of the transaction account and the rewards program, and wherein the social media channel is operated by a transaction account issuer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action in the social media channel further includes at least one of a like, an interaction with a merchant, or a sync of the transaction account with the reward program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of rewards are provided by a sponsoring entity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sponsoring entity is a merchant and the transaction is at the merchant through the social media channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plurality of rewards or the second plurality of rewards comprises at least one of:

a statement credit, loyalty points, a merchant credit, or a subscription service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first distribution trigger is based on a number of activities associated with the rewards program.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second distribution trigger is based on a number of activities associated with a sponsoring entity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first distribution trigger or the second distribution trigger comprise at least one of:

an average spend level of transactions qualifying for the rewards program, a predetermined period of time, a number of rewards redeemed, the monetary value of rewards provided by the rewards program, or a gross transaction value associated with the transaction satisfying the rewards program.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer based system, transaction information describing the transaction associated with the transaction account.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising distributing, by the computer based system, a first reward to the transaction account, in response to the transaction satisfying a rule, wherein the rule is associated with the rewards program and the first plurality of rewards.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating, by the computer based system, an indicator of the first reward with the transaction account.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transaction account is not eligible for a second reward from the second plurality of rewards, in response to being associated with the indicator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transaction account is eligible for a second reward from the second plurality of rewards, in response to being associated with the indicator.

18. 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:

receiving, by the computer based system, a request to participate in a rewards program, wherein the request includes a transaction account number identifying a transaction account;

receiving, by the computer based system, preferences for notifications, a social media channel, rewards, sharing, purchasing and shipment,

wherein the social media channel includes a communication system for delivering content, joining groups and exchanging the content via internet communication, and

wherein the rewards include monetary value;

linking, by the computer based system and based on the preferences, the transaction account with the rewards program in response to receiving the transaction account number;

transferring, by the computer based system, a first plurality of rewards from a rewards database and into a rewards pool associated with the rewards program;

assigning, by the computer based system, the monetary value to each of the first plurality of rewards;

maintaining, by the computer based system, the first plurality of rewards in the rewards pool;

receiving, by the computer based system, transaction information for a transaction completed with the transaction account;

analyzing, by the computer based system and based on rules, the transaction information and the transaction account to determine that the transaction and the transaction account qualifies for a reward;

determining, by the computer based system, a high subset of the first plurality of rewards with a high monetary value, a medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with a medium monetary value, and a low subset of the first plurality of rewards with a low monetary value;

randomly selecting, by the computer based system and in response to a first distribution trigger and based on the preferences, the reward from the high subset of the first plurality of rewards with the high monetary value, the medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with the medium monetary value, and the low subset of the first plurality of rewards with the low monetary value in response to the analyzing the transaction information;

obtaining, by the computer based system, distribution instructions for providing the reward to an account holder of the transaction account;

establishing, by the computer based system, access to the reward via the social media channel associated with a sponsoring merchant;

notifying, by the computer based system and based on distribution instructions and based on the preferences, the account holder of the reward;

providing, by the computer based system, reward information to the account holder, wherein the reward information includes information describing the reward, the transaction associated with the reward, the transaction account associated with the reward, reward statistical information, and transaction statistical information;

providing, by the computer based system and via an electronic message and based on the preferences, the account holder with a hyperlink to a website of the sponsoring merchant that accesses instructions to obtain the reward from the sponsoring merchant via the social media channel and to share at least a portion of the reward with a second party via the social media channel;

receiving, by the computer based system, a request to share at least the portion of the reward with the second party via the social media channel based on an action of the second party in the social media channel,

wherein the second party is associated with a profile of the account holder in the social media channel, and

wherein the action includes at least one of a broadcast or selection in the social media channel;

transferring, by the computer based system via the social media channel and based on the preferences, the reward to the second party in response to receiving the action from the second party in the social media channel;

transferring, by the computer based system, a second plurality of rewards from the rewards database into the rewards pool associated with the rewards program, based on a second distribution trigger associated with the rewards program; and

maintaining, by the computer based system, the second plurality of rewards in the rewards pool.

19. A computer based system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations;

receiving, by the processor, a request to participate in a rewards program, wherein the request includes a transaction account number identifying a transaction account;

receiving, by the processor, preferences for notifications, a social media channel, rewards, sharing, purchasing and shipment,

wherein the social media channel includes a communication system for delivering content, joining groups and exchanging the content via internet communication, and

wherein the rewards include monetary value;

linking, by the processor and based on the preferences, the transaction account with the rewards program in response to receiving the transaction account number;

transferring, by the processor, a first plurality of rewards from a rewards database and into a rewards pool associated with the rewards program;

assigning, by the processor, the monetary value to each of the first plurality of rewards;

maintaining, by the processor, the first plurality of rewards in the rewards pool;

receiving, by the processor, transaction information for a transaction completed with the transaction account;

analyzing, by the processor and based on rules, the transaction information and the transaction account to determine that the transaction and the transaction account qualifies for a reward;

determining, by the processor, a high subset of the first plurality of rewards with a high monetary value, a medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with a medium monetary value, and a low subset of the first plurality of rewards with a low monetary value;

randomly selecting, by the processor and in response to a first distribution trigger and based on the preferences, the reward from the high subset of the first plurality of rewards with the high monetary value, the medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with the medium monetary value, and the low subset of the first plurality of rewards with the low monetary value in response to the analyzing the transaction information;

obtaining, by the processor, distribution instructions for providing the reward to an account holder of the transaction account;

establishing, by the processor, access to the reward via the social media channel associated with a sponsoring merchant;

notifying, by the processor and based on distribution instructions and based on the preferences, the account holder of the reward;

providing, by the processor, reward information to the account holder, wherein the reward information includes information describing the reward, the transaction associated with the reward, the transaction account associated with the reward, reward statistical information, and transaction statistical information;

providing, by the processor and via an electronic message and based on the preferences, the account holder with a hyperlink to a website of the sponsoring merchant that accesses instructions to obtain the reward from the sponsoring merchant via the social media channel and to share at least a portion of the reward with a second party via the social media channel;

receiving, by the processor, a request to share at least the portion of the reward with the second party via the social media channel based on an action of the second party in the social media channel,

wherein the second party is associated with a profile of the account holder in the social media channel, and

wherein the action includes at least one of a broadcast or selection in the social media channel;

transferring, by the processor via the social media channel and based on the preferences, the reward to the second party in response to receiving the action from the second party in the social media channel;

transferring, by the processor, a second plurality of rewards from the rewards database into the rewards pool associated with the rewards program, based on a second distribution trigger associated with the rewards program; and

maintaining, by the processor, the second plurality of rewards in the rewards pool.