Purchasing a reserved item

• US 10,685,370 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2012
• 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: Morris, Michael, Schultz, Stephanie, Tsangaris, Ilias, Wolf, David, Yu, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Talia F
• Application Number:
  US16/188,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20190087849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• 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 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

The systems, methods, and computer program products (collectively “systems”) described herein are generally configured to monitor actions in digital channels. More specifically, the systems are capable of creating reservations for items and initiating payments for the items based on actions or information received from the digital channel. The systems are capable of syncing transaction accounts with various digital channels. Moreover, the systems are capable of initiating or completing transaction based on user information. The systems may also be capable of providing rewards based on activities or accomplishments in the digital channels. Moreover, the systems may be capable of verifying activities based on transaction information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer based system, reservation information associated with a reservation of a reserved item from a merchant system;

associating, by the computer based system, the reservation information with a financial transaction account;

determining, by the computer based system, that the reserved item was used;

confirming, by the computer based system, that purchase instructions comply with reservation instructions;

confirming, by the computer based system, that the reserved item conforms to the reservation information and the financial transaction account; and

initiating, by the computer based system, a financial transaction for the reserved item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating comprises:

presenting, by the computer based system, a plurality of selectable channels to a user system of a user; and

syncing, by the computer based system, the financial transaction account associated with the user with a channel of the plurality of selectable channels selected by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation information is received from a channel synched with the financial transaction account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating is in response to a user system providing an account code for the financial transaction account to the computer based system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation is created in a channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating, by the computer based system, the reservation instructions for the reserved item that indicate that the reserved item is reserved for a user associated with the financial transaction account,

wherein the reservation instructions indicate that the reserved item is unavailable to other users, and

wherein a channel modifies a listing of inventory to show that the reserved item is unavailable.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, by the computer based system, release instructions for the reserved item in response to the initiating the financial transaction, wherein a channel modifies a listing of inventory to show that the reserved item is available.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising syncing, by the computer based system, the financial transaction account and a channel profile based on an input by a user in a channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation is provided to the merchant system and a financial transaction account issuer system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an input to a channel from the merchant system changes a status of the reserved item to at least one of open or closed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial transaction is initiated in response to a status of the reserved item being closed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a user system is presented with financial transaction account information through a channel.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a user system initiates the financial transaction with the financial transaction account associated with a channel based on an input from the user system in the channel.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a channel is configured to determine an inventory of items in response to receiving the reservation information.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a channel provider transmits in real-time and via a channel a notification to a user system of information associated with the financial transaction.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a review of the reserved item is requested in response to the reserved item being closed.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a price of the item is adjusted in response to the determining that the reserved item was used.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising syncing, by the computer based system, a channel with the financial transaction account associated with a user.

19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer based system, cause the computer based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer based system, reservation information associated with a reservation of a reserved item from a merchant system;

associating, by the computer based system, the reservation information with a financial transaction account;

determining, by the computer based system, that the reserved item was used;

confirming, by the computer based system, that purchase instructions comply with reservation instructions;

confirming, by the computer based system, that the reserved item conforms to the reservation information and the financial transaction account; and

initiating, by the computer based system, a financial transaction for the reserved item.

20. 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, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the processor;

reservation information associated with a reservation of a reserved item from a merchant system;

associating, by the processor, the reservation information with a financial transaction account;

determining, by the processor, that the reserved item was used;

confirming, by the processor, that purchase instructions comply with reservation instructions;

confirming, by the processor, that the reserved item conforms to the reservation information and the financial transaction account; and

initiating, by the processor, a financial transaction for the reserved item.