Credit manager method and system

• US 20020042774A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pay X Pda LLC
• Inventors: Ortiz, Luis M., Lopez, Kermit D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A method and system for processing negotiable economic credits (e.g., cash, credit card, enterprise incentives/award such as frequent flier miles, etc.) through a hand held device. Credits are storable in the form of credit data in a credit database associated with a point of sale and/or hand held device. Credit is retrievable from the credit database, in response to synchronizing a hand held device, such as a PDA, wireless PDA, paging device, cellular telephone, or other hand held computing device, with the point of sale. Credit data may be transferred to/from the hand held device, thereby permitting a user to maintain and manage enterprise credits based on the credit data, utilizing the hand held device. In one embodiment, when a particular number of enterprise credits have been earned, the user may utilize such credits to receive price discounts on enterprise products or services, or awards of such products or services. A user may also use credits earned for enterprise sponsored credit programs unrelated to transactions at unrelated enterprise having compatible points of sale for providing/receiving/processing credits, so long as credits are recognized at a point of sale.

Claims

1. A method for processing credits through a hand held device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing credits in the form of credit data in a credit database accessible by said hand held device;

synchronizing said hand held device with a point of sale; and

retrieving credit data from said credit database, in response to synchronizing a hand held device with said point of sale.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring said credit data to said hand held device in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database, thereby permitting a user to maintain and manage credits based on said credit data utilizing said hand held device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring said credit data to said point of sale in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database, thereby permitting a user to maintain and manage credits based on said credit data utilizing said hand held device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

scanning at least one item to be purchased at said point of sale.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

selecting at least one service to be utilized at said point of sale.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

selecting at least one product to be purchased at said point of sale.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transferring credits through a network to said credit database associated with said point of sale from a provider database associated with a third-party provider of said credits based on credit data transferred from said hand held device during said synchronization.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transferring credits through a network to said credit database associated with said point of sale from a transaction broker of credits based on credit data transferred from said hand held device during said synchronization.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of synchronizing said hand held device with said point of sale, further comprises the step of:

synchronizing said hand held device with said point of sale through a wireless communication link with said point of sale.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of synchronizing said hand held device with said point of sale through a network, further comprises the step of:

synchronizing said hand held device with said point of sale through a wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said hand held device comprises a hand held device configured with a smart card adapter for storing credit data.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said hand held device comprises a hand held device integrated with a scanner for scanning credit data.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a transfer module for transferring said credit data to said hand held device in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database, thereby permitting a user to maintain and negotiate credits based on said credit data utilizing said hand held device.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising a transfer module for transferring said credit data to said point of sale in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database, thereby permitting a user to maintain and negotiate credits based on said credit data utilizing said hand held device.

16. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

synchronization module for synchronizing said hand held device with said point of sale.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

scanning module for scanning at least one item at said point of sale; and

access module for accessing credit data from said credit database, in response to scanning said at least one item at said point of sale.

18. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

selecting module for selecting at least one service to be utilized at said point of sale.

19. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

selecting module for selecting at least one product to be purchased at said point of sale.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

determining module for determining association between credit data accessed from said credit database and said at least one item scanned at said point of sale; and

retrieval module for retrieving said credit data from said credit database, if a matching association between accessed credit data and said at least one item are identified.

21. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

processing module for processing said credit data, in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database.

22. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

accounting module for permitting a user of said hand held device to receive price discounts on items purchased when a particular number of credits have been earned through purchases of scanned items at a point of sale.

23. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

transfer module for transferring credit data through a network to said credit database associated with said point of sale from a provider database associated with a third-party provider of said credits.

24. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

transfer module for transferring credit data through a network from a transaction broker to said credit database associated with said point of sale.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein said synchronization module is configured to permit said hand held device to communication with said point of sale through a wireless communication link during a synchronization of said hand held device and said point of sale.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein said synchronization module is configured to permit said hand held device to communication with said point of sale through a network during a synchronization of said hand held device and said point of sale.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said network further comprises a wireless network.

29. The credit manager of claim 28 wherein said credit manager further comprises:

retrieval module for retrieving credit data from a credit database, in response to synchronizing a hand held device with said point of sale, wherein credit data is retrieved from said credit database in response to scanning at least one item at said point of sale;

a determining module for identifying a matching association between credit data accessed from said credit database and at least one item scanned at said point of sale; and

transfer module for transferring said credit data to said hand held device in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

an accounting module for permitting a user of a hand held device to receive price discounts on items purchased when a particular number of credits have been earned through purchases of scanned items at said point of sale.

31. The credit manager of claim 28 wherein said credit manager further comprises:

retrieval module for retrieving credit data from a credit database in response to synchronizing a hand held device with said point of sale, wherein credit data is retrieved from said credit database in response to scanning at least one item at said point of sale;

a determining module for identifying a matching association between credit data accessed from said credit database and at least one item scanned at said point of sale; and

transfer module for transferring said credit data to said point of sale, after said identifying a matching association, in response to retrieving said credit data from said credit database.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising:

an accounting module for permitting a user of a hand held device to receive price discounts on items scanned when a particular number of credits have been earned in association with scanned items at said point of sale.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein said point of sale comprises a kiosk device.

34. The system of claim 13 wherein said point of sale comprises a kiosk device.

13. A system for processing credits through a hand held device, said system comprising:

storage module for storing credits in the form of credit data in a credit database accessible by said hand held device;

retrieval module for retrieving credit data from said credit database in response to synchronizing a hand held device with a point of sale.

28. A system for processing credit data through a hand held device, comprising:

a synchronization module for synchronizing a hand held device with a point of sale;

a credit database for storing credit data associated with a point of sale wherein said credit database is accessible by said hand held device; and

a credit manager for managing the compilation, transfer and accounting of credit data stored in said credit database associated with a point of sale.