Redemption system for award redemption

• US 20030036952A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Affinion Net Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Affinion Net Patents Incorporated
• Inventors: Catlin, Timothy J.O., Lee, Cassandra Wei-Chun, Kilby, Fred A., Panttaja, James T.
• Application Number:
  US09/932,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20030036952A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date

Abstract

A method in a redemption system for determining which awards to redeem is provided. An award history database is maintained that includes award transaction information that describes awards earned by a consumer and, for each earned award, the type of award. An encumbrance database is maintained that describes types of awards that cannot be redeemed at one or more suppliers. A request to redeem an amount of the earned awards with a chosen supplier is received. Allowed awards that can be redeemed at the chosen supplier are determined, and encumbrance levels of the allowed awards are determined based on the types of allowed awards and the data in the encumbrance database. Which of the allowed awards to redeem is determined based on the encumbrance levels.

Claims

1. A method in a redemption system for determining which awards to redeem, the method comprising:

maintaining an award history database that includes award transaction information that describes awards earned by a consumer and, for each earned award, the type of award;

maintaining an encumbrance database that describes types of awards that cannot be redeemed at one or more suppliers;

receiving a request to redeem an amount of the earned awards at a chosen supplier;

determining allowed awards that can be redeemed with the chosen supplier;

determining encumbrance levels of the allowed awards based on the types of allowed awards and the data in the encumbrance database; and

determining which of the allowed awards to redeem based on the encumbrance levels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining which of the allowed awards to redeem is further based on expiration dates of the allowed awards.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining which of the allowed awards to redeem is further based on dates on which the allowed awards were earned.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of award includes according to which promotion the award was earned.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of award includes from which business the award was earned.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of award indicates black-out dates on which the award cannot be redeemed.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of award indicates a classification of the award.

8. A method in a redemption system for determining which awards to redeem, the method comprising:

maintaining an award history database that includes award transaction information that describes awards earned by a consumer and including, for each earned award, an expiration date and an earning date;

receiving a request to redeem an amount of the earned awards;

determining allowed awards that may be redeemed based on the expiration date; and

determining which of the allowed awards to redeem based on the earning date.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the award history database further includes, for each earned award, the type of award, the method further comprising:

maintaining an encumbrance database that describes restrictions on redeeming types of awards; and

wherein determining allowed awards is further based on the types of the awards.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining which of the allowed awards to redeem is further based on the types of the allowed awards.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the encumbrance database describes types of awards that cannot be redeemed at one or more suppliers;

wherein receiving a request to redeem further comprises receiving an indication of a chosen supplier at which to redeem the awards; and

wherein determining allowed awards is further based on the chosen supplier.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the type of award depends on the promotion with which the award was earned.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the type of award depends on the business with which the award was earned.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the type of award depends on black-out dates on which the award cannot be redeemed.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the type of award indicates a classification of the award.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining encumbrance levels of the allowed awards based on the types of allowed awards and the data in the encumbrance database; and

wherein determining which of the allowed awards to redeem is further based on the encumbrance levels.

17. In a network promotion system, a system for determining which awards to redeem, the system comprising:

a first memory that stores award transaction information that describes awards earned by a consumer and, for each earned award, an expiration date and an earning date;

a second memory that stores information related to types of awards that cannot be redeemed at one or more suppliers;

a processor coupled to the first memory and the second memory and operable to perform the steps of;

receiving a request to redeem an amount of the earned awards at a chosen supplier;

determining allowed awards that can be redeemed at the chosen supplier; and

determining encumbrance levels of the allowed awards based on the types of allowed awards and the data in the encumbrance database; and

determining which of the allowed awards to redeem based on the encumbrance levels.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first memory and the second memory are a common memory with storage areas for award transaction information and information related to types of awards that cannot be redeemed at one or more suppliers.

19. In a network promotion system, a system for determining which awards to redeem, the system comprising:

an award history database that stores award transaction information that describes awards earned by a consumer and, for each earned award, an expiration date and an earning date; and

a processor coupled to the award history database and operable to perform the steps of;

A) receiving a request to redeem an amount of the earned awards;

B) determining allowed awards that may be redeemed based on the expiration date; and

C) determining which of the allowed awards to redeem based on the earning date.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising an encumbrance database that describes restrictions on redeeming types of awards;

wherein the processor is coupled with the encumbrance database; and

wherein the processor is configured to determine allowed awards further based on the types of awards.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein determining which of the allowed awards to redeem is further based on the types of the allowed awards.