System and method for receiving and redeeming loyalty incentives

• US 20030115100A1
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardis Enterprise International NV
• Original Assignee: Cardis Enterprise International NV
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,449 B2
• 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 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

A system for managing loyalty incentives for a customer, inclduing a personal loyalty account at a centralized server assigned to the customer for storing the balance of a first amount of loyalty incentives for the customer, a loyalty card carried with the customer for identifying and accessing the personal loyalty account and including a loyalty purse for storing a second amount of loyalty incentives, a first merchant terminal operable to interface with the loyalty card for awarding the customer an awarded amount of loyalty incentives by selecting whether to add the awarded amount to the loyalty purse or to add a first predefined amount of loyalty incentives to the loyalty account and receive the difference between the first predefined amount and the awarded amount from the loyalty purse.

Claims

1. A system for managing loyalty incentives for a customer, comprising:

a. a personal loyalty account at a centralized server, assigned to the customer for storing the balance of a first amount of loyalty incentives for the customer,

b. a loyalty card carried with the customer for identifying and accessing the personal loyalty account and including a loyalty purse for storing a second amount of loyalty incentives,

c. a first merchant terminal operable to interface with the loyalty card for awarding the customer an awarded amount of loyalty incentives by selecting whether;

to add the awarded amount to the loyalty purse, or

to add a first predefined amount of loyalty incentives to the loyalty account and receive the difference between the first predefined amount and the awarded amount from the loyalty purse.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first merchant terminal is also operable to select whether to add said awarded amount to said loyalty account.

3. The system of claim 1 comprising also a second merchant terminal operable to interface with said loyalty card for redeeming a redeemed amount of loyalty incentives by selecting whether:

a. to receive the redeemed amount from said loyalty purse, or

b. to receive a second predefined amount of loyalty incentives from said loyalty account and add the difference between the second predefined amount and the redeemed amount to said loyalty purse.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said second merchant terminal is also operable to select whether to receive said redeemed amount from said loyalty account.

5. The system according to claims 3, wherein said second merchant terminal forms part of said first merchant terminal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said loyalty incentives are denominated in conventional monetary units.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said centralized server is a banking server and said loyalty account is a monetary bank account.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising means containing rules for converting loyalty incentives denominated in said conventional monetary units to loyalty incentives denominated in non-monetary rules.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said loyalty card forms part of a payment card.

10. A method for managing loyalty incentives for a customer, the customer having a personal loyalty account at a centralized server for storing the balance of a first amount of loyalty incentives for the customer, and a loyalty card carried with the customer for identifying and accessing the personal loyalty account and including a loyalty purse for storing a second amount of loyalty incentives, the customer accessing a first merchant terminal for receiving an awarded amount of loyalty incentives, the method comprising selecting whether:

to add the awarded amount to the loyalty purse, or

to add a first predefined amount of loyalty incentives to the loyalty account and receive the difference between the first predefined amount and the awarded amount from the loyalty purse.

11. The method of claim 10 also comprising selecting whether to add said awarded amount to said loyalty account.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said customer also accessing a second merchant terminal for redeeming a redeemed amount of loyalty incentives, the method further comprising selecting whether:

a. to receive the redeemed amount from said loyalty purse, or

b. to receive a second predefined amount of loyalty incentives from said loyalty account and add the difference between the second predefined amount and the redeemed amount to said loyalty purse.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising selecting whether to receive said redeemed amount from said loyalty account.

14. The method according to claims 12 wherein said second merchant terminal forms part of said first merchant terminal.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said loyalty incentives are denominated in conventional monetary units.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said centralized server is a banking server and said loyalty account is a monetary bank account.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising transforming loyalty incentives denominated in conventional monetary units into loyalty incentives in non-monetary units under predefined rules.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said loyalty card forms part of a payment card.