System and method for the transfer of loyalty points
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating a transfer of loyalty points from at least one consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to at least one consumer account associated with a host company, said method including:
- acquiring data related to loyalty point balances of consumer accounts associated with a sponsoring company;
determining, using said data and rules, said consumer accounts which meet said rules;
deducting a portion of said loyalty point balance of said consumer account associated with a sponsoring company; and
, crediting loyalty point balances of said consumer account associated with said host company.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes a loyalty program on a network-wide level, wherein the program facilitates a transfer of loyalty points from at least one consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to at least one consumer account associated with a host company. In one embodiment, the invention analyzes the loyalty point balances of consumer accounts associated with a sponsoring company, and based upon certain criteria or rules, the system determines particular loyalty point balances which are below a certain threshold amount or which have remained inactive for a certain time period. After determining particular consumer accounts which meet the criteria or rules, the system establishes a new host account in a host system for each qualifying consumer. The system then deducts all or any portion of the remaining loyalty point balance in the particular consumer'"'"'s sponsored account and credits the corresponding host account with a corresponding loyalty point balance. By transferring the consumer accounts to a host system, the sponsoring company eliminates or reduces the loyalty point balances from its system, thereby reducing the sponsoring company accounting liabilities and providing new options for the consumers to redeem the points.
197 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating a transfer of loyalty points from at least one consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to at least one consumer account associated with a host company, said method including:
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acquiring data related to loyalty point balances of consumer accounts associated with a sponsoring company;
determining, using said data and rules, said consumer accounts which meet said rules;
deducting a portion of said loyalty point balance of said consumer account associated with a sponsoring company; and
,crediting loyalty point balances of said consumer account associated with said host company. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification