Methods and systems for reconciliation of discount certificates

• US 20030229541A1
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Algiene, Kenneth, Randall, Steve, George, Colleen
• Application Number:
  US10/356,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229541A1
• 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 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system is provided in which transaction information may be collected at a point-of-sale with a point-of-sale device having multiple capabilities. The transaction information is accumulated by a transaction controller and/or transaction aggregator for transmission to a central host. The central host may receive the transaction information, determine amounts owed from issuers of the discount certificates and to retailers of the discounted items, and coordinate transfer of funds among financial institutions to settle the discounts. The central host may also be configured to perform fraud-probability analyses on the transaction information, using the results of the analysis to pinpoint specific information on the origin of the potential fraud.

Claims

1. A method for processing a plurality of discounted transactions, the method comprising:

receiving at a host computer transaction information for each of the plurality of discounted transactions, the transaction information identifying a discount amount applied to a sale of an item by a retailer on behalf of an issuer of a corresponding discount;

determining an amount due from each issuer in accordance with the transaction information for the plurality of discounted transactions;

determining an amount due to each retailer in accordance with the transaction information for the plurality of discounted transactions; and

transmitting requests to one or more financial institutions to transfer funds in accordance with the determined amounts due from each issuer and to each retailer.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the discount amount is defined by a discount certificate.

3. The method recited in claim 2 wherein the discount certificate comprises a coupon.

4. The method recited in claim 2 wherein the discount certificate comprises an electronic record of terms for application of the discount amount to purchase of the item.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein receiving transaction information comprises receiving transaction information for a plurality of the discounted transactions from a transaction aggregator in communication with a plurality of retailer outlets.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein receiving transaction information comprises receiving transaction information for a plurality of the discounted transactions directly from a plurality of retailer outlets.

7. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising analyzing the transaction information to identify potential fraud.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that an expiration date of the corresponding discount is later than a date the discount amount is applied.

9. The method recited in claim 7 wherein analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that the item corresponds to an item specified by terms of the corresponding discount.

10. The method recited in claim 7 wherein analyzing the transaction information comprises applying an error tolerance filter.

11. The method recited in claim 7 further comprising depositing funds associated with the potential fraud into an escrow account.

12. The method recited in claim 7 further comprising transmitting requests to the one or more financial institutions to reverse the funds transfer with respect to funds associated with the potential fraud.

13. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the item comprises a product.

14. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the item comprises a service.

15. The method recited in claim 1 wherein terms of the corresponding discount specify qualifying demographic criteria for a purchaser of the item.

16. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising issuing reports to the retailer and issuer regarding the transfer of funds.

17. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising storing the transaction information in a queriable data store.

18. The method recited in claim 1 wherein determining the amount due from each issuer comprises adding a handling fee for each corresponding discounted transaction.

19. A method for processing plurality of discounted transactions, the method comprising:

receiving at a transmission controller transaction information for each of the plurality of discounted transactions, the transaction information identifying terms for application of a discount amount;

determining with the transmission controller whether the terms have been met; and

transmitting the transaction information to a host computer if the terms have been met.

20. The method recited in claim 19 wherein the discount amount is defined by a discount certificate.

21. The method recited in claim 20 wherein the discount certificate comprises a coupon.

22. The method recited in claim 20 wherein the discount certificate comprises an electronic record of terms for application to the discount amount to purchase of the item.

23. The method recited in claim 19 further comprising analyzing the transaction information to ensure compliance with the terms.

24. The method recited in claim 23 wherein analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that an expiration date specified by the terms is later than a date the discount amount is applied.

25. The method recited in claim 23 further wherein:

the transaction information further identifies items purchased; and

analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that at least one of the items purchased corresponds to an item specified by the terms.

26. The method recited in claim 23 wherein:

the transaction information further identifies demographic characteristics of a purchaser of the items; and

analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that the demographic characteristics of the purchaser are consistent with qualifying demographic criteria specified by the terms.

27. A method for providing an electronic discount instrument, the method comprising:

providing an electronic customer interface to present a plurality of possible discount-term selections, each such selection specifying at least an item and discount amount;

receiving a customer identifier for a customer through the interface;

receiving an identification of at least one selected discount-term selection from the customer through the interface; and

transmitting the customer identifier and the at least one selected discount-term selection to a transmission controller.

28. The method recited in claim 27 further comprising:

receiving transaction information for purchase of the item corresponding to the at least one selected discount-term selection by the customer from a point-of-sale device; and

transmitting instructions to the point-of-sale device to apply the discount amount to the purchase of the item corresponding to the at least one selected discount-term selection.

29. The method recited in claim 28 further comprising transmitting the transaction information to a host computer for settlement.

30. The method recited in claim 28 further comprising analyzing the transaction information to ensure compliance with terms of the at least one selected discount-term selection.

31. The method recited in claim 28 wherein the transmission controller and the point-of-sale device are located at the same retailer outlet.

32. A method for providing an automatic transaction discount, the method comprising:

receiving qualifying demographic criteria and an item identification for application of a discount amount;

receiving transaction information for purchase of the item from a point-of-sale device;

receiving customer identification information for the purchase of the item;

accessing demographic information for a customer with the customer identification information; and

transmitting instructions to the point-of-sale device to apply the discount amount if the demographic information for the customer is consistent with the qualifying demographic criteria.

33. The method recited in claim 32 further comprising transmitting the transaction information to a host computer for settlement.

34. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a host computer including a communications system, a processor, and a storage device, wherein the computer-readable program includes instructions for operating the host computer to process a plurality of discounted transactions in accordance with the following:

receiving with the communications system transaction information for each of the plurality of discounted transactions, the transaction information identifying a discount amount applied to a sale of an item by a retailer on behalf of an issuer of a corresponding discount;

determining with the processor an amount due from each issuer in accordance with the transaction information for the plurality of discounted transactions;

determining with the processor an amount due to each retailer in accordance with the transaction information for the plurality of discounted transactions; and

transmitting requests with the communications system to one or more financial institutions to transfer funds in accordance with the determined amounts due from each issuer and to each retailer.

35. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 34 wherein the discount amount is defined by a discount certificate.

36. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 35 wherein the discount certificate comprises a coupon.

37. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 35 wherein the discount certificate comprises an electronic record of terms for application of the discount amount to purchase of the item.

38. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 34 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for analyzing the transaction information with the processor to identify potential fraud.

39. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 38 wherein analyzing the transaction information comprises applying an error tolerance filter.

40. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 38 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for transmitting instructions with the communications system to the one or more financial institutions to deposit funds associated with the potential fraud into an escrow account.

41. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 38 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for transmitting requests with the communications system to the one or more financial institutions to reverse the funds transfer with respect to funds associated with the potential fraud.

42. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 34 wherein terms of the corresponding discount specify qualifying demographic criteria for a purchaser of the item.

43. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 34 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for issuing reports to the retailer and issuer regarding the transfer of funds.

44. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 34 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for storing the transaction information in a queriable data store on the storage device.

45. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a transmission controller including a communications system, a processor, and a storage device, wherein the computer-readable program includes instructions for operating the transmission controller to process a plurality of discounted transactions in accordance with the following:

receiving with the communications system transaction information for each of the plurality of discounted transactions, the transaction information identifying terms for application of a discount amount;

determining with the processor whether the terms have been met; and

transmitting the transaction information with the communications system to a host computer if the terms have been met.

46. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 45 wherein the discount amount is defined by a discount coupon.

47. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 46 wherein the discount certificate comprises a coupon.

48. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 46 wherein the discount certificate comprises an electronic record of terms for application of the discount amount to purchase of the item.

49. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 45 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for analyzing the transaction information with the processor to ensure compliance with the terms.

50. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 49 wherein analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that an expiration date specified by the terms is later than a date the discount amount is applied.

51. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 49 wherein:

the transaction information further identifies items purchased; and

analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that at least one of the items purchased corresponds to an item specified by the terms.

52. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 49 wherein:

the transaction information further identifies demographic characteristics of a purchaser of the items; and

analyzing the transaction information comprises ensuring that the demographic characteristics of the purchaser are consistent with qualifying demographic criteria specified by the terms.