System and method for administering a brokerage rebate card program
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for administering a rebate program includes logic for generating rebate information based the purchase of goods and/or services using a card instrument. The technique further includes logic for applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by an brokerage service. In one embodiment, the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction. In this case, the rebate is used to fund at least part of the transaction fee. The rebate therefore entitles the cardholder to perform a transaction free of charge. The rebate thus is converted to one or more “free transactions,” and in a more specific application, one or more “free trades.”
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1-20. -20. (canceled)
-
21. A computer-implemented system for administering a reward program, comprising:
-
a first module executed by a processor for generating reward information based on at least one purchase of goods or services using a card instrument; and
a second module executed by a processor for applying a reward, based on the reward information, to fund at least part of a transaction for securities performed by a brokerage service, wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the second module uses the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.
-
-
22. A computer-implemented system for administering a reward program, comprising:
-
a card provider system, including;
a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument;
a first module executed by a processor for processing purchases made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument;
a second module executed by a processor for determining a reward information based on the purchases made using the card;
a brokerage system, including;
a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system;
a third module executed by a processor for receiving instructions from the cardholder that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;
a fourth module executed by a processor for processing the transaction; and
a fifth module executed by a processor for applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the fifth module uses the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A computer-implemented card provider system for administering a reward program, comprising:
-
a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument;
a first module executed by a processor for processing purchases made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument, and for making a record of the purchases in the card instrument account;
a second module executed by a processor for determining net purchase information based on a summation of purchase information stored in the card instrument account;
a third module executed by a processor for determining reward information based on the net purchase information;
a fourth module executed by a processor for transferring the reward information to a brokerage system, wherein the brokerage system applies a reward to fund at least part of a transaction for securities made using the brokerage system, wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.
-
-
30. A computer-implemented brokerage system for administering a reward program, comprising:
-
a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system;
a first module executed by a processor for receiving reward information from a card provider, the reward information based on net purchases made by a cardholder using a card instrument;
a second module executed by a processor for receiving instructions from the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;
a third module executed by a processor for processing the transaction; and
a fourth module executed by a processor for applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.
-
-
31. A method for administering a reward program, comprising:
-
generating reward information based on at least one purchase of goods or services using a card instrument; and
applying a reward, based on the reward information, to fund at least part of a stock market transaction performed by a brokerage service, wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the stock market transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.
-
-
32. A method of administering a reward program, comprising:
-
establishing, by a card provider, a card instrument account for a cardholder;
establishing, by a brokerage service, a transaction account;
using a computer by the card provider to process purchases made by the cardholder based on use of a card instrument and making a record of the purchases in the card instrument account;
determining, by the card provider, reward information based on the purchases made using the card instrument;
receiving, by the brokerage service, instructions from the cardholder that directs the brokerage service to perform a transaction for securities;
processing, by the brokerage service, the transaction, and making a record of the transaction in the transaction account; and
applying, by the brokerage service, a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A method of administering a reward program, comprising:
-
providing a card instrument to a cardholder and establishing a card instrument account;
processing at least one purchase made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument and making a record of the at least one purchase in the card instrument account;
determining net purchase information based a summation of purchase information stored in the card instrument account;
determining reward information based on the net purchase information; and
transferring the reward information to an brokerage service, wherein the brokerage service applies a reward to fund at least part of a transaction of publicly traded assets made using the brokerage service, wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction of publicly traded assets, and the brokerage service applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.
-
-
40. A method of administering a reward program, comprising:
-
establishing a transaction account with an brokerage service;
receiving reward information from a card provider, the reward information based on net purchases made by a cardholder using a card instrument;
receiving instructions from the cardholder that direct the brokerage service to perform a transaction for securities;
processing the transaction using the brokerage service; and
applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage service applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.
-
Specification