Consumer processing system and method

• US 20060229996A1
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: I4 Licensing LLC
• Inventors: Talbert, Vincent W., Lavelle, Mark L., Keithley, Thomas H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Disclosed is a consumer processing system for identifying and recognizing a consumer engaged in a transaction with a merchant. The system includes a consumer processing system interface for receiving, from a merchant, a consumer/transaction data set with a plurality of fields. A consumer/transaction database is populated with data sets, and each data set is related to a specific consumer and also includes multiple data fields therein. The consumer/transaction data set is established as part of an initial data set in the consumer/transaction database, and thereafter, during subsequent transactions, compared to an existing data field in an existing data set in the consumer/transaction database. Based upon the establishment or comparison, a consumer activity data set is communicated from the consumer processing system interface to the merchant. A method of identifying and recognizing a consumer engaged in a transaction with a merchant is also disclosed.

Claims

25. A method of identifying and recognizing a consumer engaged in a transaction with a merchant, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a merchant, a consumer/transaction data set having a plurality of data fields;

establishing at least a portion the consumer/transaction data set as part of an initial data set in a consumer/transaction database;

or comparing at least a portion of the consumer/transaction data set to an existing data field in an existing data set in the consumer/transaction database; and

communicating a consumer activity data set to the merchant based at least in part upon the establishment or comparison step.

1. A consumer processing system configured to identify and recognize a consumer engaged in a transaction with a merchant, the system comprising:

a consumer processing system interface configured to receive, from a merchant, a consumer/transaction data set having a plurality of data fields; and

a consumer/transaction database configured to be populated with a plurality of data sets, each data set relating to a specified consumer and having a plurality of data fields therein;

wherein at least one data field in the received consumer/transaction data set is at least one of;

(i) established as part of an initial data set in the consumer/transaction database; and

(ii) compared to an existing data field in an existing data set in the consumer/transaction database;

wherein, based at least in part upon the establishment or comparison, a consumer activity data set is communicated from the consumer processing system interface to the merchant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields in the consumer/transaction data set is populated with data reflecting at least one of the consumer and the transaction between the consumer and the merchant.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields in the consumer/transaction data set is populated with data reflecting at least one of a consumer'"'"'s name, a consumer key, a consumer identification, an account number, an address, a city, a state, a zip code, a country, a telephone number, an e-mail address, a social security number, a date of birth, the merchant'"'"'s name, an identification, an order number, an authorization number, an authorization time, an authorization amount, a ship-to address, a bill-to address, a transaction amount, a consumer purchase demographic, a transaction date, a transaction type, a product identification, a service identification, shipping costs, delivery type, consumer type, a company identity, a merchant identity, a third-party risk score, risk data, authentication data, verification data, consumer rating data, profitability data, credit risk data, fraud risk data, transaction risk data, denial data, processing data, a general credit risk score, a credit bureau risk score, a prior approval, prior report data, previous transaction data, a geographical risk factor, credit account data, bankcard balance data, delinquency data, credit segment data, previous transaction data, time between transactions data, previous transaction amount, previous transaction approval status, previous transaction time stamp data, a response code, active trades in database, public record data, trade line data, transaction medium, credit segment data, consumer payment type, consumer payment method, consumer payment history, consumer account history, consumer credit account balance, merchant history, private label entity data, affiliated private label entity and consumer/merchant historical data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields in the consumer/transaction database is populated with data reflecting at least one of the historical interaction between the consumer and the merchant and a previous consumer/merchant transaction.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields in the consumer/transaction database is populated with data reflecting at least one of a consumer'"'"'s name, a consumer key, a consumer identification, an account number, an address, a city, a state, a zip code, a country, a telephone number, an e-mail address, a social security number, a date of birth, the merchant'"'"'s name, an identification, an order number, an authorization number, an authorization time, an authorization amount, a ship-to address, a bill-to address, a transaction amount, a consumer purchase demographic, a transaction date, a transaction type, a product identification, a service identification, shipping costs, delivery type, consumer type, a company identity, a merchant identity, a third-party risk score, risk data, authentication data, verification data, consumer rating data, profitability data, credit risk data, fraud risk data, transaction risk data, denial data, processing data, a general credit risk score, a credit bureau risk score, a prior approval, prior report data, previous transaction data, a geographical risk factor, credit account data, bankcard balance data, delinquency data, credit segment data, previous transaction data, time between transactions data, previous transaction amount, previous transaction approval status, previous transaction time stamp data, a response code, active trades in database, public record data, trade line data, transaction medium, credit segment data, consumer payment type, consumer payment method, consumer payment history, consumer account history, consumer credit account balance, merchant history, private label entity data, affiliated private label entity and consumer/merchant historical data.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a consumer recognition database including a plurality of data fields therein, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields is populated with data reflecting consumer recognition data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein, based upon at least one data field in the consumer/transaction data set, at least one data field in the consumer/transaction database and at least one data field in the consumer recognition database, the consumer activity data set is established.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer recognition data includes merchant offering data reflecting an established offer to the consumer of at least one of a service, an item, a discount, a redemption, a coupon, a voucher, a non-cash benefit, an incentive, a ticket, an invitation and an event.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer activity data set includes consumer recognition data, which is selected based upon at least one of:

(i) the current transaction between the consumer and the merchant;

(ii) a previous transaction between the consumer and the merchant;

(iii) historical transaction data between the consumer and the merchant;

(iv) tracking data specific to a consumer;

(v) a value reflective of the consumer'"'"'s transaction history with the merchant;

(vi) data associated with transactions with the merchant;

(vii) transaction-specific data;

(viii) consumer-specific data;

(ix) transaction frequency data;

(x) transaction amount data;

(xi) cumulative transaction frequency data;

(xii) cumulative transaction amount data; and

(xiii) consumer demographic data.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer recognition database is at least one of in communication with and maintained by at least one of the system, a central processing system, a merchant, a seller, an Internet site, an online entity, a web store, a telephone seller, a group of merchants, an organization of merchants, an entity, a corporation, a company, an offeror of goods, an offeror of services and an affiliation of a plurality of entities.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer recognition database is at least one of modifiable and configurable by at least one of the system, a central processing system, a merchant, a seller, an Internet site, an online entity, a web store, a telephone seller, a group of merchants, an organization of merchants, an entity, a corporation, a company, an offeror of goods, an offeror of services and an affiliation of a plurality of entities.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer recognition data is communicated from the merchant to the consumer processing system on at least one of a continual, dynamic, batch and periodic basis, wherein the consumer recognition data is stored in the consumer recognition database.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer recognition data includes merchant denial data reflecting a negative merchant/consumer interaction.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the merchant denial data is an instruction to the merchant, advising the merchant to at least one of deny the transaction, deny a purchase request, deny a credit request and take a specified action with respect to the consumer.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein, based upon the transaction, the system is further configured to track the consumer'"'"'s transactions with the merchant, thereby compiling tracking data specific to a consumer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the consumer activity data set is established based upon at least a portion of the tracking data specific to a consumer.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the merchant is at least one of a seller, an Internet site, an online entity, a web store, a telephone seller, a group of merchants, an organization of merchants, an entity, a corporation, a company, an offeror of goods, an offeror of services and an affiliation of a plurality of entities.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer processing system interface receives, from the merchant, a plurality of consumer/transaction data sets, each data set specific to an identified consumer, wherein the plurality of consumer/transaction data sets are stored in the consumer/transaction database.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the system provides the merchant with a report including compiled merchant-specific data.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the report is a compilation of data representing at least a portion of at least one consumer/transaction data set in the consumer/transaction database.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer activity data set includes at least one of consumer/transaction data, consumer recognition data, consumer/merchant historical data, transaction data, consumer demographic data, suggested consumer interaction data, suggested consumer offer data, pre-established consumer interaction data, pre-established consumer offer data, offer data, redemption data, merchant denial data and denial instruction data.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer activity data set includes at least one of:

(i) merchant offering data reflecting an established offer to the consumer of at least one of a service, an item, a discount, a redemption, a coupon, a voucher, a non-cash benefit, an incentive, a ticket, an invitation and an event; and

(ii) merchant denial data reflecting an instruction to the merchant, advising the merchant to at least one of deny the transaction, deny a purchase request, deny a credit request and take a specified action with respect to the consumer.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the consumer/transaction data set and the consumer/transaction database includes a consumer identification key, which is unique to at least one of a specific individual consumer and a specified grouping of a plurality of consumers.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the consumer activity data set is established based at least in part on the consumer identification key.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields in the consumer/transaction data set is populated with data reflecting at least one of the consumer and the transaction between the consumer and the merchant.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of data fields in the consumer/transaction database is populated with data reflecting at least one of the historical interaction between the consumer and the merchant and a previous consumer/merchant transaction.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of establishing the consumer activity data set based upon at least one data field in the consumer/transaction data set, at least one data field in the consumer/transaction database and at least one data field in a consumer recognition database.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of tracking the consumer'"'"'s transactions with the merchant, thereby compiling tracking data specific to a consumer.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the merchant is at least one of a seller, an Internet site, an online entity, a web store, a telephone seller, a group of merchants, an organization of merchants, an entity, a corporation, a company, an offeror of goods, an offeror of services and an affiliation of a plurality of entities.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the merchant, a plurality of consumer/transaction data sets, each data set specific to an identified consumer; and

storing the plurality of consumer/transaction data sets in the consumer/transaction database.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of providing the merchant with a report including compiled merchant-specific data.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the consumer activity data set includes at least one of consumer/transaction data, consumer recognition data, consumer/merchant historical data, transaction data, consumer demographic data, suggested consumer interaction data, suggested consumer offer data, pre-established consumer interaction data, pre-established consumer offer data, offer data, redemption data, merchant denial data and denial instruction data.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the consumer activity data set includes at least one of:

(i) merchant offering data reflecting an established offer to the consumer of at least one of a service, an item, a discount, a redemption, a coupon, a voucher, a non-cash benefit, an incentive, a ticket, an invitation and an event; and

(ii) merchant denial data reflecting an instruction to the merchant, advising the merchant to at least one of deny the transaction, deny a purchase request, deny a credit request and take a specified action with respect to the consumer.

34-1. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of assigning a consumer identification key to at least one of a unique individual consumer and a specified grouping of a plurality of consumers.

35. An apparatus for identifying and recognizing a consumer engaged in a transaction with a merchant, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, from a merchant, a consumer/transaction data set having a plurality of data fields;

means for establishing at least a portion the consumer/transaction data set as part of an initial data set in a consumer/transaction database;

or means for comparing at least a portion of the consumer/transaction data set to an existing data field in an existing data set in the consumer/transaction database; and

means for communicating a consumer activity data set to the merchant based at least in part upon the establishment or comparison step.