Systems and methods for managing a financial account that provides intangible rewards

• US 20070005466A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
• Original Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Charles, Phillips, Emil
• Application Number:
  US11/170,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005466A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with embodiments of the present invention may receive information associated with providing an intangible reward from a vendor to a customer when the customer has a payment provider make a payment to the vendor, such as on a recurring basis.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor,

wherein the memory and the processor are configured to perform a method comprising receiving information associated with providing an intangible reward from a vendor to a customer when the customer has a payment provider make a payment to the vendor on a recurring basis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the intangible reward is a virtual reward.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the intangible reward is only available to the customer if the customer has the payment provider make the payment to the vendor on the recurring basis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the intangible reward is a feature of a product or a feature of a service provided by the vendor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein different intangible rewards are available for different recurring payment bases.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises configuring, on the basis of the received information, the payment to occur on the recurring basis.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the method performed by the memory and processor further comprises providing the intangible reward.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions to configure a computer to perform a method comprising receiving information associated with providing an intangible reward from a vendor to a customer when the customer has a payment provider make a payment to the vendor on a recurring basis.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the intangible reward is a virtual reward.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the intangible reward is only available to the customer if the customer has the payment provider make the payment to the vendor on the recurring basis.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the intangible reward is a feature of a product or a feature of a service provided by the vendor.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein different intangible rewards are available for different recurring payment bases.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

paying the payment on the recurring basis; and

providing the intangible reward.

14. A method comprising:

receiving information associated with providing an intangible reward from a vendor to a customer when the customer has a payment provider make a payment to the vendor on a recurring basis.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the intangible reward is a virtual reward.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the intangible reward is only available to the customer if the customer has the payment provider make the payment to the vendor on the recurring basis.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the intangible reward is a feature of a product or a feature of a service provided by the vendor.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein different intangible rewards are available for different recurring payment bases.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising paying the payment on the recurring basis.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the intangible reward.

21. A method comprising:

configuring a customer'"'"'s financial account for association with an intangible reward; and

receiving information associated with providing the intangible reward from a vendor to the customer when the customer uses the financial account to make a payment to the vendor on a recurring basis.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising configuring, on the basis of the received information, the payment to occur on the recurring basis.