Rebate Processing System and Method Offering Selectable Disbursement Options
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for rebate processing comprising:
- a first memory operable to store promotion information describing a plurality of promotions, the promotion information comprising, for each of the promotions, a promotion identifier, at least one disbursement option, and promotion requirements comprising an authentication requirement, personal information requirement, and a date requirement;
a second memory operable to store transaction information indicating a plurality of rebate requests, the transaction information comprising, for each of the rebate requests, consumer information for a consumer associated with the rebate request, a rebate request status detailing current status of the rebate request, a date associated with the rebate request, and a promotion identifier matching to a selected one of the promotions; and
a processor operable to process the rebate requests by associating the rebate requests with the promotions using the promotion identifiers and determining whether selected transaction information for the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the promotions, wherein determining whether the selected transaction information for one of the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the corresponding one of the promotions comprises verifying that submitted authenticity information satisfies the authentication requirement, that the consumer information includes personal information sufficient to satisfy the personal information requirement, and that the date associated with the rebate request satisfies the date requirement.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed that provides computer-aided processing of a rebate on a product. The system includes a rebate processing center communicating over a network with a manufacturer, a distributor, and a consumer. The rebate processing center maintains a promotion table and a transaction table in order to facilitate processing of product rebates and to offer the consumer a choice of disbursement options.
64 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for rebate processing comprising:
-
a first memory operable to store promotion information describing a plurality of promotions, the promotion information comprising, for each of the promotions, a promotion identifier, at least one disbursement option, and promotion requirements comprising an authentication requirement, personal information requirement, and a date requirement;
a second memory operable to store transaction information indicating a plurality of rebate requests, the transaction information comprising, for each of the rebate requests, consumer information for a consumer associated with the rebate request, a rebate request status detailing current status of the rebate request, a date associated with the rebate request, and a promotion identifier matching to a selected one of the promotions; and
a processor operable to process the rebate requests by associating the rebate requests with the promotions using the promotion identifiers and determining whether selected transaction information for the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the promotions, wherein determining whether the selected transaction information for one of the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the corresponding one of the promotions comprises verifying that submitted authenticity information satisfies the authentication requirement, that the consumer information includes personal information sufficient to satisfy the personal information requirement, and that the date associated with the rebate request satisfies the date requirement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An apparatus for rebate processing comprising:
-
a first memory operable to store promotion information describing a plurality of promotions, the promotion information comprising, for each of the promotions, a promotion sponsor identifier, a promotion identifier, a product identifier, at least one disbursement option, promotion status information comprising a total number of rebate requests and a breakage rate for the promotion, and a plurality of promotion requirements;
a second memory operable to store transaction information indicating a plurality of rebate requests, the transaction information comprising, for each of the rebate requests, product purchase information, consumer information for a consumer associated with the purchase, a rebate transaction identifier assigned in response to a request for a rebate received from the consumer, and a promotion identifier matching to a selected one of the promotions; and
a processor operable to process the rebate requests by associating the rebate requests with the promotions using the promotion identifiers and determining whether selected transaction information for the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the promotions, wherein determining whether the selected transaction information for one of the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the corresponding one of the promotions comprises verifying that the transaction information satisfies the promotion requirements, the processor further operable to generate promotion reports, a promotion report comprising selected promotion information for at least one of the promotions having a particular promotion sponsor identifier, the promotion report comprising the number of rebate requests and the breakage rate for each promotion. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An apparatus for rebate processing comprising:
-
a first memory operable to store promotion information describing a plurality of promotions, the promotion information comprising, for each of the promotions, a promotion identifier, at least one disbursement option, and promotion requirements;
a second memory operable to store transaction information indicating a plurality of rebate requests, the transaction information comprising, for each of the rebate requests, a consumer identifier, a rebate request status indicating one of three or more predetermined states, and a promotion identifier matching to a selected one of the promotions; and
a processor operable to process the rebate requests by associating the rebate requests with the promotions using the promotion identifiers and determining whether selected transaction information for the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the promotions, the processor further operable to provide rebate status updates to the consumers using the rebate request statuses. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for rebate processing comprising:
-
storing promotion information describing a plurality of promotions, the promotion information comprising, for each of the promotions, a promotion identifier, at least one disbursement option, and promotion requirements comprising an authentication requirement, personal information requirement, and a date requirement;
storing transaction information indicating a plurality of rebate requests, the transaction information comprising, for each of the rebate requests, consumer information for a consumer associated with the rebate request, a rebate request status detailing current status of the rebate request, a date associated with the rebate request, and a promotion identifier matching to a selected one of the promotions; and
processing rebate requests by associating the rebate requests with the promotions using the promotion identifiers and determining whether selected transaction information for the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the promotions, wherein determining whether the selected transaction information for one of the rebate requests satisfies the promotion requirements for the corresponding one of the promotions comprises verifying that submitted authenticity information satisfies the authentication requirement, that the consumer information includes personal information sufficient to satisfy the personal information requirement, and that the date associated with the rebate request satisfies the date requirement. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification