Customer selected coalition systems and methods
First Claim
1. An electronic system for processing a redemption of loyalty points from a coalition of merchants, the system comprising:
- a database to store loyalty point information about a loyalty account associated with an account holder, wherein the loyalty point information comprises the amounts of loyalty points accumulated with each of the merchants in the coalition;
a processor and memory to execute a computer readable program to calculate a number of loyalty points to redeem from each of the merchants when the account holder makes the redemption; and
a communications output for sending electronic messages to one or more of the merchants requesting redemption amounts based on the calculated number of loyalty points redeemed from each of the merchants, and wherein the computer readable program comprises;
instructions to determine a total number of loyalty points accumulated in the loyalty account;
instructions to determine a fraction of the total accumulated loyalty points accumulated with each of the merchants; and
instructions to determine the loyalty points redeemed from each of the merchants based on a product of;
(1) the number of loyalty points being redeemed, and (2) the fraction of the total accumulated loyalty points held by the merchant.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic system for processing a redemption of loyalty points from a coalition of merchants. The system may include a database to store loyalty point information about a loyalty account associated with an account holder. The loyalty point information may include the amounts of loyalty points accumulated with each of the merchants in the coalition. The system may also include a processor and memory to execute a computer readable program to calculate a number of loyalty points to redeem from each of the merchants when the account holder makes the redemption. The system may further include a communications output for sending electronic messages to one or more of the merchants requesting redemption amounts based on the calculated number of loyalty points redeemed from each of the merchants.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. An electronic system for processing a redemption of loyalty points from a coalition of merchants, the system comprising:
-
a database to store loyalty point information about a loyalty account associated with an account holder, wherein the loyalty point information comprises the amounts of loyalty points accumulated with each of the merchants in the coalition;
a processor and memory to execute a computer readable program to calculate a number of loyalty points to redeem from each of the merchants when the account holder makes the redemption; and
a communications output for sending electronic messages to one or more of the merchants requesting redemption amounts based on the calculated number of loyalty points redeemed from each of the merchants, and wherein the computer readable program comprises;
instructions to determine a total number of loyalty points accumulated in the loyalty account;
instructions to determine a fraction of the total accumulated loyalty points accumulated with each of the merchants; and
instructions to determine the loyalty points redeemed from each of the merchants based on a product of;
(1) the number of loyalty points being redeemed, and (2) the fraction of the total accumulated loyalty points held by the merchant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An electronic system that performs a loyalty point redemption from a loyalty account affiliated with a coalition of merchants, the system comprising:
-
a communications input for receiving a loyalty point redemption request from a redeeming merchant in the coalition;
a database that stores loyalty point information about the loyalty account, wherein the loyalty point information comprises a total amount of loyalty points accumulated in the account, and the amounts of loyalty points accumulated with each of the merchants in the coalition;
a processor and memory to execute a computer readable program to calculate a number of loyalty to redeem from each of the merchants to complete the loyalty point redemption; and
a communications output to send electronic messages requesting a redemption amount from one or more of the merchants based on the calculated number of loyalty points redeemed, and wherein the computer readable program comprises;
instructions to subtract the number of loyalty points being redeemed from the number of accumulated loyalty points associated with the redeeming merchant, wherein if the number of number of loyalty points being redeemed is less than the amount of loyalty points accumulated with the redeeming merchant, then all the loyalty points are redeemed from the redeeming merchant, and wherein if the number of number of loyalty points being redeemed exceeds the amount of loyalty points accumulated with the redeeming merchant, then the excess points are redeemed from the other merchants in the coalition in proportion to the amounts of loyalty points that have been accumulated with each of the other merchants. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of redeeming loyalty points from a coalition of sellers, the method comprising:
-
accumulating the loyalty points from one or more of the sellers in the coalition;
redeeming at least a portion of the loyalty points to pay for at least part of a transaction with one of the sellers, wherein each of the sellers contributes a percentage of a redemption value for the redeemed loyalty points based on a percentage of the loyalty points accumulated with each of the sellers. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method for redeeming loyalty points from a coalition of sellers, the method comprising:
-
accumulating the loyalty points from sellers in the coalition;
redeeming at least a portion of the loyalty points to pay for at least part of a transaction, wherein the redemption includes first redeeming all the loyalty points accumulated with the seller participating in the transaction, and then redeeming any additional loyalty points from the other sellers in the coalition, wherein each of the other sellers contribute a percentage of the additional loyalty points based on a percentage of the loyalty points that have been accumulated with each of the other sellers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification