Consumer device used in commercial transactions

• US 20080065495A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Martin Nguyen
• Original Assignee: Martin Nguyen
• Inventors: Nguyen, Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/985,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065495A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention includes a consumer device used in a transaction. An identifier represents a management entity. The management entity has an established relationship with at least one of a provider, a consumer, and a vendor. A medium encoded with an information section to contain information related a transaction conducted by the consumer at the provider. The transaction involves a product. The information corresponds to a discount for the product provided by at least one of the management entity, the provider, and the vendor. The information is retrieved at the provider via a device reader when the consumer purchases the product to receive the discount after the provider verifies the consumer. Another embodiment of the invention includes a technique to process a transaction. A management entity is verified from an identifier on a device presented by a consumer in a transaction involving a product. The management entity has an established relationship with at least one of a provider, the consumer, and a vendor. Information related to the transaction is retrieved from the device. The information corresponds to a discount for the product provided by at least one of the management entity, the provider, and the vendor. The consumer is verified. The discount for the product is provided after the consumer is verified.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an identifier to represent a management entity, the management entity having an established relationship with at least one of a provider, a consumer, and a vendor; and

a medium encoded with an information section to contain information related a transaction conducted by the consumer at the provider, the transaction involving a product, the information corresponding to a discount for the product provided by at least one of the management entity, the provider, and the vendor, the information being retrieved at the provider via a device reader when the consumer purchases the product to receive the discount after the provider verifies the consumer.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the provider is one of a service provider and a retailer.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the information comprises at least one of personal identification information to identify the consumer, a value amount purchased by the consumer for a later discounted purchase, a fixed or variable discount level providing a privilege for a consumer action, and a combination of a credit or debit and a discount coupon.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a security section to contain an inquiry on security information regarding the consumer.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the security information comprises at least one of secret data and biometric information.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the secret data comprises at least one of a password, a secret question, a security code, and a personal identification number (PIN), the secret data being used to verify the consumer.

7. A method comprising:

representing a management entity by an identifier on a device presented by a consumer in a transaction involving a product, the management entity having an established relationship with at least one of a provider, the consumer, and a vendor; and

encoding information on the device, the information corresponding to a discount for the product provided by at least one of the management entity, the provider, and the vendor, the information being retrieved at the provider via a device reader when the consumer purchases the product to receive the discount after the provider verifies the consumer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the provider is one of a service provider and a retailer.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the information comprises at least one of personal identification information to identify the consumer, a value amount purchased by the consumer for a later discounted purchase, a fixed or variable discount level providing a privilege for a consumer action, and a combination of a credit or debit and a discount coupon.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

encoding an inquiry on security information regarding the consumer in a security section on the device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the security information comprises at least one of secret data and biometric information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the secret data comprises at least one of a password, a secret question, a security code, and a personal identification number (PIN), the secret data being used to verify the consumer.

13. A processing unit comprising:

a device reader to read a device presented by a consumer in a transaction involving a product at a provider, the device containing an identifier to represent a management entity and information related to the transaction, the management entity having an established relationship with at least one of the provider, the consumer, and a vendor, the information corresponding to a discount for the product provided by at least one of the management entity, the provider, and the vendor; and

a communication interface coupled to the device reader to transmit the information to the management entity and receive discount information on the transaction from the management entity, the discount information being used to give the discount to the consumer after the consumer is verified.

14. The processing unit of claim 13 wherein the provider is one of a service provider and a retailer.

15. The processing unit of claim 13 wherein the information comprises at least one of personal identification information to identify the consumer, a value amount purchased by the consumer for a later discounted purchase, a fixed or variable discount level providing a privilege for a consumer action, and a combination of a credit or debit and a discount.

16. The processing unit of claim 13 wherein the device reader reads a security section containing an inquiry on security information regarding the consumer.

17. The processing unit of claim 16 wherein the security information comprises at least one of secret data and biometric information.

18. The processing unit of claim 17 wherein the secret data comprises at least one of a password, a secret question, a security code, and a personal identification number (PIN), the secret data being used to verify the consumer.

19. A method comprising:

verifying a management entity from an identifier on a device presented by a consumer in a transaction involving a product, the management entity having an established relationship with at least one of a provider, the consumer, and a vendor;

retrieving information related to the transaction from the device, the information corresponding to a discount for the product provided by at least one of the management entity, the provider, and the vendor;

verifying the consumer; and

providing the discount for the product after the consumer is verified.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the provider is one of a service provider and a retailer.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the information comprises at least one of personal identification information to identify the consumer, a value amount purchased by the consumer for a later discounted purchase, a fixed or variable discount level providing a privilege for a consumer action, and a combination of a credit or debit and a discount.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the information further comprises at least an inquiry regarding one of secret data and biometric information.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the secret data comprises at least one of a password, a secret question, a security code, and a personal identification number (PIN), the secret data being used to verify the consumer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein verifying comprises:

receiving a response from the consumer responsive to at least one of the secret data and the biometric information; and

matching the response to the at least one of the secret data and the biometric information.