METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR STORING USUAL ORDER PREFERENCE DATA FOR RECURRENT ORDERS

• US 20090063285A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ablowitz, Todd, Khan, Mohammad
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for storing usual order preferences associated with a point of sale transaction involving an identification article. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an initial order involving the use of an identification article for purchasing at least one good or service. As part of receiving the initial order, a query asking if the initial order is to be designated as a usual order is issued. The method also includes registering the initial order as the usual order if a received response to the query indicates a usual order designation and storing an indication of the usual order in a storage medium.

Claims

1. A method for storing usual order preferences associated with a point of sale transaction involving an identification article, the method comprising:

receiving an initial order involving the use of an identification article for purchasing at least one good or service;

as part of receiving the initial order, issuing a query asking if the initial order is to be designated as a usual order;

registering the initial order as the usual order if a received response to the query indicates a usual order designation; and

storing an indication of the usual order in a storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification article includes at least one of:

a contactless smart device, a magnetic stripe card, a bar code, a fingerprint, a near field communications (NFC) enabled device, a numerical code, an alphabetic code, and an alphanumeric code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage device includes at least one of a contactless smart device and a database accessible by a system for processing transactions involving the identification article.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an initial order includes receiving the initial order from an electronic signal at a point of sale terminal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an initial order includes a cashier receiving the initial order from a customer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing a query includes issuing a query message that is displayed at least one of a card reader and a point of sale terminal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein registering the initial order as the usual order includes activating one of a point of sale terminal and a card reader to register the initial order as the usual order.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein storing the usual order includes electronically recording the usual order by interfacing the contactless smart device with a card reader.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing a query is performed by a cashier.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein interfacing the contactless smart device with a card reader includes bringing the contactless smart device in proximity to the card reader.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the contactless smart device includes at least one of a plastic card, a key fob, a wristband, a wristwatch, a bracelet, a piece of jewelry, a coffee cup, a music player, a hand-held game player, a mobile phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

12. A method for recurrent ordering using an identification article, the method comprising:

receiving information associated with an identification article used to purchase a good or service; and

in response to receiving the information, determining whether usual order preference information is stored for the identification article.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

in response to determining that the usual order preference information is stored for the identification article, presenting an option to purchase the good or the service specified by the usual order preference information.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

in response to determining that the usual order preference information is stored for the identification article, conducting a purchase transaction to purchase the good or the service specified by the usual order preference information.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving information comprises detecting initiation of a transaction to purchase a good or a service using an identification article.

16. The method of claim 13 comprising:

processing a payment transaction associated with the usual order preference information at a point of sale (PoS) device if the option to purchase the good or the service is selected.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein processing a payment transaction includes automatically deducting a price amount associated with the usual order preference information from an account corresponding to the identification article.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving information is performed by a cashier.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein detecting initiation of a transaction includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a contactless smart device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein determining whether usual order preference information is stored includes obtaining usual order data from the RF signal.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein detecting initiation of a transaction includes detecting the swiping of the magnetic stripe card at a card reader.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein determining whether usual order preference information is stored includes querying a database containing usual order data using an identification number.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the identification number includes at least one of an account number encoded in the magnetic stripe card, an account number stored in the contactless smart device, and an alphanumeric, a numeric, or alphabetic code entered in a keypad by a customer or a cashier.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein presenting an option to purchase the good or the service specified by the usual order preference information includes displaying a query message on a display screen on at least one of a card reader and a point of sale terminal.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein presenting an option to purchase the good or the service specified by the usual order preference information includes displaying a query message on a display screen on the identification article.

26. A system for utilizing stored customer preferences for recurrent ordering, the payment system comprising:

a device reader for receiving an initial order involving the use of an identification article for purchasing at least one good or service, issuing a query asking if the initial order is to be designated as a usual order as part of receiving the initial order, registering the initial order as the usual order if a received response to the query indicates a usual order designation, and storing the usual order in a storage medium.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the device reader is further adapted to receive information associated with an identification article used to purchase a good or service, and in response to receiving the information, determine whether usual order preference information is stored for the identification article.