METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR APPLYING A REWARDS PROGRAM PROMOTION TO PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS

• US 20090171778A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Powell, Jonathan Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,262,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.360
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A method for applying promotion codes to a payment transaction using an input device in communication with a database is provided. The payment transaction includes a purchase made by a cardholder using a payment card over a payment card network. The method includes storing promotion data within the database including at least one promotional program having a qualifying number of rewards points for a rewards program, and storing rewards data within the database including a current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder. The method further includes providing access to the promotion data through the at least one input device including each promotional program having a qualifying number of rewards points that is less than the current number of rewards points for the cardholder, receiving a selected promotional program from the cardholder, and automatically applying the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction.

Claims

1. A method for applying promotion codes to a payment transaction using at least one input device in communication with a database, the payment transaction including a purchase made by a cardholder using a payment card over a payment card network, said method comprising the steps of:

storing promotion data within the database, the promotion data including at least one merchant participating in the payment card network, at least one promotional program offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder, and promotion codes associated with the at least one promotional program, wherein at least one of the promotional programs offered includes a qualifying number of rewards points for a rewards program;

storing rewards data within the database including a current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

providing access to the promotion data through the at least one input device including each promotional program having a qualifying number of rewards points that is less than the current number of rewards points for the cardholder;

receiving a selected promotional program from the cardholder using the at least one input device; and

automatically applying the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

generating first accounting entries representing the payment transaction including terms of the selected promotional program applied to the payment transaction; and

transmitting the first accounting entries to the at least one merchant associated with the selected promotional program and an issuer associated with the cardholder.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

deducting the qualifying number of rewards points from the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder;

generating second accounting entries representing a rebate to the cardholder for participating in the rewards program; and

transmitting the second accounting entries to the issuer associated with the cardholder.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein storing promotion data further comprises storing promotion data within the database for a plurality of merchants participating in the payment card network, the promotion data including at least one of a merchant name, a merchant identification (ID) number, promotion identifiers, transaction qualifications including rewards-based qualifications, terms of promotions, and promotion codes.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein storing promotion data further comprises storing promotion data within the database including a list of available promotional programs being offered to the cardholder by at least one of a merchant and an issuer, the listed promotional programs including at least one of a rewards-based program and a non rewards-based program.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving a selected promotional program further comprises:

displaying on the at least one input device a list of at least one available promotional program being offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder and the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program, wherein the at least one input device including at least one of a computer system, a cellular telephone, a person digital assistant and a point of sale device associated with the merchant;

receiving a selected promotional program included within the displayed list; and

storing selection data in the database, wherein the selection data represents the selected promotional program.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one input device is in communication with a server system, and wherein receiving a selected promotional program further comprises:

pushing promotion data from the server system to the at least one input device including displaying on the at least one input device a list of at least one available promotional program being offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder and the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

receiving a selected promotional program selected by the cardholder from the displayed list; and

transmitting selection data from the at least one input device to the server system, wherein the selection data represents the promotional program selected by the cardholder.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one input device is in communication with a server system, the server system associated with the payment card network, and wherein automatically applying the promotion codes further comprises:

receiving at the server system data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder;

processing the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder with the payment card;

validating at the server system that the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program; and

applying the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the validated payment transaction such that terms of the selected promotional program are applied to the payment transaction of the cardholder.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one input device is in communication with a server system, the server system associated with the payment card network, and wherein automatically applying the promotion codes further comprises:

receiving at the server system data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder;

interrogating the payment transaction at the server system to determine whether the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program;

applying the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction if the transaction qualifications are satisfied; and

generating accounting entries associated with the payment transaction including at least one of crediting and debiting merchant and issuer accounts, and at least one of crediting and debiting rewards program accounts with the merchant and the issuer.

10. A network-based system for applying processing codes to a payment transaction including a purchase made by a cardholder using a payment card over a payment card network, said system comprising:

a client system;

a database for storing information; and

a server system configured to be coupled to said client system and said database, said server further configured to;

store promotional data within the database including at least one merchant participating in the payment card network, each promotional program offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder, and promotion codes associated with each promotional program offered to the cardholder, wherein at least one of the promotional programs offered includes a qualifying number of rewards points for a rewards program;

receive rewards data including a current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

display the promotion data on the client system including each promotional program offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder, wherein each promotional program displayed includes a qualifying number of rewards points that is less than the current number of rewards points for the cardholder;

receive selection data from the client system, the selection data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder; and

automatically apply the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the server is further configured to:

deduct the qualifying number of rewards points from the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder;

generate accounting entries representing a rebate to the cardholder for participating in the rewards program; and

transmit the accounting entries to the issuer associated with the cardholder.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein the promotion data comprises at least one of a merchant name, a merchant identification (ID) number, promotion identifiers, transaction qualifications including rewards-based qualifications, terms of promotions, and promotion codes.

13. A system according to claim 10 wherein the promotion data comprises a list of available promotional programs being offered to each cardholder by at least one of a merchant and an issuer, the listed promotional programs including a rewards-based program.

14. A system according to claim 10 wherein the server is further configured to:

push the promotion data to the client system to display on the client system a list of at least one available promotional program being offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder and the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

prompt the cardholder to select a promotional program from the displayed list; and

receive selection data from the client system, wherein the selection data represents the promotional program selected by the cardholder.

15. A system according to claim 10 wherein the server is associated with the payment card network, and wherein the server is further configured to:

store transaction qualifications within the database, wherein the transaction qualifications include terms a payment transaction must include for a corresponding promotional program to be applicable;

validate the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder with the payment card, wherein the validation comprises determining whether the payment transaction satisfies the transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program; and

apply the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the validated payment transaction such that terms of the selected promotional program are applied to the payment transaction of the cardholder.

16. A system according to claim 10 wherein the server is associated with the payment card network, and wherein the server is further configured to:

receive data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder;

interrogate the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder to determine whether the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program;

apply the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction if the transaction qualifications are satisfied; and

generate accounting entries associated with the payment transaction including at least one of crediting and debiting merchant and issuer accounts, and at least one of crediting and debiting rewards program accounts with the merchant and the issuer.

17. A computer coupled to a database for applying processing codes to a payment transaction performed by a cardholder using a payment card over a payment card network, the computer in communication with an input device, wherein

the database stores promotional data including each merchant participating in the payment card network, each promotional program offered by each merchant to the cardholder, and promotion codes associated with each promotional program offered to the cardholder, wherein at least one of the promotional programs offered includes a qualifying number of rewards points for a rewards program;

the database further stores rewards data including a current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program; and

the input device accesses the database and displays the promotion data including each promotional program offered by each merchant to the cardholder, wherein each promotional program displayed includes a qualifying number of rewards points that is less than the current number of rewards points for the cardholder, said computer programmed to;

receive selection data from the input device, the selection data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder for application to a payment transaction initiated by the cardholder with the merchant offering the selected promotional program; and

automatically apply the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction.

18. A computer according to claim 17 wherein said computer comprises a merchant screening module, a promotion code processing module, a merchant accounting system module and a rewards module, wherein

the merchant accounting system module is programmed to generate first accounting entries representing the payment transaction including terms of the selected promotional program applied to the payment transaction, and transmit the first accounting entries to the merchant associated with the selected promotional program and an issuer associated with the cardholder;

and

the rewards module is programmed to deduct the qualifying number of rewards points from the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder, generate second accounting entries representing a rebate to the cardholder for participating in the rewards program, and transmit the second accounting entries to the issuer associated with the cardholder.

19. A computer according to claim 17 wherein said computer comprises a merchant screening module, a promotion code processing module, a merchant accounting system module and a rewards module, and wherein the input device displays a list of available promotional programs being offered by a merchant to the cardholder, and wherein

the merchant screening module is programmed to process the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder with the payment card, and determine whether the cardholder has selected a promotional program;

and

the promotion code processing module is programmed to validate the payment transaction including determining whether the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program and apply the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the validated payment transaction such that terms of the selected promotional program are applied to the payment transaction of the cardholder.

20. A computer according to claim 17 wherein said computer is further programmed to:

interrogate the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder to determine whether the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program;

apply the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction if the transaction qualifications are satisfied; and

generate accounting entries associated with the payment transaction including at least one of crediting and debiting funds between merchant and issuer accounts.

21. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for applying processing codes to a payment transaction including a purchase made by a cardholder using a payment card over a payment card network, said program comprising at least one code segment that:

stores within a database promotion data including at least one merchant participating in the payment card network, each promotional program offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder, and promotion codes associated with each promotional program offered to the cardholder, wherein at least one of the promotional programs offered includes a qualifying number of rewards points from a rewards program;

stores within the database rewards data including a current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

enables access to the promotion data via at least one input device including each promotional program having a qualifying number of rewards points that is less than the current number of rewards points for the cardholder;

receives selection data from the at least one input device, the selection data representing a promotional program selected by the cardholder; and

applies the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder.

22. A computer program in accordance with claim 21 further comprising at least one code segment that:

displays on the at least one input device a list of at least one available promotional program being offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder and the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

receives a selected promotional program from the displayed list; and

stores selection data in the database, wherein the selection data represents the promotional program selected by the cardholder.

23. A computer program in accordance with claim 21 further comprising at least one code segment that:

pushes promotion data to the at least one input device including displaying on the at least one input device a list of at least one available promotional program being offered by the at least one merchant to the cardholder and the current number of rewards points accumulated by the cardholder as part of the rewards program;

prompts the cardholder to select a promotional program from the displayed list; and

receives selection data from the input device, wherein the selection data represents the promotional program selected by the cardholder.

24. A computer program in accordance with claim 21 further comprising at least one code segment that:

receives data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder;

processes the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder with the payment card;

validates the payment transaction including confirming that the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program; and

applies the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the validated payment transaction such that terms of the selected promotional program are applied to the payment transaction of the cardholder.

25. A computer program in accordance with claim 21 further comprising at least one code segment that:

receives data representing the promotional program selected by the cardholder;

interrogates the payment transaction initiated by the cardholder to determine whether the payment transaction satisfies transaction qualifications associated with the selected promotional program;

applies the promotion codes associated with the selected promotional program to the payment transaction if the transaction qualifications are satisfied; and

generates accounting entries associated with the payment transaction including at least one of crediting and debiting funds between merchant and issuer accounts.