HANDLING PAYMENT RECEIPTS WITH A RECEIPT STORE

• US 20090313132A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McKenna, Sean Michael, Marshall, Stuart Henry Seelye
• Granted Patent: US 8,788,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• 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 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies

Abstract

A receipt store may be provided as a service. Electronic payment receipts generated in any type of transaction may be delivered to the receipt store. A customer may subscribe to a particular receipt store, to be used as a repository for that customer'"'"'s receipts. The customer may carry a device that is used to communicate payment information (such as a credit card number) to a device reader when purchases are made. The device may also identify the customer'"'"'s receipt store. A commercial establishment that accepts the customer'"'"'s payment may generate an electronic receipt, and may deliver it to the receipt store specified by the customer'"'"'s device. The establishment may also deliver the receipt to the customer'"'"'s device, and the customer'"'"'s device may send the receipt along to the receipt store.

Claims

1. A method of providing a receipt, the method comprising:

engaging in a point-of-sale transaction with a customer in which said customer is physically present at a location at which the transaction occurs, said transaction not being performed through a commerce system that facilitates remote network transactions;

receiving, from a device carried by said customer, profile information that is stored on said device and that comprises contact information that identifies a location to which said receipt is to be sent;

generating said receipt based on said transaction; and

causing said receipt to be sent to a receipt store identified by said contact information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said profile information is received at a device reader that communicates with said device and that is communicatively connected to a point-of-sale component, and wherein said causing comprises:

transmitting said receipt from said point-of-sale component to said receipt store without transmitting said receipt to said device reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said profile information is received at a device reader that communicates with said device and that is communicatively connected to a point-of-sale component, wherein the method further comprises:

creating a partial receipt at said point-of-sale component;

transmitting said partial receipt from said point-of-sale component to said device reader; and

creating said receipt at said device reader; and

wherein said causing comprises;

transmitting said receipt to said receipt store from said device reader.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said profile information is received at a device reader that communicates with said device and that is communicatively connected to a point-of-sale component, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a partial receipt at said device reader from said point-of-sale component;

adding payment information to said partial receipt to generate said receipt; and

transmitting said receipt from said device reader to said device; and

wherein said causing comprises;

transmitting said receipt to said receipt store from said device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing a copy of said receipt to said device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said receipt store is implemented as a service in a cloud, and wherein said causing comprises:

sending said receipt into said cloud.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving said receipt at said device from said cloud.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said customer has a subscription relationship to use said receipt store, and wherein said contact information is obtained by said customer as part of forming said subscription relationship.

9. A system comprising:

a device reader that receives, from a device, profile information that comprises payment account information of a customer and contact information of said customer;

a point-of-sale component that performs a transaction at a location at which said customer and said point-of-sale component are physically present together, and that generates content relating to said transaction; and

a first component that generates a receipt based on said content and that causes said receipt to be sent, based on said contact information, to a receipt store.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first component is said point-of-sale component, and wherein said point-of-sale component sends said receipt to a cloud in which said receipt store is implemented as a service.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said first component is said device reader, wherein said device reader adds payment data to said content to generate said receipt, and wherein said device reader sends said receipt to a cloud in which said receipt store is implemented as a service.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said first component is said device reader, wherein said device reader adds payment data to said content to generate said receipt, and wherein said device reader causes said receipt to be sent to said device store by sending said receipt to said device, said device being carried by said customer and being configured to send said receipt to said receipt store.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said customer has a subscription relationship to use said receipt store, and wherein said contact information is obtained by said customer as part of forming said subscription relationship.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said device reader stores said receipt to said device.

15-20. -20. (canceled)