LOYALTY POINTS SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH SUPPLEMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS

• US 20100088174A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Mayer, Birgitta, Voltmer, Theodore S., Cohagan, Perry A., Wood-Kulko, Penelope, Menichilli, Julia
• Application Number:
  US12/609,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088174A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

The invention facilitates pooling, gifting or transferring of geographic area loyalty points between accounts. The invention also facilitates a transfer of geographic area loyalty points from a consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to a consumer account associated with a host company. The invention may also facilitate gifting of loyalty points to charitable organizations on a recurring basis, wherein the gifting may transfer any portion of geographic based points to various charities. The system may also convert the geographic area loyalty points to a monetary value, thereby allowing the points to be donated to a charity such that the donation appears to be a monetary value donation to the charity.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for facilitating operation of a loyalty points program having at least one primary member, the primary member having an account, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving information related to a primary member profile for the account at a server;

creating a primary member profile associated with the account in a computer system in communication with the server;

creating a supplementary member profile associated with the account in the computer system, wherein the supplementary member profile comprises a supplementary member authorization, and wherein the supplementary member authorization specifies an authorization access that indicates that a supplementary member may redeem at least a portion of loyalty points associated with the account;

receiving a transaction request at the server;

processing the transaction request using the computer system; and

fulfilling the transaction request.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to redeem all of the loyalty points associated with the account.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to only redeem loyalty points associated with the account that the primary member has authorized for redemption.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a step allowing the supplementary member earn loyalty points,

wherein the loyalty points earned by the supplementary member are associated with the account.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to redeem all of the loyalty points associated with the account that are earned by the supplementary member.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to redeem all loyalty points associated with the account that are earned in a specific geographic area.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the primary member profile includes a primary member ID associated with a card, and wherein the supplementary member profile includes a supplementary member ID associated with a card.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein a plurality of supplementary member profiles are created.

30. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a step of reporting activity related to the account to the primary member but not the supplementary member.

31. A method for facilitating operation of a loyalty points program having at least one primary member, the primary member having an account, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving information related to a primary member profile for the account at a server;

creating a primary member profile associated with the account in a computer system in communication with the server;

creating a supplementary member profile associated with the account in the computer system, wherein the supplementary member profile comprises a supplementary member authorization, and wherein the supplementary member authorization specifies an authorization access that indicates that a supplementary member may earn loyalty points that are associated with the account;

receiving a transaction request at the server;

processing the transaction request using the computer system; and

fulfilling the transaction request.