Multiple location rebate processor

• US 20100257047A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Ohana Companies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Ohana Companies Incorporated
• Inventors: Foodman, Jason, Deutsch, Lance
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• 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 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to the administration of rebates in different geographic locations and optimization of rebate processing. In an embodiment, a rebate processing device can detect a location of a consumer, and based on the location generate a rebate form in a language which corresponds to the location or preference of the consumer. The generated rebate form can include a mailing address to mail the form for processing, which may based on the location of the consumer and a rebate identifier to identify the rebate to transact. A rebate center device can receive completed rebate forms, extract rebate identifiers from the completed rebate forms, and send the extracted rebate identifiers to the rebate processing device to expedite processing. Rebate processing device can verify the rebate identifiers are not fraudulent and generate a payment for the validated rebate identifiers based on the location of the consumer.

Claims

1. A rebate processing device for administering rebates on a global scale, the device comprising:

a network interface which receives a request from a consumer for a rebate;

a computer memory which stores rebates forms in a plurality of languages; and

a processor which detects a location of the consumer, and based on the location of the consumer, generates a rebate form in a language corresponding to the location or a preference selected by the consumer, and sends the rebate form over the network interface to the consumer.

2. The rebate processing device of claim 1, wherein the processor authorizes the request from the consumer for the rebate and selects a payment method based on the location of the consumer.

3. The rebate processing device of claim 2, wherein the payment method comprises a transfer from a first bank based on the location of the consumer to a second bank selected by the consumer.

4. The rebate processing device of claim 2, wherein the payment method comprises a check from a bank based on the location of the consumer.

5. The rebate processing device of claim 2, wherein the payment method comprises a type of currency and an amount.

6. The rebate processing device of claim 1, wherein the processor authorizes the request from the consumer for the rebate and pays the consumer using a payment method selected by a subscriber of a rebate service.

7. The rebate processing device of claim 1, wherein the processor receives electronic rebate forms from a plurality of rebate center devices distributed in different geographic areas over the network interface.

8. The rebate processing device of claim 7, wherein the processor further extracts information from each of the electronic rebate forms including a rebate identifier that identifies a rebate to transact with a requestor, and verifies the rebate to transact is not fraudulent.

9. The rebate processing device of claim 8, wherein the processor further generates a payment for each of the verified electronic rebate forms based on a geographic location of the requestor.

10. The rebate processing device of claim 1, wherein the processor generates the rebate form using a template including terms and conditions of the rebate.

11. A computer-implemented method of issuing rebates in different regions, the method comprising:

detecting a region where a buyer resides;

receiving a request from the buyer to redeem a rebate; and

automatically creating a rebate form in a language based on the region where the buyer resides or a language preference of the buyer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically creating a rebate form further comprises placing an address of the buyer on the rebate form.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically creating a rebate form further comprises placing one or more locations to mail the rebate form on the rebate form based on the region of the buyer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically creating a rebate form further comprises generating a rebate identifier and placing the rebate identifier on the form.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the rebate identifier placed on the form is encoded as a bar code.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the language preference is determined by a setting of a web browser used by the buyer.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting billing information to a subscriber of a rebate service.

18. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable components, the medium comprising:

a collection engine which receives rebate identifiers that identify rebates to transact with consumers from a plurality of rebate center devices distributed in different geographic areas;

a validation engine which verifies one or more of the rebates to transact is not fraudulent; and

a payment engine which generates a payment for one or more of the validated rebate identifiers based on a geographic location of the consumer.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the collection engine further receives electronic rebate forms associated with the one or more rebate identifiers after the one or more rebate identifiers are initially received and stores the received electronic rebate forms in computer storage.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment comprises a check from a financial institution that resides in the geographic location of the consumer.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment comprises a deposit to a financial institution that resides in the geographic location of the consumer.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of rebate center devices are distributed in different countries.

23. A rebate center computing device for optimizing administration of rebates, the device comprising:

a memory which stores a plurality of rebates forms; and

a processor which extracts a rebate identifier from each of the plurality of rebate forms, and sends one or more of the extracted rebate identifiers to a rebate processing device over a network interface.

24. The rebate center computing device of claim 23, wherein the processor, after the rebate identifiers have been extracted, sends rebate forms associated with the one or more extracted rebate identifiers to the rebate processing device over the network interface.

25. The rebate center computing device of claim 23, wherein the processor extracts the rebate identifier by decoding a bar code from each of the plurality of rebate forms.