SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDEEMING VOUCHERS

• US 20100274659A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Voltmer, Theodore S., Antonucci, Donna
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00

Abstract

The invention includes an improved system and method for creating, distributing and storing vouchers. The method includes a loyalty system obtaining a loyalty card account having a unique identifier and loyalty points associated therewith, accessing a loyalty database utilizing the unique identifier, converting at least a portion of the loyalty points to a first value associated with a first merchant, saving the first value in a first database associated with the loyalty card, converting at least a portion of the loyalty points to a second value associated with a second merchant, saving the second value along with other voucher information as an electronic voucher in a second database associated with the loyalty card, redeeming the first value at a first merchant and redeeming the electronic voucher at a second merchant.

Claims

1. A method utilizing a computer system for facilitating redemption of vouchers including:

converting, by said computer system for facilitating said redemption of said electronic vouchers, at least a portion of general loyalty points to a first value associated with a specific first merchant, wherein said general loyalty points are accessed in a loyalty database in said computer system utilizing a unique identifier, wherein a loyalty account includes said unique identifier and said general loyalty points associated therewith, said general loyalty points not being associated with a specific merchant;

converting, by said computer system, at least a portion of said general loyalty points to a second value associated with a specific second merchant;

redeeming, by said computer system, an electronic voucher and said first value for a product offered by said second merchant, wherein at least a portion said second value along with voucher information is saved as an electronic voucher, and wherein said redeeming includes;

receiving purchase data including purchase price,

applying said second value associated with said electronic voucher towards said purchase price,

transferring at least a portion of said first value stored in said computer system to said second value,

applying said second value that is the result of the transfer from said first value towards said purchase price, and

outputting a resultant balance of said purchase price.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic voucher is configured to include information related to a promotion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic voucher applies to a particular product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic voucher is in the form of at least one of a paper document, data field, a card, authorization code, magnetic code, bar code, and electronic signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic voucher includes a restriction related to use of said electronic voucher.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving, by said computer system, said first value in a first database in said computer system associated with said loyalty account.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving, by said computer system, at least a portion said second value along with said electronic voucher information as said electronic voucher in a second database in said computer system associated with said loyalty account.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating distribution of said electronic voucher to a consumer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a consumer ID;

determining a promotion based upon said consumer ID;

producing said electronic voucher by associating said promotion with said electronic voucher;

storing said electronic voucher in at least one of a remotely accessible database having data fields related to different merchants and a smart card database having data fields related to different merchants; and

,

enabling said consumer to receive said electronic voucher and to use said promotion associated with said electronic voucher for a purchase from a merchant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said determining step includes analyzing certain criteria including at least one of:

criteria, no criteria, prior purchase history, purchase of a particular product or service, frequency of purchases, infrequency of purchases, entering a website, entering a store, time within the store or website, dollar amount spent at a merchant, general amount of spend in a time period, and number of purchases.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said enabling step includes at least one of:

allowing access to said electronic voucher on a webpage, electronically transmitting said electronic voucher to said consumer and sending a printed voucher to said consumer.

12. An incentive engine for facilitating redemption of vouchers, said engine comprising:

a network interface communicating with a memory;

said memory communicating with a computer system for facilitating said redemption of said electronic vouchers; and

said computer system, when executing a computer program, is configured to;

convert at least a portion of general loyalty points to a first value associated with a specific first merchant, wherein said general loyalty points are accessed in a loyalty database in said computer system utilizing a unique identifier, wherein a loyalty account includes said unique identifier and said general loyalty points associated therewith, said general loyalty points not being associated with a specific merchant;

convert at least a portion of said general loyalty points to a second value associated with a specific second merchant;

redeem an electronic voucher and said first value for a product offered by said second merchant, wherein at least a portion said second value along with voucher information is saved as an electronic voucher, and wherein said redeeming includes;

receiving purchase data including purchase price,

applying said second value associated with said electronic voucher towards said purchase price,

transferring at least a portion of said first value stored in said computer system to said second value,

applying said second value that is the result of the transfer from said first value towards said purchase price, and

outputting a resultant balance of said purchase price.

13. The incentive engine of claim 12, wherein said incentive engine is located within a remotely-accessible host.

14. The incentive engine of claim 12, wherein said incentive engine is located within a smart card.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer system for facilitating redemption of electronic vouchers, cause said computer system to perform operations comprising:

converting, by said computer system, at least a portion of general loyalty points to a first value associated with a specific first merchant, wherein said general loyalty points are accessed in a loyalty database in said computer system utilizing a unique identifier, wherein a loyalty account includes said unique identifier and said general loyalty points associated therewith, said general loyalty points not being associated with a specific merchant;

converting, by said computer system, at least a portion of said general loyalty points to a second value associated with a specific second merchant;

redeeming, by said computer system, an electronic voucher and said first value for a product offered by said second merchant, wherein at least a portion said second value along with voucher information is saved as an electronic voucher, and wherein said redeeming includes;

receiving purchase data including purchase price,

applying said second value associated with said electronic voucher towards said purchase price,

transferring at least a portion of said first value stored in said computer system to said second value,

applying said second value that is the result of the transfer from said first value towards said purchase price, and

outputting a resultant balance of said purchase price.