ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for operating an online reward exchange system comprising:
- a) a user registering via a user computer over a computer network with an exchange computer via a web site, said user registering by entering into said user computer user information comprising reward account information for at least one reward program in which the user is previously enrolled, said reward program operated by an issuer via an issuer computer and providing reward points to a reward account of the user stored in association with the issuer computer as a result of a transaction previously executed between the user and the issuer;
b) a plurality of merchants registering with the exchange computer via the web site, each of said merchants registering by using an associated merchant computer for providing merchant information comprising (i) product information that identifies at least one product to be offered for sale to the user via the exchange computer, and (ii) a designation of issuers registered with the exchange computer with which the merchant agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user; and
c) a plurality of issuers registering with the exchange computer via the web site, each of said issuers registering using an associated issuer computer for providing issuer information comprising a designation of merchants registered with the exchange computer with which the issuer agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants'"'"' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant'"'"'s point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user.
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Citations
124 Claims
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1. A method for operating an online reward exchange system comprising:
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a) a user registering via a user computer over a computer network with an exchange computer via a web site, said user registering by entering into said user computer user information comprising reward account information for at least one reward program in which the user is previously enrolled, said reward program operated by an issuer via an issuer computer and providing reward points to a reward account of the user stored in association with the issuer computer as a result of a transaction previously executed between the user and the issuer; b) a plurality of merchants registering with the exchange computer via the web site, each of said merchants registering by using an associated merchant computer for providing merchant information comprising (i) product information that identifies at least one product to be offered for sale to the user via the exchange computer, and (ii) a designation of issuers registered with the exchange computer with which the merchant agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user; and c) a plurality of issuers registering with the exchange computer via the web site, each of said issuers registering using an associated issuer computer for providing issuer information comprising a designation of merchants registered with the exchange computer with which the issuer agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An online reward exchange system comprising:
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a) an exchange computer programmed to provide an online reward exchange web site over a computer network; b) a user computer associated with a user and programmed with a web browser to enable the user to register with an exchange computer via the web site, said user registering by entering into said user computer user information comprising reward account information for at least one reward program in which the user is previously enrolled, said reward program operated by an issuer via an issuer computer and providing reward points to a reward account of the user stored in association with the issuer computer as a result of a transaction previously executed between the user and the issuer; c) a plurality of merchant computers, each of said merchant computers associated with a merchant, each of said merchant computers programmed with a web browser to enable said merchant to register with the exchange computer via the web site, each of said merchants registering by providing merchant information comprising (i) product information that identifies at least one product to be offered for sale to the user via the exchange computer, and (ii) a designation of issuers registered with the exchange computer with which the merchant agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user; and d) a plurality of issuer computers, each of said issuer computers associated with an issuer, each of said issuer computer programmed with a web browser to enable said issuer to register with the exchange computer via the web site, each of said issuers registering by providing issuer information comprising a designation of merchants registered with the exchange computer with which the issuer agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method for operating an online reward exchange computer comprising:
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a) the exchange computer sending via a computer network to a user computer a user registration web page, said user registration web page comprising user controls for a user to enter user information to register with the exchange computer; b) the exchange computer receiving from the user computer user information comprising reward account information for at least one reward program in which the user is previously enrolled, said reward program operated by an issuer via an issuer computer and providing reward points to a reward account of the user stored in association with the issuer computer as a result of a transaction previously executed between the user and the issuer; c) the exchange computer sending via a computer network to each of a plurality of merchant computers a merchant registration web page, said merchant registration web page comprising merchant controls for a merchant to enter merchant information to register with the exchange computer; d) the exchange computer receiving from each of the plurality of merchant computers merchant information comprising (i) product information that identifies at least one product to be offered for sale to the user via the exchange computer, and (ii) a designation of issuers registered with the exchange computer with which the merchant agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user; e) the exchange computer sending via a computer network to each of a plurality of issuer computers an issuer registration web page, said issuer registration web page comprising issuer controls for an issuer to enter issuer information to register with the exchange computer; and f) the exchange computer receiving from each of the plurality of issuer computers issuer information comprising a designation of merchants registered with the exchange computer with which the issuer agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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94. An online reward exchange computer programmed to:
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a) send via a computer network to a user computer a user registration web page, said user registration web page comprising user controls for a user to enter user information to register with the exchange computer; b) receive from the user computer user information comprising reward account information for at least one reward program in which the user is previously enrolled, said reward program operated by an issuer via an issuer computer and providing reward points to a reward account of the user stored in association with the issuer computer as a result of a transaction previously executed between the user and the issuer; c) send via a computer network to each of a plurality of merchant computers a merchant registration web page, said merchant registration web page comprising merchant controls for a merchant to enter merchant information to register with the exchange computer; d) receive from each of the plurality of merchant computers merchant information comprising (i) product information that identifies at least one product to be offered for sale to the user via the exchange computer, and (ii) a designation of issuers registered with the exchange computer with which the merchant agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user; e) send via a computer network to each of a plurality of issuer computers an issuer registration web page, said issuer registration web page comprising issuer controls for an issuer to enter issuer information to register with the exchange computer; and f) receive from each of the plurality of issuer computers issuer information comprising a designation of merchants registered with the exchange computer with which the issuer agrees to execute a reward redemption transaction when requested by the user. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
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Specification