Merchant Alert Based System and Method Including Customer Presence Notification

• US 20100287250A1
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Mark, Faith, Patrick, Hammad, Ayman, Stan, Patrick, Rewis, Ben
• Granted Patent: US 9,449,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/182 Alternative dispute resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein include systems and methods for sending merchant alert messages. The merchant can specify criteria indicating the types of customers for which he desires to receive alerts. Merchant alert messages can be sent based on characteristics of a customer, including the customer'"'"'s proximity to the merchant. The merchant can use the alert message to provide better service to the customer or prevent the customer from engaging in transactions, depending on the contents of the merchant alert message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving, at a server computer, from a database, at least one criteria specified by a merchant, the at least one criteria indicating when an alert message will be sent to the merchant;

monitoring, with the server computer, a plurality of consumers to determine if the at least one criteria is satisfied by a consumer of the plurality of consumers; and

sending, with the server computer, the alert message to the merchant when the at least one criteria is satisfied by the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one criteria is the physical presence of the consumer in a location specified by the merchant.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one criteria is the consumer engaging in a transaction on a web site operated by the merchant.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

monitoring, with the server computer, geographic locations of the plurality of consumers by using location features on portable consumer devices belonging to each consumer of the plurality of consumers; and

determining, with the server computer, if the geographic location is substantially within the location specified by the merchant.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

detecting, with the server, through a contactless portable consumer device reader, the presence of a portable consumer device belonging to the consumer substantially within the location specified by the merchant.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

monitoring, with the server computer, a transaction conducted with a portable consumer device belonging to the consumer, the transaction conducted at a point of sale terminal located substantially within the location specified by the merchant.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the alert message comprises information about the consumer that has satisfied the at least one criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the alert message is a text message sent to the merchant.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the alert message is an e-mail message sent to the merchant.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the information further comprises a prediction, based on past consumer transactions, of a type of transaction that will be engaged in by the consumer.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the information further comprises an indication that the consumer should not be allowed to engage in any transactions with the merchant.

12. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to implement the method of claim 1.

13. A server computer comprising the processor, and the computer readable medium of claim 12 coupled to the processor.

14. A method comprising:

selecting, by a merchant, at least one condition, that, when satisfied by a consumer, will cause an alert message to be sent to the merchant; and

receiving an alert message, on a merchant'"'"'s communication device, when the at least one condition is satisfied.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one condition comprises the physical presence of the consumer in a location specified by the merchant.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the alert message is one of a text message or an e-mail message sent to the merchant'"'"'s communication device.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the alert message comprises a prediction, based on past consumer transactions, of a type of transaction that will be engaged in by the consumer.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the alert message comprises an indication that the consumer should not be allowed to engage in any transactions with the merchant.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one condition comprises the presence of the consumer on a website operated by the merchant.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising detecting the presence of a portable consumer device associated with the consumer in the location specified by the merchant, and communicating the presence of the portable consumer device to a server computer associated with a payment processing network.