Loyalty reward program for reducing the balance of a loan obligation
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating repayment of a loan obligation via a global computer network, said method comprising the steps of(A) a first party establishing a site on the global computer network;
- (B) recognizing via the global computer network, a first web server, and a first web page at least certain second-party users of said site by requiring said certain second-party users to provide via said first web page initial registration information to become recognized second-party users, wherein each of said recognized second-party users is different from said first party and wherein said recognized second-party users include a first recognized second-party user and a second recognized second-party user, and requiring said first recognized second-party user to provide additional registration information;
(C) directing via the global computer network, a second web server, and a second web page said recognized second-party users to predetermined third-party merchants;
(D) enabling via the global computer network, a third web server, and a third web page accumulation of loyalty points by said recognized second-party users based upon purchases from said predetermined third-party merchants;
(E) monitoring via the global computer network said purchases by said recognized second-party users from said predetermined third-party merchants;
(F) tracking via the global computer network said accumulated loyalty points;
(G) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a fourth web server, and a fourth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points to repay the loan obligation; and
(H) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a fifth web server, and a fifth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem accumulated loyalty points by transferring loyalty points to said second recognized second-party user.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing the balance of a consumer or educational loan obligation using a loyalty reward program is disclosed. Loan obligors can reduce the balances of their loan obligations by purchasing consumer goods and services that they would normally purchase. The method essentially comprises the steps of (a) establishing a site on a global computer network; (b) recognizing at least certain users of the site; (c) directing the recognized users to merchants; (d) enabling accumulation of loyalty points by the recognized users based upon purchases from the merchants; (e) monitoring the purchases by the recognized users from the merchants; (f) tracking the accumulated loyalty points; and (g) permitting selective redemption of the accumulated loyalty points. Users of the site are recognized by requiring them to provide initial registration information. Accumulated loyalty points may be categorized with a status of “pending” or a status of “earned.” Selective redemption of the accumulated loyalty points includes selective application of earned loyalty points to a loan of a recognized user to permit repayment of the loan, or selective transfer of earned loyalty points from one recognized user to another recognized user. Information about accumulated, redeemed, and transferred loyalty points may be displaying to a recognized user.
27 Citations
89 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating repayment of a loan obligation via a global computer network, said method comprising the steps of
(A) a first party establishing a site on the global computer network; -
(B) recognizing via the global computer network, a first web server, and a first web page at least certain second-party users of said site by requiring said certain second-party users to provide via said first web page initial registration information to become recognized second-party users, wherein each of said recognized second-party users is different from said first party and wherein said recognized second-party users include a first recognized second-party user and a second recognized second-party user, and requiring said first recognized second-party user to provide additional registration information; (C) directing via the global computer network, a second web server, and a second web page said recognized second-party users to predetermined third-party merchants; (D) enabling via the global computer network, a third web server, and a third web page accumulation of loyalty points by said recognized second-party users based upon purchases from said predetermined third-party merchants; (E) monitoring via the global computer network said purchases by said recognized second-party users from said predetermined third-party merchants; (F) tracking via the global computer network said accumulated loyalty points; (G) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a fourth web server, and a fourth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points to repay the loan obligation; and (H) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a fifth web server, and a fifth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem accumulated loyalty points by transferring loyalty points to said second recognized second-party user. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 27, 85)
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2-22. -22. (canceled)
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26. (canceled)
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28-45. -45. (canceled)
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46. A method of facilitating repayment of a loan obligation via a global computer network, said method comprising the steps of
(A) a first party establishing a site on the global computer network; -
(B) recognizing via the global computer network, a first web server, and a first web page at least certain second-party users of said site by requiring said certain second-party users to provide via said first web page initial registration information, wherein said recognized second-party users include a first recognized second-party user and a second recognized second-party user, and wherein said first recognized second-party user and said second recognized second-party user are different from said first party; (C) requiring via the global computer network, a second web server, and a second web page said first recognized second-party user to provide additional registration information; (D) directing via the global computer network, a third web server, and a third web page said recognized second-party users to third-party merchants; (E) enabling via the global computer network, a fourth web server, and a fourth web page accumulation of loyalty points by said recognized second-party users based upon purchases from said third-party merchants; (F) monitoring via the global computer network said purchases by said recognized second-party users from said third-party merchants; (G) tracking via the global computer network said accumulated loyalty points; (H) categorizing via a first application server a first number of said accumulated loyalty points with a first status of “
pending,” and
categorizing via a second application server a second number of said accumulated loyalty points with a second status of “
earned,”
wherein said first number and said second number together sum to a total number of said accumulated loyalty points;(I) displaying via the global computer network, a fifth web server, and a fifth web page said first number, said second number, and said total number of said accumulated loyalty points; and (J) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a sixth web server, and a sixth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points by applying said selectively redeemed loyalty points to an outstanding balance of a loan obligation of said first recognized second-party user, said first party thereby permitting repayment of said loan obligation using said redeemed loyalty points. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 86, 87)
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47. (canceled)
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55. (canceled)
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58. A method of facilitating repayment of a loan obligation via a global computer network, said method comprising the steps of
(A) a first party establishing a site on the global computer network; -
(B) recognizing via the global computer network, a first web server, and a first web page at least certain second-party users of said site by requiring said certain second-party users to provide via said first web page initial registration information, wherein said recognized second-party users include a first recognized second-party user and a second recognized second-party user, and wherein said first recognized second-party user and said second recognized second-party user are different from said first party; (C) requiring via the global computer network, a second web server, and a second web page said first recognized second-party user to provide additional registration information; (D) directing via the global computer network, a third web server, and a third web page said recognized second-party users to predetermined third-party merchants; (E) enabling via the global computer network, a fourth web server, and a fourth web page accumulation of loyalty points by said recognized second-party users based upon purchases from said predetermined third-party merchants; (F) monitoring via the global computer network said purchases by said recognized second-party users from said predetermined third-party merchants; (G) tracking via the global computer network said accumulated loyalty points; (H) categorizing via a first application server a first number of said accumulated loyalty points of said first recognized second-party user with a first status of “
pending,” and
categorizing via a second application server a second number of said accumulated loyalty points of said first recognized second-party user with a second status of “
earned”
;(I) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a fifth web server, and a fifth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points having said second status in a first redemption amount no greater than said second number of said accumulated loyalty points, wherein said first recognized second-party user selectively redeems said accumulated loyalty points in one of the following two ways; (1) by authorizing via the global computer network said first party to apply said selectively redeemed loyalty points to an outstanding balance of a loan obligation of said first recognized second-party user to permit repayment of said loan obligation using said applied loyalty points; and (2) by authorizing via the global computer network said first party to transfer said selectively redeemed loyalty points to said second recognized second-party user; and (J) displaying via the global computer network, a sixth web server, and a sixth web page loyalty points information to said first recognized second-party user, wherein said displayed information includes said first number, said second number, and said first redemption amount. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 88, 89)
(2) a transaction date; (3) a purchase amount; (4) a rate at which loyalty points were accumulated; (5) a total number of loyalty points accumulated; and (6) a status of said loyalty points accumulated.
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60. The method of claim 58, wherein said step (J) further comprises displaying via the global computer network, a sixth web server, and a sixth web page said first redemption amount with a status of “
- applied.”
- applied.”
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61. The method of claim 58, wherein said step (J) further comprises displaying via the global computer network, a sixth web server, and a sixth web page said first redemption amount with a status of “
- transferred.”
- transferred.”
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62. The method of claim 58, wherein said first recognized second-party user must apply at least a minimum number of said accumulated loyalty points, and may transfer any number of said accumulated loyalty points.
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63. The method of claim 58, further comprising the steps of
(K) requiring said second recognized second-party user to provide additional registration information; -
(L) categorizing a third number of said accumulated loyalty points of said second recognized second-party user with said second status of “
earned”
;(M) permitting said second recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points having said second status in a second redemption amount no greater than said third number, wherein said second recognized second-party user selectively redeems said accumulated loyalty points by transferring said selectively redeemed loyalty points to said first recognized second-party user; and wherein said step (J) further comprises displaying said second redemption amount with a status of “
transfer.”
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88. The method of claim 58, wherein said first web server, said second web server, said third web server, said fourth web server, said fifth web server, and said sixth web server comprise a single web server.
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89. The method of claim 58, wherein said first application server and said second application server comprise a single application server.
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64-82. -82. (canceled)
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83. A method of facilitating repayment of a loan obligation via a global computer network, said method comprising the steps of
(A) a first party establishing a site on the global computer network; -
(B) recognizing via the global computer network, a first web server, and a first web page at least certain second-party users of said site by requiring said certain second-party users to provide via said first web page initial registration information, wherein said recognized second-party users include a first recognized second-party user and a second recognized second-party user, and wherein said first recognized second-party user and said second recognized second-party user are different from said first party; (C) requiring via the global computer network, a second web server, and a second web page said first recognized second-party user to provide additional registration information; (D) directing via the global computer network, a third web server, and a third web page said recognized second-party users to third-party merchants; (E) enabling via the global computer network, a fourth web server, and a fourth web page accumulation of loyalty points by said recognized second-party users based upon purchases from said third-party merchants; (F) monitoring via the global computer network said purchases by said recognized second-party users from said third-party merchants; (G) tracking via the global computer network said accumulated loyalty points; (H) displaying via the global computer network, a fifth web server, and a fifth web page information about said accumulated loyalty points to said first recognized second-party user; (I) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a sixth web server, and a sixth web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points by applying said selectively redeemed loyalty points to an outstanding balance of a loan obligation of said first recognized second-party user, said first party thereby permitting repayment of said loan obligation using said redeemed loyalty points; and (J) said first party permitting via the global computer network, a seventh web server, and a seventh web page said first recognized second-party user to selectively redeem said accumulated loyalty points by transferring said selectively redeemed loyalty points to said second recognized second-party user. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 84)
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Specification