SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION- AND MERCHANT-DRIVEN SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY MATCHING

• US 20120004964A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Truaxis, Inc. (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Billshrink Inc (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Satyavolu, Ramakrishna, Kothari, Samir, Daredia, Shehzad, Nakshatrala, Bala Krishna, Perumal, Saravana
• Application Number:
  US13/180,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004964A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8011 using class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 : involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 : Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7407 : class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 : Biding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met

Abstract

A system and method for financial institution- and merchant-driven savings opportunity matching includes gathering transaction data from a user'"'"'s financial account, wherein the user'"'"'s financial account is a financial institution account that is maintained on behalf of the user and analyzing the transaction data for a savings opportunity indication. A filter may be applied to a database of savings opportunities prior to matching one to the user based on the savings opportunity indication. The savings opportunity is displayed in association with a statement of a user'"'"'s financial account.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

gathering transaction data from a user'"'"'s financial account, wherein the user'"'"'s financial account is a financial institution account that is maintained on behalf of the user;

analyzing the transaction data for a savings opportunity indication;

applying a filter to a database of savings opportunities;

matching a savings opportunity from the filtered database of savings opportunities to the user based on the savings opportunity indication; and

displaying the savings opportunity in association with a statement of a user'"'"'s financial account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter relates to a host of the user'"'"'s financial account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the filter is a blacklist of at least one of a merchant, a merchant type, a transaction type, a time period, and a savings opportunity type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter relates to a merchant offering a savings opportunity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the filter relates to a past spend with the merchant, a past spend in a category, a past purchase frequency, a transaction, and a change in purchase pattern.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising gathering a past response to a savings opportunity indication and analyzing it, wherein the savings opportunity is based on both the analyzed transaction data and past response data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the statement is at least one of an online statement, an online graphical user interface associated with the user'"'"'s financial account, an online bill pay area, a dialog box associated with the user'"'"'s financial account, an ATM receipt, a teller receipt, a mobile statement, and a paper statement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing comprises extracting at least one of a merchant name, a merchant category, a merchant location, a store number, a transaction amount, a transaction frequency, a zip code, a store category, a transaction description, and a total spending amount.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing comprises analyzing the transaction data for a savings opportunity indication relating to a merchant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing comprises analyzing the transaction data for a savings opportunity indication relating to a market segment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the savings opportunity comprises an offer to perform a bill analysis.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the savings opportunity is a coupon.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the coupon is at least one of a barcode presented on a mobile device, printed coupon presented in a statement, and an online redemption coupon code.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the savings opportunity is an automatic discount on a subsequent transaction.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the savings opportunity is a credit on a subsequent transaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when the user makes the subsequent transaction, the user receives the credit.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the savings opportunity is a pre-paid offer.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the savings opportunity is a merchant loyalty program.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the transaction data comprises analyzing market segment information.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of matching is limited to savings opportunities near a user'"'"'s identified location.