ELECTRONIC RECEIPT MANAGER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20120290609A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Britt, Juliene P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,646,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

The ELECTRONIC RECEIPT MANAGER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“ERM”) transforms transaction initiation requests and receipt requests via ERM components into receipt formatting, organization, storage and linkage with transactions. The ERM may be configured to receive a receipt through an interface of a portable device and determine a set of fields for formatting data from the receipt. The ERM may format the data from the receipt to include the set of fields and store the formatted data in a memory element of the portable device.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method for managing a receipt on a portable device, comprising:

receiving a receipt through an interface of a portable device;

determining, via a processor, a set of fields for formatting receipt data from the receipt;

formatting the receipt data to include the set of fields yielding formatted receipt data; and

storing the formatted receipt data in a memory element of the portable device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of fields are determined based on at least one of display size and capacity of the memory element of the portable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of fields are determined based on user preferences.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface of the portable device for receiving the receipt includes an e-mail interface and an image capture interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of fields includes a return eligibility indicator that indicates whether one or more products associated with the receipt is eligible for return.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a unique receipt identifier; and

storing the unique receipt identifier in the memory element of the portable device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receipt is for a transaction conducted on an account issued by an issuer, the method further comprising:

sending a copy of the receipt along with the receipt identifier to the issuer of the account.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

obtaining the formatted receipt data stored in the memory element of the portable device; and

displaying the formatted receipt data in a display interface of the portable device, wherein the formatted receipt data includes a field for an icon or a link through which the receipt is accessible.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a copy of the receipt via a communication network to a cloud storage system, wherein the cloud storage system generates a unique receipt identifier and transmits the unique receipt identifier to the portable device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the receipt is for a transaction conducted on an account issued by an issuer, and wherein the cloud storage system sends the unique receipt identifier and at least a portion of the receipt data to the issuer of the account.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the unique receipt identifier is linked to a corresponding transaction on the account at the issuer such that the receipt for the transaction is accessible to a user from a user interface for management of the account maintained by the issuer.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one search parameter from a user; and

creating a receipt search request including the selection of at least one search parameter.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the receipt search request to the cloud storage system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving results of the receipt search request from the cloud storage system; and

formatting the results to display receipt data fields selected according to user preference selection.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to display a new receipt data field that is available from receipt data but is not selected according to the user preference selection;

obtaining the new receipt data field values in response to the request; and

reformatting the results to display the new receipt data field.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the portable device is offline; and

executing a query on the memory element of the portable device, said query being based on the selection of at least one search parameter, to identify a matching receipt; and

displaying the matching receipt to the user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one search parameter is selected from a group consisting of transaction date, merchant, purchase category, payment card and receipt identifier.

18. A portable device comprising:

an interface for receiving an electronic receipt;

a processor; and

a memory element coupled to the processor, the memory element including code, executable by the processor, to;

determine a set of fields for formatting receipt data from the receipt;

format the receipt data from the receipt to include the set of fields to obtain formatted receipt data; and

store the formatted receipt data in a memory element of the portable device.

19. A portable device, comprising:

an antenna;

an interface coupled to the antenna for receiving an electronic receipt;

a processor; and

a memory element coupled to the processor, the memory element including code, executable by the processor, to;

extract receipt data from the electronic receipt; and

obtain an electronic receipt display setting stored in the memory;

format the receipt data from the electronic receipt in accordance with the electronic receipt display setting to obtain formatted receipt data;

a receipt identifier generation engine configured to;

generate a unique receipt identifier for the electronic receipt; and

a display interface configured to;

display the receipt identifier along with the formatted receipt data from the electronic receipt.

20. A processor-readable tangible medium storing processor-issuable instructions to:

receive a receipt through an interface of a portable device;

determine a set of fields for formatting receipt data from the receipt;

format the receipt data from the receipt to include the set of fields to obtain formatted receipt data; and

store the formatted receipt data in a memory element of the portable device.

21. An electronic receipt manager system, comprising:

a portable device having an input interface configured to receive an electronic receipt corresponding to a transaction;

a cloud storage system coupled to a receipt database; and

an issuer of an account on which the transaction is conducted;

wherein said portable device is configured to transmit the electronic receipt to the cloud storage system;

wherein the cloud storage system is configured to;

receive the electronic receipt from the portable device;

generate a receipt identifier for the received electronic receipt;

store the electronic receipt in association with the receipt identifier in the receipt database;

transmit the receipt identifier to the portable device; and

transmit the receipt identifier along with at least one transaction identifying information to the issuer; and

wherein the issuer is configured to;

receive the receipt identifier and the at least one transaction identifying information from the cloud storage system;

identify at least one transaction corresponding to the at least one transaction identifying information;

link the receipt identifier to the at least one transaction; and

provide a user of the account access to the electronic receipt stored in the receipt database in the cloud storage system via the receipt identifier.

22. A processor-implemented electronic receipt management method implemented at a cloud storage system, comprising:

receiving an electronic receipt from a portable device;

generating, via a processor, a receipt identifier for the electronic receipt;

storing the electronic receipt in association with the receipt identifier in a receipt database;

transmitting the receipt identifier to the portable device; and

transmitting the receipt identifier along with at least one transaction identifying information to an issuer associated with a transaction corresponding to the electronic receipt.

23. A processor-implemented electronic receipt management method implemented at an issuer that issued an account on which a transaction corresponding to an electronic receipt is conducted, comprising:

receiving a receipt identifier and at least one transaction identifying information;

identifying, via a processor, at least one transaction corresponding to the at least one transaction identifying information;

linking the receipt identifier to the at least one transaction; and

providing a user of the account access to the electronic receipt stored in a receipt database via the receipt identifier.