SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INTERNATIONAL COUPON-LESS DISCOUNTS

• US 20120303430A1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Tiku, Sripriya, Wolf, David, Tully, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

The systems and methods of the disclosure allow user from various countries to take advantage of offers when they are traveling internationally. Once the purchase associated with the offer is made, the transaction information may be processed by the system, such that, the credit and debit associated with the purchase are transmitted to the transaction account and the merchant. The transaction information may be further processed to determine whether the particular transaction is eligible for a reward. Where the transaction is eligible for a reward, the credit and debit associated with reward are transmitted to the transaction account and the sponsoring entity. The reward may be provided in any suitable currency or in various currencies based on the parameters governing the reward offer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer based system for managing a reward program, transaction information comprising transaction account information and merchant information;

parsing, by the computer based system, the transaction information into a merchant portion and a transaction account portion;

transmitting, by the computer based system, a purchase credit to a merchant associated with the merchant information based on the merchant portion;

analyzing, by the computer based system and in response to the purchase credit, the merchant portion against a plurality of offers to determine an identified offer, wherein a transaction associated with transaction information corresponds to the identified offer; and

transmitting, by the computer based system, first reward instructions associated with the transaction account to a global clearing and settlement module and second reward instructions associated with a sponsoring entity to at least one of a merchant account processing module and an administrative account processing module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reward instructions comprise a reward amount provided to a transaction account and the second reward instructions comprise a reward cost associated with a sponsoring entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sponsoring entity is at least one of a transaction account issuer, the merchant, a product manufacturer, a merchant acquirer, and an affiliate.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the computer based system, a sponsoring entity based on the identified offer, wherein the sponsoring entity is at least one of a transaction account issuer, a product manufacturer, a merchant acquirer, and an affiliate.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the computer based system, the reward instructions to global a clearing and settlement module and the administrative account processing module in response to the sponsoring entity being at least one of a transaction account issuer, a product manufacturer, a merchant acquirer, and an affiliate; and

transmitting, by the computer based system, the reward instructions to global a clearing and settlement module and the merchant account processing module in response to the sponsoring entity being the merchant.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising,

transmitting, by the computer based system, a credit associated with a reward amount to the transaction account, wherein the reward amount is associated with a transaction identifier on a statement associated with the transaction account, and wherein the transaction identifier corresponds to the transaction;

and

transmitting, by the computer based system, a debit associated with a reward cost to a merchant account.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, analyzing, by the computer based system, the transaction information to determine the geographic region of the merchant associated with the transaction information, wherein the geographic region is at least one of United States and international.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the debit is transmitted through a first account payable module in response to the geographic region being the United States, and wherein the debit is transmitted through a second account payable module in response to the geographic region being the international.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising,

transmitting, by the computer based system, a credit associated with a reward amount to the transaction account, wherein the reward amount is associated with a transaction identifier on a statement associated with the transaction account, and wherein the transaction identifier corresponds to the transaction;

and

transmitting, by the computer based system, a debit associated with a reward cost to a responsibility center associated with a sponsoring entity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer based system is operated by the transaction account issuer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer based system is operating by a third party.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction information is a record of charge.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a reward amount is provided in a first currency and a reward cost is provided in the first currency.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reward amount is reported to a transaction account owner in a second currency.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a first currency is defined as a parameter associated with the selected offer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a reward amount is provided in a first currency and a reward cost is provided in a second currency.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first currency determined based on a country associated with the transaction account and the second currency is determined based on a country associated with a sponsoring entity.

18. The method of claim 1, receiving, by the computer based system, a selection of an offer currency and an associated offer threshold from a plurality of currencies by the sponsoring entity, wherein the offer threshold is defined in the offer currency.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a computer based system for managing a reward program, cause the computer based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer based system, transaction information comprising transaction account information and merchant information;

parsing, by the computer based system, the transaction information into a merchant portion and a transaction account portion;

transmitting, by the computer based system, a purchase credit to a merchant associated with the merchant information based on the merchant portion;

analyzing, by the computer based system and in response to the purchase credit, the merchant portion against a plurality of offers to determine an identified offer, wherein a transaction associated with transaction information corresponds to the identified offer; and

transmitting, by the computer based system, first reward instructions associated with the transaction account to a global clearing and settlement module and second reward instructions associated with a sponsoring entity to at least one of a merchant account processing module and an administrative account processing module.

20. A computer based system comprising:

a network interface communicating with a non-transitory memory;

the non-transitory memory communicating with a processor for managing a reward program; and

the processor, when executing a computer program, perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the processor, transaction information comprising transaction account information and merchant information;

parsing, by the processor, the transaction information into a merchant portion and a transaction account portion;

transmitting, by the processor, a purchase credit to a merchant associated with the merchant information based on the merchant portion;

analyzing, by the processor and in response to the purchase credit, the merchant portion against a plurality of offers to determine an identified offer, wherein a transaction associated with transaction information corresponds to the identified offer; and

transmitting, by the processor, first reward instructions associated with the transaction account to a global clearing and settlement module and second reward instructions associated with a sponsoring entity to at least one of a merchant account processing module and an administrative account processing module.