System and Method for Tracking Purchases

• US 20130132205A1
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David N. Harris
• Original Assignee: David N. Harris
• Inventors: Harris, David N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,721,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.65
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3221 Access to banking information through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A novel method for obtaining transaction information includes receiving a first transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a first purchaser from a first merchant, storing the data included in the first record, receiving a second transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by the purchaser from a second merchant, storing the data included in the second record, and providing the first purchaser access to the first transaction record and the said second transaction record. The method is performed on a handheld device which is carried by the first purchaser. A point-of-sale system is also disclosed and includes: a processing, a product interface operative to receive product data, memory operative to store a first transaction record, and a transaction record interface operative to output electronic data indicative of the first transaction record.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining transaction information, said system comprising:

a processing unit operative to process data and code;

a transaction record interface operative to

receive a first transaction record, said first transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a first purchaser from a first merchant and

receive a second transaction record, said second transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a second purchaser from a second merchant;

memory operative to store said first transaction record and said second transaction record; and

a purchaser interface operative to provide said first purchaser access to said first transaction record and at least a portion of said second transaction record; and

wherein

said second purchaser remains anonymous to said first purchaser.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said transaction record interface is further operative to receive a third transaction record, said third transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a third purchaser from a third merchant;

said purchaser interface is further operative to provide said first purchaser access to at least a portion of said third transaction record; and

said third purchaser remains anonymous to said first purchaser.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transaction record interface is further operative to:

receive said first transaction record from a first point-of-sale system employed by said first merchant; and

receive said second transaction record from a second point-of-sale system employed by said second merchant.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transaction record interface is further operative to:

receive said first transaction record from said first purchaser; and

receive said second transaction record from said second purchaser.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transaction record interface is further operative to:

receive said first transaction record from a first account provider, said first account provider being a financial institution providing said first purchaser with a first account, said first transaction being funded by said first account; and

receive said second transaction record from a second account provider, said second account provider being a financial institution providing said second purchaser with a second account, said second transaction being funded by said second account.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transaction record interface and said purchaser interface are included in a third-party service provider system, said third-party service provider system being operative to provide services to said first purchaser based on at least one of said first transaction record and said second transaction record.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system hosts web-based services through an interactive website, said web-based services being accessible to said first purchaser through said purchaser interface.

8. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an advertisement source interface operative to receive advertisements provided by an advertisement source;

memory operative to store said advertisements;

memory operative to store information provided by said first purchaser;

an advertisement selection routine operative to select an advertisement based on information provided by said first purchaser through said purchaser interface; and

an advertisement display routine operative to display said selected advertisement to said first purchaser when said first purchaser connects to said website.

9. A system according to claim 8, further comprising:

an advertisement source interface operative to receive advertisements provided by an advertisement source;

a database operative to store said advertisements;

an advertisement selection routine operative to select an advertisement based on at least one of said first transaction record and said second transaction record; and

an advertisement display routine operative to display said selected advertisement to said first purchaser when said first purchaser connects to said website.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said transaction record interface is included in a mobile handheld device.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said portion of said second transaction record accessible by said first purchaser is free of information identifying said second purchaser.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said purchaser interface is further operative to provide said second purchaser access to said second transaction record and at least a portion of said first transaction record; and

said first purchaser remains anonymous to said second purchaser.

13. A method for obtaining transaction information, said method comprising:

receiving a first transaction record, said first transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by a first purchaser from a first merchant;

storing said electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by said first purchaser from said first merchant;

receiving a second transaction record, said second transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by a second purchaser from a second merchant;

storing said electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by said second purchaser from said second merchant; and

providing said first purchaser access to said stored data associated with said first purchaser and to at least some of said stored data associated with said second purchaser; and

wherein

said second purchaser remains anonymous to said first purchaser.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a third transaction record, said third transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by a third purchaser from a third merchant;

storing said electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by said third purchaser from said third merchant;

providing said first purchaser access to at least some of said stored data associated with said third purchaser; and

wherein

said third purchaser remains anonymous to said first purchaser.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein:

said step of receiving said first transaction record includes receiving said first transaction record from a first point-of-sale system employed by said first merchant; and

said step of receiving said second transaction record includes receiving said second transaction record from a second point-of-sale system employed by said second merchant.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein:

said step of receiving said first transaction record includes receiving said first transaction record from said first purchaser; and

said step of receiving said second transaction record includes receiving said second transaction record from said second purchaser.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein:

said step of receiving said first transaction record includes receiving said first transaction record from a first account provider, said first account provider being a financial institution providing said first purchaser with a first account, said first transaction being funded by said first account; and

said step of receiving said second transaction record includes receiving said second transaction record from a second account provider, said second account provider being a financial institution providing said second purchaser with a second account, said second transaction being funded by said second account.

18. A method according to claim 13, further comprising providing a service to said first purchaser based on at least one of said first transaction record and said second transaction record.

19. A method according to claim 18, further including establishing an Internet connection with said first purchaser and providing said service to said first purchaser via said Internet connection.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of advertisements provided by at least one advertisement source;

storing said advertisements;

selecting an advertisement based on at least one of said first transaction record and said second transaction record; and

displaying said selected advertisement to said first purchaser through said Internet connection.

21. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of storing said first transaction record includes storing said first transaction record in a mobile handheld device.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising communicating electronic data indicative of said first transaction record from said mobile handheld device to an external system.

23. A method according to claim 13, wherein said stored data associated with said second purchaser accessible to said first purchaser is free of information identifying said second purchaser.

24. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

providing said second purchaser access to said stored data associated with said second purchaser and to at least some of said stored data associated with said first purchaser; and

wherein

said first purchaser remains anonymous to said second purchaser.

25. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium having code embodied thereon for causing an electronic device to:

receive a first transaction record, said first transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by a first purchaser from a first merchant;

store said electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by said first purchaser from said first merchant;

receive a second transaction record, said second transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by a second purchaser from a second merchant;

store said electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by said second purchaser from said second merchant; and

provide said first purchaser access to said stored data associated with said first purchaser and to at least some of said stored data associated with said second purchaser while maintaining the anonymity of said second purchaser from said first purchaser.

26. A system for obtaining transaction information, said system comprising:

a processing unit operative to process data and code;

a transaction record interface operative to

receive a first transaction record, said first transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a first purchaser from a first merchant and

receive a second transaction record, said second transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a second purchaser from a second merchant;

memory operative to store said first transaction record and said second transaction record; and

means for providing said first purchaser access to said first transaction record and at least a portion of said second transaction record while maintaining the anonymity of said second purchaser from said first purchaser.