SYSTEMS, METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CONDUCTING TRANSACTIONS WITH PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES USING VIRTUAL POINTS
First Claim
1. A method of executing a software application on a portable electronic device with a display device and a user input device, the method comprising:
- determining, via the portable electronic device, a location of the portable electronic device;
displaying, via the display device, a plurality of merchants within a predetermined proximity of the location of the portable electronic device;
displaying, via the display device, a selection corresponding to at least one of the merchants;
displaying, via the display device, a balance of virtual rewards points available for redemption by a user;
displaying, via the display device, an exchange value of the virtual rewards points for making a purchase associated with the selected at least one merchant; and
in response to a purchase request received via the user input device, authorizing deduction of the exchange value from the balance of the virtual rewards points and providing confirmation of the purchase associated with the selected at least one merchant.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, devices and computer program products are disclosed for conducting transactions using a portable electronic device. A method of executing a software application on a portable electronic device includes: determining, via the portable electronic device, a location of the device; displaying, via the portable electronic device'"'"'s display, a plurality of merchants within a predetermined proximity of the device'"'"'s location; receiving, via a user input device, a selection corresponding to at least one of the merchants; displaying, via the display device, a balance of virtual rewards points available for redemption by the user of the device; displaying, via the display device, an exchange value of the virtual rewards points for making a purchase associated with the selected merchant; and, responsive to a purchase request received via the user input device, authorizing deduction of the exchange value from the balance of the virtual rewards points and providing confirmation of the purchase.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of executing a software application on a portable electronic device with a display device and a user input device, the method comprising:
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determining, via the portable electronic device, a location of the portable electronic device; displaying, via the display device, a plurality of merchants within a predetermined proximity of the location of the portable electronic device; displaying, via the display device, a selection corresponding to at least one of the merchants; displaying, via the display device, a balance of virtual rewards points available for redemption by a user; displaying, via the display device, an exchange value of the virtual rewards points for making a purchase associated with the selected at least one merchant; and in response to a purchase request received via the user input device, authorizing deduction of the exchange value from the balance of the virtual rewards points and providing confirmation of the purchase associated with the selected at least one merchant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product for a portable electronic device, the computer program product comprising one or more non-transient computer-readable media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to operate with one or more input devices and one or more display devices to:
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display a plurality of merchants within a predetermined proximity of a predetermined location of the portable electronic device; display a selection corresponding to at least one of the merchants; display a balance of virtual rewards points available for redemption by a user; display an exchange value of the virtual rewards points for making a purchase associated with the selected at least one merchant; and in response to receipt of an indication of a purchase request, authorize a deduction of the exchange value from the balance of the virtual rewards points and provide confirmation of the purchase associated with the selected at least one merchant.
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17. A system for conducting a commercial transaction using a portable electronic device with a display device and a user input device, the system comprising:
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one or more processors communicatively coupled to the portable electronic device; and a dedicated software application on the portable electronic device, the dedicated software application being configured to; in cooperation with the display device, display a plurality of merchants within a predetermined proximity of a determined location of the portable electronic device; receive, from the user input device, an indication of a selection corresponding to at least one of the merchants; receive, from the one or more processors, data indicative of a balance of virtual rewards points available for redemption by a user; in cooperation with the display device, display the balance, one or more purchases that can be acquired with the balance of virtual rewards points, and, for each of the displayed one or more purchases, a corresponding exchange value of the virtual rewards points for making the purchase from the selected at least one merchant; receive, from the user input device, an indication of a purchase request for at least one of the one or more purchases; and in response to the purchase request, send a signal to the one or more processors to deduct the exchange value from the balance of the virtual rewards points and complete the purchase with the selected at least one merchant. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of automatically converting rewards points to a virtual prepaid instrument using a portable electronic device having a display device and a user input device, the method comprising:
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receiving over a wireless network at a portable electronic device a balance of rewards points associated with a user account stored on a points provider server remote from the portable electronic device, the rewards points being non-currency and convertible by a user of the user account to an amount of currency commensurate with the balance of reward points; responsive to receiving the balance of the reward points, receiving from the user input device an indication of a desired amount of currency to exchange for a corresponding number of the rewards points; the portable electronic device communicating over the wireless network the desired amount of currency and a merchant identification directly or through a host server to a stored value prepaid instrument provider server, the merchant identification being associated with a merchant at which a good or a service at a point-of-sale terminal at a physical location of the merchant is offered for purchase or exchange, the prepaid instrument provider server (a) being remote from the points provider server such that an issuer of the rewards points is a distinct entity from an issuer of a virtual prepaid instrument, (b) generating a code associated with the virtual prepaid instrument, and (c) associating with the code at least the desired amount of currency as a stored value associated with the virtual prepaid instrument; displaying on the display device a representation of the code and the stored value associated with the virtual prepaid instrument; in response to the representation of the code being presented at the point-of-sale terminal for purchasing the good or the service for a purchase price, deducting the purchase price from the stored value to produce a modified stored value and displaying the modified stored value on the display device; and the portable electronic device communicating over the wireless network the purchase price or the modified stored value directly or through the host server to the prepaid instrument provider server to cause the prepaid instrument provider server to modify the stored value to the modified stored value. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of automatically exchanging rewards points using a portable electronic device having a display device and a user input device, the method comprising:
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receiving over a wireless network at a portable electronic device a balance of rewards points associated with a user account stored on a points provider server remote from the portable electronic device, the rewards points being non-currency and convertible by a user of the user account to an amount of currency commensurate with the balance of reward points; responsive to receiving the balance of the reward points, receiving from the user input device an indication of a desired amount of currency to exchange for a corresponding number of the rewards points; the portable electronic device communicating to a host server over the wireless network the desired amount of currency and a merchant identification, the merchant identification being associated with a merchant having a point-of-sale terminal at a physical location of the merchant, the host server being remote from the points provider server and operated by an entity different from an entity that operates the points provider server; storing on the host server the desired amount of currency as a stored value; displaying on the display device a representation of the code and the stored value; in response to the representation of the code being presented at the point-of-sale terminal for an item of value, deducting the value of the item from the stored value to produce a modified stored value and displaying the modified stored value on the display device; and the portable electronic device communicating to the host server over the wireless network the modified stored value to cause the host server to modify the stored value to the modified stored value. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification