SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING MERCHANT LOCATION AND AVAILABILITY USING TRANSACTION DATA

• US 20140006097A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: GROARKE, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,934,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method for determining merchant availability is provided. The method includes storing in an electronic storage device a database of merchant transactions; accessing information in the database concerning the transactions, including time of the transactions and locations for merchants participating in the transactions, and assembling the information to provide locations where a merchant is currently available for conducting business. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing instructions of a computer program, which when executed by a computer system, results in performance of steps of the method.

Claims

1. A system for determining merchant availability, comprising:

an electronic storage device having a database of merchant transactions stored therein;

an access path for allowing access to information concerning the transactions, the information including time of the transactions and location for merchants participating in the transactions, and

a processor for assembling the information to provide a person with one or a plurality of locations of merchants that are presently open and available for conducting business.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database has data concerning transactions in a given geographic region.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the database has data relating to payment card transactions, and wherein the data is filtered to remove cardholder information related to the transactions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access path comprises a web site for making the information available to users of said web site.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the access path includes an Internet connected device for connecting to said web site.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said Internet connected device is one selected from the group consisting of a mobile telephone, a computer, a tablet and a personal digital assistant.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said Internet connected device includes at least one of a GPS receiver and a location input screen for specifying location of said Internet connected device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said Internet connected device includes a display screen for displaying information concerning merchant establishments that are currently open for business.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said merchant establishments that are currently open for business are displayed as markers on said map.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein when information in said database indicates that a merchant is no longer open for business, a marker corresponding to the merchant is changed as a warning that the merchant is no longer open.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to process at least one of a credit card, a debit card, and a prepaid payment card transaction.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor assembles the information only within a predetermined period of time of the time of accessing the information concerning the transactions.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the information in the database that is assembled includes only information of merchants that are currently open for business.

12. A method for determining merchant availability comprising:

storing in an electronic storage device a database of merchant transactions;

accessing information in the database concerning the transactions, the information including time and location for transactions by merchants participating in the transactions; and

using a processor to assemble the information to provide a person with one or a plurality of locations of merchants that are presently open and available for conducting business.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the database has information concerning transactions in a given geographic region.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the information in the database concerns payment card transactions, and the method further comprises filtering the information to remove cardholder information related to the transactions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said accessing comprises using a web site for making the information available to users of said web site.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the payment card transactions are performed by using credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards.

16. (canceled)

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said Internet connected device that is used is one selected from the group consisting of a mobile telephone, a computer, a tablet, and a personal digital assistant.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising using, in said Internet connected device, at least one of a GPS receiver and a location input screen, for providing location of said Internet connected device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the information concerning merchant establishments that are currently open for business on a display screen of said Internet connected device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information is displayed on said display screen as a real time map indicating location of merchant establishments that are currently open for business.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said merchant establishments that are currently open for business are displayed as markers on said map.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein when the information in said database indicates that a merchant is no longer open for business, a marker corresponding to said merchant is changed as a warning that the merchant is no longer open.

24. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing instructions of a computer program which when executed by a computer system results in performance of steps of a method for determining merchant availability comprising:

storing in an electronic storage device a database of merchant transactions;

accessing information in the database concerning the transactions, the information including time of the transactions and location for merchants participating in the transactions; and

assembling the information to provide locations a person with one or a plurality of locations of merchants that are presently open and available for conducting business.