METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS AND MANAGING VEHICLE COSTS

• US 20140180854A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bryant, Dexter Edward II
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for performing an electronic transaction using a payment computer coupled to a database is provided. The transaction includes an item purchased in association with a vehicle and initiated by a cardholder with a merchant. The method includes receiving, at the payment computer, an authorization request message from the merchant, the authorization request message including first transaction data, wherein the first transaction data includes a vehicle identifier for identifying the vehicle; transmitting an authorization response message from the payment computer to the merchant; storing, within the database, other transaction data associated with other purchased items for the vehicle, wherein the first transaction data and the other transaction data define a total transaction data associated with the vehicle; and tracking, by the vehicle identifier, the total transaction data for access by the cardholder.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing an electronic transaction using a payment computer coupled to a database, the transaction including an item purchased in association with a vehicle and initiated by a cardholder with a merchant, said method comprising:

receiving, at the payment computer, an authorization request message from the merchant, the authorization request message including a first transaction data, wherein the first transaction data includes a vehicle identifier for identifying the vehicle, an account data associated with the cardholder, and a purchase data associated with a first purchased item;

transmitting an authorization response message from the payment computer to the merchant, the authorization response message including an approval of the electronic transaction by an issuer bank;

storing, within the database, the first transaction data including the vehicle identifier;

storing, within the database, other transaction data associated with other purchased items for the vehicle, wherein the first transaction data and the other transaction data define a total transaction data associated with the vehicle; and

tracking, by the vehicle identifier, the total transaction data for access by the cardholder.

2. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the payment computer comprises an interchange computer associated with an interchange network.

3. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the payment computer comprises a third party payment module computer.

4. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a vehicle computer associated with the vehicle and configured to transact with the payment computer.

5. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising transmitting, from the vehicle computer, a call report to the payment computer.

6. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising transmitting, from the payment computer, the total transaction data to the vehicle computer.

7. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising receiving, at the vehicle computer, the total transaction data from the payment computer.

8. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising transmitting, from the vehicle computer, the vehicle identifier to the payment computer.

9. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising transmitting, from the vehicle computer, the purchase data to the payment computer.

10. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising transmitting, from the vehicle computer, a selected type of fuel to the payment computer.

11. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising receiving, at the payment computer, a type of fuel selected by the vehicle computer.

12. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising transmitting, from the vehicle computer, a selected volume amount of fuel to the payment computer.

13. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising receiving, at the payment computer, a volume amount of fuel selected by the vehicle computer.

14. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising transmitting, from a point of sale device, the first transaction data.

15. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising aggregating, by the payment computer, a monetary value of the total transaction data over a period of time.

16. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising analyzing, by the payment computer, consumption of the total transaction data over a period of time.

17. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising analyzing, by the payment computer, consumption of the total transaction data over an amount of distance traveled by the vehicle.

18. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the purchase data comprises at least one of a financial transaction, a product transaction and a service transaction associated with the vehicle.

19. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the financial transaction comprises at least one of a vehicle loan payment and a vehicle insurance payment.

20. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the product transaction comprises a vehicle related expense.

21. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the service transaction comprises a satellite service payment.

22. A computer device coupled to a vehicle for performing an electronic transaction, using a payment computer coupled to a database, the transaction being initiated by the cardholder with a merchant, said vehicle computer device programmed to:

access an offer data from the merchant;

transmit a purchase data associated with a purchase item of the offer data from the vehicle computer to the merchant;

transmit a transaction data comprising a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle, an account data associated with the cardholder and the purchase data to the payment computer for storage thereon; and

access, by the vehicle identifier, the stored transaction data from the payment computer.

23. The computer device in accordance with claim 22, further programmed to transmit a call report to the payment computer.

24. The computer device in accordance with claim 22, further programmed to receive, from the payment computer, a report message associated with the stored transaction data.

25. The computer device in accordance with claim 22, further programmed to transmit an instruction for selecting a type of fuel to the merchant.

26. The computer device in accordance with claim 22, further programmed to transmit an instruction for selecting a volume amount of volume of fuel to the merchant.

27. The computer device in accordance with claim 22, further programmed to transmit at least one of a selected type of fuel and a selected volume amount of fuel to the payment computer.

28. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for processing an electronic transaction using a payment computer coupled to a database, the electronic transaction including an item purchased in association with a vehicle and initiated by a cardholder with a merchant, wherein the payment computer includes a memory device and a processor, wherein when executed by said processor, said computer-executable instructions cause said processor to:

receive an authorization request message from the merchant, the authorization request message including a first transaction data, wherein the first transaction data includes a vehicle identifier for identifying the vehicle, an account data associated with the cardholder, and a purchase data associated with a first purchased item;

transmit an authorization response message including an approval of the electronic transaction by an issuer bank;

store, within the database, the first transaction data including the vehicle identifier;

store, within the database, other transaction data associated with other purchased items for the vehicle, wherein the first transaction data and the other transaction data define a total transaction data associated with the vehicle; and

track, by the vehicle identifier, the total transaction data for access by the cardholder.

29. A system for performing an electronic transaction including an item purchased in association with a vehicle and initiated by a cardholder with a merchant, said system comprising:

an payment computer configured to;

receive an authorization request message from the merchant, the authorization request message including a first transaction data, wherein the first transaction data includes a vehicle identifier for identifying the vehicle, an account data associated with the cardholder, and purchase data associated with a first purchased item;

transmit an authorization response message including an approval of the electronic transaction by an issuer bank;

store, within the database, the first transaction data including the vehicle identifier;

store, within the database, other transaction data associated with other purchased items for the vehicle, wherein the first transaction data and the other transaction data define a total transaction data associated with the vehicle; and

track, by the vehicle identifier, the total transaction data for access by the cardholder; and

a vehicle computer configured to;

transmit a call report to the payment computer; and

receive, from the payment computer, a report message associated with the total transaction data.

30. The system in accordance with claim 29, wherein the purchase data comprises at least one of a financial transaction, a product transaction and a service transaction associated with the vehicle.