System for electronic barter, trading and redeeming points accumulated in frequent use reward programs
First Claim
1. A method of operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program comprising the steps of:
- a) establishing a reward point account directly with each of a plurality of reward points issuing entities, wherein each of said reward point accounts is stored on a reward server associated with the reward point issuing entity, and wherein each of said reward point accounts tracks points earned by the user for transactions between the user and the associated reward points issuing entity, and wherein each of the reward points issuing entities enables the user to selectively redeem points from the reward point account associated with the user for an item selected by the user, b) earning reward points from each of the plurality of reward points issuing entities, each of said reward points issuing entities tracking the user'"'"'s earned reward points in the user'"'"'s reward point account stored on the rewards server associated with the reward points issuing entity, c) selectively designating at least some of said earned reward points from one or more of said user'"'"'s reward point accounts for exchange into a reward exchange account on a host computing device selectively interoperative with each of the plurality of reward servers via a computing network, d) accumulating the designated earned reward points from said reward point accounts into the reward exchange account associated with the user, and e) redeeming accumulated points from the user'"'"'s reward exchange account for use as consideration in a transaction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user'"'"'s earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a rewards server (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). A trading server accumulates some or all of the user'"'"'s earned reward points from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method of operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program comprising the steps of:
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a) establishing a reward point account directly with each of a plurality of reward points issuing entities, wherein each of said reward point accounts is stored on a reward server associated with the reward point issuing entity, and wherein each of said reward point accounts tracks points earned by the user for transactions between the user and the associated reward points issuing entity, and wherein each of the reward points issuing entities enables the user to selectively redeem points from the reward point account associated with the user for an item selected by the user, b) earning reward points from each of the plurality of reward points issuing entities, each of said reward points issuing entities tracking the user'"'"'s earned reward points in the user'"'"'s reward point account stored on the rewards server associated with the reward points issuing entity, c) selectively designating at least some of said earned reward points from one or more of said user'"'"'s reward point accounts for exchange into a reward exchange account on a host computing device selectively interoperative with each of the plurality of reward servers via a computing network, d) accumulating the designated earned reward points from said reward point accounts into the reward exchange account associated with the user, and e) redeeming accumulated points from the user'"'"'s reward exchange account for use as consideration in a transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A reward points accumulation and redemption system comprising:
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a. a plurality of reward servers, i. wherein each of said reward servers is associated with a reward points issuing entity, and ii. wherein each of said reward servers comprises data storage means for storing a plurality of reward point accounts, iii. wherein each of said reward point accounts is associated with a user and is configured to;
1. track reward points earned by the associated user for transactions between the associated user and the associated reward point issuing entity; and
2. enable the user to selectively redeem reward points from the reward point account associated with the user for an item selected by the user; and
b. a host computing device selectively interoperative with each of the plurality of reward servers via a computer network, i. wherein the host computing device comprises data storage means for storing a plurality of reward exchange accounts, each of said reward exchange accounts associated with a user;
ii. wherein the host computing device is configured to enable designation of at least some reward points from one or more of reward point accounts associated with the user for exchange into the reward exchange account associated with the user;
iii. wherein the host computing device further comprises;
1. means for accumulating the reward points designated from each of said reward point accounts associated with the user into the reward exchange account associated with the user, and 2. means for allowing interaction with the host computing device to redeem accumulated reward points from the reward exchange account associated with the user for use as consideration in a transaction. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program comprising the steps of:
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a) establishing a reward point account directly with each of a plurality of reward points issuing entities, wherein each of said reward point accounts is stored on a reward server associated with the reward point issuing entity, and wherein each of said reward point accounts tracks points earned by the user for transactions between the user and the associated reward points issuing entity, and wherein each of the reward points issuing entities enables the user to selectively redeem points from the reward point account associated with the user for an item selected by the user, b) earning reward points from each of the plurality of reward points issuing entities, each of said reward points issuing entities tracking the user'"'"'s earned reward points in the user'"'"'s reward point account stored on the rewards server associated with the reward points issuing entity, c) selecting an item for purchase from a merchant with a combination of earned reward points obtained from a plurality of different reward point accounts stored on different rewards servers d) designating at least some of said earned reward points from each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s reward point accounts for redemption for said item selected for purchase, and e) combining the user'"'"'s designated earned reward points from each of said designated reward point accounts for redemption for said item selected for purchase. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A reward points accumulation and redemption system comprising:
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a. a plurality of reward servers, i. wherein each of said reward servers is associated with a reward points issuing entity, and ii. wherein each of said reward servers comprises data storage means for storing a plurality of reward point accounts, iii. wherein each of said reward point accounts is associated with a user and is configured to;
1. track reward points earned by the associated user for transactions between the associated user and the associated reward point issuing entity; and
2. enable the user to selectively redeem reward points from the reward point account associated with the user for an item selected by the user; and
iv. wherein each of said reward point accounts is linked to a card associated with the user; and
b. apparatus adapted to allow a merchant to execute a purchase transaction with a user, wherein the user selects an item for purchase from a merchant with a combination of earned reward points obtained from a plurality of different reward point accounts stored on different rewards servers, and wherein the user designates at least some of said earned reward points from each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s reward point accounts for redemption for said item selected for purchase, and wherein a user designates at least some of said reward points from each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s reward point accounts for redemption for said item selected for purchase;
wherein the apparatus further comprises means for combining the user'"'"'s designated reward points from each of said designated reward point accounts for redemption for said item selected for purchase. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification