Methods and systems for applying rebates to higher education
DCFirst Claim
1. A method comprising:
- a) providing;
i) debit and credit card accounts,ii) at least one higher education account,iii) at least one registered merchant offering rebates ranging from 0.01% to 30%, andiv) a rebate network manager connected to processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, wherein said at least one registered merchant is registered with said rebate network manager and said debit and credit card accounts are registered with said rebate network manager,b) via said rebate network manager, monitoring all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said at least one registered merchant and determining if said transactions are consummated using said debit and credit card accounts registered with said rebate network manager,c) calculating a rebate on each purchase made from said at least one registered merchant using said registered debit and credit card accounts, wherein said calculating step is performed by said rebate network manager utilizing a computer processor configured to calculate said rebate based on an existing formula wherein said rebate ranges from 0.01% to 30% for each transaction, wherein said rebate network manager then debits the account of the merchant, and wherein said computer processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant; and
d) via a computer network, crediting said at least one higher education account with said rebate, wherein said rebate is provided by said at least one registered merchant.
2 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods and systems for funding a college education by accumulating and managing merchant rebates. The present invention also relates to methods and systems for enrolling and registering members in an organization through the organization provision of topical information and materials, useful links to, and information on, Internet and non-Internet based merchants, related to a college education. In particular, the present invention relates to facilitating retail transactions between an organization registered members and selected merchants who offer rebates on the transactions between themselves and the organization members so that the rebates are accumulated and provided for funding a college education.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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a) providing; i) debit and credit card accounts, ii) at least one higher education account, iii) at least one registered merchant offering rebates ranging from 0.01% to 30%, and iv) a rebate network manager connected to processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, wherein said at least one registered merchant is registered with said rebate network manager and said debit and credit card accounts are registered with said rebate network manager, b) via said rebate network manager, monitoring all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said at least one registered merchant and determining if said transactions are consummated using said debit and credit card accounts registered with said rebate network manager, c) calculating a rebate on each purchase made from said at least one registered merchant using said registered debit and credit card accounts, wherein said calculating step is performed by said rebate network manager utilizing a computer processor configured to calculate said rebate based on an existing formula wherein said rebate ranges from 0.01% to 30% for each transaction, wherein said rebate network manager then debits the account of the merchant, and wherein said computer processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant; and d) via a computer network, crediting said at least one higher education account with said rebate, wherein said rebate is provided by said at least one registered merchant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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registered debit and credit card accounts; a network of registered merchants offering rebates to registered members with said registered debit and credit card accounts; a memory device comprising member higher education accounts; a rebate network manager connected to said network of registered merchants via processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, said rebate network manager having a computer processor configured to monitor all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said registered merchants and determine if said transactions are with said registered members using said registered debit and credit card accounts, calculate a rebate of from 0.01% to 30% based on an existing formula for a purchase by said registered member from said registered merchant and to credit said member higher education accounts with proceeds from said rebate, wherein said memory device and said computer processor are connected via a computer network, and wherein said computer processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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a) providing; i) debit and credit card accounts, ii) a network of registered merchants offering rebates ranging from 0.01% to 30%, and iii) a rebate network manager connected to said network of registered merchants via processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, wherein said network of registered merchants and said debit and credit card accounts are registered with said rebate network manager, b) via said rebate network manager, monitoring all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said registered merchants and determining if said transactions are consummated using said debit and credit card accounts registered with said rebate network manager, c) calculating said rebate on said transactions made from said network of registered merchants using said registered debit and credit card accounts, wherein said calculating step is performed by said rebate network manager utilizing a computer processor configured to calculate said rebate, and wherein said computer processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant; and d) crediting an educational account with said rebate via a computer network; e) transferring funds from said educational account to make payments on education loans and/or debt via a computer network.
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19. A processing system for managing rebates associated with registered debit and credit card accounts, comprising:
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a) a computer network; b) a network comprising a plurality of registered merchants offering rebates ranging from 0.01% to 30%, c) a rebate network manager connected to said network of registered merchants via processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, wherein said network of registered merchants and said debit and credit card accounts are registered with said rebate network manager, d) a computer processor configured to calculate said rebate amounts on purchases made from said registered merchants, wherein said rebate network manager monitors all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said registered merchants and determines if the transactions are consummated using said registered debit and credit card accounts, and wherein said processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant; and e) a memory device comprising higher education accounts configured to electronically receive said rebate amounts as a credit via said computer network. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method comprising:
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a) providing; i) debit and credit card accounts, ii) a network of registered merchants, and iii) a rebate network manager connected to said network of registered merchants via processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, wherein said network of registered merchants and said debit and credit card accounts are registered with said rebate network manager, b) calculating a rebate on purchases made from said network of registered merchants using said registered debit and credit card accounts, wherein said rebate network manager connected via said processors to said network of registered merchants electronically monitors all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said registered merchants and determines if said transactions are consummated using said registered debit and credit card accounts and wherein said calculating step is performed by said rebate network manager utilizing a computer processor, and wherein said computer processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant; and c) electronically transferring said rebate amount to a higher education account resident on a computer memory device. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method comprising:
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a) providing; i) registered members having accounts selected from the group consisting of debit card and credit card accounts, ii) a network of registered merchants offering rebates ranging from 0.01% to 30% to said registered members, and iii) a rebate network manager connected to said network of registered merchants via processors that track debit and credit card purchases to provide debit and credit card transaction information, wherein said network of registered merchants and said debit or credit card accounts are registered with said rebate network manager, b) via said rebate network manager, monitoring all of said debit and credit card transaction information from said processors and associated with said registered merchants and determining if said transactions are with a registered member using said registered debit or credit card account registered with said rebate network manager, c) calculating said rebate on said transactions made by said registered members from said network of registered merchants using said registered debit or credit card accounts, wherein said calculating step is performed by said rebate network manager utilizing a computer processor configured to calculate said rebate, and wherein said computer processor is located at a location other than the location of the merchant; and d) crediting an educational account with said rebate via a computer network; and e) transferring funds from said educational account to make payments on existing student loan debt via a computer network or to make payments selected from the group consisting of tuition, fees, room and board, and expenses incidental to obtaining a higher education.
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Specification