Reward system and method for cash replacement system

• US 7,735,727 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monaco Fund Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Monaco Fund Incorporated
• Inventors: Duroux, Christian, Sagaspe, Patrick Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze; Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US11/425,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/379, 235/487, 235/378, 235/375, 705/14, 705/402
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A reward system and method for cash replacement cards wherein a card is issue by a bank or other financial institution to a cardholder. Such a card may be a credit or debit card and provides for a reward, not available to the general public, to the cardholder, based on his or her usage, in the form of a commodity that has a known history of increasing in value over time, such as diamonds.

Claims

1. A method for rewarding a cardholder holding a cash replacement card based on usage of the card over a period of time comprising the step of:

issuing said cardholder a cash replacement card maintained in user account in the name of the user maintained by a financial institution;

recording transactions when said card is used by said user at said financial institution;

awarding the cardholder an interest in a commodity not available to the general public based on usage of the card wherein said commodity has a known history of increasing in value over time; and

recording said interest in said user account maintained by said financial institution.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of awarding the cardholder an interest in a commodity includes the step of awarding the cardholder an interest in a diamond having a value of at least about 10% over the average price per carat of a diamond based on the RAPAPORT DIAMOND REPORT (RAPAPORT) charts of reference for diamonds.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of awarding the cardholder an interest in a diamond includes the step of awarding the cardholder an interest in a diamond having a color between about D to H as determined by the International Color Scale relating to diamonds.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of awarding said cardholder an interest in a diamond includes the step of awarding said cardholder in an interest in a diamond having a clarity of between about 1F to VS2 as determined by the International Clarity Scale relating to diamonds.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of awarding said cardholder with an interest in a diamond having a clarity includes the step of awarding said cardholder with a diamond having a clarity between about 1F to VVS.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of awarding said cardholder an interest in a diamond includes the step of awarding said cardholder in a diamond having a round brilliant cut.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of awarding said cardholder an interest in a brilliant cut diamond includes the step of awarding said cardholder in a brilliant cut diamond having between 57 and 58 facets.

8. The method of claim 2 including the step of issuing a periodic statement to the cardholder associated with said card stipulating the number of diamonds accumulated by weight per 1/100 carat and value per carat.

9. The method of claim 8 including the step of providing to the cardholder the option of claiming diamonds accumulated or maintaining them as an investment in an account when a predetermined weight in diamonds is reached.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of awarding the cardholder an interest in a commodity includes the step of awarding the cardholder an interest in a diamond.

11. A system for rewarding a cardholder holding a cash replacement card based on usage of the card over a period of time comprising:

cardholder user account means maintained in a financial institution relating to said user;

card issuing means in said user account at said institution for issuing a cash replacement card to the cardholder;

reward program means associated with said card for awarding the cardholder an interest in a commodity associated with said card not available to the general public based on usage of the card whereon said commodity has a known history of increasing in value over time; and

reward program recording means associated with said user account at said financial institution for recording said cardholder'"'"'s interest in said commodity.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the award program means includes diamond interest means for awarding the cardholder with an interest in a diamond having a value of at least about 10% over the average price per carat of a diamond based on the RAPAPORT DIAMOND REPORT (RAPAPORT) charts of reference for diamonds.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said award program means includes diamond interest means for providing the cardholder with an interest in a diamond.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said diamond interest means includes means for providing an interest in a diamond having a color between about D to H as determined by the International Color Scale relating to diamonds.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said diamond interest means includes means for providing interest in a diamond having a clarity of between about 1F to VS2 as determined by the International Clarity Scale relating to diamonds.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said diamond interest means includes means for providing an interest in a diamond having a clarity between about 1F to VVS.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said diamond interest means includes means for providing an interest in a diamond having a round brilliant cut.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said diamond interest means includes means for providing an interest in a brilliant cut diamond having between 57 and 58 facets.

19. The system of claim 12 including periodic statement issuing means to the cardholder associated with said card a statement stipulating the number of diamonds accumulated by weight per 1/100 carat and value per carat during a predetermined period.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said statement issuing means provides to the cardholder the option of claiming diamonds accumulated or maintaining them as an investment in an account when a predetermined weight in diamonds is reached.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the statement issuing means provides to the cardholder the option of claiming the diamonds or maintaining them in an account when a weight of ½

carat is reached.

22. A system for rewarding a saver or investor who has deposited funds in a savings or investment account based on the amount of money in said account, comprising:

an account recording means in a financial institution maintained by said financial institution for the benefit of said saver or investor;

issuing an account card to said saver or investor associated with said account maintained by said financial institution;

reward program means associated with said account card for awarding the cardholder an interest in a commodity associated with said card not available to the general public based on the amount of money in said account whereon said commodity has a known history of increasing in value over time; and

a reward program recording means maintained by said financial institution for recording interest in commodities obtained by said saver or investor.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the award program means includes diamond interest means for awarding the saver or investor with an interest in a diamond.