Transaction information mining

• US 7,823,772 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Vawter, Jamison
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US11/463,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 235379-382, 235/487, 235/492, 705/14, 705/14.1, 705/14.38, 705/17
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A managed service may include first logic to provide authentication information to a device on behalf of a mobile terminal to identify the mobile terminal for a near field transaction with the device, and receive transaction information from the device, where the transaction information is produced by the device on behalf of the mobile terminal. The first logic may further receive user information via the mobile terminal, the user information identifying characteristics of a user of the mobile terminal. The managed service may include second logic to produce a result that comprises information mined from the transaction information or user information, where the result identifies characteristics of the transaction or the user.

Claims

1. A managed service, comprising:

first logic to;

provide, via a first network, authentication information to a device on behalf of a mobile terminal to identify the mobile terminal for a near field transaction with the device,

receive, via the first network and based on the authentication information, transaction information associated with the near field transaction sent from the device, where the transaction information is produced by the device on behalf of the mobile terminal and contains a particular amount of detail with respect to the near field transaction that corresponds to a selected reward level, of a plurality of reward levels, of a data mining rewards program in which a user of the mobile terminal is enrolled, and

receive, via a second network, user information via the mobile terminal, the user information identifying characteristics of the user of the mobile terminal in the particular amount of detail corresponding to the selected reward level; and

second logic to;

produce a result that comprises information mined from at least one of the transaction information or the user information, where the result identifies characteristics of at least one of the transaction or the user.

2. The managed service of claim 1, wherein the first logic is to:

send an identifier to the mobile terminal used to establish an identity to the device.

3. The managed service of claim 1, wherein the first logic is to:

provide a seed to the mobile terminal, the seed to generate identifying information used by the device with the authentication information to identify the mobile terminal.

4. The managed service of claim 1, wherein the second logic is to:

store transaction information on behalf of the mobile terminal or the device.

5. The managed service of claim 1, wherein the first logic is to:

provide information to the mobile terminal via a wireless network.

6. The managed service of claim 1, wherein the first logic is to:

send a reward to the mobile terminal, where the reward is sent in response to receiving the transaction information.

7. The managed service of claim 1, further comprising:

third logic to;

send the result to a receiving device where the receiving device makes a determination with respect to at least one of the mobile terminal, the user, another mobile terminal, or another user based on the result.

8. The managed service of claim 7, wherein at least one of the mobile terminal, the device, or the receiving device subscribe to the managed service.

9. The managed service of claim 7, wherein the first logic, the second logic, and the third logic are operated by a communication provider.

10. A device, comprising:

first logic to;

exchange transaction item information with a handheld device, via a near field communication link, to generate completed transaction information;

second logic to;

selectively remove portions of the completed transaction information based on a particular reward level, of a plurality of reward levels, of a data mining rewards program in which a user of the handheld device is enrolled, to produce modified completed transaction information, and

exchange the modified completed transaction information with a destination device via a network, the destination device running a data mining application to process at least a portion of the modified completed transaction information ; and

processing logic to;

process authentication information that identifies the handheld device,

process an authorization related to the handheld device to validate the identity of the handheld device, the authorization based on the authentication information,

process transaction items on behalf of the handheld device, and

present the transaction item information to the handheld device, where the transaction item information is displayed on the handheld device during the transaction to substantially mirror transaction item information displayed on the device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing logic is configured to:

process a token, a personal identification number, a watermark, a name, an address, a phone number, a serial number, or code received from the handheld device as part of the authentication information.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the first logic is configured to:

initiate the exchange with the handheld device by sending a radio frequency identification (RFID) query to the handheld device over the near field communication link.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the second logic is configured to:

exchange authentication information, authorization information, transaction information, completed transaction information, or other information with an enterprise or the destination device.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the authorization is provided to the device via a managed service related to the destination device.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving an authentication request from a transaction device on behalf of a mobile device;

providing an authorization to the transaction device to facilitate a near field transaction between the mobile device and the transaction device over a near field link;

receiving transaction information from the transaction device via a network, where the transaction information includes a particular amount of content related to the near field transaction that corresponds to a selected reward level, of a plurality of reward levels, of a data mining rewards program in which a user of the mobile device is enrolled;

producing a mining result based on the transaction information, where the mining result identifies characteristics of the mobile device with respect to the transaction or other transactions; and

sending the mining result to a destination device via the network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending identifying information to the mobile device via a far field wireless link, where the identifying information is related to the authentication request.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the transaction information on behalf of the transaction device, the mobile device, or another device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the producing further comprises:

running a data mining application against the transaction information to produce the mining result.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving user information from the mobile device via a wireless network link; and

wherein the producing further comprises;

processing the transaction information with the user information to produce the mining result.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the sending further comprises:

sending the mining result to the destination as part of a managed service.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying a reward for the mobile device based on the transaction information, user information, or other information; and

sending the reward to the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing near field or far field wireless communication services to the mobile device as a managed service.

23. A server, comprising:

a first module to;

provide communication services to a portable device,

register the portable device for a selected reward level, of a plurality of reward levels, in a rewards program,

receive user information, corresponding to the selected reward level, from the portable device when the portable device is registered, and

provide an identifier to the portable device to establish an identity of the portable device to a register during a near field communication session;

a second module to;

receive an authentication request on behalf of the register, where the authentication request is related to the identity of the portable device,

send an authorization to the register when the identity of the portable device is valid, where the authorization indicates that the identifier matches information in the authentication request,

receive transaction information from the register, where the transaction information corresponds to the selected reward level and identifies items purchased on behalf of the portable device, and

send a reward to the portable device, where the reward corresponds to the selected reward level and is related to the transaction information or the user information; and

a third module to;

process the transaction information and the user information to produce a data mining result that identifies characteristics of the transaction, the portable device, a user of the portable device, or the register,

identify the reward based on the transaction information, the user information, other information, or the data mining result,

receive a request for the data mining result from a subscriber,

send the data mining result to the subscriber in response to the request, and

bill the subscriber for the data mining result or for services related to the data mining result.