System and method for the real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts

• US 8,050,968 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Voltmer, Theodore S., Antonucci, Donna
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US12/270,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.28, 705/14.3, 705/14.38
• US Class Current: 705/14.28
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/6562 Manganese
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/8913 Cobalt and noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0205 in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0226 Oxidation of the substrate, e.g. anodisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0227 Frequent usage incentive value reconciliation between diverse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0228 On-line clearing houses
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 : constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 : Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 : at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 : Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 : Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

The invention includes facilitating the substantially real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts. The method and system include receiving a transfer request (e.g., consumer request, triggering event, etc) for a transfer of a certain number of loyalty points, accessing and analyzing the total number of loyalty points in the transferor account to determine if a sufficient number of points exist, analyzing the type/level of consumer and type/level of points to be involved in the transfer, deducting the requested loyalty points from the transferor account, determining if any rules exist for restricting or limiting the transfer of points, using a conversion engine to convert the point value to an appropriate point value in the transferee account and increasing the point balance in the transferee account.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

transforming, by a host computer for creating loyalty points, a consumer identifier, a purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a retailer item identifier, into a first set of loyalty points;

transforming, by a said host computer, said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier, into a second set of loyalty points;

transforming, by said host computer, said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to a Service Establishment (SE) number, into a third set of loyalty points;

combining, by a said host computer, said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points within a first loyalty account associated with said consumer identifier; and

enabling, by said host computer, use of said first loyalty account to facilitate obtaining an item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said facilitating obtaining said item comprises using at least a portion of said first loyalty point balance to at least one of purchase, rent, or lease said item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said facilitating obtaining said item comprises using at least a portion of said first loyalty point balance along with at least one of a monetary amount or loyalty points from another account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request, at said host computer, to define a trigger event, wherein said trigger event causes an automatic transfer of at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting, at said host computer, a trigger event for transforming, wherein said trigger event is at least one of:

a date, a balance of said first loyalty account, market conditions, or revenue changes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a first consumer type, a first consumer level, and a first consumer class associated with said consumer identifier, into at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring, at said host computer, at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account, based upon a first consumer type, a first consumer level, and a first consumer class associated with said consumer identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a point type, a point level, and a point class associated with said consumer identifier, into at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a first point type, a first point level, and a first point class to a second point type, a second point level, and a second point class.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a portion of said first loyalty point balance from a first point value to a second point value in response to said first loyalty account and said second loyalty account having different valuations.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to enable use of said first loyalty account from at least one a consumer associated with said consumer identifier, a retailer associated with said retailer identifier, a manufacturer associated with said manufacturer item identifier, or a third party.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account in response to at least one of a date, an event, a non-event, a balance of said first loyalty account, market conditions, revenue changes, or said first loyalty account remaining inactive.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving and processing, at said host computer, a purchase transaction, wherein said purchase transaction includes said consumer identifier, said retailer item identifier, and said purchase price.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving, at said host computer, said manufacturer item identifier corresponding to said retail item identifier.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising deducting, as a transaction fee, a balance associated with said first loyalty account.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying at least one a consumer associated with said consumer identifier, a retailer associated with said retailer identifier, a manufacturer associated with said manufacturer item identifier, or a third party regarding at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points within said first loyalty account.

19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a host computer for creating loyalty points, cause said host computer to perform operations comprising:

transforming, by said host computer, a consumer identifier, a purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a retailer item identifier, into a first set of loyalty points;

transforming, by said host computer, said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier, into a second set of loyalty points;

transforming, by said host computer, said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to a Service Establishment (SE) number, into a third set of loyalty points;

combining, by said host computer, said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points within a first loyalty account associated with said consumer identifier; and

enabling, by said host computer, use of said first loyalty account to facilitate obtaining an item.

20. A system comprising:

a processor for creating loyalty points,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with said processor,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by said processor, cause said processor to perform operations comprising;

transforming, by said processor, a consumer identifier, a purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a retailer item identifier, into a first set of loyalty points;

transforming, by said processor, said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier, into a second set of loyalty points;

transforming, by said processor, said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to a Service Establishment (SE) number, into a third set of loyalty points;

combining, by said processor, said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points within a first loyalty account associated with said consumer identifier; and

enabling, by said processor, use of said first loyalty account to facilitate obtaining an item.