Incentive program awarding points per-mile-driven

• US 8,170,911 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pender, Frank R., Gray, Heather Cornwell, Leighton, Douglas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vanderhorst, Victoria
• Application Number:
  US10/844,039
• Time in Patent Office: 2,912 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/56, 705/1, 701/29, 701/24
• US Class Current: 705/14.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to incentive programs awarding loyalty points based at least in part upon the number of miles driven in a motor vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, reward points can be earned by having the vehicle serviced at authorized locations, such as a dealership. At the time of servicing, the authorized location notes the current vehicle odometer reading, and this odometer reading is communicated to an administrator of the loyalty program. The odometer reading in turn serves as the basis for calculating the number of miles driven since the last authorized servicing, and for conversion of this mileage figure into loyalty points to be credited to the owner, lessor, or renter of the vehicle. In this manner, a manufacturer of an automobile or other sponsor of a co-branded payment card can provide incentives for servicing only at manufacturer-authorized locations such as dealerships, thereby enhancing profitability of the dealership and promoting relations between manufacturer and dealer.

Claims

1. A method of providing an incentive to a possessor of a ground vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, from a location authorized by a manufacturer of the ground vehicle and at a computer system operated by a loyalty program administrator, data relating to a number of miles driven in the ground vehicle; and

using the computer system operated by the loyalty program administrator, awarding a reward based upon the number of miles driven in the ground vehicle, wherein the reward comprises one or more points accumulated in a loyalty account, wherein the loyalty account is associated with a payment card, wherein the number of miles driven is recognized by reading an odometer of the vehicle at only the location authorized by the manufacturer of the ground vehicle, wherein the location authorized by the manufacturer of the ground vehicle is a dealership associated with the manufacturer of the ground vehicle, wherein purchases of products and services relating to the manufacturer or the dealership by the possessor using the payment card also results in the accrual of points in the loyalty account, and wherein the loyalty program administrator imposes a limit on the number of miles driven in the ground vehicle that are eligible for the reward between successive visits to the dealership.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment card is selected from the group consisting of a credit card and a debit card.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment card is co-branded with a party other than the manufacturer of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the party is selected from the group consisting of a rental car company, a gasoline company, and a provider of specific services.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the party is the provider of specific services and is a chain of oil changing companies or a chain of exhaust repair stations.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment card is co-branded with the manufacturer of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the odometer is read during servicing of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the ground vehicle is selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a motorcycle, and a recreational vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the possessor is selected from the group consisting of an owner, a lessor, and a renter of the ground vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the odometer reading is sent to the program administrator over a computer network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the odometer reading is recorded and made available for systematic collection into a database.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the database is accessible by the dealership and the manufacturer.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the loyalty program administrator is selected from the group consisting of a payment card issuer, the manufacturer, and the dealership.