Method and system for providing a distributed adaptive rules based dynamic pricing system

• US 8,244,648 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Loc, Hammad, Ayman, Gauthier, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Akiba
• Application Number:
  US13/185,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20120016756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 705/400, 705/14.65, 705/14.38, 705/16, 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system for providing distributed control to process transactions is disclosed. The system includes a service provider system having associated therewith a number of rules and a number of meta-rules, a point of service device having associated therewith a number of rules and a number of meta-rules, and a portable device having associated therewith a number of rules and a number of meta-rules. The portable device uses its associated rules to determine an outcome for a transaction. If the portable device is unable to determine the outcome for the transaction, the portable device uses its associated meta-rules to either determine whether one or more of its associated rules can be altered locally in order to determine the outcome or request the point of service device to help determine the outcome using the rules and meta-rules associated with the point of service device. If the point of service device is unable to determine the outcome using its associated rules, the point of service device uses its associated meta-rules to either determine whether one or more of its associated rules can be altered locally in order to determine the outcome or request the service provider system to help determine the outcome using the rules and meta-rules associated with the service provider system.

Claims

1. A method associated with a point of service device and a portable device, the method comprising:

interacting with the portable device in a transaction, wherein the point of service device is associated with a plurality of rules and plurality of meta-rules; and

determining, by the point of service device, if the rules can be altered locally to determine an outcome for the transaction, and if the rules cannot be altered locally, then requesting a service provider system to help determine the outcome for the transaction, wherein the portable device and the point of service device are further configured so that when the portable device and the point of service are unable to determine the outcome for the purchase transaction, the point of service device uses its plurality of meta-rules to either determine whether one or more of the plurality of rules in either the portable device or the point of service can be altered locally in order to determine the outcome or request a service provider system to help determine the outcome using the plurality of rules and the plurality of meta-rules in the service provider system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device is associated with a plurality of rules and a plurality of meta-rules.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an administrative request, from the service provider system, wherein the administrative request includes an update to the plurality of rules and an update to plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device, and a time to perform the update.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of service device uses historical transaction information to alter locally the plurality of rules and plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring, by the point of service device, environmental information, including time, temperature, weather, or geographical location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the point of service device uses the environmental information to update the plurality of rules and plurality of meta-rules associate with the point of service device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting information from the portable device to determine the outcome.

8. A point of service device, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium comprising code executable by the processor to perform a method associated with the point of service device and a portable device, the method comprising;

storing a plurality of rules and a plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device;

interacting with the portable device in a transaction; and

determining if the rules can be altered locally to determine an outcome for the transaction, and if the rules cannot be altered locally, then requesting a service provider system to help determine the outcome for the transaction, wherein the portable device and the point of service device are further configured so that when the portable device and the point of service device are unable to determine the outcome for the purchase transaction, the point of service device uses it plurality of meta-rules to either determine whether one or more of the plurality of rules in either the portable device or the point of service device can be altered locally in order to determine the outcome or request a service provider system to help determine the outcome using the plurality of rules and the plurality of meta-rules in the service provider system.

9. The point of service device of 8, wherein the point of service device is further configured to measure environmental information including the time, temperature, weather, or geographical location.

10. The point of service device of 9, wherein the point of service device is configured to store information, including unique device identification information, transaction event information, and environmental information, and system performance parameters.

11. A method associated with a service provider system and a point of service device, the method comprising:

communicating through a network gateway with the point of service device;

collecting data at the service provider system, from the point of service device, wherein the service provider system is associated with a plurality of rules and a plurality of meta-rules;

receiving a request from the point of service device to help determine an outcome for a transaction; and

determining, by the service provider system, the outcome for the transaction, wherein the point of service device is further configured so that when the service provider system and the point of service device are unable to determine the outcome, a processor in the service provider system uses its plurality of meta-rules to either determine whether one or more of the plurality of rules in either the point of service device or the service provider system can be altered in order to determine the outcome.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the service provider system, an update to the plurality of rules and plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device; and

routing an administrative request to the point of service device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the administrative request includes an update to the plurality of rules and an update to plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device, and a time to perform the update.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the data collected from the point of service device includes system state data and transaction event data.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the service provider system uses historical transaction information to update the plurality of rules and plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the service provider system and the point of service device communicate in real-time.

17. The method of 11, the method further comprising:

defining, at the service provider system, a plurality of rules and a plurality of meta-rules associated with a point of service device; and

distributing and installing, from the service provider system to the point of service device, the plurality of rules and the plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device.

18. A service provider system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium, comprising code executable by the processor to perform a method associated with the service provider system and a point of service device, the method comprising;

storing a plurality of rules and a plurality of meta-rules associated with the service provider system;

communicating through a network gateway with the point of service device, wherein the point of service device is associated with a plurality of rules and a plurality of meta-rules;

collecting data at the service provider system, from the point of service device;

receiving a request from the point of service device to help determine an outcome for a transaction; and

determining, by the service provider system, the outcome for the transaction, wherein the point of service device is further configured so that when the service provider system and the point of service device are unable to determine the outcome, the service provider system uses its plurality of meta-rules to either determine whether one or more of the plurality of rules in either the point of service device or the service provider system can be altered in order to determine the outcome.

19. The system of 18, wherein the service provider system is configured to route an administrative request to the point of service device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the administrative request includes an update to the plurality of rules and an update to the plurality of meta-rules associated with the point of service device, and a time to perform the update.