System and method for networked loyalty program

• US 8,458,026 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ariff, Fauziah B., Voltmer, Theodore S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US13/273,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 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

A system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level is disclosed. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. The association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

calculating, by a computer-based system, a first set of reward points based at least on a consumer ID and a retailer identifier corresponding to a purchased item;

calculating, by the computer-based system, a second set of reward points based at least on the consumer ID and a manufacturer identifier corresponding to the purchased item; and

associating, by the computer-based system, the first set of reward points and the second set of reward points with a loyalty account associated with the consumer ID.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deducting, by the computer-based system, the first set of reward points from a first account associated with a retailer associated with the retailer identifier; and

deducting, by the computer-based system, the second set of reward points from a second account associated with a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a first set of criteria from a retailer associated with the retailer identifier for calculating the first set of reward points and receiving a second set of criteria from a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier for calculating the second set of reward points.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second set of criteria comprises a defined quantity of points per item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a database of accounts, wherein each of the accounts includes a balance of reward points associated with a retailer associated with the retailer identifier and a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of reward points are granted by a retailer associated with the retailer identifier and the second set of reward points are granted by a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer-based system is configured to associate reward points from a plurality of retailers and a plurality of manufacturers with the loyalty account.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising redeeming the reward points for a consumer based on a request from the consumer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein redeeming the reward points for a consumer further comprises redeeming the reward points through a universal rewards catalog.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating additional reward points based on associating the consumer ID, the product description, and a retailer ID.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising informing a consumer of the rewards points via a wireless device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising informing a consumer of the rewards points in real-time at a point-of-sale device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the retailer identifier is a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) number.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the loyalty account is associated with a consumer having a stored consumer profile including purchase data regarding the purchased item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the stored consumer profile is based at least in part on retailer identifiers and manufacturer identifiers corresponding to purchased items.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturer identifier is a Universal Product Code (UPC) number.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the retailer identifier is a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) number and the manufacturer identifier is a Universal Product Code (UPC) number.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering an award in exchange for the reward points, wherein the offer is provided by a party other than a retailer associated with the retailer identifier and a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.

19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

calculating a first set of reward points based at least on a consumer ID and a retailer identifier corresponding to a purchased item;

calculating a second set of reward points based at least on the consumer ID, and a manufacturer identifier corresponding to the purchased item; and

associating the first set of reward points and the second set of reward points with a loyalty account associated with the consumer ID.

20. A system comprising:

a processor,

a memory configured to communicate with the processor, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

calculating a first set of reward points based on a consumer ID and a retailer identifier corresponding to a purchased item;

calculating a second set of reward points based on the consumer ID and a manufacturer identifier corresponding to the purchased item; and

associating the first set of reward points and the second set of reward points with a loyalty account associated with the consumer ID.