Systems and methods for crediting missed location-based electronic check-ins in a social network

• US 8,554,670 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Blank, Bennett R., Lieberman, Jonathan A., Char, Ronald J., Moezzi, Saied
• Primary Examiner(s): Holly, John H
• Application Number:
  US12/819,070
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/39, 705/14.49, 705/42, 705/14.16, 705/319, 705/26.1, 705/35, 709/224, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Identifying missed electronic check-ins and crediting missed check-ins to members of a social network by utilizing transaction data from an intermediate computer other than a computer of the social network. Missed check-ins are identified using transaction data resulting from an activity of the member at a check-in location, e.g., when the member purchased an item from a merchant at a check-in location or made a call from the location. Transaction data is sent from a computer that stores the data to the social network computer that manages check-ins. Transaction location is compared with check-in locations to determine whether the member should receive credit for the missed check-in, which may count towards rewards or benefits of the social network even though the member is not currently at the check-in location since the missed check-in is validated by a trusted source of transaction data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

a first computer of a social network receiving electronic transaction data of a completed transaction resulting from a prior purchase of an item made by a member of the social network from a merchant when the member visited a location of the merchant, wherein the member did not electronically check in at the merchant location with a mobile communication device when the member was at the merchant location, the first computer receiving the electronic transaction data through a first network from a second computer storing respective electronic transaction data of respective purchases of respective items by respective members of the social network from respective merchants;

determining the merchant location from the received electronic transaction data with at least one of the first and second computers;

comparing the determined merchant location and a check-in location of the social network with at least one of the first and second computers; and

identifying the missed electronic check-in based at least in part upon the comparison with at least one of the first and second computers.

2. The method of claim 1, the electronic transaction data comprising the merchant location.

3. The method of claim 2, the second computer comprising a personal finance program that collects respective electronic transaction data of respective completed transactions from a plurality of accounts of the member through respective networks.

4. The method of claim 3, the plurality of accounts comprising at least one account selected from the group consisting of a savings account, a checking account, a money market account, and a credit card account.

5. The method of claim 3, the personal finance program retrieving electronic transaction data from an on-line bank account or an on-line credit card transaction summary.

6. The method of claim 1, the electronic transaction data comprising electronic receipt data.

7. The method of claim 6, the electronic receipt data further comprising a merchant identifier, a transaction date, a transaction amount, an item identifier, and an identification of a form of payment tendered by the member to purchase the item from the merchant.

8. The method of claim 6, the second computer comprising a receipt collection program and being in communication with respective payment devices of respective merchants through respective networks, the receipt collection program being executed to receive respective electronic receipt data for respective prior purchases of respective items made by respective members of the social network and store collected electronic receipt data respective missed electronic check-ins being identified based at least in part upon comparisons involving respective merchant location data of the respective electronic receipt data stored in the database.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to credit the member with the missed electronic check-in; and

crediting the member with the missed check-in when the determined merchant location matches the check-in location of the social network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the missed electronic check-in is automatically credited to the member.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising notifying the member of the credit for the missed electronic check-in.

12. The method of claim 11, notifying the member of the credit comprising sending an electronic message from the first computer of the social network to the mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first computer of the social network notifies the member of the missed check-in.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second computer of the social network notifies the member of the missed check-in.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the member utilizes the mobile communication device or a third computer in communication with the second computing apparatus through a second network to retrieve electronic transaction data stored at the second computing apparatus, the first computer receiving the retrieved electronic transaction data from the mobile communication device or from the third computer through respective networks.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer determines the merchant location, compares the determined merchant location and check-in locations of the social network, and identifies the missed electronic check-in.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computer determines the merchant location, compares the determined merchant location and check-in locations of the social network, and identifies the missed electronic check-in.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic transaction data is transmitted from the second computer to the first computer in response to a request by the member accessing the second computer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic transaction data is transmitted from the second computer to the first computer in response to a request by the first computer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic transaction data is periodically compared with check-in data of the social network to identify potential check-ins that the member may have missed.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising granting a mayorship, accolade or honor to the member based at least in part upon a missed electronic check-in that was subsequently credited to the member after the member left the merchant location.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising granting a reward to the member based at least in part upon the missed electronic check-in that was subsequently credited to the member after the member left the merchant location.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein a program for collecting and storing electronic transaction data executes on the second computer, and the first computer can be accessed through the program.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic transaction data that is sent to the first computer is selected by the member while accessing the second computer.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer receives the electronic transaction data, determines the merchant location, compares the determined merchant location and the check-in location, and identifies the missed check-in without knowledge of the member.

26. The method of claim 1, the missed electronic check-in being identified after the member has left and is no longer at the merchant location.

27. The method of claim 9, the missed electronic check-in being credited after the member has left and is no longer at the merchant location.

28. The method of claim 1, the merchant location comprising a building entered by the member.

29. The method of claim 1, the item comprising a good or service.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the member of the missed electronic check-in.