Electronic transaction receipt system and method

• US 8,606,698 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Afterbot Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Afterbot Incorporated
• Inventors: Galanis, Peter, Nadler, James G., Greeno, James D., Hylton, Duane A., Schultz, R. Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Havan, Thu Thao
• Application Number:
  US12/473,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 40
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

In connection with a sales transaction, an electronic receipt is issued to the buyer that includes hyperlinks. A hyperlink can be associated with post-sale interaction with the product seller, the product manufacturer or parties acting on their behalf that involves the product itself, such as a product return procedure, a product warranty procedure, receiving rebate notices and recall notices, product registration procedures and similar functions.

Claims

1. A system for storing transaction receipts associated with a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers, comprising:

a database;

a device for;

receiving from a particular seller of the plurality of sellers a transaction receipt associated with a transaction that has occurred between a particular buyer of the plurality of buyers and the particular seller;

storing the transaction receipt in the database as one of a plurality of transaction receipts between the plurality of buyers and the plurality of sellers;

receiving a request from a requester to transmit a selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts; and

transmitting the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sellers comprises a point of sale terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sellers comprises a server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device transmits the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester without identifying the identity of the associated buyer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device transmits the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester, along with a hyperlink associated with an inducement for a secondary purchase that may be initiated by the requester.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device transmits the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester, along with a hyperlink that may be activated by the requester to authorize the return of a product to a seller associated with the selected transaction receipt.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device transmits the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester, along with a hyperlink that may be activated by the requester to obtain warranty service for a product associated with the selected transaction receipt.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device transmits the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester, along with a hyperlink that may be activated by the requester to obtain a rebate for a product associated with the selected transaction receipt.

9. A system for storing transaction receipts including product information associated with a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers, comprising:

a database;

a device for;

receiving from a particular seller of the plurality of sellers a transaction receipt associated with a transaction that has occurred between a particular buyer of the plurality of buyers and the particular seller;

receiving from the particular seller product information associated with the transaction;

storing the transaction receipt and the associated product information as a record in the database associated with the particular seller and the particular buyer, wherein the record comprises one of a plurality of records between the plurality of sellers and the plurality of buyers;

receiving a request from a requester to transmit a selected one of the plurality of records; and

transmitting the selected one of the plurality of records to the requester.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the product information comprises a serial number.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the product information comprises a product code.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the requester is the particular seller.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the requester is the particular buyer.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of sellers comprises a point of sale terminal.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of sellers comprises a server.

16. A method for storing transaction receipts associated with a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers in a database, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a particular seller of the plurality of sellers a transaction receipt associated with a transaction that has occurred between a particular buyer of the plurality of buyers and the particular seller;

storing the transaction receipt in the database as one of a plurality of transaction receipts between the plurality of buyers and the plurality of sellers;

receiving a request from a requester to transmit a selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts; and

transmitting the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts is transmitted to the requester without identifying the identity of the associated buyer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts is transmitted to the requester along with a hyperlink associated with an inducement for a secondary purchase that may be initiated by the requester.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts is transmitted to the requester along with a hyperlink that may be activated by the requester to authorize the return of a product to a seller associated with the selected transaction receipt.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts is transmitted to the requester along with a hyperlink that may be activated by the requester to obtain warranty service for a product associated with the selected transaction receipt.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts is transmitted to the requester along with a hyperlink that may be activated by the requester to obtain a rebate for a product associated with the selected transaction receipt.

22. A method for storing transaction receipts, including product information associated with a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers, in a database, comprising:

receiving from a particular seller of the plurality of sellers a transaction receipt associated with a transaction that has occurred between a particular buyer of the plurality of buyers and the particular seller;

receiving from the particular seller product information associated with the transaction;

storing the transaction receipt and the associated product information as a record in the database associated with the particular seller and the particular buyer, wherein the record comprises one of a plurality of records between the plurality of sellers and the plurality of buyers;

receiving a request from a requester to transmit a selected one of the plurality of records; and

transmitting the selected one of the plurality of records to the requester.

23. A computer-readable memory adapted for storing transaction receipts associated with a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers in a database, the computer-readable memory used to direct a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving from a particular seller of the plurality of sellers a transaction receipt associated with a transaction that has occurred between a particular buyer of the plurality of buyers and the particular seller;

storing the transaction receipt in the database as one of a plurality of transaction receipts between the plurality of buyers and the plurality of sellers;

receiving a request from a requester to transmit a selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts; and

transmitting the selected one of the plurality of transaction receipts to the requester.