Point of sale device for online reward point exchange method and system

• US 8,615,428 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
• Inventors: Postrel, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERHORST, MARIA VICTORIA
• Application Number:
  US12/703,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/14.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants'"'"' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant'"'"'s point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user.

Claims

1. A method for executing a purchase transaction for an item comprising a point of sale device performing the steps of:

a) inputting item information associated with an item to be purchased by a user;

b) inputting a user ID associated the user;

c) transmitting the user ID and the item information to an exchange computer via a computer network;

d) receiving from the exchange computer a promotional wallet associated with the user ID, said promotional wallet indicating (i) a plurality of reward accounts associated with the user and a quantity of reward points stored in each of the plurality of reward accounts, and (ii) a proposed reward redemption solution automatically generated by the exchange computer that designates a quantity of reward points from at least one of the plurality of reward accounts proposed by the exchange computer to be redeemed for at least partial payment for the item;

e) displaying to the user the promotional wallet and a first option to accept the proposed reward redemption solution and a second option to modify the proposed reward redemption solution;

f) inputting a redemption selection based on the promotional wallet, said redemption selection comprising an election of the first option to accept the proposed reward redemption solution or an election of the second option to modify the proposed reward redemption solution; and

g) causing a purchase transaction to be executed for the item selected by the user by using the reward points indicated in the redemption selection towards payment for the item.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the point of sale device causes the purchase transaction to be executed by the steps of:

A. the point of sale device transmitting an instruction to the exchange computer to request an issuer computer on which the at least one of the plurality of user reward point accounts indicated in the redemption selection is stored to redeem the reward points indicated by the user by (I) reducing the reward point account by the reward points indicated by the user for redemption and (II) convey consideration to the exchange computer corresponding to the reward points indicated by the user for redemption; and

B. the point of sale device receiving confirmation from the exchange computer that the issuer computer has redeemed the reward points indicated by the user.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the point of sale device causes the purchase transaction to be executed by the steps of:

A. the point of sale device transmitting an instruction to the issuer computer to request an issuer computer on which the at least one of the plurality of user reward point accounts indicated in the redemption selection is stored to redeem the reward points indicated by the user by (I) reducing the reward point account by the reward points indicated by the user for redemption, and (II) convey consideration to a merchant computer associated with the point of sale device corresponding to the reward points indicated by the user for redemption; and

B. the point of sale device receiving confirmation from the merchant computer that the issuer computer has redeemed the reward points indicated by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the redemption selection input to the point of sale device comprises a combination of a first indication of reward points to be redeemed from a first reward point account stored on a first issuer computer and a second indication of reward points to be redeemed from a second user reward point account stored on a second issuer computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inputting item information associated with said item comprises reading a machine-readable indicia associated with the item.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the item information is embedded in and is obtained directly from the machine-readable indicia.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the machine-readable indicia comprises an index that is used by the point of sale device to lookup the item information from an associated database.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of reading a machine-readable indicia associated with the item is performed by scanning a bar code symbol with a bar scanning device associated with the point of sale device.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of reading a machine-readable indicia associated with the item is performed by reading an RFID tag with an RFID reader device associated with the point of sale device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inputting item information associated with said item comprises entering said item information with a manual data entry device associated with the point of sale device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inputting a user ID associated the user comprises reading an encoded token presented by the user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of reading an encoded token presented by the user comprises reading the user ID from an encoded magnetic stripe on the token.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of reading an encoded token presented by the user comprises reading the user ID from an memory chip on the token.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the token is a credit card.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the token is a debit card.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the token is a reward loyalty card.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the token is a smart card.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein the redemption selection comprises an acceptance of the proposed reward redemption solution and the purchase transaction is executed for the item selected by the user using the proposed reward redemption solution.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein the redemption selection comprises a modified reward redemption solution and the purchase transaction is executed for the item selected by the user using the modified reward redemption solution.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing a user profile stored in an associated user profile database that indicates user preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by analyzing prior reward redemptions by the user stored in an associated reward redemption database to ascertain a preferred reward account.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by ascertaining, by reference to a merchant profile database, a preferred redemption partner of a merchant from which the user is making the item purchase.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing an exchange rules profile stored in an exchange rules profile database that indicates exchange preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing an issuer rules profile stored in an issuer rules profile database that indicates issuer preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer before redeeming reward points of issuers other than the primary issuer.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer after redeeming reward points of issuers other than the primary issuer.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer up to a specified amount, after which the points of issuers other than the primary issuer will be redeemed.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a issuers other than a primary issuer up to a specified amount, after which the points of the primary issuer will be redeemed.

69. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of the point of sale device displaying an advertisement associated with the user or the item purchased.

18. A point of sale device comprising:

A) an input device for inputting information from a user;

B) a display;

C) a data connection to a computer network; and

D) a processor programmed to

a) receive via the input device item information associated with an item to be purchased by the user;

b) receive via the input device item a user ID associated with the user;

c) transmit the user ID and the item information to an exchange computer via the data connection;

d) receive from the exchange computer via the data connection a promotional wallet associated with the user ID, said promotional wallet indicating (i) a plurality of reward accounts associated with the user and a quantity of reward points stored in each of the plurality of reward point accounts, and (ii) a proposed reward redemption solution automatically generated by the exchange computer that designates a quantity of reward points from at least one of the plurality of reward accounts proposed by the exchange computer to be redeemed for at least partial payment for the item;

e) display to the user the promotional wallet and a first option to accept the proposed reward redemption solution and a second option to modify the proposed reward redemption solution;

f) receive via the input device a redemption selection based on the promotional wallet, said redemption selection comprising an election of the first option to accept the proposed reward redemption solution or an election of the second option to modify the proposed reward redemption solution; and

g) cause a purchase transaction to be executed for the item selected by the user by using the reward points indicated in the redemption selection towards payment for the item.

19. The point of sale device of claim 18 in which the processor is programmed to cause the purchase transaction to be executed by:

A. transmitting an instruction via the data connection to the exchange computer to request an issuer computer on which the at least one of the plurality of user reward point accounts indicated in the redemption selection is stored to redeem the reward points indicated by the user by (I) reducing the reward point account by the reward points indicated by the user for redemption and (II) convey consideration to the exchange computer corresponding to the reward points indicated by the user for redemption; and

B. receiving confirmation via the data exchange from the exchange computer that the issuer computer has redeemed the reward points indicated by the user.

20. The point of sale device of claim 18 in which the processor is programmed to cause the purchase transaction to be executed by the steps of:

A. transmitting an instruction via the data connection to the issuer computer to request an issuer computer on which the at least one of the plurality of user reward point accounts indicated in the redemption selection is stored to redeem the reward points indicated by the user by (I) reducing the reward point account by the reward points indicated by the user for redemption, and (II) convey consideration to a merchant computer associated with the point of sale device corresponding to the reward points indicated by the user for redemption; and

B. receiving confirmation via the data exchange from the merchant computer that the issuer computer has redeemed the reward points indicated by the user.

21. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the redemption selection input to the point of sale device comprises a combination of a first indication of reward points to be redeemed from a first reward point account stored on a first issuer computer and a second indication of reward points to be redeemed from a second reward point account stored on a second issuer computer.

22. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the input device comprises a bar code reading device.

23. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the input device comprises an RFID reader device.

24. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the input device comprises a manual data entry device.

25. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the input device comprises a magnetic stripe reader.

26. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the input device comprises a smart card reader.

47. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the redemption selection comprises an acceptance of the proposed reward redemption solution and the purchase transaction is executed for the item selected by the user using the proposed reward redemption solution.

48. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the redemption selection comprises a modified reward redemption solution and the purchase transaction is executed for the item selected by the user using the modified reward redemption solution.

49. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing a user profile stored in an associated user profile database that indicates user preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

50. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by analyzing prior reward redemptions by the user stored in an associated reward redemption database to ascertain a preferred reward account.

51. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by ascertaining, by reference to a merchant profile database, a preferred redemption partner of a merchant from which the user is making the item purchase.

52. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing an exchange rules profile stored in an exchange rules profile database that indicates exchange preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

53. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing an issuer rules profile stored in an issuer rules profile database that indicates issuer preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

54. The point of sale device of claim 53 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer before redeeming reward points of issuers other than the primary issuer.

55. The point of sale device of claim 53 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer after redeeming reward points of issuers other than the primary issuer.

56. The point of sale device of claim 53 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer up to a specified amount, after which the points of issuers other than the primary issuer will be redeemed.

57. The point of sale device of claim 53 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a issuers other than a primary issuer up to a specified amount, after which the points of the primary issuer will be redeemed.

70. The point of sale device of claim 18 wherein the processor is further programmed to display an advertisement associated with the user or the item purchased.

27. A reward exchange system comprising:

a) an exchange computer;

b) a merchant computer associated with a merchant and selectively interconnected to the exchange computer via a computer network;

c) a plurality of issuer computers, each of said issuer computers associated with one of a plurality of reward points issuers and selectively interconnected to the exchange computer via a computer network; and

d) a point of sale device operably associated with the merchant computer, said point of sale device comprising;

A) an input device for inputting information from a user;

B) a display;

C) a data connection to the computer network; and

D) a processor programmed to

a) receive via the input device item information associated with an item to be purchased by the user;

b) receive via the input device item a user ID associated with the user;

c) transmit the user ID and the item information to the exchange computer via the data connection;

d) receive from the exchange computer via the data connection a promotional wallet associated with the user ID, said promotional wallet indicating (i) a plurality of reward accounts associated with the user and a quantity of reward points stored in each of the plurality of reward point accounts, and (ii) a proposed reward redemption solution automatically generated by the exchange computer that designates a quantity of reward points from at least one of the plurality of reward accounts proposed by the exchange computer to be redeemed for at least partial payment for the item;

e) display to the user the promotional wallet and a first option to accept the proposed reward redemption solution and a second option to modify the proposed reward redemption solution;

f) receive via the input device a redemption selection based on the promotional wallet, said redemption selection comprising an election of the first option to accept the proposed reward redemption solution or an election of the second option to modify the proposed reward redemption solution; and

g) cause a purchase transaction to be executed for the item selected by the user by using the reward points indicated in the redemption selection towards payment for the item.

28. The reward exchange system of claim 27 in which the processor is programmed to cause the purchase transaction to be executed by:

A. transmitting an instruction via the data connection to the exchange computer to request an issuer computer on which the at least one of the plurality of user reward point accounts indicated in the redemption selection is stored to redeem the reward points indicated by the user by (I) reducing the reward point account by the reward points indicated by the user for redemption, and (II) convey consideration to the exchange computer corresponding to the reward points indicated by the user for redemption; and

B. receiving confirmation via the data exchange from the exchange computer that the issuer computer has redeemed the reward points indicated by the user.

29. The reward exchange system of claim 27 in which the processor is programmed to cause the purchase transaction to be executed by the steps of:

A. transmitting an instruction via the data connection to the issuer computer to request an issuer computer on which the at least one of the plurality of user reward point accounts indicated in the redemption selection is stored to redeem the reward points indicated by the user by (I) reducing the reward point account by the reward points indicated by the user for redemption, and (II) convey consideration to the merchant computer associated with the point of sale device corresponding to the quantity of reward points indicated by the user for execution of the purchase transaction; and

B. receiving confirmation via the data exchange from the merchant computer that the issuer computer has redeemed the reward points indicated by the user.

30. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the redemption selection input to the point of sale device comprises a combination of a first indication of reward points to be redeemed from a first reward point account stored on a first issuer computer and a second indication of reward points to be redeemed from a second reward point account stored on a second issuer computer.

31. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the input device comprises a bar code reading device.

32. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the input device comprises an RFID reader device.

33. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the input device comprises a manual data entry device.

34. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the input device comprises a magnetic stripe reader.

35. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the input device comprises a smart card reader.

58. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the redemption selection comprises an acceptance of the proposed reward redemption solution and the purchase transaction is executed for the item selected by the user using the proposed reward redemption solution.

59. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the redemption selection comprises a modified reward redemption solution and the purchase transaction is executed for the item selected by the user using the modified reward redemption solution.

60. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing a user profile stored in an associated user profile database that indicates user preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

61. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by analyzing prior reward redemptions by the user stored in an associated reward redemption database to ascertain a preferred reward account.

62. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by ascertaining, by reference to a merchant profile database, a preferred redemption partner of a merchant from which the user is making the item purchase.

63. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing an exchange rules profile stored in an exchange rules profile database that indicates exchange preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

64. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the proposed reward redemption solution is generated by referencing an issuer rules profile stored in an issuer rules profile database that indicates issuer preferences as to which of a plurality of reward accounts is desired to be used for reward redemption.

65. The reward exchange system of claim 64 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer before redeeming reward points of issuers other than the primary issuer.

66. The reward exchange system of claim 64 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer after redeeming reward points of issuers other than the primary issuer.

67. The reward exchange system of claim 64 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a primary issuer up to a specified amount, after which the points of issuers other than the primary issuer will be redeemed.

68. The reward exchange system of claim 64 wherein the issuer preferences comprise a preference to redeem the reward points of a issuers other than a primary issuer up to a specified amount, after which the points of the primary issuer will be redeemed.

71. The reward exchange system of claim 27 wherein the processor of the point of sale device is further programmed to display an advertisement associated with the user or the item purchased.