System, method, and database for processing transactions

• US 8,700,458 B2
• Filed: 09/22/1997
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Deaton, David W., Wood, Robert Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US08/935,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 6,049 Days
• Field of Search: 705/44, 705/14, 705/16, 705/18, 705/14.1, 705/14.25, 705/14.33, 705/14.38, 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 705/14.33
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A check verification system and method that (a) uses a customer'"'"'s check ID as a unique identification code, (b) stores customer information in a local customer database for that store. Each customer is assigned one of three check verification statuses: POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, and CAUTION. The CAUTION status is assigned to first time customers, and the customer is automatically converted to a POSITIVE status if the customer'"'"'s initial check(s) clears—those customers who achieve a POSITIVE status, but stop frequenting the store can be reset to the CAUTION status. In addition, a CALL MANAGER conditional check verification response may be returned for those customers with a POSITIVE status but who attempt a check transaction that meets certain predetermined transactional criteria (such as check frequency or dollar amount). A multiple-store architecture can be used in which each store has a local customer database, and in which global customer information is communicated between the stores as preselected intervals.

Claims

1. A system for accumulating customer transaction data at the point-of-sale in a retail establishment and for effectuating customer promotion on the basis thereof, comprising:

a terminal for entering unique customer identification codes from customer identification presented at the point-of-sale in a retail transaction;

means for allowing entry of customer transaction data;

a processor and

a memory responsive to said terminal and said means allowing entry for creating a database for a plurality of the store'"'"'s customers'"'"' transaction data from prior shopping visits, such that data regarding individual customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with said individual customer'"'"'s unique identification code; and

circuitry responsive to said processor, memory, and database for generating a customer information response signal at the point-of-sale during said individual customer'"'"'s transaction in said retail establishment upon detection of a unique identification code of said individual customer,

said signal being related to said individual customer'"'"'s transaction data in shopping visits prior to the current shopping visit, and

said signal providing information at said point-of-sale terminal derived from said database and useful for effectuating targeted customer promotion.

2. A system according to claim 1,

wherein said circuitry generates said customer information response signal as a function of analysis by said circuitry of said individual customer'"'"'s transaction data following said detection of said unique identification code of said individual customer.

3. A system for accumulating and using customer transaction data at the point-of-sale in a retail establishment comprising:

apparatus for entering unique customer identification codes from customer identification presented at the point-of-sale in said retail establishment;

a terminal for entering customer transaction data at the point-of-sale in said retail establishment;

a processor and

a memory responsive to said apparatus and said terminal for creating a database for a plurality of the store'"'"'s customers'"'"' transaction data from prior shopping visits, such that data regarding individual customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with said individual customer'"'"'s unique identification code; and

circuitry associated with said memory and responsive to the entry of said individual customer'"'"'s identification code during a transaction at the point-of-sale, said circuitry being operable to generate a customer information response signal at the point-of-sale representative of said individual customer'"'"'s transaction history prior to the current shopping visit,

said signal providing information at said point-of-sale terminal derived from said database and useful for effectuating targeted customer promotion.

4. A system according to claim 3,

wherein said circuitry generates said customer information response signal as a function of analysis by said circuitry of said individual customer'"'"'s transaction data following said entry of said individual customer'"'"'s identification code.

5. A method for accumulating and using customer transaction data at the point-of-sale in a retail establishment comprising the steps of:

entering unique customer identification codes from customer identification presented at the point-of-sale in a retail transaction;

entering customer transaction data;

creating a database for a plurality of the store'"'"'s customers'"'"' transaction data from prior shopping visits, such that data regarding individual customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with said individual customer'"'"'s unique identification code; and

generating a customer information response at the point-of-sale during said individual customer'"'"'s transaction in said retail establishment upon detection of a unique identification code of said individual customer,

said response signal being related to said individual customer'"'"'s transaction data in shopping visits prior to the current shopping visit, and

said response providing information at said point-of-sale derived from said database and useful for effectuating targeted customer promotion.

6. A method according to claim 5,

wherein said generating step includes the step of generating said customer information response as a function of analysis of said individual customer'"'"'s transaction data following said detection of said unique identification code of said individual customer.

7. A method for accumulating and using customer transaction data at the point-of-sale in a retail establishment comprising the steps of:

entering unique customer identification codes from customer identification presented at the point-of-sale in a retail establishment;

entering customer transaction data at the point-of-sale in said retail establishment;

creating a database for a plurality of the store'"'"'s customers'"'"' transaction data from prior shopping visits, such that data regarding individual customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with said individual customer'"'"'s unique identification code;

accessing said database in response to the entry of said individual customer'"'"'s identification code during a transaction at the point-of-sale;

determining from said database the transaction history of said individual customer; and

generating a customer information response at the point-of-sale representative of said individual customer'"'"'s transaction history prior to the current shopping visit,

said response providing information at said point-of-sale derived from said database and useful for effectuating targeted customer promotion.

8. A method for providing customer services in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

entering into a point-of-sale terminal a unique identification code for a customer;

entering into said terminal transaction data relating to the customer'"'"'s shopping transactions;

generating and maintaining a database, including the step of correlating said transaction data with said unique identification code;

responding to entry, during a current transaction, of said unique identification code for a customer by analyzing said transaction data of the customer, including data in said database from prior transactions, with or without data from the current transaction, in order to generate a response which is a function of said data in said database from prior transactions, and by

supplying said response to said terminal during said current transaction in which said unique identification code is entered,

said response including information for effecting a targeted promotion to the customer.

9. A computer implemented system for providing a signal at a point-of-sale depending upon a customer'"'"'s shopping history, comprising:

a terminal for entering, during a transaction, a unique customer identification;

a database storing transaction data from prior transactions for a plurality of customers, such that data regarding a customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with an identification of that customer;

circuitry responsive to the entry of said unique customer identification at said terminal during said transaction for transmitting to said point-of-sale during said transaction a customer information response signal; and

wherein said customer information response signal depends upon data stored in said database indicating dollar amount of at least one prior purchase associated with said unique customer identification.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said customer information response signal depends upon dollar amount of a plurality of prior purchases associated with said unique customer identification.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said customer information response signal also depends upon a frequency of prior purchases associated with said unique customer identification.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said terminal can also receive customer transaction data.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said data regarding said individual customer'"'"'s prior transactions stored in association with said individual customer'"'"'s identification in said database includes transaction frequency and dollar amount.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said database stores the date that transaction data association with said unique customer identification was updated.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said terminal is in a first retail store, said database is a first store database, and said first store database is located at said first retail store.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a second store database local at a second retail store, said second store database storing transaction data from prior transactions at said second store for a plurality of customers, such that data regarding a customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in said second store database in association with a unique identification of that customer; and

a global database storing transaction data from prior transactions in both said first retail store and said second retail store.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising at least one data connection, said at least one data connection enabling transmission of data stored in said first store database and said second store database to said global database, and enabling transmission of data from said global database to each one of said first store database and said second store database.

18. The system of claim 17 configured to update customer records in said first store database based upon data stored in said global database.

19. The system of claim 17 configured to update customer records in said first store database based upon data stored in said global database for transactions that occurred in said second retail store.

20. The system of claim 19 configured to update customer records in said first store database based upon data transmitted to said global database from said second store database for transactions that occurred in said second retail store.

21. The system of claim 19 configured to update customer records in said second store database based upon data stored in said global database for transactions that occurred in said first retail store.

22. A computer implemented method for providing a signal at a point-of-sale depending upon a customer'"'"'s shopping history, comprising the steps of:

entering in a terminal, during a transaction, a unique customer identification;

storing, in a database, transaction data from prior shopping transactions for a plurality of customers, such that data regarding a customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with said an identification of that customer;

transmitting to a point-of-sale during said transaction a customer information response signal in response to the entry of said unique customer identification at said terminal during said transaction; and

wherein said customer information response signal depends upon data stored in said database indicating dollar amount of at least one prior purchase associated with said unique customer identification.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said customer information response signal depends upon dollar amount of a plurality of prior purchases associated with said unique customer identification.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said customer information response signal also depends upon a frequency of prior purchases associated with said unique customer identification.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of receiving in said terminal customer transaction data.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein said data regarding said individual customer'"'"'s prior transactions stored in association with said individual customer'"'"'s identification in said database includes transaction frequency and dollar amount.

27. A computer implemented customer database comprising stored transaction data from prior transactions for a plurality of customers, such that data regarding a customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in association with an identification of that customer, said transaction data stored in association with said identification of that customer including:

total dollar amount of purchases purchased during a period of time;

wherein said period of time is one of a day and a week.

28. The database of claim 27 wherein said transaction data stored in association with said identification of that customer further comprises a number of transactions associated with an identification of a customer.

29. The database of claim 27 wherein said transaction data stored in association with said identification of that customer further comprises a frequency of transactions.

30. The database of claim 27 wherein said transaction data stored in association with said identification of that customer further comprises a frequency of transactions for a specified period of time associated with an identification of a customer.

31. The database of claim 27 wherein said specified period of time is one of a day and a week.

32. A computer implemented system comprising:

computer implemented customer database comprising stored transaction data from prior point-of-sale transactions, said stored transaction data comprising;

(1) data for a first customer such that data regarding said first customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in a first customer record associating a first customer identification of said first customer with at least a first customer first dollar amount; and

(2) data for a second customer such that data regarding said second customer'"'"'s prior transactions are stored in a second customer record associating a second customer identification of said second customer with at least a second customer first dollar amount;

a point of sale terminal;

a digital data processor;

and wherein said system is programmed to respond to transaction information received from the point of sale terminal including said first customer identification by identifying said first customer record in said database, and returning to said point of sale terminal a first customer information response signal;

wherein a value of said first customer information response signal depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least said first customer first dollar amount.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein a value of said first customer information response signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer second dollar amount.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein a value of said first customer information response signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer third dollar amount.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein a value of said first customer information response signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer first frequency value.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein a value of said first customer information response signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer second frequency value.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein a value of said first customer information response signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer third frequency value.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein a value of said first customer information response signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer first frequency value.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer second frequency value.

40. The system of claim 32 wherein said signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer first status value.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein said signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer first flag value.

42. The system of claim 32 wherein said signal also depends at least in part upon data stored in said first customer record, including at least a first customer first time value.