System and method for distributing mobile compensation and incentives

• US 8,744,940 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mocapay, Inc. (Moca Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hurst, Douglas J., White, William O.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TIEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/349,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/37, 705/35, 705/39, 705/40, 705/44, 705/26, 726/28, 709/206, 719/318, 238/385
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3267 In-app payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3228 One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key

Abstract

A system and method for distributing incentives via mobile devices is described. One embodiment, a computer-server-based method, receives a request from a merchant to generate an incentive which incentive is funded and initiated by the merchant, receives the incentive, associates the incentive with a recipient'"'"'s phone number, and transmits a notification of the incentive to a mobile device associated with the recipient'"'"'s phone number, the computer server acting as a server-side wallet for the incentive, the incentive being usable, through interaction with the computer server, by the recipient for the purchase of goods or services from the merchant associated with the incentive.

Claims

1. A computer-server-based method for distributing an incentive from a communication device of a merchant to a communication device of a consumer, the computer-server-based method comprising:

receiving, at a computer server, a request from the communication device of the merchant to distribute the incentive to the communication device of the consumer;

receiving, at the computer server, a phone number of the communication device of the consumer;

associating, at the computer server, the incentive with the phone number of the communication device of the consumer;

transmitting a notification of the incentive to the communication device of the consumer; and

storing an account number of the consumer identifiable to the merchant at the computer server instead of at the communication device of the consumer such that the computer server communicates with the communication device of the consumer to redeem the incentive to the merchant on behalf of the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device of the consumer comprises a mobile device and the identifier comprises a phone number of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer server communicates with the communication device of the consumer over the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises a percentage discount.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises a dollar amount.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises a free good.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises a free service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes instructions to the consumer regarding how to redeem the incentive.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an activation date for the incentive, wherein the notification of the incentive is transmitted to the communication device of the consumer on the activation date.

10. A system for distributing an incentive from a merchant having a communication device to a consumer having a communication device, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

,

a memory containing a plurality of program instructions executable by the at least one processor, the plurality of program instructions being configured to cause the at least one processor to;

receive a request from the communication device of the merchant to distribute the incentive to the communication device of the consumer;

receive a phone number of the communication device of the consumer;

associate the incentive with the phone number of the consumer;

transmit a notification of the incentive to the communication device associated with the phone number of the consumer; and

store an account number of the consumer identifiable to the merchant at the computer server instead of at the communication device of the consumer such that the computer server communicates with the communication device of the consumer to redeem the incentive to the merchant on behalf of the consumer.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system includes a server in communication with the Internet.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the incentive comprises a percentage discount.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the incentive comprises a dollar amount.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the incentive comprises a free good.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the incentive comprises a free service.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification includes instructions to the consumer regarding how to redeem the incentive.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:

receive a transaction amount; and

apply the incentive to the transaction amount.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:

authorize a purchase of goods or services from the merchant according to the transaction amount.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:

transmit an electronic receipt to the electronic device of the consumer, the electronic receipt first and consumers showing details of the transaction, including the applied incentive.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:

receive an activation date for the incentive; and

transmit the notification of the incentive to the mobile device associated with the identifier of the electronic device of the consumer on the activation date.